I asked Doug pretty much exactly this... a few years ago.
As I understand it (anyone is welcome to correct me where I am wrong)...
There are zero lens makers in the USA (except for NASA type stuff).
Everything is "Pacific Rim" as Doug put it... or Europe.
With that said... the technology to make a good lens is pretty amazing. And the Quality +/- of those lens is built to a price point for the US Consumer.
i.e. better glass, better grinding, better polishing, better coatings, better assembly... simply costs more.
Pacific Rim includes The Philippines, China, Japan et al.
Scopes are built to Specifications... Better Specs simply cost more.
Leupold and Nightforce assemble their optics here in the USA... Labor costs more, but the lens are Specified "Pacific Rim" glass.
Again, I welcome correction to any misstatement I have made.
