Known Zf 41 Manufacturers And Their Codes

by
posted on May 30, 2014
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
IMG_7801.jpg

Q. I have a German K98k fitted with a Zf 41 scope that is marked with a three-letter code. Can you tell me who made it? Can you tell me how many scoped K98k rifles were made during World War II?

 

A. The Zf 41 production total remains a mystery. Records at the Mauser factory in Oberndorf state that the firm made 86,000 rifles with telescopes during World War II-35,000 during 1944 alone. But the authors who have done the most research in this area, Richard Law and Peter Senich, point out that these figures do not include Zf 41-equipped K98ks.

Riflescopes of every description, including the Zf 41, appear to have been in short supply, despite the fact that the Adalbert b program had Hitler’s wholehearted support. In fact, he wanted them to be issued to every German soldier. Of course, from the production standpoint alone, this was unrealistic. For example, even though the Zf 41 appears deceptively simple, its 12-lens system was difficult to manufacture in quantity.

Furthermore, many of the Zf 41 manufacturers listed below were responsible for the manufacture of other higher-priority optic mechanisms, such as artillery sights.

-Glenn M. Gilbert

Originally published December, 2006

Latest

Taurus GX2
Taurus GX2

Review: Taurus GX2

From cars to cellphones, as a product gets more sophisticated, it usually also gets more expensive. And, as modern handguns get more modular and optic-ready, their prices tend to go up.

Rifleman Q&A: A Garand Puzzlement

"We are a father-and-son NRA member tandem in search of an answer regarding the branding of an M1 Garand rifle. We own an M1 rifle that has markings indicating it was a “lend lease to England,” and it also has a .308 barrel/sleeve."

$160K Raised For HAVA At SIG Sauer Event

SIG Sauer hosted its 9th Annual Honored American Veterans Afield (HAVA) Charity Golf event early last month and raised more than $160,000 to support disabled veterans.

Scout The Trail To A General Purpose Rifle

The search for a universal longarm—one suitable for both hunting and defensive scenarios—is a trek that involves a bit of doubling back.

Trijicon Releases Green-Dot RMR

For the first time, the Trijicon RMR will now be available with a green aiming dot, providing some benefits to shooters with astigmatism and red-green color blindness.

The Armed Citizen® Sept. 15, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.