Posted on 06/18/2010 10:09:30 AM PDT by GunsAndBibles
I'm about ready to pull the trigger on a purchase of a new scope for my AR-15. The company is Leapers, and the scope is a 3x-9x X 40mm on a 1 inch tube, with illuminated mil-dot reticle.
It's USA made (Michigan) and all of the reviews I've read have been positive. Here's the deal - it only costs $65 to $70 dollars! I'm on a tight budget, so the price point is really appealing. Anybody have personal experience with this company's products?
Leupold has had several Chinese counterfeits show up at the shop for warranty work. Could be some of them.
It’s a catalogue item and you can get if from the all the major suppliers, so I don’t worry about that.
That’s my primary consideration. You know the one: It it sounds too good to be true...
But just dam! Did you take a look at the link?
Here’s some of the comments I’ve seen on the company:
“I’ve seen the reticle shoot loose in more Bushnells than Leapers. I had a Leapers 1st gen. 6x32 on my SKS that was one of the best scopes I’ve used as far as staying zeroed and the settings being repeatable. The only probs. I had were the o-ring pushed out around the objective eyepiece after about three years (caused no problems tho), and it would flare badly in bright sunlight, like most cheap scopes do. On the other hand, my sons Bushnell Banner 3x9 broke the reticle within the first box of ammo. This is typical of the cheaper Bushnells that I’ve seen. “
“I HAVE A LEAPERS T-168 ON MY AR. IT HAS HELD ZERO WITH NO PROBLEM. KILLES LOTS OF HOGS WITH IT.YOU WILL HEAR THAT THEY ARE JUNK. I MUST HAVE BEEN LUCKY. SEEMS EVERYONE THINKS YOU HAVE TO SPEND MEGA BUCKS ON AIMPOINTS ARE OTHER BRAND NAMES TO HAVE A GOOD SCOPE.”
“From what I can tell, the Leapers 5th Generation True Strength series is not made any different then a Bushnell at/in similar price range. Same quality. Only reason a Bushnell might be higher priced is it is considered a brand name. Not a high end brand name, but a brand name none the less. But in having both, looking at both, same quality. Both brands are or have multi-coated optics, are waterproof,shockproof and either nitrogen purged or filled for fog proof/prevention.”
“I bought this scope as a cheap optic to put on my .223 AK for plinking around and was generally surprised by it. The optics are surprisingly clear for a cheap scope, the illuminated reticle isn’t bad, and it has held its zero through hundreds of rounds. However, it does fog up pretty quick and the rings are garbage, plan on buying a set separately.”
Buy once, cry once! It took a while for that lesson to sink in, but I finally learned it. Don’t skimp on optics...you will be sorry. You can buy a GOOD scope for around $300.
And Leupold can make custom-BDC dials for any bullet/load.
I thought all Leupold products were produced in Oregon. At leas that is what their advertising claims. I love my 3x9 on my hunting rifle.
Seems to be the general consensus.
They do, so I think I’m mistaken.
That’s good to know, but I had to search around to find it in the ABOUT US section.
“All Leupold Golden Ring® Riflescopes are designed, machined, assembled, and tested in Leupold’s state of the art manufacturing facility in Beaverton, Oregon, USA. “
I have to hunt in the rain. Gimme a Leupold.
I have bought and used a lot of cheap scopes during my life. They simply do not stand up to a lot of use, and they tend to fail during extreme conditions, which can be quite embarrassing, annoying, and even dangerous.
I have found that I need to spend about as much on the glass as I do on the gun.
Burris is about the low end of where I start shopping now.
Yeah, I saw that. It’s a cost option. Leupold seems to be the favorite here. I’ll take another look at their offerings. I also read that Redfield was acquired by Leupold and are built by Leupold. Price for a 3x9 X 40 is $160
http://www.redfield.com/riflescopes/
The reason why scopes like Leupold, Unertl, Swarovski are expensive isn’t because they’re name brands.
The reason they’re expensive is because good optics cost money.
High quality optical glass can be as much as $1000 per kilogram.
Add in polishing, coating, superfine reticles, micro-adjustment turrets, airtight and watertight tubes, and inert gas stabilization. Then design and assemble it to stand up repeatedly to thousands of high G shocks.
And now you know why a sub $100 scope is suspect.
Yes.
Redfield went under about 10 years ago, IIRC.
Leupold picked them up and offered them as a price point under the Golden Ring line. Very good value for the money.
One of my zooms cost about as much as my 50D and the other one, a bit more....
I’ve been happy with my Pentax Gameseeker 3-9x40 scope .
It included a chart for 18-21 different cartridges.
Stay bitter and clingy!
Nikon has a new scope for ARs coming out that has peaked my interest. I admit to having been drawn in by this video, but I have not heard anything good nor bad about the scope. I will be investigating further.
http://www.nikonhunting.com/M223promov10.html
I’ve had Pentax cameras which were very very good. Nice price on that scope.
I’m still hung up on trying to find a good quality scope with an illuminated reticle. Next best thing to night vision. Let’s just say that I tend to think in terms of worst case scenarios.
I looked at the Leupold with the illuminated reticle, it cost almost as much as my Bushmaster. The Redfield, built by Leupold, is the right price, but again, no illumination.
A good 4x scope with stadia markers and a DOPE card should be more than enuf for your AR 15.
Woking up the data for your DOPE card is half the fun at the range - yes?
That’s the direction I’m moving in, working up “dope” cards for the specific loads I happen to be shooting. I’ve stopped plinking with the 55gr. factory junk and started loading my own. Right now I’m shooting Hornady 68gr. BTHP with Hodgon H335.
Problem is my current scope is a fixed 5x30 and with my eyes I can barely make out a pie plate at 300 yards.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.