Help me identify this vintage optic

[NE Herd Bull]

Fellow Roksliders
I am wondering if anyone can point in me in the right direction here.
Looking for good trusted info from a reliable source.

In the constant ebb and flow of firearms that pass through my life, I happen to now own an older custom rifle that has an interesting optic mounted on it.

I am looking for more information on this scope.
The interwebs have given me a small bit of info, but good intel seems to be scarce in the common corners.
I have learned enough about it, that I am truly intrigued to know what it is that I have.

Scope is marked as an AJACK 4x90 Ser# 49643
Has the installed sun shade, and "sniper" adjustable elevation knob.
Also has some vintage removable lens covers, but I am not convinced that these are factory issue.
German WWII military ?

I am not a military collector, and frankly this is just not an area that I am versed in.
Not sure if I will keep or move this one on.......Honestly, today I am just looking for identification and information at this point.
-more pictures available upon request.

 

[Formidilosus]

Fellow Roksliders
I am wondering if anyone can point in me in the right direction here.
Looking for good trusted info from a reliable source.

In the constant ebb and flow of firearms that pass through my life, I happen to now own an older custom rifle that has an interesting optic mounted on it.

I am looking for more information on this scope.
The interwebs have given me a small bit of info, but good intel seems to be scarce in the common corners.
I have learned enough about it, that I am truly intrigued to know what it is that I have.

Scope is marked as an AJACK 3x90 Ser# 49643
Has the installed sun shade, and "sniper" adjustable elevation knob.
Also has some vintage removable lens covers, but I am not convinced that these are factory issue.
German WWII military ?

I am not a military collector, and frankly this is just not an area that I am versed in.
Not sure if I will keep or move this one on.......Honestly, today I am just looking for identification and information at this point.
-more pictures available upon request.
View attachment 633910

I know little about them, but does it have the German post reticle?

 

[NE Herd Bull]

Struggled to get my phone to cooperate, but this is what I was able to capture.
I believe this is what they referred to as Graticule No. 1


I appreciate any information that you can offer !

 

[Formidilosus]

Struggled to get my phone to cooperate, but this is what I was able to capture.
I believe this is what they referred to as Graticule No. 1
View attachment 633930

I appreciate any information that you can offer !

I have a book with WWII German Sniper rifles in it. I will try to look tonight.


Does the scope seem to function correctly?

 

[NE Herd Bull]

Honestly the glass seems exceedingly clear for an 80+/- year old optic
(Thanks in part, I am sure, because of the removeable lens covers)
Elevation adjustment tracks smoothly and reticle definitely moves in conjunction with the adjuster.
Locking knob also functions properly

Another interesting observation:
Vertical split rings are labeled "Schmidt"
As in Schmidt and Bender ?

Thanks again

 

[Formidilosus]

Are you positive it’s a “3x90” and not a 4x90?

 

[NE Herd Bull]

well crumbs!...sorry for that stupid typo
-now corrected in original post. Thanks for pointing out my error

AJACK 4x90

Also I believe that the + on the Ser# stamping is also significant

 

[Macintosh]

Ajack 4x90

www.gunboards.com

 

[NE Herd Bull]

Ajack 4x90

www.gunboards.com

Wow great info .... thank you
I had not found that thread in my research

 

[TaperPin]

I’ve never seen one of those - very cool.

 

[NE Herd Bull]

Going to float this to the top again for continued discussion.
And I am going to twist it down a different path

Like many of the firearms and firearm related items that we are fortunate enough to encounter in our lives, I do so wish that this rifle and scope could talk. Where has it been? How was it used? Who owned it? used it? touched it?

Re: this AJACK 4x90
Until someone can tell me "This is exactly what you have", I currently believe that this is a German military sniper scope. Born in a very formative and tumultuous time in history, for a very sinister purpose,.
Did this scope bare witness to the horrors of war? Was it an active contributor to those horrors?
It is chilling to consider.

It has also lived through an interesting time in hunting history.

Re: the firearm
The scope appears to be in remarkable condition, however it is mounted on a very heavily used and abused arm.
As I consider the makeup of the gun, all indications are that this was once a state of the art custom built rifle.
A gun built in a wildcat cartridge that has also been lost to time, around a robust early 20th century action.
I surmise that this was a heck of cutting-edge hunting weapon in it's halcyon days.

Perhaps I am spinning this into fantasy where it does not belong. (but it is fun to think about none the less)

Was this gun originally built for and owned by a man with the means to take it on epic adventures?
Since the late 1930's modern man was ever more capable of traveling to exotic places and hunting the great and shaggy beasts that were once only dreams in a simpler age. Europe? Alaska? Africa? Asia?

Perhaps driven by the fact that absolutely nothing is known about the ownership lineage of the piece, I find myself holding it and getting lost in thought. More than any other gun-scope combination that I have ever owned, this one spellbinds me. The different facets and possibilities humble me. I am just a simple midwestern farm kid, who as an adult turned into a hunting and firearm enthusiast.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

That is a German Nazi sniper scope. Those are worth some coin, probably $1k or better.

 

[TaperPin]

You’ve probably seen these, but it seems the Ajack is well known in some circles as a rare classic

 

[TaperPin]

Swedish m-41?

swedish m-41 scope - Google Search