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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
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ColKlink,
That's not exactly what happened. Leica provided the optics and had Leupold make the scopes to their specs. They were VERY good scopes, but Leupold also tended to make them after they fulfilled their own orders--and why wouldn't they? Especially since the Leicas never made much of dent in the marketplace.
One of the Leica marketing guys later said he screwed up by not setting the price higher, to give the scopes that special Euro-optic price that some customers brag about.
The Leupold/Leicas were actually very good scopes--I tested several--but the notion of extra-brightness in 30mm scopes of the early 90's had faded. That was a gimmick of one of the top Swarovski advertising guy at the time, and absolute BS.
After laser rangefinders came along in the mid-90's, 30mm scopes made a comeback, due to wider adjustment range. Leica, however, still went after the fading "30mm Euros are brighter!" market.
The latest Leica's are really good scopes, but I suspect that if they don't offer a sub-$1000 American-style 1" scope they won't do nearly as well as Swarovski and Zeiss.
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.”
John Steinbeck
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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Like Nikon, I think Leica Sport Optics is just a hobby. They don't seem to take it very serious. Kowa (Kowa Optimed) also has a huge presence in the medical industry, and their sport optics take a back seat to no one, but they're relatively unheard of except by the benchrest shooters. No chance. No company puts out a product like the new (HD-B) and old Geovid with a disregard to the sports optics user. Tremendous investment with R&D and production. One that will pay off bigtime. And Kowa's problem has always been marketing. They make fabulous glass.
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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I really like those Geovids gunner. Hopefully they won't give you any trouble. Me too JG.  Gunner
Trump Won!
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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I wonder how Leica will do in the euro market where a 30mm is better received John. I see that Leica is now offering a ER i (illuminated reticle) to the ER series.
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Campfire Regular
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Gunner you might want to check with Leica as to what warranty you may or probably don't have on your Geovids seeing as how you won them on a bet. If they are over two years old the warranty on the rangefinder part has expired anyway.
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Gunner you might want to check with Leica as to what warranty you may or probably don't have on your Geovids seeing as how you won them on a bet. If they are over two years old the warranty on the rangefinder part has expired anyway. Thanks Sharpsguy, yes I got all paper/warranty registration work from the loser of the bet  , he just called and bought them and had em sent to me, and yes, I've had them for more than two years now. Gunner
Trump Won!
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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Cliff Notes:
A couple guys bought either gray market or used Leicas and got charged for repairs. What am I missing here?
Sounds like people that bought the real product new got the passport warranty and have had zero problems.
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
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RD,
Darned if I know how they'll do over there, aince they'll be fighting other established Euro-optics.
The American hunting optics market is the largest on earth. Of course, a lower percentage of North Americans buy expensive scopes--but we have far more hunters overall.
Germany has about as many hunters as Montana, which makes sense on one level, since the area is about the same. But Germany also has almost 100 times as many people, and the level of income of the average German hunter is FAR higher.
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.”
John Steinbeck
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What you are missing is that some of us bought Leica product new from Leica dealers--not gray market--and got hung out to dry when we needed service. In my case it was a LRF 1200 rangefinder that fell off the kitchen table to the floor and lost calibration. That Leica refused to warranty it was bad enough, but THEY REFUSED TO WORK ON IT AT MY EXPENSE! Can you say NINE HUNDRED BUCKS in 2007 out the window? It sucked then, and the way other guys have been treated recently sucks now.
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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I think you are right about the American market and the 1 inch scope tube. I hope that Leica does well (now that I have a stake in their success....  ) as they did take into account other qualities that make scopes popular here with longer eye relief and 2nd focal plane reticles. Weather proof coatings couldn't hurt either.
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Campfire Ranger
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BobinNH, Originally Posted By: Boise
I've been bad, somehow I've managed to scratch both ocular lens on my Leica Trinovids, 8x32.
RINGMAN: Can you [bleep] read!LOL!
I tip my hat to Boise...he man'd up and admitted it! Thank you. There have been so many post since then I forgot what the OP stated and didn't take time to go read it. Certainly I have been distracted by the many complaints about Leica.
"Only Christ is the fullness of God's revelation."
Everyday Hunter
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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Gunner you might want to check with Leica as to what warranty you may or probably don't have on your Geovids seeing as how you won them on a bet. If they are over two years old the warranty on the rangefinder part has expired anyway. FWIW, warranty is five years on Geovid electronics.
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Gunner you might want to check with Leica as to what warranty you may or probably don't have on your Geovids seeing as how you won them on a bet. If they are over two years old the warranty on the rangefinder part has expired anyway. FWIW, warranty is five years on Geovid electronics. That's good to know GW, I'll go and check my paperwork out today. Gunner
Trump Won!
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ColKlink,
That's not exactly what happened. Leica provided the optics and had Leupold make the scopes to their specs. They were VERY good scopes, but Leupold also tended to make them after they fulfilled their own orders--and why wouldn't they? Especially since the Leicas never made much of dent in the marketplace.
One of the Leica marketing guys later said he screwed up by not setting the price higher, to give the scopes that special Euro-optic price that some customers brag about.
The Leupold/Leicas were actually very good scopes--I tested several--but the notion of extra-brightness in 30mm scopes of the early 90's had faded. That was a gimmick of one of the top Swarovski advertising guy at the time, and absolute BS.
After laser rangefinders came along in the mid-90's, 30mm scopes made a comeback, due to wider adjustment range. Leica, however, still went after the fading "30mm Euros are brighter!" market.
The latest Leica's are really good scopes, but I suspect that if they don't offer a sub-$1000 American-style 1" scope they won't do nearly as well as Swarovski and Zeiss. John, Thanks for the clarification. Klink
A government, to afford the needful protection and exercise proper care for the welfare of a people, must have homogeneity in its constituents.
-Jefferson Davis
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Campfire Tracker
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OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2001
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BobinNH, Originally Posted By: Boise
I've been bad, somehow I've managed to scratch both ocular lens on my Leica Trinovids, 8x32.
RINGMAN: Can you [bleep] read!LOL!
I tip my hat to Boise...he man'd up and admitted it! Thank you. There have been so many post since then I forgot what the OP stated and didn't take time to go read it. Certainly I have been distracted by the many complaints about Leica. OP here, and for your edification I know exactly how I scratched on the one lens. I spotted an animal I wanted, one I wanted very bad, and started belly crawling. In my excited state I failed to place my high dollar (the $40 ones) lens caps and drug my binocular through Idaho's volcanic dirt.
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Campfire Regular
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Boise: Did you get the critter?
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Campfire Tracker
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OP
Campfire Tracker
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Boise: Did you get the critter? As a matter of fact yes, but not at that exact moment. We found ourselves too exposed and the two 5x5 mulies knew something was up so they headed into the timber. My partner swung back and circled the peak, coming up and behind them. He moved into the timber and the bucks came out pretty much where they had gone in. I had that option already ranged but the bucks never stopped their trot and a 300+ yard shot was out of the question. Finally they turned and started heading away and I sent a 140 TSX hitting the one hind and the opposite front leg, obviously a tad low. But it was a hard enough hit and the buck stopped in a timber pocket, he didn't leave with the other buck. I waited for my partner to return and we set up on the pocket, there was no safe escape, I walked in and shot the buck when he stood at a 30 yards, a 150+ buck which was very good for this public land area.
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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Boise,
That's a fun story. Thanks for letting us know.
"Only Christ is the fullness of God's revelation."
Everyday Hunter
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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Haven't gotten a chance to talk with Leica service about this thread, but I did get the free 'good will' $40 caps today, four days after I called requesting to buy some. Three business days and they were across the U.S. in my mailbox. Dunno if even Swaro could top that. ![[Linked Image]](http://i1209.photobucket.com/albums/cc395/litebeam1/DSCN4469.jpg) I've had great success with Leica products and I will continue to use them--exclusively in some cases. If that success changes; I'll post as well.
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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OP here, and for your edification I know exactly how I scratched on the one lens. I spotted an animal I wanted, one I wanted very bad, and started belly crawling. In my excited state I failed to place my high dollar (the $40 ones) lens caps and drug my binocular through Idaho's volcanic dirt.
Boise: Ordinary wear and tear...good for you! You're out there using the stuff.Nothing wrong with that.
The 280 Remington is overbore.
The 7 Rem Mag is over bore.
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