Hensoldt 4x24 scopes for Heckler & Koch  G3 rifles.

After the German Bundeswehr replaced the G3 with the G36 as their standard rifle, the market was flooded with surplus Hensoldt scopes and STANAG claw mounts. These scopes are truly high quality optics. Hensoldt Optische Werke AG is part of the Zeiss-gruppe. Hensoldt is the brand name used by Zeiss for their military line of optics.

On a side note, Hensoldt is not the only supplier of 4x STANAG interface scopes to the German Bundeswehr, such scopes was also made by Schmidt & Bender of Biebertal and Karl Kaps of Asslar/Wetzlar. These seem to be rather rare compared to the Hensoldts.

Most of these scopes seem to have been delivered with a black finish, but some was also delivered with an O.D. green finish. Scopes with a factory finish will always have the factory name printed on top.

The Hensoldt 4x scopes was made in three different versions. They have slightly different characteristics.

 Model 1.

This is the first version and is recognized in that it has a solid black reticle, and the reticle can not be illuminated. It has a focus knob on the right side. The scope has a straight outline. The windage and elevation turrets does not have internal "click" adjustments. This particular scope is attached to a factory SIG 550 series mount. It has been refinished in O.D. green Duracoat.

 Model 2.

Second version. This version has a see-through reticle that can be illuminated. This scope also has a focus knob on the right side. The illumination attachment rail is found in front of the focus knob. The scope has a straight outline. The windage and elevation turrets does not have internal "click" adjustments. The depicted scope is attached to a G3 STANAG claw mount.

 Model 3.

Third version, known as the FERO-Z 24. It also has a see-through reticle that can be illuminated. This version has no focus knob, focus is factory set. The illumination attachment rail is found on the left side. The windage and elevation turrets have internal "click" adjustments. The objective and eyepiece flare out to a larger diameter than the scope tube. The depicted scope is attached to an A.R.M.S. no. 5 mount.

The rubber lens covers are to be flipped inside out to remain open. Sometimes these are old and brittle and need to be replaced. Spares are available from online vendors, or they can be replaced by aftermarket covers like Butler Creek.

All three versions has a bullet drop compensator for 7.62x51 NATO ammo marked with the numbers 1 thru 6, indicating distance in hundreds of meters. A .223/5.56x45 NATO and a 9x19 mm bullet drop compensated version of the FERO-Z is also available. The BDC ring of this version is marked .223 or 9mm.

Reticle

The reticle is graded in mils like in mildot. 1 mil = 1 meter @ a distance of 1000 meters. This mean that 1 mil = 10 cm @ a distance of 100 meters.

As seen in the above pic, the field of view (FOV) of the M1 and M2 scopes are 102 meters @ 100 meters distance, or 10.2 meters @ 100 meters distance.

The FOV of the FERO-Z is 106 meters @ 1000 meters distance. This equals a FOV of 106 mils.

Using the reticle for ranging

An IPSC target is 45 cm or 18" wide. This equals the average shoulder/chest width of a normally built man. If an IPSC target fits between the posts like seen in the image below, you have approximately the indicated distances.

If 100% accuracy is required, there should be some room between the target and the posts, e.g. if the distance is 100 meters, the distance of 5 mils between two posts is exactly 50 cm or 20", but for a battle sight at distances out to 200-300 meters, it's close enough.

Below is a conversion table for ranging.

For reference: 1 meter = appx. 1.1 yard. 1 cm =  appx. 0.4"

An example: A 2008 Ford Crown Vic is 78.3" wide w/o mirrors. This is equal to 199 cm or 1.99 meters.

The car is facing you squarely and fits between two posts in your reticle with a 10 mil distance between them.

Q: What is the distance to the car, and what setting should the elevation knob of your scope be set to if you where to engage a target at that distance?  It is implied that the rifle is properly sighted in. Answer is found at the bottom of the page.

Windage adjustment

The table below is the one used by the Swedish Army to adjust for crosswind. The table is made for the M1 and M2 Hensoldt.

SWAG calculations based on the data for the M1/M2 models in the table above to suit the FERO-Z

Sighting in / Windage and elevation zeroing 

M1 and M2:

Important note:

The elevation adjustment knob is marked T and H. T (Tiefe) = DOWN. H (Höhe) = UP.

The windage knob is marked L and R. L (Links) = LEFT. R (Rechts) = RIGHT.

The target knobs work as follows.
When the screws are tightened, the slotted discs and the detent ring will move as a single unit, i.e. as an ordinary target knob. When the screws are loosened, the slotted disc (the part with the coin slot) and the detent ring (the part of the knob with detents and numbers on it) are able to move independently, i.e. making it possible to zero the sight at e.g. 100 meters as indicated below.

1. Make sure your mount is securely and correct mounted to your rifle. Set windage and elevation knobs to “0” and “1” respectively. Place the tip of the reticle post on your target.

2. Fire one or more shots at target at a distance of 100 meters/110 yds.
Loosen screws and hold the detent ring with your left thumb and index finger, turn the slotted disc with a coin (held between your right hand thumb and index finger) in the desired direction. Important! Make sure the knobs (detent rings, actually) don’t move while adjusting.
Repeat if necessary. The adjusting can be a little tricky as there is no clicks to count when the screws are loosened.

3. Tighten screws when sights are right on the mark.

If you can't seem to hit the target at all, either decrease the distance to 30 meters or so and repeat step 1 through 3. Then move out to a 100 meters again and repeat steps 1 thru 3. Another alternative is to do what the manual says,  aim your rifle using the iron sights set to "1" and while keeping the rifle perfectly still, move your eye up to the scope and adjust until the reticle post points at the exact same spot. For this to actually work, the rifle would probably have to be attached to some kind of bench rest. Then fire a few rounds to make the last fine adjustment.

FERO-Z 24

Important note:

The elevation adjustment knob is marked T and H. T (Tiefe) = DOWN. H (Höhe) = UP.

The windage knob is marked L and R. L (Links) = LEFT. R (Rechts) = RIGHT.

The target knobs work as follows.
When the screws are tightened, the slotted discs and the outer ring will move as a single unit, i.e. as an ordinary target knob. When the screws are loosened, the slotted disc (the part with the coin slot) and the outer ring (the part of the knob with numbers on it) are able to move independently, i.e. making it possible to zero the sight at e.g. 100 meters as indicated below.

1. Make sure your mount is securely and correct mounted to your rifle. Set windage and elevation knobs to “0” and “1” respectively. Place the tip of the reticle post on your target.

2. Fire one or more shots at target at a distance of 100 meters/110 yds.
Turn the adjustment knobs the desired amount of clicks in the desired directions. Remember 1 click is 1 cm, or 1" is 2.5 clicks. When your mean point of impact is dead on, loosen the screws and hold the slotted disc with a coin (held between your left hand thumb and index finger), the detent ring with your right thumb and index finger, then turn the detent ring with your right thumb and index finger back to the "0" and "1" setting respectively. Important! Make sure the slotted disk don’t move while adjusting the outer ring.
Repeat if necessary.

3. Tighten screws when the sight is right on the mark and the outer rings are set to "1" for elevation and "0" for windage.

If you can' seem to hit the target at all, either decrease the distance to 30 meters or so and repeat step 1 through 3. Then move out to a 100 meters again and repeat steps 1 thru 3. Another alternative is to do what the manual says,  aim your rifle using the iron sights set to "1" and while keeping the rifle perfectly still, move your eye up to the scope and adjust until the reticle post points at the exact same spot. For this to actually work, the rifle would probably have to be attached to some kind of bench rest. Then fire a few rounds to make the last fine adjustment.

BLITS

A similar scope, Hensoldt BLITS was developed and made in a small series for the US army. This scope has a proprietary QD mount which give extensive protection to the scope. The QD mount was designed for use on flat top M16 rifles, i.e. picatinny rails. BLITS is an acronym for Beta Lighted Infantry Telescope System. It has tritium illumination of the reticle, the reticle itself  is a special chevron type reticle.  The BLITS scopes got their first serious test in Gulf war I. The project halted because of high unit cost. It's rumored that BLITS scopes are currently in use in A-stan by US-army SF.

AFAIK, the ordinary Hensoldt scopes will fit the BLITS QD mount. These mounts seem to pop up at online auctions, and will offer your scope additional protection should needed bee.

Various scopes and mounts for reference:

 1. Hensoldt model 1 on a SIG SG 550 series STANAG interface mount.

 2. Hensoldt model 2 on a HK STANAG interface claw mount.

 3. Hensoldt FERO-Z on an A.R.M.S.® #05™ Mount.

 4. Schmidt & Bender 1.5-6x42 on a HK claw mount with built in 30 mm rings. These mounts come with 1/2" inserts.

A: The distance to the car is 200 meters/ 220 yds. The correct elevation setting would be [2]