Scope choices

ccsykes · #1 03-24-2004, 07:39 AM

I am fairly new on here and I am looking into building a custom rifle. I have three hunting rifles all of which have leupold scopes on them. Over the past few years, I have been doing research and was told the other day that leupold is one of the better middle grade scopes. I was told to look at swarovski, kahles, schmidt and bender, night force, and zeiss. Is there any recommendations for a scope based on quality and reputation? The scope would be used for punching paper out to maybe 700 yrds shooting varmits out to 600yrds and medium size game (ie deer or possible african plains game).

Ian M · #2 03-24-2004, 07:46 AM

If Leupolds are doing the job for you, why switch? Leupold has long range and tactical scopes that are excellent.
Hard to beat the Leupold turrets and good turrets are essential for long range shooting.

DwRuger · #3 03-24-2004, 08:13 AM

Sir I agree with the last person if what you have is working stick with it. I personaly don't own one but, all the ones I have looked at have been good. The last scope I baught was a sightron which was around a hundred dollars less than the leupold and have no regrets yet. Again dont change what is working good luck

COBrad · #4 03-24-2004, 09:28 AM

I've never owned a Leuy, but I do own several IOR's and find them to be, IMO, a superior scope. Prices are similar to the more spendy Leuy. I shot a few prairie dogs last weekend at ranges from 536 to around 300 yds. I turned the elevation turret up or down for each shot and yesterday I went to the range and shot several groups that were all to the original POI. I keep using them because they work for me.

ccsykes · #5 03-24-2004, 12:31 PM

Thanks guys, the main reason I am considering other scopes is due to a warranty issue someone I know had. Leupold didn't treat them as well as I would have thought. Another reason I am looking at top end foreign scopes is because I heard they are clearer. I have only looked at them in the store and I was wondering if this was true in the field. I heard that the more they cost the better they are. Give me some insight on this saying and the clarity of those top end scopes.

COBrad · #6 03-24-2004, 01:59 PM

Well friend, I will give you my opinion, and exerience. I was a guide or outfitter for nearly 20 years, and had opportunities to look through virtually every decent scope out there. The Leuy's seem to be the standard everything else is compared to, and with good reason I think. Every one I looked through was bright and clear, and no one ever complained about them. The Burris too seem to be in the same class. I did have a set of Burris Signature series 10x50 bino's that seemed to have a serious abberation problem in the right barrel, and Burris sent them back to me saying there was nothing wrong. I sold them. While looking for a replacement I stumbled on to IOR. They claim to use the same glass as Swaro - made in Schott, Germany, and Zeiss T3 coatings. I compared them side by side to Swaro, and went ahead and bought the IOR. I have since had opportunity to compare IOR scopes side by side to Nightforce in the field. If there is a difference in optical quality I can't see it. They are all three, Swaro included here, razor sharp with excellent color rendition and clear field of veiw to the edges of the lenses. I also have a pair of Zeiss bino's that are just as good. Are they significantly better than Luey? To me they are all so good that it is so much splitting of hairs. I really like IOR's MP8 reticle. Thats probably the biggest reason I continue to chose IOR. As for warranty, I broke two of the older, 1" tube, IOR scopes. They were replaced quickly with no hassles. All the scopes you mentioned represent the best available. I don't think you can go wrong with any of them. My .02$

Ian M · #7 03-24-2004, 02:00 PM

Chris,
That statement is just not true, it should be but it does not work out that way. Optical qualities are very difficult to evaluate, looking through a few scopes in a shop is really not going to tell you much compared to what we need in real life, real light situations.
The story you heard about Leupold customer service is not the norm, they are usually superb and in fact set the standard for the industry in many ways.
We cannot tell you what scope you should buy, but we might be able to tell you what to look at and what to avoid.
Good luck, the guys here came up with the rule that a good scope and mounts should cost almost as much as the rifle they are going on, that works unless you have some really expensive tastes in rifles.