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Old 09-23-2020, 06:43 PM
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Default So for all you guys that ask which scope should I buy

I thought I might pass along a little real life experience. I have owned a great many Leupold scopes over the years. I have never had to send one back for repair except for a few I severely damaged myself. NEVER have I sent one back due to the scope failing. Now let's talk resale; I just listed 5 Leupold scopes for sale. All 5 are sold and they were gone in less than 20 minutes and I am not exaggerating even a little. Three of them sold for $100 each over my ask. I actually had a three way bidding war on two of them. All five are from 10 to 20 years old in perfect condition and all sold for as much or more than I paid for them new. Admittedly I bought most of them on good sales.

Tell me what other make of scope u can buy that will do that. I have many other makes and even Zeiss and Swaro don't hold their value like that nor do they sell anywhere near that fast. Not to put too fine a point on it but try that with a Vortex of any grade. To me this continues to put Leupold at the top of the buy list.

Last edited by Dean2; 09-23-2020 at 07:02 PM.
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Old 09-23-2020, 07:24 PM
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Coiloil37 Coiloil37 is offline
 
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All of my scoped rifles wear a leupold. I’ve never had a bad experience with one either and there are many reasons why I choose them over every other brand.
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Old 09-23-2020, 07:31 PM
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But didn’t that Ryan guy say Scorpion was the best or something like that? 😀 I’m a Leupold fan, best warranty you’ll probably never need to use
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Old 09-23-2020, 07:32 PM
cody j cody j is offline
 
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Oh yeah, and NOT made in China!!!
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Old 09-23-2020, 07:48 PM
elkhunter11 elkhunter11 is online now
 
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At one time, every one of my more than two dozen rifles wore leupold, but these days, I don't own a single Leupold. I haven't required warranty repairs on a scope in many years and I don't turnover my collection like I used to.
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Old 09-23-2020, 07:55 PM
Buckhead Buckhead is offline
 
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There is another part to the equation that is kind of forgotten. If you bought a Leupold when our Canadian dollar was at par or above and sold it today for the same money one is still taking a 35 to 40% hit in depreciation due to our dollar becoming monopoly money,
Not that I have anything against Leupold because I have owned many and still do.
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Old 09-23-2020, 08:03 PM
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I own a few vx3 and down. Happy with all of them.

Want to move up in glass quality on my next purchase. Maybe a vx5 2-10hd but not sold on it yet. Considering some other brands as well but not much compares in the price point and mag range other than some swaros being more money




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Old 09-23-2020, 08:07 PM
hawk-i hawk-i is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cody j View Post
Oh yeah, and NOT made in China!!!
That is one of the reasons I support Leupold as well!!!
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Old 09-23-2020, 09:28 PM
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I used to run Leupold on all my rifles. I got frustrated with fair to poor tracking on all of them except a VX-6 on a 9.3x62.
The solution for me was Zeiss Conquest V4 and Swarovski Z5 scopes.
Glad you are happy with yours though...
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Old 09-23-2020, 10:03 PM
Stinky Coyote Stinky Coyote is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jerry D View Post
I own a few vx3 and down. Happy with all of them.

Want to move up in glass quality on my next purchase. Maybe a vx5 2-10hd but not sold on it yet. Considering some other brands as well but not much compares in the price point and mag range other than some swaros being more money




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Be prepared for a significant weight jump and bulk as well. Will weigh more than listed but the image is great, great eye box. I tried said vx5, sold it, sticking with Vx3i and fxII. Just upgrading to new cds-zl turret they now have for the smaller original turrets. Single rotation locking...perfection.

Having said all that, I have not tried a zeiss or swaro, but may one day, especially if on a euro rifle. Seems a little odd my Leupolds on euro rifles lol. No issues and custom or warranty is in Okotoks, tough to beat that. No warranty needed but I’ve swapped lots of reticles and turrets to get exactly what I want.
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Old 09-23-2020, 11:16 PM
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I have several Leupolds and over the years have sent two for warranty work ... both covered with reasonable turnaround time. Also lost a windage cap which was replaced free of charge.
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  #12  
Old 09-24-2020, 06:33 AM
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Leupy hit most of the marks. I have had S&B, Zeiss, Swaro, Leica and all great scopes and would use them again, but the warranty I have never used keeps me with Leupy. I have cycled through about 15 or so Leupy's over the years. That said my only bone-of-contention was I had 2 of the original VX6 models whose glass was made obsolete by the new coatings on the VX3i models for a lot less $$$
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Old 09-24-2020, 06:48 AM
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They say that Hyundai and Kia are making some cars that are more reliable than new Toyotas. This may well be true. But try selling them and guess which will go first and for the better price. The Toyota. It's the same with Leupold. A long history of reliability has built a great reputation, and that goes a long way.
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Old 09-24-2020, 07:24 AM
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I have a few different brands of target scopes, but if I am going to put a scope on a hunting rifle it will be a Leupold.
I still keep several M8's ready to go .
I am not a long range Hunter but these bullet proof 4 and 6x scopes have never needed adjustment , are reasonably light and stay clear in all conditions .

As far as match rifles scopes go I have three Leupolds right now and have no issues with any of them .
I have two higher power match scopes - a Sightron 10-50x 60 and an IOR 8-36x50 which has been my Baseline testing scope for 25 years .

The Sightron is a great scope and very popular with the Fclass crowd but I would trade it for a Leupold in a New York Minute!
Cat
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Old 09-24-2020, 09:16 AM
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I certainly love the fact that in the unlikely event I need the warranty, all the prompt work is done within this fine province.
I keep hearing of issues with tracking but have not experienced it. The glass is significantly improved with vx3 and vx3i and better models. The pricing is still reasonable. And not being made in China is a huge bonus.
I once avoided Leupold. Now it is all I run. Vortex will never be on my rifles.
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Old 09-24-2020, 10:55 AM
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Seems like people are starting to really recognize quality ad not wanting to buy Chinese. Two of the three Bushnell Elites I had listed also have sold and the Elites are made in Japan, when Bushnell was still making great scopes. I can't say I am at all impressed with the new Chinese versions. The comment about the best warranty you will never need has been a big selling point for Leupold.

I have a Swaro 3.5x18x44 Z5 on my main hunting rifle. Only reason I got it 15 years ago is to try one out. They are a great scope, rally light at 16 ounces, all the competitors are at least 6 ounces heavier for the 5 series. Seems like more and more people are moving to made in the USA, Japan or Europe.
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Old 09-24-2020, 01:18 PM
Stinky Coyote Stinky Coyote is offline
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the leupolds are light also, that swaro z5 is lots of scope for the weight, if i try a euro then that's likely the one i'd try, i see you can get the ballistic turret a couple sources for ditching those color dot adjustment points for a more flexible marked in yards section instead...so that is an appeal

for the same weight leupold it's a vx3i 4.5-14x40 (30mm side focus) cds-zl which i have and it's likely half the price, it's not the same magnification range but they a lot of scope for the oz and dollar

for those looking for scopes in the 3/4 lb range then tough to beat leupolds
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  #18  
Old 09-24-2020, 02:01 PM
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I only owned one Leupold, a VXII. There were a number of things that I loved about it, but it sat out two consecutive Novembers... The first because the zero changed when the magnification was changed, the second because it fogged up on me. After its second trip back to Korth, right in the heat of the WT rut, it got sold.

My local Crappy tire had some Bushnell Elite's on the shelf for less than alot of guys are trying to sell them used now, and significantly less than the Leupold. While I've heard others complain about them I've never had an Elite fail me, even after taking some terrible abuse.

So yes, I probably got a lemon, perhaps I just didnt spend enough... but no plans to go back to Leupold any time soon. Perhaps the day that nobody else makes a quality scope with a plain dupex reticle.
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Old 09-24-2020, 02:25 PM
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I cannot stand the bushnell elite glass. Compared 4500 and 6500 with nikon, vortex, leupold and zeiss and they didn't even compare.
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Old 09-24-2020, 05:08 PM
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Quote:
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Oh yeah, and NOT made in China!!!
The economy "rifleman" series.
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Old 09-24-2020, 05:23 PM
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Originally Posted by AndrewM View Post
I cannot stand the bushnell elite glass. Compared 4500 and 6500 with nikon, vortex, leupold and zeiss and they didn't even compare.
My brother has the new forge, nice glass, but made in china.
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Old 09-24-2020, 05:28 PM
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Quote:
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I cannot stand the bushnell elite glass. Compared 4500 and 6500 with nikon, vortex, leupold and zeiss and they didn't even compare.
It is interesting how different glass appears to different eyes. I prefer the 6500 glass to nikon, zeiss terra or vortex. Leupold next then Zeiss and Swaro are very close as long as you are talking top zeiss. Thing I like about swaro is they only make one grade of scope.
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Old 09-24-2020, 05:37 PM
elkhunter11 elkhunter11 is online now
 
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Originally Posted by Dean2 View Post
It is interesting how different glass appears to different eyes. I prefer the 6500 glass to nikon, zeiss terra or vortex. Leupold next then Zeiss and Swaro are very close as long as you are talking top zeiss. Thing I like about swaro is they only make one grade of scope.
I find the Zeiss Victory glass, the Kahles glass, and the Swarovski glass the best for my eyes with the best Leupold glass next. I prefer the 4500 glass to the VX'-3 glass.
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Old 09-24-2020, 05:51 PM
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Originally Posted by elkhunter11 View Post
I find the Zeiss Victory glass, the Kahles glass, and the Swarovski glass the best for my eyes with the best Leupold glass next. I prefer the 4500 glass to the VX'-3 glass.
The interesting thing is that while I think swaro is slightly better glass than Leupold I dont think Swaro scope would tolerate the abuse I have dished out to Leupolds. The tubes are quite a bit thinner. They get the real light weight at a cost.

I don't use my gear near as hard as I used to. If I did my main hunting rifle would have a Leupold or Nightforce on it still, like it did when I was banging around the mountains, travelling by horse etc.
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Old 09-24-2020, 05:56 PM
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Elite glass works for me, and for my purposes I like their duplex reticle. The more restrictive eye box and somewhat narrow FOV I can live with. But when my scope buggers up for the second time, 4 hours hike in and 1000 feet up, and pretty much ruins the whole rest of my weekend, its time we parted ways.
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Last edited by Bushleague; 09-24-2020 at 06:02 PM.
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Old 09-24-2020, 05:59 PM
elkhunter11 elkhunter11 is online now
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dean2 View Post
The interesting thing is that while I think swaro is slightly better glass than Leupold I dont think Swaro scope would tolerate the abuse I have dished out to Leupolds. The tubes are quite a bit thinner. They get the real light weight at a cost.

I don't use my gear near as hard as I used to. If I did my main hunting rifle would have a Leupold or Nightforce on it still, like it did when I was banging around the mountains, travelling by horse etc.
I have had Swarovski on ten day horseback hunts, and backpack sheep and goat hunts, and no issues at all. The only scopes that I had defects with, other than a cheap Simmons that came with a rifle that I purchased, was a pair of Vari XII scopes. I did have a couple of scopes cosmetically damaged mountain hunting, but they still held zero and didn't fog.
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Old 09-24-2020, 10:33 PM
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Originally Posted by Stinky Coyote View Post
the leupolds are light also, that swaro z5 is lots of scope for the weight, if i try a euro then that's likely the one i'd try, i see you can get the ballistic turret a couple sources for ditching those color dot adjustment points for a more flexible marked in yards section instead...so that is an appeal

for the same weight leupold it's a vx3i 4.5-14x40 (30mm side focus) cds-zl which i have and it's likely half the price, it's not the same magnification range but they a lot of scope for the oz and dollar

for those looking for scopes in the 3/4 lb range then tough to beat leupolds
Your Leupold is heavier, bulkier doesn't have the same magnification, doesn't track as precisely and isn't a whole lot cheeper.
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Old 09-25-2020, 01:16 AM
Faststeel Faststeel is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by elkhunter11 View Post
At one time, every one of my more than two dozen rifles wore leupold, but these days, I don't own a single Leupold. I haven't required warranty repairs on a scope in many years and I don't turnover my collection like I used to.
Yes my friend when you were turning over your collection more rapidly 15 years ago ish, you were selling many Leupold scopes for fantastic prices. I bought a pellet rifle from you that came with a beauty ERF pellet rifle scope that in time turned out to be worth much more than the rifle it came on....FS
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Old 09-25-2020, 07:55 AM
AndrewM AndrewM is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dean2 View Post
It is interesting how different glass appears to different eyes. I prefer the 6500 glass to nikon, zeiss terra or vortex. Leupold next then Zeiss and Swaro are very close as long as you are talking top zeiss. Thing I like about swaro is they only make one grade of scope.
Absolutely. I could mainly see the difference in the high powers in the >15. I actually thought the 4500 was broken as it was almost blurry when cranked all the way up. The biggest thing that I think lots of people forget is eye relief. Mostly everyone likes to start on cheaper scopes but the problem with cheaper scopes is usually the eye relief is poor. One smack with the scope and it can take years to get rid of that flinch.
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Old 09-25-2020, 08:21 AM
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https://riflescopescenter.com/the-be...manufacturers/

Only ever had to send one scope back...I buggered it up...Bushnell...scope was like 15 years old...they repaired it for free.

I run Bushnell,Burris and Redfield....I am not nice on my gear as I use them and yes they are a tool of the trade...I do look after them but occasionally you end up in the nasties and yup on your butt....at the range and in the field I will look through others optics and really see no difference and at the end of the day the price is acceptable too....
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