Leupold Drop Tests

[Ucsdryder]

Was listening to a podcast and leupold does recoil testing with the equivalent of a 6lb .416 rigby I believe. Drop tests from different heights on concrete, including scope first. Freeze tests. Salt test. Etc. I know there’s been a lot of talk about leupold not holding zero so I thought some might find this interesting. Especially with all the talk about most manufacturers not drop testing their scopes. Maybe when leupold decides to do a better job standing behind their products (rangefinders) I might consider them.

 

[amassi]

Which podcast?

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

 

[MidGAHunter]

Most scopes will not survive a 2-3 foot fall on soft ground. Same height on concrete? Fuhgettaboutit. Maybe Leupold does drop test their scopes but based on what I have seen they won't pass.

 

[deerhunter628]

Tim Lesser was just on Backcountry Hunting podcast.

Which podcast?

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

 

[sndmn11]

I wouldn't be surprised if they tested in a destructive manner, but not with functionality involved.

 

[amassi]

I wouldn't be surprised if they tested in a destructive manner, but not with functionality involved.

Started to lose faith when I set a mil scope back and the tracking test they performed was in moa.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

 

[Ucsdryder]

Yes it was back country podcast. About as entertaining as watching paint dry, but I was surprised to hear about their testing.

 

[woods89]

I wouldn't be surprised if they tested in a destructive manner, but not with functionality involved.

I feel that this is where it would get squirrelly, as well.

 

[ElGuapo]

I must be the only guy on the internet that has never had an issue with a Leupold, or a Swarovski rifle scope (I’ve probably owned at least 2 Dozen).

I just keep killing stuff with them….. Admittedly, I don’t dial them hundreds of times per year, and maybe that’s where the breakdown happens.

 

[WRM]

I've got several Leupolds and have never had an issue--none of them are dialers, however, nor would I buy that product from them or many/most other manufacturers. I don't dial scopes, but I'd sure pop for one of the known names that builds to do that and doesn't "budget build" it if I was planning to.

Can't comment on Leupolds customer service, as I've never had to send them anything. I do note the lifetime warranty does not extend to "electronics" (ie illuminated reticle).

I have an early import Kahles that wouldn't hold zero.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

I have owned about 8 Leupolds, vx1 through mark 4. Even when sighting in I don't recall ever seeing the full adjustment appear on the first shot after adjusting the dials. For set it and forget it scopes I could live with that, and since they all did it I thought that was just how scopes worked. Based on those experiences, my surprise with Forms testing is that any scope passes, not that a given scope fails. In other words, my observation is that most scopes fail before even getting to the drop portion of the original evaluation format.

 

[wapitibob]

Nightforce pounded a nail into a fence post with theirs, haven't seen one competitor do that. My NXS worked flawlessly for years.
I tested my Leupold in the field:
a cased rifle lashed to an atv, it failed
after repairs, on the shooting bench, it failed again
I'd really like to by Leupold but I just can't bring myself to do it.

 

[Clark33]

Lots of experienced shooters and hunters rocking the mk5's. I have one and its taken a few beatings and hasn't lost zero. Don't plan on hammering any nails with it though lol

 

[WMag338]

Very interesting!

 

[Tod osier]

They can test them any way they want, I'm thrilled to be nearly divested of them.

They owe me a boatload of ammo for all the times 1) I've had to adjust zero between range trips and 2) they didn't track in the process of adjusting zero.

 

[WMag338]

They can test them any way they want, I'm thrilled to be nearly divested of them.

They owe me a boatload of ammo for all the times 1) I've had to adjust zero between range trips and 2) they didn't track in the process of adjusting zero.

Does your bad experiences include the VX line or the MK line? Just curious as I thought the MK line was more robust.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I was a huge Leupold Fanboy, had several VX5HDs and VX6HDs. They kept wandering on me when I traveled. Glass is phenomenal IMO, and I personally never had a problem with tracking, but zero retention was a no go. I have almost all my optics swapped over to NF.

 

[Tod osier]

Does your bad experiences include the VX line or the MK line? Just curious as I thought the MK line was more robust.

VX, but see the post after yours.

 

[SirChooCH]

I am becoming a Leupold fan myself and enjoyed the podcast. I don't drop my rifles, dial my scopes, or travel too much to hunt. So there is that. Just picked up a VX-3HD 3.5-10 and really like it just mounting so far. Switching from a Vortex Diamondback BDC after deciding I don't like having to dial to 16X to use the BDC when hunting. I like the simplicity of it and glass looks great. Might swap out that bushnell 4-12 on my savage combo here soon for another VX. I don't shoot often enough or far enough to justify SWFA or NF like everyone on here recommends.

 

[bhylton]

I think I read somewhere that the leupold scopes pass the test if they hold a group "however small that is" regardless of POI shift. So they zero, shoot a group.. drop on concrete and shoot another group. the 2nd group lands 8 inches from the first but the group is the same size so they consider it a pass. Idk if that's true, but it rings a bell from somewhere. I keep killing stuff with my vx3 but I've had some headscratchers with it