What does the M8 mean? I am looking at putting an older fixed power scope on my Dads old Winny 88. Are they a decent scope? Do the M8 4x scopes have enough eye relief for one of these?

M8 is the designator for the fixed power Leupold scopes immediately prior to the FX series. The 4x has good eye relief. Are there particular difficulties putting scopes on an 88?

I had a Vari x III 2.5-8x and when on 8x I have to move my head up the stock to get a good sight picture. Mounts are few and far between for the 88 so I figured I would put a fixed power on it and not worry about trying to mount it like Jeff O.

Gotcha. I think some of Jeff's Conquest set-ups would have the ocular housing in my eye socket even before the rifle recoils.

The M8 is indeed the "old" Leupy fixed line. The only one I own is a 4x that's mounted in a 375 H&H. plenty of eye relief on std stock. the "new" FX has click-adjustments IIRC.

Are'nt the older M8's 1/2 moa adjustments compared to 1/4 moa on the newer fx line?

Rollin'...........

What was the quality of the M8s? Do they compare to the VX-II or are the lower quality?

They are older scopes,and I'd say the newer fixed Leups have better optics today,but there is nothing inadequate about the M8's,which were (are)very rugged, lightweight scopes,able to tolerate a lot of abuse and recoil.

They are also very easy to mount because of the long tubes and lack of power adjustment rings,and while something of a pain to adjust and bring into zero, they don't budge once zeroed(unless they break,which don't happen often).They have plenty of eye relief.

I have done a lot of hunting with the 3X and 4X models,still have a few, still hunt with them,and would not hesitate to use one for about anything except low-light field sniping.They are a very practical, rugged, hunting scope. I keep my eyes peeled for them in good shape,and do not hesitate to buy them when available.

If you want a tough,no-nonsense scope without a lot of hype, they are tough to beat.

How so?

mathman: They have that "friction" adjustment and some(not all) just move reluctantly with a bit of "drag";not always,but some. Sometimes takes a couple of shots before they "jump" to the change. I get past this by going beyond where I want it, and come back.

Once zeroed, though,they hang tough,and I have had them stay in one place for a long time, in a a couple of rifles,through enough rounds that I actually cooked the barrel with only very minor adjustments. That's a lot of rounds.

In years of use, I broke one...a 4X that lived its life through lots of hunts and was never on anything smaller than a 300 Win Mag,338,etc and a few thousand rounds. A 358 STA(250 gr bullet over 3000)finally caused the ocular to seperate from the housing.It clinked like a piano key. It was pretty beat

Even with the loose lens, it would hold 8" at 300 yards....

I have a several 4x, a 6x, a 10x, and two 12s. Love them all dearly. Clear, bright....Love 'em. The 6x42 is on a 700 Classic .250 Savage. Three 100yd 3-shot groups with 75gr V-max went .309", .676" and .476". and I saw the holes as they appeared on the paper. What better can you ask?

My only experience with this scope is the one that sits on my son's Ruger 10/22, which is capable of eating scopes for lunch. It has eaten the M8 twice in 8 years, each time Leupy rebuilt it and sent it back free of charge. Optics are decent at best.

M8-4x is all that is needed for my big-game hunting. Sure is a nice scope to hunt with. Easy on the eyes, the wallet, and tough as nails.

Plinked a nice buck this year at over 400 yards with it, so it can get you out there too if you know how to use it.

I really like the older M8-4X scopes with the 28mm objective bell. They are longer scopes and easy to mount on rifles like Savage 99s and Ruger#1s etc. They are plenty clear enough for 99% of the shooting I would ever contemplate. Plus, they do not ruin the balance of most rifles like a big 50mm objective scope does.

I would ditto that...last time I used one was to help a companion with a very good mule deer at about 350 yards.....it worked fine. Maybe not fancy, but they work!

It's a real decent scope. I've used one for over twenty five years and I agree with all the good things said about them here. When I consider more expensive scopes I've used on big game I think I probably spent more money than I needed to.