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If you could be so kind, I need directions on disassembling this Lyman alaskan. It needs refinishing.

Trace Scope Repair (few miles west of Calgary)

403-651-0793
P.O. Box 8029
RPO Cochrane
Cochrane, Alberta
T4C 2J7

Picture of Phil Zelenka, Harvey Trace and Janet Trace.

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They have replaced crosshairs in my 10X Lyman STS and 15X Unertl scopes including cleaning the lens inside.

They also placed a crosshair with a 1/10 MOA dot in a Burris Signature 6X-24X Scope with 1/8 MOA adjustments for me.

I recommend them and they are just north of you.

Unfortunately many people who try to repair scopes themselves end up damaging the crosshairs - lose springs, small screws and indexing balls in the adjustment knobs - or are unable to recharge scopes that need to be refilled with nitrogen gas  etc.

And if you need a replacement part (gaskets and seals) where are you going to find it? Or even know if it needs to be replaced?

Well, here we go!

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Well, some times you gotta do what you gotta do and I had to refinish this Lyman Alaskan. Remove the screws that you can see, the turrets, and the lenses on both ends. Push the innards out the end that you look in (ocular) and keep all your ducks lined out; take a picture! I used a fine glass bead, leaving all the tiny battle scars. I cannot say that reassembly was a slam dunk, but at least it can be described as an educational process; getting the holes to line up. 

I was careful with the cross hairs. Very careful! I put the lenses back in and looked for the hairs and just about died! It appears that when the objective lens is removed it disturbs whatever, a sealant perhaps, in the threads. It formed a free floating blob that looked like mangled cross hairs; a real heart stopper! Anyway, after adjusting focus, the cross hairs appeared along with the blob. I put the objective end downward, slapped the scope, and the blob moved to where I cannot see it, just the very beautiful fine hairs and a small dot! I could go back in there and get that blob out, but that is not going to happen soon! 

There were, at one time, two 1/16 x 50 tpi (I think), invisible, lens retainer set screws, one at each end of the scope. One had disappeared some time in the past and the other some where in this process. I expect I will use a needle and some jb weld to fill the holes...

I did not do the turrets, but have that option in the future. They are easy to remove and replace. An all steel scope is rather wonderful!

Here is the Lyman Alaskan finished and up top where it belongs. I don't expect that I will ever do another, but if I do, it will be easier the second time! 

I would do this differently. Before disassembly I would seal both ends real well; protecting the glass. Then I would glass bead the turrets with the caps in place. This would be much easier than holding and glass beading these small parts after they are removed!




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