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ZF4 (ZFK43)
multi - 4x - Germany - G43/Kar98/FG42






The ZF4 began as a developmental project at Voigtländer und Sohn (ddx) of Braunschweig, where it would initialy be called the ZF42. By April 1943 OrgAbt (Organisationsabteilung des GenStdH / Organisational Section of the GenStdH) seeing that the low power scopes like the ZF41 were proving themselves insufficient pushed for the replacment of these low power scopes with highter power 3x and 4x scopes. Less than a month later this was backed by In2 (Inspektion der Infanterie; Infanterie-Abteilung /Insoectorate of the Infantry of the HL; Infantry Section of the AHA) who at a May 17, 1943 conferece suggested the ZF41 be cancelled and replaced by the Voigtländer scope in development. On July 8, 1943 OrgAbt ordered production of the ZF41 cancelled in favor the new Voigtländer scope that was renamed the Gw ZF4 (Gewehr Zielfernrohr 4-fach), usually shortened to just ZF4.

Production was planned to start in November of 1943 but delays would result in the first 500 production scopes not being shipped untill May 1, 1944 (Handrich, 2004). On December 15, 1944 the designation would be changed to ZFK43 (Zielfernrohr K34).

During September and October 1943, still months away from mass production from starting, testing of the new ZF4 scopes on G43 and MP43/1 rifles began at Infanterieschule at Döberitz using early pre-production ZF4 scopes. Additional tests would be conducted in January and February 1944. While the test are today most well known for showing the MP43/1 to be ill suited for use as a sniper or marksman's rifle, the Infanterieschule also reported issues with the new ZF4 scopes themselves. This included parallax issues that varied between scopes, reticles that were misaligned or misshappen, elevations knobs moving while carrying the weapon, a loss of sealing on one test scope, and a second test scope coming apart internally (Handrich, 2004).

The ZF4 would eventually be produced by three manufactures AGFA Kamerawerk (bzz) in München, Opticotechna GmbH (dow) in Prerau (Czechoslovakia), and Voigtländer und Sohn (ddx) in Braunschweig. Voigtländer would produce around 73,000 scopes, Opticotechna around 40,000 with additional scopes made post war for the Czech army, and AGFA Kamerawerk manage around 3500 scopes. All manufactures would suffer from quality control issues, although Voigtländer appears to have suffered the most issues (Espeholt, 2023).

Some sources list Oculus (ddv), Spezialfabrik Opthalmologischer Instrumente, in Berlin as having produced ZF4 scopes (Wacker, 2011). While ddv did produce the earlier ZF41 scopes, shootingglass has seen no photos of a ddv ZF4 scope.

Before the end of the war the ZFK 43/1 would be developed as replacement for the ZF4. Post war the ZF4 would continued to be produced by Opticotechna, later renamed Meopta in 1946 after being nationalized. The Czechoslovakian military would use the scope now marked VZ43. In more recent years Meopta has produced reproductions of the ZF4 scope for the commerical market.

For more info check out http://espeholt.dk for a detailed write up regarding the ZF4.









Images



With German troops on G43 rifle.




With Russian troops on G43 rifle.




With German troops on MP44 rifle.




On FG42 rifle. Post war photos?




On VZ52 rifle. Scope mount may be commercial.




Standard reticle (left), BU reticle (right).





Manufactuer Marks


bzz (Gw ZF 4)

ddx (Gw ZF 4)
ddx (Gw ZF 4 BU)
ddx (Gw ZF 4 K.Z.F.)
ddx (K43)

ddx (Gw ZF 4 L)
ddx (Gw ZF 4 L FG42 Nr####)
ddx (Gw ZF 4 P)
ddx (Gw ZF 4 Kurz Patr. P Nr####)

dow (Gw ZF 4)
dow (ZF K 43)

Meopta (Early - remarked dow)

Meopta (Late)

unknown (Commerical Meopta scopes?)




Serial Numbers

As outlined above offical name for the ZF4 changed several times and thus scopes have been found marked G43, K43, and KZF.

The earliest post war Czech scopes made by Opticotechna/Meopta have their german markings lined out with new Czech markings and serial numbers often added. Later Czech scopes were marked Meopta. More modern Meopta reproductions have markings in the style of German wartime scopes.

NOTE: It is not unheard of for reproduction ZF4 scopes to passed off as original WWII scopes or for unscrupulous sellers to add markings to increase the supposed value of an otherwise original scope. All this to say, inclusion on this list does not mean a scope and its markings are authentic.

Serial Maker Marked Images Notes
2502 bzz Gw ZF 4 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
2905 bzz Gw ZF 4 2 3
3793 dow Gw ZF 4 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
7288 meopta vz43 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Post war production, has 1949 acceptance stamp.
8701 dow Gw ZF 4 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
12836 dow Gw ZF 4 2 3 Dug up from Estonia, and then "cleaned" with a blasted dremel!!!
15028 dow Gw ZF 4 2 3 Mount marked 8873.
16745 dow Gw ZF 4 2 3 4 5 6 7 Probably original, said to have cloudy glass.
21628 dow Gw ZF 4 2 3 4 5 "Gw" marking is covered by strap... or is it?
27355 meopta? 2 Has a factory mark that looks like three lens.
27619 meopta? 2 3 4 5 6 Hard to make out markings and serial. Has a factory mark that looks like three lens.
28238 ddx Gw ZF 4 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "x" marking in ddx has one side longer than the other.
28832 dow Gw ZF 4 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Probably original, said to be missing reticle and have cloudy glass.
30476 dow Gw ZF 4 2 3 4 Modern Meopta scope with a May 15, 2009 production date.
31874 ddx ??? 2 Have no photo of scope besides reticle, which seems to be a one off single post pattern.
35441 ddx Gw ZF 4 2 3 4 5 Marked "Kurz Patr. P Nr0013". Seen on MP43/1, with mount matched to rifle.
40023 dow Gw ZF 4 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Dug up from Poland, last digit on serial number hard to make out.
41539 ddx Gw ZF 4 Marked "BU"
41970 dow ZF K 43 2 3 4 5 dow markings lined out, remarked "U 45" and "4954". Unsure if mount is military or commercial in origin.
42867 dow ZF K 43 2 3 4 5 dow markings lined out, remarked "U 45" and "2826".
42903 ddx Gw ZF 4 2 3 Marked "BU"
43249 dow ZF K 43 2 3 4
44102 dow ZF K 43 2 3 4 dow markings lined out, remarked "U 45" and "3533".
44304 dow ZF K 43 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 dow markings lined out, no additional markings added.
45133 ddx Gw ZF 4 2 Marked "BU"
45211 ddx Gw ZF 4 2 3 Marked "L"
45778 dow ZF K 43 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 German markings lined out.
46911 dow ZF K 43 Czech example with crossed out german markings.
47373 ddx Gw ZF 4 2 3 4 5 6 7
48070 ddx Gw ZF 4 Marked "L FG42 Nr.0134".
48577 ddx Gw ZF 4 2 3 4 5 6 Marked "L FG42 Nr.0232". Has a Schwalbenschwanz mount for use on second pattern FG42's produced by gcy.
52798 ddx Gw ZF 4 2 3 4 5 Marked "L"
53883 ddx Gw ZF 4 Marked "L"
54175 ddx Gw ZF 4 2 3 4 5 6 7 Marked "L"
55880 ddx Gw ZF 4 2 Marked "P"
57894 ddx Gw ZF 4 2 3 Marked "Kurz Patr. P Nr.0028".
59022 ddx Gw ZF 4 Marked "K.Z.F.".
59291 ddx Gw ZF 4 2 3 4 Marked "K43". Based on item description mount is reproduction.
59293 ddx Gw ZF 4 2 3 4 5 Marked "L"
60322 ddx Gw ZF 4 2 3 4 Mount marked 6960.
68132 ddx Gw ZF 4 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Marked "Kurz Patr. P Nr.0559".
79153 ddx K43 2
80410 ddx K43 2 3 4
80421 ddx K43 2 3 4 3 4
86677 ddx K43 2 3 4
271081 meopta? 2 3 4 5 6 7 Has a factory mark that looks like three lens.



References

Handrich, H. (2004). Sturmgewehr!. Collector Grade Publications.

Wacker, A. (2011). German Sniper Rifles. Propaganda Photo.

Espeholt, C. (Retrieved August 11, 2023). ZF4. http://espeholt.dk/zf4.html



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