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Leupold SCI

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Category: Scopes
Forum Name: Rifle Scopes
Forum Description: Centerfire long gun scopes
URL: http://www.opticstalk.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=5656
Printed Date: March/28/2024 at 11:25
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Topic: Leupold SCI
Posted By: tbone1
Subject: Leupold SCI
Date Posted: February/01/2007 at 02:54

When I went by the Leupold booth at the show I had not done any research about the VX 7 nor have I read what you guys have posted about them.

 

On first glance I was impressed with the VX-7.  It didn't seem to be new paint on the same old car, there seemed to be some real improvement and or changes.  The optics looked fairly good but everyones looked great under the show lighting.  I was impressed with the new power range and then realized that they went to a 4x erector which was nice.  They are added a true fast focus eyepiece and my eyebrows were starting to raise.  They had a 1.5-6x24 that looked good and a 3.5-14x45 which had nice magnification range.  I screwed off the scope turret caps and they have incorporated a new pop up style cap that makes every VX-7 equipped with a BDC with MOA numbers instead of just lines.  This was not the same old Leupold.

 

After a few minutes of playing with them, I asked the rep to come over.  I asked what these scopes will retail for and my jaw dropped when he told me.  He said $1300-$1900.  I thought that I misunderstood and had to ask him to repeat it.  I then mentioned that I thought that was a little expensive and his comment to me was "not when you compare it to a $2500 Schmidt & Bender"!

 

The next day, I came back and gave these scopes a much tougher evalution since they were obviously not trying to compete against conquests anymore.  On second look, I was not nearly as impressed, this was no doubt due to my knowing the price.  I am not sure whether or not I like the pop turret caps.  I like the idea, but I would have to really look at the design to make sure they are easy enough to use and more importantly reliable.  The glass although looked good, not that good.  Yes good for a $600-900 scope but not for a $1500 scope.  To be fair to Leupold, it was hard to tell anything under the show lighting but I did later get to a distributor booth where I compared it against a Swaro AH in a dark room of the show.  The Swaro looked better but again, I don't trust any evaluation done inside.  By the way the scope at the distributor was a 3.5-14x45 VX-7 and price was $1499.00.  I cannot help but feel that these scopes are way overpriced.  The glass had better be tremedously better for me to even consider paying that much for one.

 

I spent a few minutes looking through the gold ring binos and I have to say I was very unimpressed.  The ones they had on display had more play in the focus wheel than a wore out 1972 F150 steering column.  It felt like I could move it half a centimeter left or right before it even started to grab the gears.  In Leupold defense, I also compared the gold ring at the distributors booth and his pair did not have this problem.  I compared the optics some against Leica and Swaro and could tell the glass was not as good.

 

I took about ten minutes looking through the new switch power binos and I believe this is the worst pair of supposedly quality binos that I have ever looked through.  I spent 10 minutes adjusting them and I could not get both eyes lined up at the same time.  I don't know if it were the barrels or my face.  The optics did not look good at all and the switch on the power seemed flimsy.  When I say I could not get them lined up, I mean they were completely unusable.  I played with the eyecups, set the diopter, moved the barrels in and out, changed the power, changed the focus.  They were terrible.  I will be making a point to view them in a store to see if possibly they were just lemons.  I can't imagine lemons being this bad.




Replies:
Posted By: cheaptrick
Date Posted: February/01/2007 at 05:58

Thanks for your review, Bone.

Always a pleasure to read your post's.



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If at first you don't secede...try..try again.


Posted By: Trinidad
Date Posted: February/01/2007 at 13:10
Thank you Tbone1 for your review, likewise as Cheap mentioned, it is always a pleasure to read your posts.


Posted By: tbone1
Date Posted: February/01/2007 at 17:37
Thanks guys, I appreciate that.


Posted By: oldman47
Date Posted: February/09/2007 at 09:11
 Leupold is starting down the same road as a couple other self destructed manufacturers . They keep relying on their OLD reputation and giving far less for way too much money. The web is going to kill them .... too many people know too much and tell everyone !  Of course you'll still have the idiots who paid too much for one swear by all their models but those days are over . They're good ... but not great for the cost . The last few times I went to Cabella's the sales manger said they are not selling hardly any Leupold's compared to the other brands in their price range ... and have'nt for a long time ... he has a room full of them ... does that tell you something ?  Now they've throwed them in Walmart === real high end dealer ===  LOL  For a factory rep to compare them to Zeiss ... Schmidt and Bender and other high end manufacturers is a joke !   ---


Posted By: guitarman87
Date Posted: February/09/2007 at 10:18

Hey guys, I too have to admit that Leupolds are "overpriced."  They simply do not compare to the Monarchs, 4200 Elites, SII's and the like.  I've liked them for a long time, but they're got to make some changes.  I think it all comes down to high advertising costs and the cost of American labor.  I think there's a reason you don't see Leupolds going on sale, and it isn't corporate greed, it's simply because they can't afford to let these scopes go on sale.  It's not like they're trash, they just have a great deal of catching up to do.  The internet is bad for a lot of companies, I think.  Gibson Les Pauls fall into this category as well, as I find them to be almost perfectly analagous to Leupold scopes.  They're great, but they're made completely in the U.S.A., so they cost A LOT compared to better guitars costing hundreds less.

 

Root, I use to be stubborn about Leupolds, but come on man.



Posted By: Anthony
Date Posted: February/09/2007 at 21:21
even before SWFA had pictures for the vx-7's I had this prediction that it was going to be one of the worst leupold rip-offs to be recorded in history. I am in no way surprised by your review.


Posted By: pyro6999
Date Posted: February/09/2007 at 21:33

Originally posted by rootmanslim rootmanslim wrote:

Re the scopes... it's hardly "a review" since he stated real plain that show lighting was no scope test venue. As to WALMART, they are the USA's largest retailer. They sell Penn reels, All makers ammo, high end plasma TVs, Weatherby etc... are we to assume that ignoring the largest market opportunity in the USA makes the Euro scope guys smarter/better? OR that they will not meet WALMART's tough discount and quantity requirements? WALMART is hardly the "white trash" store as portrayed by the elitist media. A lot of folks with 6 figure incomes like a bargain as well as "Jethro".
I'm not rushing out to buy an SCI because it has not been tested or reviewed by writers/testers I respect in actual field conditions.
IMO the net will never kill anyone or elect anyone as it is a collection of opinions generally unsupported by testable facts. From "Leupold is self destructing to Bush blew up the twin towers"... well you just gotta take it with a grain of salt. Betcha a Wal-Burger that our grandkids are still buying Leupolds.

 

betcha they still buy the leupold rifleman at walmart!!!



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They call me "Boots"
375H&H Mag: Yeah, it kills stuff "extra dead"

343 we will never forget

God Bless Chris Ledoux
"good ride cowboy"


Posted By: hot30
Date Posted: February/09/2007 at 21:39

  I would bet that those "pop up" turrets are great in the snow..?  Gadgets do really well in the market today, maybe Leupold and Ford should get together, POP UPS and TWIN TURBO deisles..!  Sounds like a bunch of  "shop time", its just money isnt it..?

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Posted By: pyro6999
Date Posted: February/09/2007 at 21:40
to bad i hear ford is selling out to toyota. whats next leupold being bought out by tasco

-------------
They call me "Boots"
375H&H Mag: Yeah, it kills stuff "extra dead"

343 we will never forget

God Bless Chris Ledoux
"good ride cowboy"


Posted By: hot30
Date Posted: February/09/2007 at 21:49

Pyro, I guess thats the way of the future.. I dont like it any better than the next guy, you cant help but think  " STOP WITH THE GADGETS" ..  You can buy all the bells and whistle you want, but if it dont run..!!!  Yah im cool, I own one, but it dont run...

 

  Bushnell owns Tasco..?        &nbs p;         &nbs p;  30

 

   

 

   



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Posted By: tbone1
Date Posted: February/10/2007 at 00:19

I am not anti-Leupold like some people on this forum are.  Sometimes I feel like they get unfair treatment and I would like to state my opinion for the record.  I personally feel that Leupold makes a fine scope and I trust them without a doubt.  If I were going on a polar bear hunt, I wouldn't hesitate taking a VX-III.

 

In my opinion Leupold built their reputation many years ago by making a tough, reliable scope that were superior to other scopes in many ways.  They would last, wouldn't fog up, could take some abuse, were very well waterproofed, had good optics,  didn't shift with magnification, used one piece aluminum tubes, ect.... Leupold as well as a few other manufacturers showed that variables could be built just as rugged as fixed scopes were.  Fifteen years ago Leupold was still the King because most other scopes out there were not built nearly as well with the exception of the top Euro scopes.

 

I don't believe that Leupolds commitment to quality has changed but the market definately has.  Today we have many scopes that have these same features, waterproof, tough, reliable, repetable adjustments, ect....However Leupold doesn't seem to be changing with the market.  The one area that Leupold suffers in my opinion is in glass quality.  The glass that they seem to be using is good but not great by todays standards.  You can get better glass for the same money and the same glass for less money.  Now you will here people talk about how much better a conquest or Elite 4200 are than a Leupold.  I personally wouldn't say they are better scopes because I don't know how a conquest will hold up 15 years from now.  But in my opinion the optics are noticably better.

 

I like Leupold.  I like the fact that they make scopes here in America.  I want them to succeed and outsell the Japanese made products because I hate to see American jobs being lost to oversees markets.  However I try to call it as I see it.  I own Leupold, Zeiss, and many other brands.  I have been really wanting to buy a Leupold partly because I do like their scopes and partly to support them.  The problem is that everytime I really consider them, I realize that I can get better glass for the same money.  I have been looking to get a VX-II for a 22 rifle.  But when I look at it, a VX-II is $350 and I can get a Zeiss Conquest for $399.00 and get way better optics.  It just doesn't make sense to get the Leupold.

 

Leupold really needs to stop trying to be so innovative and do a couple of things to improve their scopes. 

 

1.  Put a European style fast focus eyepiece on at least the VX-III scopes.  I think it's rediculous to pay $500+ and still have that locking eyepiece.  They make you pay $1500 to get it.  I realize thats not a big deal but it's just easier to use. 

 

2.  Spend a little more money and put some high quality glass in the scopes,  not a fancy index, matched marketing plan, just some better quality glass.

 

3.  Instead of a fancy pop up BDC, just make a simple, stationary low profile BDC that can be turned by hand.  Up until a year or two ago you still had to pull a dime out of your pocket to make adjustments.  Now that I think about it, just rid of the "dime turning" on the VX-II as well.  It can't be any more expensive to allow shooters to turn the adjustments by hand.



Posted By: oldman47
Date Posted: February/10/2007 at 18:25

Originally posted by rootmanslim rootmanslim wrote:

Re the scopes... it's hardly "a review" since he stated real plain that show lighting was no scope test venue. As to WALMART, they are the USA's largest retailer. They sell Penn reels, All makers ammo, high end plasma TVs, Weatherby etc... are we to assume that ignoring the largest market opportunity in the USA makes the Euro scope guys smarter/better? OR that they will not meet WALMART's tough discount and quantity requirements? WALMART is hardly the "white trash" store as portrayed by the elitist media. A lot of folks with 6 figure incomes like a bargain as well as "Jethro".
I'm not rushing out to buy an SCI because it has not been tested or reviewed by writers/testers I respect in actual field conditions.
IMO the net will never kill anyone or elect anyone as it is a collection of opinions generally unsupported by testable facts. From "Leupold is self destructing to Bush blew up the twin towers"... well you just gotta take it with a grain of salt. Betcha a Wal-Burger that our grandkids are still buying Leupolds.

 

 I only have one thing to say .... Leupolds are good scopes ... if they were 1/2 the price on the high end . But they are killing themselves with the price/quality/value . And yes the web is going to hurt them -- just like this forum that never existed years ago and the regular guy had no way of finding facts on optics. The competition is out there with alot more for the money and people just have to click =reviews - forums - to find the truth .... on the WEB .  As far as Bush blowing up the twin towers .... he's too dumb set off fire crackers by himself and his vice president is'nt the guy I want to go hunting with !  Standing in a open field with him and he shoots you in the face !  And those two IDIOTS  started a war !



Posted By: guitarman87
Date Posted: February/10/2007 at 20:28
Root, I think you might need help.


Posted By: Trinidad
Date Posted: February/10/2007 at 21:30

Root are you going to pick up a Leupold 2007 LE Century? This seems like a scope package you

might be very interested in.

 

http://www.swfa.com/c-975-leupold-century-riflescope.aspx - http://www.swfa.com/c-975-leupold-century-riflescope.aspx



Posted By: hot30
Date Posted: February/11/2007 at 00:08

Write your defenses, tell your stories, argue till your redfaced..!!  the simple fact is they arent what they used to be like 15 years ago..!!  Nobody needs to proclaim themselves an expert to state "SIMPLE FACTS"...

 

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Posted By: tbone1
Date Posted: February/11/2007 at 00:09
As far as the W&E adjustments go, I am agreeing with you.  Simple is better.  But Leupold is the one who created the new "pop-up style" BDC.  If they are going to incorporate a BDC into every scope, then make it simple and low profile was my point.  You don't have to use it if you don't want to.  I will agree that too much playing with the scope in the field at the wrong time could cost you a trophy.  I am neither applauding them or condemning them for this new style BDC.  Time will tell if it's reliable or not.  I simply prefer that every scope I own have W&E adjustments that I can turn by hand so that I don't have to go to the car and get a dime if I have to make adjustments.  I just can't think of a logical reason why any scope should not have this feature.


Posted By: hot30
Date Posted: February/11/2007 at 00:11

Simple facts,  I applaud you

 

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Posted By: tbone1
Date Posted: February/11/2007 at 11:27

I don't know how to explain my "opinion" any clearer.  I'll state it one more time.  The glass is just as good as it was, coatings, one piece tubes,ect... are just as good as they were.  The difference is now there are many other brands that have these features as well and also the fact that some of these brands have tremendously improved their glass quality.  In my opinion Leupold has not improved there glass enough in the last few years and are falling slightly behind.  That's it.

I don't claim to have facts and have been clear that I am giving my opinon just like you are.  When I place my conquest against my Leupold, to me the conquest just has better glass.  I understand if you don't think so but thats my observation.



Posted By: tbone1
Date Posted: February/11/2007 at 11:30
Sorry, I thought you were asking me how they are not like they were 15 years ago?  I should have read more carefully.



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