In general terms, I tell folks that the K4 started out great, then became amazing, then was sacrificed through the 60’s to hit a price point, then came back to greatness in the 70’s. Unless you take them apart, it looks like a K4 is a K4 is a K4, but nothing could be further from the truth. Having over 10,000 vintage Weaver scopes in inventory, and of course more than that through our hands, we’ve seen our share of all of the K4 renditions. There were good designs, great designs, and horrible designs along the way. The K4 was with them most of their years, in good times and in bad. From the part they played in finally making scopes affordable to hunters, to their part in the war effort, to their ingenuity of design and function in shooting optics. The Weaver story includes many hallmarks.

Between the original K4 exposed adjustment, non-centered reticule in 1947 and the Steel Lite II version with Micro trac available from 1978-1984, there were many attempts to improve the scope itself, and the manufacturing process. That said, the K4 had many renditions through its reign. It was the most popular and is still the most famous hunting scope ever made. No other scope topped more rifles during that period. The Weaver Model K4 series was manufactured from 1947 until the close of business in 1984.

Weaver k8