Anyone have an approximate date the Leupold M8 3x was discontinued?
Thank you in advance
Thank you in advance
I have one, look forward to the answer.
DF
DF
The M8 was discontinued in '79 and replaced with the FX line... that does not sound right after typing it in...
I buy that the M8 line left in '79, will have to check on what replaced it.
I buy that the M8 line left in '79, will have to check on what replaced it.
There may have been a gap between '79 and FX.
? custom shop in the interim...??
DF
? custom shop in the interim...??
DF
FX is relatively recent
Originally Posted by Bushmaster1313
FX is relatively recent
My thinking as well.
Maybe the custom shop was the source of 3X Leupolds between the M8 and the FX.
Would like to hear from those who know the details.
DF
I'm not sure when the M8 was dropped but '79 is probably about right. I know there were no fixed 3x scopes in Leupold's line when I first got in the retail gun biz in '86, and that for years 3x lovers clamored for their reintroduction. There were no new 3x's until the new custom shop models came along in 2011 or so.
SCGunNut is correct.
After the 3x M8 was discontinued, there was some small but persistent pressure to start making the 3x Leupold again, mostly from hunters who like big-bore rifles, but were convinced the little 2.5x was too short to mount on "long action" rifles suitable for African hunting. (This isn't exactly true, but whatever.) The pressure increased after the FX's appeared, because they all had multi-coated optics, unlike the original single-coated 3x, along with click adjustments.
Unfortunately, the tooling for the original 3x had been tossed, which to the Leupold higher-ups meant making new 3x's would be too expensive for the relatively small number of sales. But the guy who ran the R&D shop decided to see what could be done with parts from various FX scopes, and on his own made up a couple of prototype 3x's. He kept one and sent the other to a gun writer, and they both "field tested" them in Africa within the next year. The gun writer mentioned how well his worked, but the higher-ups at Leupold were a little ticked that their R&D guy had spent a little time and money on what they considered a worthless project.
Fortunately, the mail-order company SWFA is pretty involved in special-run optics (including their own directly-sold line of scopes) and said they'd buy some new 3x's. Eventually Leupold management caved, offering the 3x both from the custom shop and selling some to SWFA.
The gun writer still has his R&D 3x, which is plainly marked "prototype." It's mounted on a Savage 99F in .358 Winchester, which seems to be pretty good pairing.
After the 3x M8 was discontinued, there was some small but persistent pressure to start making the 3x Leupold again, mostly from hunters who like big-bore rifles, but were convinced the little 2.5x was too short to mount on "long action" rifles suitable for African hunting. (This isn't exactly true, but whatever.) The pressure increased after the FX's appeared, because they all had multi-coated optics, unlike the original single-coated 3x, along with click adjustments.
Unfortunately, the tooling for the original 3x had been tossed, which to the Leupold higher-ups meant making new 3x's would be too expensive for the relatively small number of sales. But the guy who ran the R&D shop decided to see what could be done with parts from various FX scopes, and on his own made up a couple of prototype 3x's. He kept one and sent the other to a gun writer, and they both "field tested" them in Africa within the next year. The gun writer mentioned how well his worked, but the higher-ups at Leupold were a little ticked that their R&D guy had spent a little time and money on what they considered a worthless project.
Fortunately, the mail-order company SWFA is pretty involved in special-run optics (including their own directly-sold line of scopes) and said they'd buy some new 3x's. Eventually Leupold management caved, offering the 3x both from the custom shop and selling some to SWFA.
The gun writer still has his R&D 3x, which is plainly marked "prototype." It's mounted on a Savage 99F in .358 Winchester, which seems to be pretty good pairing.
![[Linked Image]](https://customshop.leupold.com/asset_repos/product/_Custom_3x20-homepage.png)
Originally Posted by Mule Deer
SCGunNut is correct.
After the 3x M8 was discontinued, there was some small but persistent pressure to start making the 3x Leupold again, mostly from hunters who like big-bore rifles, but were convinced the little 2.5x was too short to mount on "long action" rifles suitable for African hunting. (This isn't exactly true, but whatever.) The pressure increased after the FX's appeared, because they all had multi-coated optics, unlike the original single-coated 3x, along with click adjustments.
Unfortunately, the tooling for the original 3x had been tossed, which to the Leupold higher-ups meant making new 3x's would be too expensive for the relatively small number of sales. But the guy who ran the R&D shop decided to see what could be done with parts from various FX scopes, and on his own made up a couple of prototype 3x's. He kept one and sent the other to a gun writer, and they both "field tested" them in Africa within the next year. The gun writer mentioned how well his worked, but the higher-ups at Leupold were a little ticked that their R&D guy had spent a little time and money on what they considered a worthless project.
Fortunately, the mail-order company SWFA is pretty involved in special-run optics (including their own directly-sold line of scopes) and said they'd buy some new 3x's. Eventually Leupold management caved, offering the 3x both from the custom shop and selling some to SWFA.
The gun writer still has his R&D 3x, which is plainly marked "prototype." It's mounted on a Savage 99F in .358 Winchester, which seems to be pretty good pairing.
After the 3x M8 was discontinued, there was some small but persistent pressure to start making the 3x Leupold again, mostly from hunters who like big-bore rifles, but were convinced the little 2.5x was too short to mount on "long action" rifles suitable for African hunting. (This isn't exactly true, but whatever.) The pressure increased after the FX's appeared, because they all had multi-coated optics, unlike the original single-coated 3x, along with click adjustments.
Unfortunately, the tooling for the original 3x had been tossed, which to the Leupold higher-ups meant making new 3x's would be too expensive for the relatively small number of sales. But the guy who ran the R&D shop decided to see what could be done with parts from various FX scopes, and on his own made up a couple of prototype 3x's. He kept one and sent the other to a gun writer, and they both "field tested" them in Africa within the next year. The gun writer mentioned how well his worked, but the higher-ups at Leupold were a little ticked that their R&D guy had spent a little time and money on what they considered a worthless project.
Fortunately, the mail-order company SWFA is pretty involved in special-run optics (including their own directly-sold line of scopes) and said they'd buy some new 3x's. Eventually Leupold management caved, offering the 3x both from the custom shop and selling some to SWFA.
The gun writer still has his R&D 3x, which is plainly marked "prototype." It's mounted on a Savage 99F in .358 Winchester, which seems to be pretty good pairing.
No idea who has the prototype, huh?
Well, it's in Montana!
Do know the prototypes were built in 2007, so there was a LONG gap between the M8 and FX Leupold 3x's.
Do know the prototypes were built in 2007, so there was a LONG gap between the M8 and FX Leupold 3x's.
I had the Custom Shop make me an FX-II 3X for a .416 Rigby...it was built 4-5-2011....marked Big Bore on the box...
Originally Posted by balltownbob
marked Big Bore on the box...
And the scope also.
And it doesn't have to be on a big bore. One of the finest woods scopes ever made.
I had one. Can you still buy them?
Yes. This thread got me thinking the same and I just talked with them. No 3 on order before you can't 😀
Roger Captain! I will get on it! 
Got a 375 H&H that looks sort of empty....
Got a 375 H&H that looks sort of empty....
Has anyone ever compared the eye relief between the new and old ones?