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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) Looking for some help - Fecker Small Game Scope (Read 6090 times)
rkba2nd
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Re: Looking for some help - Fecker Small Game Scope
Reply #15 - Jul 29th, 2021 at 9:15pm
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My guess would be that they started with the first number, and continued the same sequence throughout production. I say that, as I have seen a large number, and owned quite a few different models with, what I would call a high number. There would really be no reason to number each model with a different sequence of numbers, as I am sure they kept records of each scope and description thereof. Computers would make the job of tracking a simple task!!! I am interested to hear what others might think.
  

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Re: Looking for some help - Fecker Small Game Scope
Reply #16 - Jul 30th, 2021 at 1:03am
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That makes sense
  
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marlinguy
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Re: Looking for some help - Fecker Small Game Scope
Reply #17 - Jul 30th, 2021 at 10:42am
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I agree that it's more likely that Fecker did not use separate serial number ranges for each model, and shared them among all models. But not sure that he started at #1, or if he started at a higher number, like #100, 200, 300,? I've owned quite a few, but not very many early Fecker scopes, so no idea what the lowest known number might be? My early style Fecker is a 3 digit serial number in the low 600 range.
  

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rkba2nd
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Re: Looking for some help - Fecker Small Game Scope
Reply #18 - Jul 30th, 2021 at 1:23pm
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Three digits is the smallest I have or have had, so hopefully someone here will let us know of lower numbers, if they exist.        To start at other than 1, would seem to be counter productive. Pun intended!! I for one, wish I had highwall #1.
  

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marlinguy
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Re: Looking for some help - Fecker Small Game Scope
Reply #19 - Jul 30th, 2021 at 2:07pm
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rkba2nd wrote on Jul 30th, 2021 at 1:23pm:
Three digits is the smallest I have or have had, so hopefully someone here will let us know of lower numbers, if they exist.        To start at other than 1, would seem to be counter productive. Pun intended!! I for one, wish I had highwall #1.


Often companies start at higher numbers to make people feel comfortable the company has made many before theirs. It's not at all unusual to have them start at 100 or higher.
Gun makers had all sorts of serial numbering styles. Some ran numbers within a model range, but didn't always start them at #1. Some started with a prefix letter, or suffix letter. Some ran all their models within the same serial numbers, so it's impossible to pin down exactly when a gun was made.
  

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Re: Looking for some help - Fecker Small Game Scope
Reply #20 - Jul 30th, 2021 at 3:24pm
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I am aware of all of the above, just as folks will start checking accounts with checks starting higher than No1. Always pissed me off. Feel the same way about rifles and scopes. Work out all the bugs, and then proudly start with number 1. And must add my admiration for those that do so.
  

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Re: Looking for some help - Fecker Small Game Scope
Reply #21 - Jul 30th, 2021 at 3:39pm
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I questioned that practice of starting check numbers with a higher number at a bank some, well many, years ago and their response was that some businesses looked askance at taking checks from obviously brand new accounts. Of course that was back in the "check or cash?" days.
  
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rkba2nd
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Re: Looking for some help - Fecker Small Game Scope
Reply #22 - Jul 30th, 2021 at 8:00pm
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Then my answer would be, don't do business with those who look askance at someone who may have just changed banks, and don't bank where they suggest you start with a higher check number for the above reason. My wife and I had an account with a number of banks that were absorbed by Wells Fargo and each time we started with check #1. When I got fed up with W.F. and changed banks, we had used 40,000+ checks over the course of more than 50 years. I was asked if I wanted to start where we left off. My answer was no thanks, No1 will be fine.
  

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Re: Looking for some help - Fecker Small Game Scope
Reply #23 - Jul 31st, 2021 at 2:02am
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    I finally took time today to find an original Fecker brochure from the time he was in Cleveland. Interesting to note a couple things. One, he did not supply mounts, leaving that decision up to the scope buyer. The scope mounted on the rifle pictured on the front of the brochure, a Springfield, is in Winchester mounts. Two, for Marlinguy, one of the rifles pictured inside another, later brochure is a Pope Ballard with Fecker scope mounted in his mounts with 10.8 inch base separation to allow 1/6 minute adjustment per click.  Also interesting to note, there were only two lengths available in those early years, 18 3/4 inches for most rifles, and 22 inches for Springfield rifles to allow mounting on the barrel. Powers available were 4.5, 6,8,or 10. They were fitted with a v notch to prevent rotation, but for $5 could have a rib mounted. The brochure unfortunately has no date. I acquired it from a fine gentleman, John Irwin, of Colorado Springs, close to fifty years ago. My guess would be that he had it sent to him in the late 20s or early thirties. This because many of the other items I acquired from him were from that same time frame, to include the American Rifleman from day one 1923 on.                                 
    For those interested, there is a wonderful and thorough history "The Life and Times of J.W.Fecker" by Clarence Anderson in the Accurate Rifle, May 2002.   Krag
  

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Re: Looking for some help - Fecker Small Game Scope
Reply #24 - Jul 31st, 2021 at 2:18am
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I found that the article by Clarence Anderson, The Life and Times of J. W. Fecker in the May 2002 issue of Accurate shooter is available through the ASSRA archives, for those with interest.
  

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Re: Looking for some help - Fecker Small Game Scope
Reply #25 - Jul 31st, 2021 at 6:23pm
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Thanks again for all the great information.  So, since my Fecker was made in Cleveland and it has a four digit serial number would it be reasonable to assume that it is an early scope made during the time when Fecker was not making its own mounts?  If I understand everything correctly, my interpretation seems consistent with what's been said on this post.
  
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marlinguy
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Re: Looking for some help - Fecker Small Game Scope
Reply #26 - Jul 31st, 2021 at 10:05pm
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S99VG wrote on Jul 31st, 2021 at 6:23pm:
Thanks again for all the great information.  So, since my Fecker was made in Cleveland and it has a four digit serial number would it be reasonable to assume that it is an early scope made during the time when Fecker was not making its own mounts?  If I understand everything correctly, my interpretation seems consistent with what's been said on this post.


With so little information and no Fecker records, it's a bit tough to say what's early in some cases? Not knowing what number he started with, and how many scopes he made each year, it's tough to say #1136 is a particular year. 
I'm uncertain if that makes it a 1928 scope, or a 1935 scope? Just don't know for sure?
  

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Re: Looking for some help - Fecker Small Game Scope
Reply #27 - Jul 31st, 2021 at 10:24pm
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marlinguy wrote on Jul 31st, 2021 at 10:05pm:
S99VG wrote on Jul 31st, 2021 at 6:23pm:
Thanks again for all the great information.  So, since my Fecker was made in Cleveland and it has a four digit serial number would it be reasonable to assume that it is an early scope made during the time when Fecker was not making its own mounts?  If I understand everything correctly, my interpretation seems consistent with what's been said on this post.


With so little information and no Fecker records, it's a bit tough to say what's early in some cases? Not knowing what number he started with, and how many scopes he made each year, it's tough to say #1136 is a particular year. 
I'm uncertain if that makes it a 1928 scope, or a 1935 scope? Just don't know for sure?


Got it.  The best I could say is that my scope is consistent with descriptions of early Feckers.  Which isn’t a statement of confirmation.
  
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rkba2nd
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Re: Looking for some help - Fecker Small Game Scope
Reply #28 - Jul 31st, 2021 at 10:55pm
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If one were to read the aforementioned article, The author states that serial # 1404, having no address displayed, was made post 1926, the year Fecker relocated to Pittsburgh. NO WAY TO PINPOINT MANUFACTURE DATE, but able to speculate with some accuracy because of verifiable dates. It is also quite possible that 1404 merely escaped branding. My guess would be that # 1136 would have been made in the year 1925 give or take. Or as I used to say, close enough for the gals I run with. The authors article is very informative, and well worth reading if one has the interest. As an avid reader, I must say that I have read much that I had absolutely no interest in, until I read it. As I said, the article is available through the archives, but if there is a snag, I would be glad to send a copy to anyone SERIOUSLY interested.
  

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Re: Looking for some help - Fecker Small Game Scope
Reply #29 - Aug 1st, 2021 at 10:48am
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Thanks and I will try to find the article!
  
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