Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics I am going to lose my scheit on Leupold....

That sounds horrible... call me if you need some help

Yep! I sure don't trust Leupold for dialing use, whether new or old (except maybe the Mark 4 Fixed Powers) - this 6-18 was on a point and shoot prairie dog rifle.

Scopes made for dailing should do so, manufacturers that want to enter that game should make scopes that hold up to that game. Their hunting scopes need to be able to be rock solid also. Adjust, hold groups, hold precise zero, not drift.

Yes, we can stagger 20 yards out the back door and shoot the bench to 600.

If you didn’t have to go outside, then you’d really have it made.

What he said.

Might blowout a little house glass from the concussion blasts, grab a couple of sticks of firewood on the way back in to warm up and freshen drinks ;]

Story of my life. It makes me cringe to think back over the last 30 years and realize just how much money I lost by selling guns or hunting related gear at "to move" prices. I stopped selling any sporting equipment or firearms I own 5 years ago. I have a project in the works, but I'm not going to sell anything to fund it. It will just take a little while longer until my slush fund has enough in it to pay my gunsmith to put the rifle together.

P


I figured you’d open the door.

I was a HUGE rabid fan of Leupold scopes. I presently own no less than 5 older discontinued VariX-II models. I also am a person who's love of shooting is second only to his love of family. Such is my love of shooting that it is nothing for me to sit and fire off 50-100 12 gauge 2.75" magnum sabot slugs or an equal amount of 12 gauge foster slugs. I have put at least 1500 and counting loads through my T/C Encore 209x50 Magnum ML, at least 1000 and counting out of my Savage 10ML-II, and about 700 out of my M700 in 338wm, like number out of my 300wm M700. All with Leupold VariX-II scopes. No issues encountered what so ever. These are the set it and for get it type of scopes Leupold built their reputation on.

When I decided to get me a lite weight medium long range rifle I ended up buying a VX-6 in 2-12x40 with CDS turrets as it without doubt fit my requierments better than any other scope I could afford. Then much to my utter dismay I started reading what were in my expereince never before seen posts that in great detail describing failures suffered by my exact scope model, and a very great many of them. All the same problems, failure to hold zero, return to zero or adjust POI while hunting. I even watched a you tube video where a woman was trying out here brand new very high $$$ long range specific rifle topped with a Leupold MK6 scope failed to hold zero or adjust when used for the VERY 1st time while making this video. I understand EVERY scope maker produces lemons, but am I out of line in thinking a $2000+ scope that can not hold zero or adjust accurately should not make it past QC and out of the factory in the 1st place?

Im talking posts complete with names of Leupold CS people, copies of the back and forth letters and emails to Leupold CS. I got so spooked I sold my NIB VX6 without ever opening it and bought a Zeiss Conquest HD5. All of the negative posts I have read about the new Leupolds have been nearly all those of a tactical designed and are meant to be adjusted then returned to zero repeatedly over and over countless times.

I then read a posting that detailed why this is likely happening at Leupold. The posting stated there was a changing of the guard so to speak in Leupolds top tear management after the previous person or persons in charge retired, the new person or persons #1 motivation was maximizing of profits and they started by out sourcing certain components of their scopes internal parts responsible for adjusting and maintaining zero to over sees contractors. This is when supposedly Leupolds QC began to slide and is the reason for it's continued decline along with Leupolds reputation.

I could not confirm this as true or not, but others contributing to the post agreed as it being accurate. If true and Leupold is allowing it's QC to slip in favor of higher profits and they are now relying more on the reputation than maintaining it, dark days are ahead of them I fear. I know my last three scope purchases were not leupolds, and honestly I doubt I will buy any in the future. When I bought my boys JM stamped 336ca's for deer hunting in Indiana and my T3 I put Bushnell 4200's on the Marlins and Zeiss Conquest HD5 on my T3.

Truly saddens me.

Lots of stats tossed out, i.e. 50% failure rate, 90% failure rate, 20x more failures compared to x brand... yet no details offered up concerning sources for data or testing methodology that could be reproduced. Feels like there's a good amount of confirmation bias going on in this thread and forum.

Believe that if you wish
But you are what i like to call "wrong"

Prove it. I'm not brand loyal. I would however, like to see something close to verifiable with respect to the claims put forth. Any thing less is just bro-science.

All you have to do is look at the "L" branding on their rings. Some CEO has taken over who will use the brand to make profit until it is run into the ground. Im still a Leupold fan, but all mine have M-8 on them and have friction adjustments.

One place where hard data can be found is the Precision Rifle Blog, which tabulates equipment used by competitors in the Precision Rifle Series matches. These competitors require their equipment to work, the same way, every time, and, thus, are a far more reliable indicator of what scopes work and what scopes fail than are hunters who may fire five shots a year and then boast about "three of them touching" at 100 yards. A quick look at the list of scopes used in the PRS in 2017 reflects that only 2 top shooters used Leupold scopes, a Mk 6 and Mk 8, representing 7% of the total scopes by brand:

http://precisionrifleblog.com/2017/03/03/long-range-scopes-pros-use/

Huh, that shows Vortex as #1 among top competitors yet I've repeatedly seen supposed experts here say Vortex are Junk and won't track/hold zero. Just one more reason why I place precious f*cking little value on what is said here. When one of you high rollin "experts" starts tearing scopes apart and identifying design, construction and materials flaws I might start placing some faith in it. Until then I think I'll stick with my own experience, which is considerable.

Thanks for sharing. According to the survey, Leupold stock looks to be increasing year-over-year and now only two basis points below S&B. I was surprised to see the strong showing Vortex had.

How does sponsorship factor into this?

I'm not surprised about Vortex. In my part of Canada Vortex Optics are quite popular.

Tier