Leupold Broke...I was Warned

[Bidwell]

People dislike trigger sticks?! I don't use mine for long range riflery but when it breaks it will be replaced. Very handy item to have.

I think some people like them, others don't. I find them useful. I'd like to see a carbon fiber version to lighten it up a bit and possibly make it more rigid. I'm sure it would make it more expensive though.

 

[jfk69]

I like my trigger sticks, but I have the bipod versions. I wouldn’t bother with the tripod version, I’d just get a true tripod. For what I do with them, they’re good.

 

[tony]

What’s Joe von Benedict say?

“Leupold, the best warranty you’ll never have to use.”

 

[Bidwell]

Just an update on this. Leupold had a really quick turnaround. They said the objective lens was loose. That sort of surprised me a little as it felt like the issue was with the parallax, but I know zero about scope repair or manufacturing so I hope they're right. Already being shipped back to me so that's less than a week of turnaround. I guess I'll give them one more go.

 

[atmat]

Just an update on this. Leupold had a really quick turnaround. They said the objective lens was loose. That sort of surprised me a little as it felt like the issue was with the parallax, but I know zero about scope repair or manufacturing so I hope they're right. Already being shipped back to me so that's less than a week of turnaround. I guess I'll give them one more go.

Like a dog returning to its vomit.

 

[112Savage]

I went from tasco to weaver to vortex razor to leupold and finally built a rokslide esq tikka/rokstok/maven.

The maven seems solid and never causes me to second guess it.
All of my leupold VX-5’s have been good the VX-R’s on the other hand have been hit and miss. The VX-3’s thus far have been good with dialing.
The vortex razor LHT is “sticky” when dialing and sometimes doesn’t move the prescribed amount until the second shot. Very annoying.

Weaver super slams have been great dialing and retaining scopes but for a 1” tube the elevation travel is limited and they’re very heavy.

Trust but verify. When I was questioning my VX-R, the leupold technician asked if I had run a tall target test and verified. I’m not what most would call even a casual shooter. I shoot at least weekly out to 785yds. I sent that scope back and they said nothing. It has become a “set it and forget it” scope and does well on my 9.3x62
… trust but verify.

 

[Bidwell]

Ohh, I regret posting this message. Ha, we'll see how it goes.

 

[atmat]

Ohh, I regret posting this message. Ha, we'll see how it goes.

You’re all good man! You got nothing to lose — they’ll warranty it again if it breaks.

 

[KenLee]

I went from tasco to weaver to vortex razor to leupold and finally built a rokslide esq tikka/rokstok/maven.

The maven seems solid and never causes me to second guess it.
All of my leupold VX-5’s have been good the VX-R’s on the other hand have been hit and miss. The VX-3’s thus far have been good with dialing.
The vortex razor LHT is “sticky” when dialing and sometimes doesn’t move the prescribed amount until the second shot. Very annoying.

Weaver super slams have been great dialing and retaining scopes but for a 1” tube the elevation travel is limited and they’re very heavy.

Trust but verify. When I was questioning my VX-R, the leupold technician asked if I had run a tall target test and verified. I’m not what most would call even a casual shooter. I shoot at least weekly out to 785yds. I sent that scope back and they said nothing. It has become a “set it and forget it” scope and does well on my 9.3x62
… trust but verify.

Japanese Tasco would probably have been the king

 

[112Savage]

Japanese Tasco would probably have bee the king

I still have them. They suck in low light and in low angle sun from the front and the back. Mostly they’re on loaner muzzleloaders

 

[KenLee]

I still have them. They suck in low light and in low angle sun from the front and the back. Mostly they’re on loaner muzzleloaders

45 yrs and they didn't break though. Reminds me of SWFA. Meeeh glass that works

 

[Fatcamp]

If Leupold had any sense they would have bought out SWFA, relabeled it, and raised the price.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Lol or the scopes suck.

I have not had any of the 5 brands above ever lose zero. I’ve had Leupold, Vortex, and many others lose zero.

Miraculously, that somehow aligns with the majority of the population here. Whats the greater likelihood: that we’re all in on some big conspiracy or that the data presents a trend? Occam’s razor.

Lots of love from WKRs for scopes on this site that were 100% issue-free during 1-2 seasons until the drop tests ramped up; those scopes and manufacturers are now persona non grata here. “Hero to zero” in with a few inches of drop.

Somehow the unenlightened masses find a way to kill millions of animals a year with these unreliable scopes and their horrible shooting skills. That still hasn’t been effectively explained. But to listen to the RS masses, someone could get the impression that it’d be impossible to hit the broadside of the Rocky’s if you used one of those scopes.

It is seriously stupid that scope boxes are designed to handle a drop but far too many scopes aren’t.

This is a screwed up part. I have a single VX6 HD remaining that has been through hell and even had it’s throw ring screw snap from a drop. I’ve never had to re-zero it despite baggage handlers best efforts. But dollars to donuts if I drop test that booger, it’s going to fail horribly. It will be replaced by a NF before that rifle hunts again.

With price increases from Vortex and Leupold the past few years, there is no reason to buy their scopes as they’ve lost any and all value proposition. With minimal effort, and potentially some patience, it’s easy to buy proven reliable scopes at comparable price points.

 

[atmat]

That still hasn’t been effectively explained.

People have talked about this all the time. The vast majority of animals killed are shorter distances, where changes in zero are less impactful. I used Leupold’s for years, and even with wandering zero, killed plenty of animals.

I’m just not willing to settle for wandering zero now. Part of it is principle; part of it is that I shoot much further now.

 

[dirtytough]

Or $400 on a scope that doesn’t break.

Wasn’t it an SWFA that failed on a sheep hunt?



OP, don’t listen when someone says brand x is good. Some brands might have an entire product line that is robust. Some might have one sku that is robust. Definitely spend time researching the model you are interested in.

Good luck with your repaired scope. You should definitely track your zero and see if it wanders.

 

[atmat]

Wasn’t it an SWFA that failed on a sheep hunt?

Not familiar with whatever story you’re referencing. But regardless, all things break — that’s life. Sometimes it’s through prolonged use and sometimes you get a bad item off the line. But it’s a matter of frequency, and you want the ones that break less.

OP, don’t listen when someone says brand x is good. Some brands might have an entire product line that is robust. Some might have one sku that is robust. Definitely spend time researching the model you are interested in.

For sure. I thought most of us clarified when a brand didn’t have all good options (like Maven, for example). But good advice nonetheless.

 

[JGRaider]

Lots of love from WKRs for scopes on this site that were 100% issue-free during 1-2 seasons until the drop tests ramped up; those scopes and manufacturers are now persona non grata here. “Hero to zero” in with a few inches of drop.

Somehow the unenlightened masses find a way to kill millions of animals a year with these unreliable scopes and their horrible shooting skills. That still hasn’t been effectively explained. But to listen to the RS masses, someone could get the impression that it’d be impossible to hit the broadside of the Rocky’s if you used one of those scopes.

It is seriously stupid that scope boxes are designed to handle a drop but far too many scopes aren’t.

This is a screwed up part. I have a single VX6 HD remaining that has been through hell and even had it’s throw ring screw snap from a drop. I’ve never had to re-zero it despite baggage handlers best efforts. But dollars to donuts if I drop test that booger, it’s going to fail horribly. It will be replaced by a NF before that rifle hunts again.

With price increases from Vortex and Leupold the past few years, there is no reason to buy their scopes as they’ve lost any and all value proposition. With minimal effort, and potentially some patience, it’s easy to buy proven reliable scopes at comparable price points.

If you've been routinely successful with scopes that have failed this ridiculous RSDT, the home town crew will tell you that you have no idea how to check zero, that you never check zero, that your scope has probably "failed" and you don't know it, blah, blah blah. Heard it myself when I posted that I've killed several hundred animals with Leupy, Athlon, and now have added Arken to the list. Biggest POS I've had were a couple of Swaro A, 1" tube scopes.

 

[Marbles]

If you've been routinely successful with scopes that have failed this ridiculous RSDT, the home town crew will tell you that you have no idea how to check zero, that you never check zero, that your scope has probably "failed" and you don't know it, blah, blah blah. Heard it myself when I posted that I've killed several hundred animals with Leupy, Athlon, and now have added Arken to the list. Biggest POS I've had were a couple of Swaro A, 1" tube scopes.

Admission that you don't think your scope could pass. That is helpful. No one has to want scopes that do pass. But, saying that is more useful than repetitively arguing that a scope is solid but refusing to back it up with a simple test.

Put differently, we have different definitions of what a scope should be capable of. That is fine, but the false equivalencies get old.

It follows a train like this.

Person A "A rifle needs to be sib 1.5 MAO to be good for hunting and most xxxx brand rifles can't do that."

Person B "My xxxx rifle works great for hunting, so you are wrong.

Person A "Can you show me the group."

Person B "I don't have time for that."

Person A "Ok, but I like accurate rifles for these reasons......."

Person B "Xxxx rifles are accurate, I kill a lot with them."

Person A " The ones I've had were not, can you show me a group."

Person B "I told you I don't have time for that."

Person A "Will I wan5 at least sub 1.5 MOA 30 round groups."

Person B "My xxxx rifle is great."

 

[JGRaider]

You have no clue what I think about my gear actually. It's obvious you like hearing yourself ramble. I don't need to prove anything to you or anyone else......just myself. I already told some jackwagon here if you want to see if my scopes hold zero, just send me a check and I'll send it to you for you to test if it means that much to you. I had no takers, and I'm sure you won't either.

 

[fmyth]

Yikes. What was the issue with yours. That's kinda where I'm at. The trust is broken and the warranty is kinda useless if i cant depend on it. If it broke after 10 years and a lot of rounds, I could live with that. I'm not really sure what to expect in terms if round count, but i know it's more than 125.

Sorry to hear about your scope failure. 125 rounds is an average morning trip to the range for me. My SWFA 6x is still holding zero after many, many range days and hunts. I'd send that Leupold in for repair and then sell it on Ebay.