Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Leica scopes ante portas

Shot show press quote: "Leica enters the riflescope market with two precision made riflescopes. Styled and featured for the American hunting market, the new 2.5-10x42 and 3.5-14x42 Leica riflescopes are 30mm scopes that are available with three different reticles � Plex, 4A and a ballistic reticle. With legendary Leica lenses and extraordinary eye relief (3.94�) these new scopes offer unsurpassed optical performance."

Scopes are produced in Wetzlar/Germany

Thanks RD, I haven't tested many new scopes in the past months but, that's one that I will test as soon as it comes available.

Again Thanks

Rob

Thanks for the info Roe.

And then send it north Rob! <grin>

Scott, after I spend some time with one (when available) I'll send it north. I'll do a report on it and then PM you for shipping information.

Rob

Any bets on if they will offer a real warranty? My guess is no, and I for one will avoid them.

If they do not offer a comparable Warranty to Leupold, Sightron etc. I will not test it.

Rob

The warranty is not the problem.

30mm tube is the "problem" for me. I don't feel they're necessary at all for big game hunting.

So long as it does weigh 20 ounces or thereabouts, a 30mm tube is only a cosmetic concession for me.

Yep, tube size adds light and as long as its not heavy, its a non issue.

Not really.

Negative. The only thing you get with bigger tube is more adjustment range, not light gathering ability.

RD,

Any indication of American market pricing?

Have you talked with the Leica people, and do they really think they have something special with these scopes? If so, what would that be?

Thanks, and always glad to read your posts...jim

Roe Deer, Thanks for the information.
That 30 mm tube is a deal breaker for me too.
No way...

Ja - don't they have manufacturing equipment in Germany that can produce 25.4mm tubes for scopes? (I know they do.) Not everybody in the States hunts from an elevated tree stand, so weight matters for many hunters (along with the fact that heavier scopes are more likely than equivalent lighter scopes to fail mechanically due to recoil forces). Hope Leica figures out a way to produce scopes with 25.4mm tubes and a lifetime warranty because their glass and coatings are definitely good.

Just because a scope has a 30mm tube doesn't necessarily make it a heavyweight. For example a Zeiss Diavari 2.5-10x42 is only about two ounces heavier than a 3.5-10x40 Leupold. Also if a scope fails due to recoil forces it will be from the inertia of internal parts, not that of the tube.

Razor, I know the Germans can produce a euro made 1" tube also, as Schmidt & Bender is bringing one to market as we speak. Come to think of it, if tube size does matter in a euro made glass, S&B may be the place to start. Nobody has better glass than they do.

Mathman,

Of course, you are correct about the detail, but wouldn't you expect a 30mm scope to have larger internal components (with consequently more mass) than an equivalent 25.4mm (1") scope would?

If you are comparing scopes from two different companies, then there might be substantial differences in the mass of the various internal components (and probably more importantly a difference in design), but if you put a particular scope design in a 1" package vs. putting an identical, but scaled larger, scope design in a 30mm package, I would expect the 1" scope design to give better durability.

I think we all know that a heavier scope can be made durable as well. Let's not turn this thread into the usual cesspool of BS information.

Roe, do you know if these new scopes will have reticles in the first or second focal plane. Also, will they have the AquaDura lense coatings?

Thanks,
Roy