Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Leupold Scopes failing repeatly

I'm disapointed that Leupold hasn't fixed the problem,since I just bought VX-2 2x7.I would have thought if the problem was a batch of weak springs,they would have enough brains to get a batch with a better heat#.Guess not.I had two of three fail,at the time of switch from VariX-iii to VX-3.

BTW a scope that fails after 300 shots from a heavy 270 Ruger #1,and likely 130grs to boot,is right there with Tasco quality level.

Except they're not oversize for the scope or you'd never be able to clamp the scope in place. If the ring size matched the exterior scope diameter exactly how are you going to apply the pressure needed to hold the scope in place?

As long as you don't lap so much material away that the top half of the ring meets the bottom half before you reach the recommended screw torque you're OK. Only if I've bought a top-quality base, and bedded it on the receiver, thus insuring the base doesn't bend or flex when I tighten it to the receiver, and use top-quality rings, I don't feel a need to lap the rings. Otherwise, unless I can use Burris Signature rings the rings get lapped.

I always look at the gun shows for more Bulher's rings and bases.

There are good rings and bases out there, you have to know the good from the also ran.

Jon: Yes,the numbers of variables in use exceed the fixed by a wide margin now.

I've have 3 Leupolds and no failures with them. I have mounted a few dozen on family and friends rifles . I have yet to see a one of those crappy Leupolds fail . The first one I mounted was in 1972 on a Rem. 700 22-250. It still shoots 1/2 in groups with its pet load. The last one I mounted on a 270 Rem. ADL OCT. 2008.
It took 3 shots to sight in and proceeded to test 25 handloads. The best 5 shot group was 3/4 in @ 100yds. The worst 5 shot group was about 1 inch. You call that a defective scope because
I did not shoot them in one hole.

AHHHH HAAAAA thought I smelled the stench of North Slope Cowboys because the Moped exhaust coupled with the sound of "Ugly Hooker Moose Wimmens" are unique. They all use Loopy's and trash everybody who does not fall all over themselves over them! Keep in mind that the nights are long and the Wimmens are ugly up there and what makes it worse is the different strains of STD�s that were picked up on the trip thru the lower 48 by one of their clan!! They all worship the gentlemen who suffers from Dwarfism �Little Stick� and go out at night dressed in the NSC uniform ( Blaze Orange Depends, Ugs and a Mountie hat) to dance around the Whore House and beat their Kimber�s on the ground! Pretty sophisticated bunch if I do say so myself!!

Congratulations on having some Leupold's without QC issues. I'm truly happy for you.

Depends on the rifle, but yea maybe

I Just got a Leupold VX III 2.5-8X 36mm, lets say I paid almost $500 cause I am one stupid bastard. Worst scope I every had. I would like to prop it up cause it seems like the thing to do. Then I wouldn't feel so stupid either. But the fact is I got your famous BSA deer hunter to compare. Well for one thing the BSA has more eye relieve, and the Leupold is just a small viewing area inside the lens,or I have to practically put my eye on the scope, very time consuming. then it says 8 power, that's where I'm really stupid. Cause my 4.5 power BSA has more power than the 8 power Leupold. Other words Leupold lies about the power and everything else. Pure junk. I'll keep my $39 BSA, and if we both drop them. To bad isn't it? In case you didn't know, 8 power should be twice as powerful as the other 4 power scopes. But you wouldn't know that cause you stated you only own Leupold. So you really don't know everything do you? I'll bet you any money that the 8 power is the same as the 4.5 power on my BSA. Your so sure. I am I got them right here. And I got an old 40 year old Marlin USA scope if USA is all it's about that is really 4 power to. 8 power what a lie. What a fool I am for believing the rest of you. Lets see, that's 10 BSA scopes for the price of one. I'm sure you got something to justify that? But you never mention what I just did. The facts.

Nice, informative post - keep 'em coming ----

Ding, fries are done.

You think I can just make this stuff up? Come on lets make a real bet on eye relief and powers. We'll let a real judge look through them, and some random people that aren't bios.
And we will drop your Leupold out a second floor building onto the sidewalk and the BSA scope to and see which one still works.
The $500 scope or the $39 scope. You got to buy the Leupold to drop cause it's your baby. I get the BSA to drop don't worry about that.

TFF

Bob thanks for this information, my huntin buddies wife jjust bought him a 1" swaro, this is too cool because now he will miss more deer and I can beat him up about his Pxss poor shooting and kill the deer he missed. A perfect thing!

Lapping rings can be overdone in a heartbeat..The purpose of lapping is ONLY to remove any burrs on the edges..to go beyond that is making the rings inside diameter larger and thats not what you want.

My scope choice is Leupold.

I respectfully disagree Ray. First, I didn't dream up the following response on my own, but it does make sense.

Yes, lapping removes burrs on the edges. Lapping also removes metal if you've got a two-piece base and the rings aren't aligned due to excessive run-out in the bases/receiver. Rings can get far enough out of line to bend or even kink and damage a scope tube. Clymer even makes a hand reamer in 1" and 30mm for rings that are seriously out of line.

As I noted, I didn't dream this up on my own. I got the following information from the techs at Brownell's, Sinclair International and nationally respected gunsmiths like Bruce Baer and Gordy Gritters (there are others, but most people who shoot know those two). You're not making the interior of the rings larger; the lapping bar is the same diameter as your scope. You may make the scope sit lower in the bottom half of the ring, but as long as you check frequently and don't run out of room to tighten the top half, that scope is as snug as if you didn't lap it - and it's under a lot less stress.

I shoot in all types of weather. After sending Leupold scopes back seven times for repair I have come to the conclusion that their windage and elevation adjustments should not be moved in cold weather. No other brand has given me this sort of grief. Granted, some of this glass resided on some very hard kickers, but the adjustments just stopped working.

I won't purchase a Leupold without making certain that another brand doesn't make something that will work in its place.

lol I have had over 30 Leupolds some for over 30 years and never had problem one with one of them? You guys must have the worlds worst Karma.

Karma. KARMA you can't use that word, it's a Chinese word.lol

And all these years I thougth KARMA was a Hindu concept!

I have lived a charmed life, never had a scope break (as of yet) - Weaver, Leupold, Burris, Nikon and Bushnell Elites (that's all the brands I have owned that I can remember). Hell it was probably bad KARMA to write that last sentence.