I've got a 6.5-20x44 Cabela's Premium Alaskan Guide rifle scopes and I'm just curious if anyone knows who actually makes them. It's an excellent scope, comparable to my Nikon UCC 6.5-20x44 scope, not quite as crisp, but very, very close, with excellent tracking adjustments. Thanks for the help!

Call Cabela's. Sometimes they'll tell you who the maker is.

I read online somewhere that Light Optical Works is making them. I don't know anything about them but my 3-9x40 is impressive. The man at the counter said that it comes out of the same factory as the Bushnell Elites.

Grab these while you can, good Japanese glass at a good price.

Nick

I'm not positive about the AG scopes but I know for a fact that the AG bino's are made by Light Optical Works, jp.

It really doesn't matter so much who makes them. There are not many companies who really make optics these days. Light Optical Works is certainly an outstanding example. The more germane question is, to my way of thinking anyway, "are the Alaskan Guides based on a Cabela's design, or are they ordered from whoever gave them the best deal on a particular specification package"? I'd bet on the latter. In that case the maker is probably pretty inconsequential as they have to be made well enough for Cabelas's to warranty.

i've got a 4.5-14 old guide scope, and tasco stoney point turrets fit on it.
just my .02 about them. i do like it, and has been a great scope on my 243 hb.

Good points Steve. I mentioned LOW because they have an excellent reputation for producing quality. Matter of fact Leupold's Pinnacle and Katmai bino's are made by Light Optical Works and they are pretty good as well. My feeling is when a buyer such as Cabelas in this case goes to Light Optical they are looking to offer their customers a good product as opposed to going to some OEM in China with a lessor reputation.

SteveC99,

I happen to know some of what went on when Cabela's decided to get into the scope business. They actually hired a consultant who knows something about hunting optics. When Cabela's told him that they wanted to sell a very good scope, he suggested Light Optical.

They took his suggestion, then had Light makes some prototypes of what they wanted. These were were thoroughly tested by the consultant, including extensive shooting on hard-kicking rifles. Some changes were made before the scopes went into full production.

So no, in this Cabela's did not go with "whoever gave them the best deal."

Now, that was several years ago and I don't know if the scopes are still made by Light. But that's what happened in the beginning.

JB,

Were you the consultant Cabelas used?

I always had a feeling they were manufactured by the same company building Sightron scopes. I bought several of the AG scopes a few years back when Cabela's clearanced them in their Bargain Cave, and they were very similar to the Sightron scopes I had. Specifically, they were very close to the SII's. Turrets were the same, power ranges the same, with the same "nitrogen port" sticker in the exact same place under the turret saddle.

Aldeer,

No, I wasn't. But I know the guy well, the reason I know what went on.

I've got one of the 4.5x14x50mmSF "bargain cave" models. Everything about them is the same as Sightron SIIs.
Been a great scope, will mount up in Talley lows despite the 50mm objective.