Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Leica ER5

I was at the DSC Leica booth, asking about these scopes. I asked the guy who was making them and the response was: Can't say, but they are engineered by Leica in Germany, but built in the USA. My next question was who makes the glass and the answer was; We buy glass from all over the world. (That implies Schott). So next I asked: What I really mean is there the glass is ground: Can't say (that implies the only thing Leica about these are the name. Then I brought up the problems of the prior scope made by Leupold, response was that was 20 year ago and can't be compared to the ER5 (That implies that Leupold & Stevens are not making theses.

I did look thru the 1-5x24, it was a very bright scope.

I also inquired if the Magnus will be available in the USA and the response was maybe this summer. That Leica is redoing the Magnus lineup and when that finished they will be for sale in the USA.

From what I understand there are only a couple/three optics manufacturers who polish and grind their own glass, in house. Meopta, S&B, and Carl Zeiss Co. Maybe MuleDeer can verify or set the record straight on this.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if Meopta was making that Leica scope, since they made the APO spotters for Leica several years ago.

If you're still at DSC, and want a real WOW factor, take a look at that 1.7-10x Meopta R2 w/illuminated 4C.

I'm very interested to see the 1.5-8X32. This range and size are my favorite scopes by far.

Leica grinds there own. Meopta was my guess too, but after the post that it was Minox. I still don't believe the Minox story as I don't think they have any facilities in the USA. Their distributer was at DSC, but did not ask.

Speaking of spotters, the Leica rep hinted that a new spotter might be out next year.

fwiw,
Schmidt Bender has their own Glass Plant in Hungary as some may know. They have vertical integration of the process from making the raw glass to the multi-coating. An amazing accomplishment for such a small company... If you knew how small of a company they actually are you would be truly astonished. Compare it to the global conglomerate of Zeiss/Schott/Hensoldt it is all the more surprising.

Surprised to hear about Leica using Schott glass. I can remember stories of Leica raw glass cooling/curing for a year before anything further was done to it. The Schott rumor is interesting and disturbing at the same time. Cost cutting measure? No doubt Schott can produce as good as can be made for sports optics, however, Leica was never in need of improvement to my eye. Could it be slim lining? Muledeer?

JGRaider,
Answered that for myself. Thank you for bringing up the 62/77 Leica Spotters being made by Meopta by the way... That was a surprise.

Regards, Matt.

I've been waiting for the ER5 1-5X24, maybe will start shipping after Shot?

I was in the Soms factory back in 1999. And there is lens grinding and coating done there.
No doubt individual lenses are contract manufactured. Leitz has done that since at least WWII.

The only complaints I remember about the Leupold mfg Leica rifle scopes were mechanical.

I'm very interested in the 1.5-8x32.. is the weight correct on the website? 340grams? Might be a misprint with the 1-5 @ 410 grams.

I can't find any reviews online? Anyone knon of any?