Is it all Leopolds

[JackButler]

Agreed. However scopes aren’t built to be used like a car daily. Different entity. Point was I can go anywhere and find people unhappy on the internet. Really doesn’t mean a whole lot on the face of it.

Me you or the next guy have no way to verify who’s responding here and their credentials

Like I said I appreciate the input and it’s helping shape my decision. However it would be silly for me to bite fully into some guys with anecdotal experience and pointing to “look our forum did a poll and a few tests” it must be true

Exactly! Heck google “nightforce scope won’t hold zero” or “nightforce scope problems”. I think NF scopes are incredible, but plenty of internet experts whose rifle setup and shooting skills are unknown think otherwise.

 

[Yukon Cornelius]

I just went on a horeseback elk hunt where I rode over a 100 miles in 8 days. Leupold VX5. Lots of banging around all week going up and down the mountain. Got home and checked my gun. It was dead on.

You got pictures? No one will believe you if they are in the cult without those pics.

 

[Justin Crossley]

You got pictures? No one will believe you if they are in the cult without those pics.

I haven't seen anyone say Leupold scopes never hold zero, but I've seen enough evidence that they don't consistently hold zero for me to trust them on a hunt.

 

[35WhelenAI]

I haven't seen anyone say Leupold scopes never hold zero, but I've seen enough evidence that they don't consistently hold zero for me to trust them on a hunt.

JC, did you use Leupold scopes and have switched to others that you trust because you lost/wounded game (you mention not to trust them on a hunt), or are you a recent enough of a hunter to have been able to use drop test info and made the choice to avoid scopes that show shift in testing? Which scopes have you used besides drop tested scopes that you experienced shift, if it's ok to ask.

 

[Justin Crossley]

JC, did you use Leupold scopes and have switched to others that you trust because you lost/wounded game (you mention not to trust them on a hunt), or are you a recent enough of a hunter to have been able to use drop test info and made the choice to avoid scopes that show shift in testing? Which scopes have you used besides drop tested scopes that you experienced shift, if it's ok to ask.

I have used Leupold scopes for years (since the late 90s) and never questioned the fact that I had to adjust zero almost every time I went to the range. Around 2012, I started to hear people talking about scopes that were more robust and actually held zero. I stubbornly continued to use Leupold scopes for a few more years with mixed results. I won't say 100% I missed or wounded an animal due to a Leupold.

That is until a few years back, when I was hunting with Robby. On the last evening of the hunt, I had a shot at a buck. I was shooting a very accurate rifle and shot over the buck twice from prone with a bipod and rear bag. The distance was between 500-600 yards (from memory) and I couldn't figure out how I missed. Ryan Avery told me to check my zero and sure enough, it was off and the rifle was shooting high.

Since then, I have been mainly shooting Nightforce scopes (and a few others I wanted to review). I no longer chase my zero every time I go to the range. Load development is also much easier for me now, and I attribute that to the fact that my scopes don't wander around and give me false "bad groups."

Like many people on this site, I would love it if I could trust Leupold scopes to hold zero because I like a lot about them, especially the Mark 5 and Mark 4.

 

[Justin Crossley]

@35WhelenAI

I missed the last part of your question. Other scopes I've used that wouldn't hold zero.

A number of Vortex PST scopes had some of the worst scope failures I've personally seen. Huge shifts in zero and inconsistent adjustments compared to what was dialed.

The Vortex Gen III razor I tested (actually two different scopes) wouldn't consistently hold zero.

Sig scopes have been hit and miss for me.

Leupold Vari X III, VX3, VX5, VX6, Mark 5.

A few different Zeiss scopes.

The Zeiss LRP 3 seems to work correctly, and @Formidilosus has almost 3k rounds on the one I sent him to test.

 

[JackButler]

@35WhelenAI

I missed the last part of your question. Other scopes I've used that wouldn't hold zero.

A number of Vortex PST scopes had some of the worst scope failures I've personally seen. Huge shifts in zero and inconsistent adjustments compared to what was dialed.

The Vortex Gen III razor I tested (actually two different scopes) wouldn't consistently hold zero.

Sig scopes have been hit and miss for me.

Leupold Vari X III, VX3, VX5, VX6, Mark 5.

A few different Zeiss scopes.

The Zeiss LRP 3 seems to work correctly, and @Formidilosus has almost 3k rounds on the one I sent him to test.

This many faulty scopes of different brands points in one direction

 

[Reburn]

This many faulty scopes of different brands points in one direction

I have had similar experiences as Justin. As have others.
So what exactly are you trying to say?
But I'll add swaro to the mix. I had a Z5 that was funky. GREAT GLASS though. Was beautiful to look through. Zero wandered around like a stray dog though.

 

[Macintosh]

This many faulty scopes of different brands points in one direction

Well, it might if you didnt switch into a different scope and have all issues go away. Switch back to the original scope, problems again. Switch out to the new one again, instantly solved. That’s been my experience—process of elimination you can pretty easily rule out all issues other than the scope itself. Especially when you send it back and the company itself admits the scope is not working properly.

 

[Jake Larsen]

This many faulty scopes of different brands points in one direction

Exactly right it points in one direction: there’s not very many reliable scopes on the market. Which is what the drop testing crowd has been saying for years now.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[35WhelenAI]

Thanks JC, appreciate the candor. Couple weeks ago I put a Meopro 3-9X 40 BDC on my hunting rifle (35 Whelen AI), replacing a VX3HD ZL 3.5-10x40.

Already thinking what Mac says, process of elimination.

I never felt the VX3 HD ZL represented what the rifle had done before with the previous VX-2. Got the Meopro from a member here last spring.

I'm a teacher and hope over Christmas break to have the opportunity to get to the local indoor range and see if the consistency reappears that had been here with the old VX-2.

The gunsmith screwed the bbl on straight when he made that 35 Whelen AI. Very consistent with the VX-2. It's been in the back of my mind when the consistency at the range wasn't what I felt it should be when I put on the VX3HD ZL replacing the VX-2. I was three for three on one shot kills on whitetails (180-225 yds) during my year of living in North Carolina with the VX3HD ZL. However at the range, I was fiddling with it. I will absolutely be able to tell when I get the Meopro verified if there is a difference between the two scopes.

 

[JGRaider]

For the record, our group of 4 had no trouble killing whitetail bucks in the TX Panhandle, 130-163 inches, ranges 140-265yds, with a couple of Arken's, a Leupold, and a Zeiss Conquest.

On to the mule deer rut for the next month.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

This many faulty scopes of different brands points in one direction

Yep it points to a guy who goes out and actually uses his gear.

 

[Castle Rock]

This many faulty scopes of different brands points in one direction

Yes, someone who uses his gear, and knows when something is wrong
Ther are a huge amount of us here who have had the same experience

 

[LONE HUNTER]

This many faulty scopes of different brands points in one direction

Then what explains the scope that isn't' giving him fits.......If it's him it would be literally every scope including Nightforce....

I had almost the exact same experience as Justin, I had 2 different Vortex scopes that literally would never stay zeroed after going on a several day hunting trip. 2 Millet scopes as well. Finally got real sick of it and bought a nightforce SHV. No more issues with losing zero. Six years now, I think 8 big game animals, hundreds of miles on an atv. Thousands in the truck. hundreds of hiking miles, desert sand, snow, rain, falling down on the mountain etc. No loss of zero. I did miss a doe at 240 yards 2 years ago. Friend was like "your gun lost zero, how'd you miss such an easy shot". We went straight to the shooting range at the bottom the mountain. 2 shots later he was like "nope you just missed".

 

[JackButler]

Then what explains the scope that isn't' giving him fits.......If it's him it would be literally every scope including Nightforce....

I had almost the exact same experience as Justin, I had 2 different Vortex scopes that literally would never stay zeroed after going on a several day hunting trip. 2 Millet scopes as well. Finally got real sick of it and bought a nightforce SHV. No more issues with losing zero. Six years now, I think 8 big game animals, hundreds of miles on an atv. Thousands in the truck. hundreds of hiking miles, desert sand, snow, rain, falling down on the mountain etc. No loss of zero. I did miss a doe at 240 yards 2 years ago. Friend was like "your gun lost zero, how'd you miss such an easy shot". We went straight to the shooting range at the bottom the mountain. 2 shots later he was like "nope you just missed".

There we have it. I finally understand. It’s not just leupold. All scopes are junk but nightforce. My fault for getting sucked into a fanboy thread.

 

[Justin Crossley]

This many faulty scopes of different brands points in one direction

Speak plainly if you want to discuss things. I don't have time for vague sarcasm.

It's already been mentioned by others but if the problem was me, I would have the same issues with all scopes.

The interesting thing is that I can buy most the scope brands above at significant discounts and instead, I choose to buy Nightforce at full price. Trust me when I say I would much prefer to find a Leupold scope that proved reliable.

 

[Justin Crossley]

There we have it. I finally understand. It’s not just leupold. All scopes are junk but nightforce. My fault for getting sucked into a fanboy thread.

All scopes are not junk. There are a number of scopes from different companies that tend to work correctly.

A lot of scopes do not consistantly work correctly and companies don't improve them because the general public has no idea.

 

[JackButler]

Speak plainly if you want to discuss things. I don't have time for vague sarcasm.

It's already been mentioned by others but if the problem was me, I would have the same issues with all scopes.

The interesting thing is that I can buy most the scope brands above at significant discounts and instead, I choose to buy Nightforce at full price. Trust me when I say I would much prefer to find a Leupold scope that proved reliable.

Ok I will speak plainly. Although I was skeptical since my experience was different, I almost believed it was a legit thread that leupold had issues. When it turned into all brands but nightforce, I realized I had unwittingly fallen into a fanboy thread. My bad.

 

[Spoonbill]

Ok I will speak plainly. Although I was skeptical since my experience was different, I almost believed it was a legit thread that leupold had issues. When it turned into all brands but nightforce, I realized I had unwittingly fallen into a fanboy thread. My bad.

Trijicon is another brand, with scopes in similar price points to Leupold, that hold up well. I think Trijicon even changed their testing to make sure their scopes held zero. I know it was posted on here a while ago, if you search you can probably find it.
I think you find some people like Nightforce because Nightforce was one of the first companies to sell scopes based on durability, not features. Now that there are a couple options, it is more of a Ford v. Chevy scenario.