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Scopes still made in Japan, not Philippines?

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Elkins45 View Drop Down
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    Posted: September/07/2014 at 09:34
I used to be a huge fan of the Sightron S1 line of scopes because they were IMO the best exception to the general rule of optics that you get what you pay for. They were made in Japan and were the only scopes in the $100 price range that I would consider owning. In fact, I own several of them and use them on range toys and fun guns. My hunting rifles all have Leupolds, but if I had to take one of my old S1's afield I expect it would do just fine in the rain and the brush.

Fast forward to earlier this year when I bought a rimfire S1 and discovered to my huge disappointment that it was made in the Philippines. I didn't go looking for the country of origin, but I knew something was wrong the minute I looked through it. It turns out that Sightron is now doing all the S1 scopes there and not in Japan any longer. I have owned several Philippine-made Nikons and a Burris and none of them have equaled the mechanical or optical quality of a Sightron produced in Japan. To be perfectly honest I can't tell how Philippine scopes are any better than most of the cheap Chinese junk being sold at K Mart. Or maybe I'm just biased toward Japan, but my impression after looking through a bunch of scopes over the last 15 years is that I want my scopes made either in Japan, Europe or USA.

So here's my question: which scope lines are still being made in Japan?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote cheaptrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/07/2014 at 09:38

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Elkins45 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Elkins45 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/12/2014 at 19:55
Wow...here's a thread that went nowhere.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Son of Ed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/12/2014 at 20:56
There are too many scopes made in Japan to go over all of them, I think.   
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bugsNbows Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/13/2014 at 05:41
I was thinking that the Sightron SII and SIII lines were still L.O.W. in Japan. Perhaps not??? 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Son of Ed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/13/2014 at 07:44
Of course, the Weaver K and V lines are made in Japan....I'm not sure about all the rest of the Weavers...

Bushnell Elites?  

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dale Clifford Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/13/2014 at 08:57

Kaspa weaver line is made in Korea

M223 line for Nikon made in Phillipines.

for the cost of these scopes, they are outstanding values. Sightrons cost more

most shooting stuff is made somewhere other than the US, I wish it was all US, but the reality of it is

most gun powder comes from Sweden, France, Australia, only ball powder plant in the US

Escort firearms are made in Turkey as well as Howa I believe.

sports shooting is something everyone should be able to enjoy, not if the product works, that's great.

some just want to get the kids out, and not spend a lot on machines, others wanted the best that's out there   God-what a great country!

I love little league baseball-- it keeps the kids out of the house
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cheaptrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/13/2014 at 13:18
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Son of Ed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/13/2014 at 20:29







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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Elkins45 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/14/2014 at 10:12
The Weaver 2.5X7 classic rimfire is made in Japan, or at least the one I bought last week was.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tahqua Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/14/2014 at 10:38
Was that one new?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cheaptrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/14/2014 at 12:11
Originally posted by Elkins45 Elkins45 wrote:

The Weaver 2.5X7 classic rimfire is made in Japan, or at least the one I bought last week was.

Good scope. I have one and love it. And yes, mine says "Made in Japan" too. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/14/2014 at 14:29
Manufacture of most low end scopes moved out of Japan a while back, with Weaver K and V scopes being among the few holdouts.

For the most part, I have not seen any real quality difference due to that except for some early samples. Most of the rest of perceived quality difference is likely due to user bias and sample variation.

Most of the Phillipine factories that make optics are Japanese owned with Japanese engineers on-site.

That having been said, as the complexity goes up, Phillipine factories still struggle a bit, but even that is changing.

If you insist on Japanese made scopes, get ready to pay up a bit (aside from an aforementioned Weavers).

With Sightron, S2 Big Sky and S3 are made in Japan.

With Bushnell, most of the Elite scopes.

Just about every other Japan-made scope is even more expensive, aside from fixes power SS scopes.

ILya
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote NDhunter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/14/2014 at 22:11

The Nikon Monarchs are made in the Phillipines, the rest are made

in China.  How about Leupold, where are they made.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/14/2014 at 23:48
Originally posted by NDhunter NDhunter wrote:

The Nikon Monarchs are made in the Phillipines, the rest are made

in China.  How about Leupold, where are they made.


At the moment all Nikon scopes are made in the Philipines (I do not think they make Monarch Gold or Monarch X any more which were made in Japan).

ILya
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Son of Ed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/15/2014 at 07:35
Leupolds are made in Beaverton, Oregon...and I believe the Redfields are also made there at Leupold's facility.   



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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/15/2014 at 22:12
Originally posted by Son of Ed Son of Ed wrote:

Leupolds are made in Beaverton, Oregon...and I believe the Redfields are also made there at Leupold's facility.   




Assembled, would be more accurate. Glass comes from China, Korea or Japan depending on the product.

Same for the smaller mechanicals.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RSnatch Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/15/2014 at 22:32
Originally posted by Elkins45 Elkins45 wrote:

. I didn't go looking for the country of origin, but I knew something was wrong the minute I looked through it.


Specifically, what do you find to be inferior to your older Sightron SI scopes?

It's my understanding that Sightron manufactures the SII line in the Philippines as well, but I've never seen a complaint on that product line.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Elkins45 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/16/2014 at 06:32
Originally posted by koshkin koshkin wrote:

Manufacture of most low end scopes moved out of Japan a while back, with Weaver K and V scopes being among the few holdouts.

For the most part, I have not seen any real quality difference due to that except for some early samples. Most of the rest of perceived quality difference is likely due to user bias and sample variation.

SNIP

Just about every other Japan-made scope is even more expensive, aside from fixes power SS scopes.

ILya

I don't think I have any inherent bias against the Philippines, so I must have been a victim of an unusual amount of bad sampling variation. Both of my Nikon ProStaff scopes had mechanical flaws and the three Sightrons all have inferior optics as compared to the Japanese made versions I bought just a few years earlier. Both of the Nikon's were probably from the same lot and were both early production, and maybe the Sightrons were from the early production switchover as well.

What's an SS scope? 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Elkins45 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/16/2014 at 06:33
Originally posted by RSnatch RSnatch wrote:

Originally posted by Elkins45 Elkins45 wrote:

. I didn't go looking for the country of origin, but I knew something was wrong the minute I looked through it.


Specifically, what do you find to be inferior to your older Sightron SI scopes?

Optical quality. Resolution and contrast both seem noticeably lower. Mechanically I can't tell any difference.
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