BACKGROUND: Although development of a Selbstladegewehr, (Semi-automatic rifle), had been undertaken by German armament factories as early as 1908, it wasn’t until the invasion of Russia in 1941, when the Germans came up against Russians armed with the quick firing Tokarev semiautomatic rifles that the Heeresfeldzeugmeisterei, (Army Ordnance Department), issued an urgent request for a comparable weapon. This led to the development of the Selbstladegewehr 41 in 1941 which, with modifications, evolved into the Gewehr 43 and eventually the Karabiner 43 in 1943. The Gewehr 43 and Karabiner 43 were basically improved modification of the Selbstladegewehr 41, and were designed with an integral "T" shaped scope mounting base. This design allowed the rifle to be converted to a sharpshooters rifle with the ease of sliding on a preassembled, mass produced scope assembly. The four power magnification ZFK 43, also referred to as the Gw ZF4 sharpshooter’s scope was developed in late 1943 by the Voigtländer optical firm and was designed for use with the Gewehr 43 and Karabiner 43 semi-automatic rifles.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Four power magnification, blued, machine tooled, steel and sheet metal scope is roughly, 6" long with a 1 1/8" diameter at both the ocular and objective ends and a squared centerpiece. The centerpiece features a raised, milled, range elevation adjustment dial with variable range adjustments from 100 to 800 meters in increments of 50 meters. The centerpiece also has a raised windage adjustment dial that is internally set. The scope retains about 80% of its original bluing with small areas of light surface spotting. The optics are just marginally smoky and have the typical single, vertical and dual, horizontal side bar reticle pattern sights. The range elevation adjustment dial raises or lowers the reticle pattern as required. The scope is well marked with impressed designation, "Gw ZF 4", indicating Gewehr-Zielfernrohr 4-fach, (Rifle-Telescopic sight 4 power), the manufacturer’s three letter code, "dow" indicating manufacture by Opticotechna G.m.b.H. of Prerau Czechoslovakia, a triangular lubricant code, signifying the lubricant was effective to temperatures of +122 to -40 degrees Fahrenheit and the serial number, "17111". The removable, eye-guard and the rain shield are both absent. The scope comes with two, natural, tempered spring steel retaining bands with corresponding screw threaded steel securing dowels designed to secure the scope to the mount assembly.

GRADE ***3/4                             PRICE $735.00