Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Leupold failures and returns

Smoke,

Redfield buried 55 ga drums by the hundreds on the site from the 50's through the early 70's. Most of those were dug up and properly disposed of in the late 70's by Redfield at a significant cost-, which began their decline. But, most of the drums had leaked all their contents by the time they were removed. With Redfield almost broke they sold to Brown Shoe Co, which has changed names in more recent times. The list of chemicals is long, related to cleaning/degreasing,, lens coatings, anodizing, glues, and such. They also had storage tanks of waste solvents that leaked for decades because the tanks weren't designed to hold the solvents stored and ate through the tanks.

The adjacent CDOT facility also used some of the same solvents and they also leaked solvents for years.

The sad part is in recent times there have been new technologies which are currently being used to mediate the chemicals in the soil and groundwater at the site (and it appears to be working) that is much less expensive, and might have been affordable to Redfield back in the day.

It is correct that Brown's is doing the onsite remediation and in adjacent neighborhoods, but the EPA did the development of the remediation techniques, and further downstream in the groundwater (the plume of chemicals is believed to extend almost to Cherry Creek but has never reached Cherry Creek), the EPA did the remediation.

My own "failures" with Leupold would be more around the "by gosh and by golly" method of sighting in a given scope rather than getting accurate increments indicated by "clicks" or lines on the analog adjustable Vari-X II's. My own experience suggests that once I get a scope sighted properly it stays there. Also, once I get a scope sighted properly I can run the elevation turret up and down as necessary and have it be accurate to well within my capabilities the vast majority of the time. In one case, my 1st VX series scope, a VX III 4.5-14x40 with no AO, I saw a proven rifle start to have waning accuracy. I almost sent it in for a re-barrel, it is getting pretty tired. But, as a check before I did, I replaced the VX III with a Vari-X II 4-12x40 non-AO and the rifle immediately returned to it's prior excellent accuracy..

Those little things start to add up and get me thinking. Thinking to the point that any rifle I'm using to "fill a tag" probably won't be scoped with a Leupold anymore. Tags are too costly and infrequent to leave something so easily mitigated to chance.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, my 1978 vintage Vari-X II sitting on top of my 1978 vintage M700 Classic which now has 4000-5000 rounds though it keeps chugging along. Having owned/own multiple Leupolds since then I can say some adjusted well, some didn't, regardless of which era they were manufactured, and adjusted as accurately or inaccurately as my Redfield, Bushnell, Tasco, Zeiss, Lyman, Weaver, Burris, SWFA, S&B, and Nighforce scopes.

As an example, my 10x SS did not adjust well, much less shoot the box worth a hoot. It went back to SWFA for two Burris FFII's in 3-9. One of those shoots the box perfectly (but I haven't tried it in coldish weather), the other not as well. But I have no intention of dialing with them. My 6x SS has been perfect when testing it down to ~35 degrees. My SHV does fine in 75-80 degree weather, but did not shoot the box very well in 35 degree weather.

You might be right about Redfield dumping drums. That was not uncommon back then either. No one knew the effects back then, "let the ground filter it" was SOP. What I read said that Redfield didn't begin operations at the site until the late 60's?

As far as the less expensive technologies, you're talking about injecting vegetable oil, lactate, or some other substrate to drive the system anaerobic and provide food for anaerobic bacteria that break down the solvents via reductive dehalogenation. That technology was funded and developed by the Air Force because like I said, virtually every AFB in existence had solvent contamination and they were paying big bucks to clean it up with the old technologies, which weren't particularly successful anyway.

Yes. They are using that type of bio approach. There are some chemicals that are unique to the site and I believe that required different "ingredients" to feed other types of organisms also. I have a cousin who worked for the environmental firm hired by Brown's to implement the mediation, and is often the case may have used the AF techniques you're referring to. I'll have to ask him sometime.

I have had quite a number of scopes 'fail'. I suppose it would be fair to define 'fail' as it applies to optics. I guess each has his own opinion of what constitutes such language.

Most recently, i had a VX III 3.5-10 AO that went almost completely dark while shooting the rifle it was mounted on. I was able to refocus and get some of the light back but there was NO reticle left. Of course, they did not have parts to fix it and with a couple hundos on my part I was shipped a 3.5-15 VX5. This scope lasted about 20 or 30 rounds if I am counting right before it suddenly would shoot a 5 shot group on one side of the target and then another 5" away. I removed it and installed a Nightforce ATAC-R to confirm my suspicions. I found it no problem to shoot sub 1/3 MOA groups out to 800 yards. I removed the ATAC-R and installed a Bushnell XRS II 4.5-30. I was able to hit my steel at 800 yards with no issues and my groups were sub 3". 500 meter groups were under an inch. Rifle is solid, scope mounts solid. The VX5 has something loose inside- maybe a lens. I haven't sent it back. I supposed when I do it will become a dedicated rimfire scope.

Leupolds have NEVER tracked all that great- at least none of the VXIII, VX3 or mark 4 lines. If you watched the long range package guys from a few years ago, they always dialed past and came back to get the substantial lash out of the turret system. They did, however, mostly stay put once sighted in and left alone.

I have two 2.5-8s that have been fabulous performers- at least with respect to durability. I once tried to dial one of them for a longer shot and it took 3 or 4 rounds before the said adjustment took affect. With the VX3 you're better off not trying to dial for shots. When i started looking through my hunting partners March scopes while working loads up I realized what Leupold was giving up optically to the better stuff; a case of getting what you paid for.

I had a 4.5-14 VXIII where the ENTIRE turret fell off when dialing. I had one where the parallax knob did exactly nothing. I have seen a number of different 'failures'. The number of Leupold scopes that I have had serious issues with is a significant portion of the number of Leupold scopes that I have even own; certainly more than a 1/3 of them. I really have a hard time trusting one. I would never take a rifle with one mounted on a hunt of any significance (such as traveling abroad). Time is too valuable to have trust issues with your equipment.

I don’t own as many rifles as it seems most of you do. 16 to be exact. I have Bushnell, Burris, Clearidge, Zeiss, Leupold and Meopta scopes. I own more Leupold scopes than any other followed by Meopta.

I don’t twist turrets so my Leupold’s tracked well enough to sight in the rifles they are mounted on. My issue with Leupold is since around 2015 they’ve discontinued a bunch of scopes, seemingly the ones I like the most. I have a VX-3 1.75-6x32 and would like another but it has been discontinued. I have a VX-R 2-7x33 and would like to get another. Leupold lists the VX-R line on their website but has no models listed under the header, it’s just a blank page. I also believe that while the Freedom series may have VX-2 glass, overall they are lower quality than a VX-2. So I will be purchasing strictly Meopta in the future unless Leupold adds models I like.

I've had quite a few Leupolds over the years, but I've sold most of them. I think I still have 3 left. I've had the highest failure rate out from Leupold's than any other brand that I've used. (Including Simmons and Tasco). I've sent several back to them over the years, and I've had to send a couple back to them multiple times. I really want to like them, but I just haven't had good luck.

As mentioned, they also don't generally track accurately. Getting them sighted in is a guessing game. I've also had an issue with some not taking "adjustments" until you tap on it or shoot a round or two. It's pretty strange. From there I've had failures of them failing to hold zero as well as having stuff come float around inside of the lens. They also don't tend to stand up to the abuse I put my hunting rifle through. If you drop it, you can almost bet that it's going to be way off. I've since started running an SWFA SS on my main hunting rifle and it's taken a ton of abuse over the last few years and never lost zero.

Slowr1der, this is my experience as well. SWFA or Nightforce. Wasted a lot of time, gas, and ammo shooting with Leupold’s that had issues. Just a few left on holdover prairie dog rigs.

I contacted Leupold about an hour ago and wanted to buy an eye peace rubber for my VX-3 and it is on the way already free. They checked/inspected the same scope and got it back to me very fast.

Just got back a VariXiii 1.75-6 that I sent of mid December.
New compete eye piece, fixed the tracking and the adjustment that was slipping. Fully inspected and cleaned. Looks brand new.

Drover: I have been buying and using Leupold scopes for over 55 (fifty five!) year now - never had a failure, never had a glitch, never had a problem!
I currently own, and use, afield and at the range, MANY dozens of Leupold scopes!
I trust them implicitly!
When the conditions are tough and the stakes high - I use my Leupolds exclusively!
I also sold (via my side line business) Leupold scopes for nearly 25 years (until I retired!) and sold MANY hundreds of them!
In all that time I had 2 (two!) Leupold scopes returned for warranty - both scopes, I am sure, had been severely abused!
Both of those scopes, that I sold to customers, were repaired virtually by instantly by the folks at Leupold - no questions asked, no hassles, no excuses, no bullschit!
Try and get that done with your nikons, your zeiss's, your weavers - etc etc etc!
In fact I bought 2 (two) Leupold scopes today (used), and from my source I expect them to have been honestly used by Hunters who have outlived there uses.
I plan on using one myself and sell the other Leupold for profit.
I passed, today, on used scopes by zeiss, bausch & lomb, weaver, simmons, burris and a couple others.
Buy Leupold - buy American - buy with confidence.
Long live Leupold & Stevens a fine American Company.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I did the same thing about a month ago. Guy told me that he had one and he'd get it in the mail to me. Two weeks go by and no rubber eye part so I call and inquire about it. The next guy says they didn't have any in stock and the first guy was wrong when he told me he had them. Said it will be 2 to 3 months before the get any. The next day I get an email stating that the part has been shipped. If they weren't such a pain in the ass it would be comedy of the finest order. I sent one scope back 4 times for the same problem. The last 30 clicks of elevation the cross hairs wouldn't move and of course the rifle would shoot all over the target. I put it on a rail gun and it was so easy to see what the issue was a child could have diagnosed the thing. The first 3 times they would rubber stamp the thing and send it back assuming I wouldn't know if they fixed it or not. The last straw was the customer service guy trying to bull [bleep] me into thinking it was my fault their erector system is a piece of crap. No more Leupold for this country boy.

That was true, until it wasn't.

My son dropped a rifle with a Vari-X III on it. Bent the bell about 30 degrees off center. I straightened it back out with a little force. Can you believe it didn't hold zero? Still tracked though. Piece of crap. They replaced it or $80 with an even better version - prairie dogs beware!

You'll get no argument from me that the Vari-X series of scopes was very good, I've got a bunch still. That said, they don't sight in or adjust like a Nightforce.

Honestly, I'd probably skip any commentary on the subject were it not for Leupold allowing "Dumb and Dumber" to attend Doug's Webinar. I haven't the faintest of clues whom Leuopold imagined would attend the online event but they vastly, VASTLY, underestimated their customers/attendees intelligence and experience.

I used to think that Leupold really had the hunting/shooting community in mind when they put their name on something, the answers and attitude of the webinar attendees sent by Leupold suggests otherwise.

Smoothly designed hunting rifles demand smoothly designed sighting systems.

Target rifle optics don't suffer under ANY cosmetic requirements.

Small, smooth, simple optics for very nice hunting rifles suffer under pressures of the market.

Another victim.

And I was accused of too much loyalty and enthusiasm.

You made me laugh with that one.

I also appreciate you taking the time to post your views and experience when you were contracted by Leupold.
I admit to being a Leupold enthusiast, but I'm also a Burris enthusiast, and on a somewhat Bushnell enthusiast. The older Leupold scopes were practically bullet proof in my opinion and I wish I could still use them, but aging eyes do not allow for me to focus the eye pieces no matter how far I turn them out. The newer fast focus eye pieces are a godsend. I believe the older Burris and Bushnell scopes were better built than the newer ones. I have no doubt the European scopes along with NF are excellent and every bit as bullet proof as reported by members, but it is also interesting how bullet proof a lot of Bushnell Banner scopes are. Can that really be explained?
Another thought that I haven't seen talked about much is cost. My income, like many others I know, does not support the cost of say a used NF let alone a new one. I would require selling a rifle or 2 and that is something many wouldn't consider. And if you have a collection of rifles, well, that certainly is even more of a problem. The VX2, VX3, and Burris Fullfield models don't require that many dollars to buy and for the set zero and hunt bunch it really is a reality.
As I stated in another thread that was along the same subject of scope failure rates, I'm sure that if you contacted Mike McCourry or his partner Bill Bruton at B&M Rifles, they would be happy to talk to you about scope model failures and maybe even mount your favorite scope on their rifles and test it. At the very least it would be entertaining.