Leupold

J

jeffsvice

Guest
I understand human nature to trash the "top dog" - a position Leupold has probably owned in the mid-price scope for the field and hunting arena for some time. But I also understand that products, good at introduction are often gradually sub-optimized against production costs and marketing schemes. Also, with as many scopes as Leupold has in the field, they have (statistically speaking) a greater likelihood of a failure being reported than perhaps a Zeiss or Swarovski... I also recognize most folks aren't as adamant in reporting on various forums that a scope is "adequate" as they are reporting a failure...

That said, I gearing up with a new scope and doing some research - 3.5 X 10 VX-III with the BC reticule seems appropriate, but there sure is a lot of negative comments on Leupold these days.

Is Leupold going through a "quality downcycle" - or are the many negative comments trash talk?

There are several alternatives that appear to fit my wants/needs - examples - look at the the Zeiss Conquest 3.5 X 10 with the Rapid Z 600 reticule the 2.5 X 10 Nikon Monarch with the BDC reticule.

I'm well aware of the lifetime warranty stuff - just would rather have something I can count on from the start - I'm not interesting in going through the routine of taking it off, sending it back, waiting on it, remounting it...

I own 4 older Vari-X IIIs in several different power ranges. I've never had a problem with any of them.
 
I had a 6.5/20 on a..........

.22-250, it sat a bunch, sent it back w/another guy's 3.5/10x50, which had sat for about seven yrs. Both bad, repaired by Leupold. Most people let 'em sit, they get cranky; If you can remember, crank 'em through, remembering the clicks, then go past the other way & back on W&E each year, its helpful. That said, remember,(not admitted by mfgrs., except under pressure) that the "industry standard" life-expectancy, for most all American & Japanese 'scopes is: 1,000 rds of .30-'06 in a standard-weight sporter. After that, they WILL repair it, but, to them, it has met its design standard, adequately.;) You don't HAVE to get a European 'scope, most people regard them as "NOT necessary!!", or regard you as some time-traveler by the guys who use the Simmons' & other lesser expensive articles; however, you get what you pay for, & some of those Euro 'scopes are REALly nice. A pleasure to use. And, I have to admit, sometimes there is some "buyer's remorse" following the purchase, but after you take that thing out & use it a few times, especially if you do any varmint or other control work in diminished light, or dark conditions, that buyer's remorse quickly evaporates!!!!! Just MY experience.:D
 
Have 8 Leupold scopes from the "bottom" 4-12x "Rifleman" to the VX111 6.5-20x to an older BR24x. All excellent, no problems---- ever.
 
Leupold is all I own, they're GTG. I do have a 12x42x56 BR NF coming though for my soon to be 6 Dasher. It had an 8.5x25x50 VXIII on it for several years. Never a problem.
 
If you can get by the honking ocular housing of the Zeiss it would be a worthy consideration.
Leupold's do just fine, sitting or otherwise, and strike a nice balance between optical performance, a lot of MOA on tap, size, weight, and durability. A warranty as good as it gets with fast turn around a big plus as well should you need it.
 
Zeiss

fva: Bought a new Zeiss 6.5-20x "Conquest" last Summer. Optics are outstanding/ typical German. My criticizing points are : limited range of adjustments 45 moa elev. 30 moa wind. no sun shade available. no screw-on lens caps available. With that though, still a great scope, would not hesitate to buy another.
 
I have seen all of them and a VXIII is 30x the scope a conquest is. now a diavari is a different story- that's real german engineering. how bout a schmidt and bender? hands down the best scope money can buy if you can find the correct power range to work with what you're doing.
 
f d shuster said:
fva: Bought a new Zeiss 6.5-20x "Conquest" last Summer. Optics are outstanding/ typical German. My criticizing points are : limited range of adjustments 45 moa elev. 30 moa wind. no sun shade available. no screw-on lens caps available. With that though, still a great scope, would not hesitate to buy another.
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Yeah, I bought the 4.5-14x50 Conquest because it is the only higher X Conquest with a decent amount of adjustment. Like it well enough and the adjustments are spot on but there are areas they could improve.
 
If one looks....

at the European benchrest competitors both in Germany and Italy, you will sure see a lot of Leupold's on their rifles...and they have the resources to put any scope they wish on their rifles. There are only two scope manufactures in the world I would pick over Leupold; Nightforce for long range work and March.
 
I own 25 Leupolds and have been buying them for 30 years, never ever had a problem with them. When I need a scope I have to depend on it's a Leupold. I see people bash them, compare other scopes to them and talk about scope x is just as good but cheaper, etc..... but in the end the thing I like about my Leupolds is they work, they are very depenable. My freinds and me shoot all year round and they like me, own Leupolds. I own a few other brands but they are on what I call play guns, are guns that get shot only off a bench during the bright light of day.
Glenn
 
Dusty Stevens said:
I have seen all of them and a VXIII is 30x the scope a conquest is. now a diavari is a different story- that's real german engineering. how bout a schmidt and bender? hands down the best scope money can buy if you can find the correct power range to work with what you're doing.
Click to expand...

would you be kind enough to point out exactly what makes a VXIII that much better than a conquest?

ive used both and the conquest is much better in low light. and holds POI very well. also i have yet to read ANY post about guys having to send their zeiss back to the factory for rework, but ive read of dozens from guys who had to send their leupolds in. for tracking issues ect.

both are fantastic scopes with out a doubt. but i cant see where a VXIII is better than a conquest in any way
 
Every rifle i own with a scope has a Leupold. I have on one occasion sent a scope back to Leupold for repair. Not familiar with the recent quality of Leupold because all of mine are probably ten to twenty + years old. That said, If i needed a scope I would not hesitate to buy an older one.

Vita est brevis

jerrold
 
Way back, I never bought a Leupold scope due to it's price.
I always bought cheaper ones till I finally bought a Leupold.

Now I know why they're popular. Now I have 4 Leupolds, they're not cheap but you do get what you pay for.
 
I look at scopes from a different perspective I guess. It's not about how good the glass is for me! If we are just looking at better optics than the next scope that is one thing, a thing that is at the bottom of my list.

For me, it is does the scope tract?

Does the scope reticle hold the adjustment?

Does the adjustment move "now" or does it lag?

As long as Leupold continues using flat springs to tension the screw adjustments for the erector tube, I want no part of them.

There is only one solution to the Leupold problem, "TUCKERIZE" that scope. This is seen often on the BR circuit. After Cecil does his magic, the scopes become reliable.

Night force is a scope that has done the same thing that Cecil does to a scope and has added a coil spring to put positive tension to the erector tube.

So then, what scope has totally got away from the down side of flat springs and gives 100% reliable adjustments right out of the box (and does not require a forklift to haul around)? I have found the Sightron, to be 100% reliable.

Please don't comeback and tell me your stories about how good Leupold is or used to be. I do not care anymore about what you think of Leupold, I can type for hours and talk about the failures I've seen with these scopes.

I don't know anyone that had in the past been as big a supporter of Leupold scopes as I was.

I too have Leupold scopes that have not failed (yet) I no longer hunt with these scopes, as I had one fail on a Yukon river hunt.

It is for this propensity of failure of Leupold's to fail is why, when people ask, what I recommend, my first suggestion is always S&B. When I tell them what kind of money they cost, I always recommend the Sightron scopes.


I wish this wasn't the case, I had a long love affair with Leupold scopes.
 
Does the adjustment move "now" or does it lag?
Click to expand...

Apparently this lag is quite common across quite a few brands of scopes. It can be a little irritating, but for me it is not a show stopper.

Did you think of cranking your adjustment a few clicks too far, then dialing it back?

For me, when there's been a little lag, a couple of fired rounds seems to snap the adjustment to true.

I don't know that I would want to "pan" a whole line of scopes over this one so-called problem.
 
Jeff I have not seen a decline in quality of leupold scopes. Thats all I will buy I don't know how many I own but its a bunch. I do Have a question for anyone who knows a thing or 2 about the Inner workings of scopes. I have recently fell victim to this smokeless muzzloader craze using a savage and a custom 45 cal Pac nor barrel. The question is would it be worth my money to have a elevation turret installed on the 4x12 VX1 that I am using on this muzzloader. I am currently shooting 60G of n120 and a 300 grain bullet the recoil is formitible. Is the vx1 line of scopes built tuff enough to handle this recoil?.
 
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