Lots of People like to bash brands.

Leupold's line of Rifleman scopes and their Wind River Optics are Chinese , every part, every lens, every assembly. Now they are the lions share of Leupold sales. Leupold gets their lenses from Japan like just about every other brand in the U.S. for their mid to high end scopes. Lenses are chosen and categorized into 7 different grades depending on the clarity. This is done with a photometer and the clearer the glass the higher quality scope it can be installed in and therefore cost more. They are not graded until they are ground and polished and some glass is better, some finishing techniques are better, some days good, some days bad. I don't know what is on their website but they conduct their business just like all the rest except for Swarovski on the high end. I don't think that Night Force has an economy line like most others.
This is from their website:
We designed the Rifleman® to surpass all of your expectations. This is one razor-sharp optic, and like every Leupold riflescope, the Rifleman was designed, machined, and assembled in our Oregon factory. We test it to ensure it's absolutely rugged, 100% waterproof, and we guarantee it for a lifetime of performance.

Maybe they were manufactured over there at one time, but they aren't anymore. I feel like google is your friend here...maybe a little research before you post would be helpful?
 
This is from their website



  1. Where does Leupold get its glass?
    At this time, there are no American manufacturers that can supply enough high quality lenses to support our Golden Ring Optics production. Our lens systems are designed at Leupold, by American optical engineers, in our state-of -the-art optics labs. The glass is then procured from vendors who must meet stringent quality standards. Incoming parts are carefully inspected in our testing facility before they are accepted into the build process.
    All major optics producers acquire some or all of their glass from the same sources as Leupold. Some of these sources are located domestically, some are European, and some are Asian. The source of the base material is not nearly as important as the optical design. Our glass is so much clearer due to our proprietary lens coatings, how we engineer the prescription of the lenses, and the construction of the optic itself

    AKA CHHHYYYY-NA, ok I made that part up. Lol
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Ha Ha before you came to the conclusion that I was butt hurt did you read any of my posts?
8 page thread and counting because someone's butt hurt about people picking on his beloved Leupolds. It's time for some people to get out and get some fresh air.
I never claimed to have an insatiable love for Leupolds. I never even said I owned one except for that one post as a joke. In fact if you have ever read any of my posts I have only once publicly commented on the lack of quality of a brand from first hand experience of said product.
Now don't get all butt hurt about me calling you out on your ability to read.
I truly started this thread to see if some of the more vocal brand bashers have ever even had firsthand experience with the brands they so hate.
 
Excuse me a moment. When I have stated any displeasure with a product, I specifically describe all of the events that led to my displeasure for several reasons. First and foremost, I am hoping someone who works for the company I am addressing my reasons for my displeasure happens across my complaints and corrects problems that initiate my comments. I don't form my opinion until I have gone through every avenue to correct the problem. Then, if I want to be helpful when asked for advice, I tell whomever what I think about a product and why. If the problem I experienced has been corrected by the product manufacturer, I would consider purchasing another product from them.
But, when did you become the self appointed policeman and complaint evaluator for this website? You can formulate your opinion however you want but to make accusations that anyone who dislikes a brand or manufacturer is absolutely absurd. Unless I have heard otherwise, this country still guarantees us freedom of speech. Maybe whomever made the statement no longer has the papers that documented their problems. I still value and trust many other members opinions on this website, irrefutably. So I can formulate my own ideas and decisions. This is a website, thanks to Len Backus, that is totally based on and off everyone's opinions, not some self appointed censorship from individuals.
My purpose is not to ruffle any feathers but let you know how I view your post personally.
You also should learn how to read.
Never did I claim to be the
" the self appointed policeman and complaint evaluator for this website"
The actual point of this Thread is exactly what you said
"You can formulate your opinion however you want"
It was my way of trying to sort thru the I heard from a friend of a friend stories. Exactly like I said in the first post. I'm just trying to formulate my own opinion based on facts.
Not trying to ruffle any feathers here. Just letting you know how I view your post.
 
I say Good for leupold for not drinking the koolaid and keeping their manufacturing in the US. I'll keep supporting them however I can.
They source their glass. They manufacture the other components.
This is true. Leupold has China make some of their parts. This is likely how the counterfeit Leupolds got started.
My new spotting scope ...kenai hd 80mm is stamped made in china.

The reviews in midway are a laugh. All over the map. I took a chance. Im happy with it at its price point.

The reviews and opinions all have to be taken with a grain of salt. One reviewer said the eyepiece unscrewed when he adjusted it so he sent it back. Hello mcfly....just tighten it! Anyway im glad i bought it $600 off
 
My new spotting scope ...kenai hd 80mm is stamped made in china.

The reviews in midway are a laugh. All over the map. I took a chance. Im happy with it at its price point.

The reviews and opinions all have to be taken with a grain of salt. One reviewer said the eyepiece unscrewed when he adjusted it so he sent it back. Hello mcfly....just tighten it! Anyway im glad i bought it $600 off
Leupold only claims to make rifle scopes in house. I have their BX4 Proguide HD binos and I knew they were made in Japan when I bought them. Their spotters and binos are all made overseas
 
If YOU really think a $4-6000 rifle is needed to match your skills as a shooter, God bless you.

Had I a spare 10 grand, I'd be going on some exoctic outfitted hunt as I know that any 1.5 MOA rifle will kill anything I would shoot at.

I'd wager that a $1500 Savage with a $3000 Schmidt, would outshoot your mega buck rifle with a $1000 Nikon on it.

Supporting my original point ---- from my safe. $1800 rifle, $2800 scope. You own a $6 grand Creedmore that will whup it ?

View attachment 188938

Most of my precision shooting rifles were assembled off a Savage action,and topped off with nice glass. They shoot great.
But,When I got debt free I built my dream rifle. I have close to $7k in it. It also shoots great. I didn't build it to impress anyone except myself. It's just a range toy,and I'll probably never hunt with it because it's a chassis style weapon. It is fun as hell to shoot,and that's all I wanted.
Some guy's just like to have one or two NICE rifles,and save up for years to get them.

Nice Tikka by the way! Here's my pride and joy,I was waiting on the trigger to show up when I took the pic.

D4YGd06.jpg


It doesn't shoot too shabby either.

43ysQ9Y.jpg

TdlIEZn.jpg
 
It may come as a shock, but lens making is a 100% automated process. As has been stated many times by real experts: If you can afford the equipment you can make excellent lenses anywhere in the world. I don't really care where lenses are made. I do car about the quality and backup of the finished product. In that case Leupold is impossible to beat. Leupold bashers are all over the net and if anyone wishes to believe them ---- have at it. In 60 years of owning Leupold products they have never failed me and have, in fact, gone way beyond what could be reasonably expected. If you prefer BSA, enjoy it.
 
When I bought my last scope, which happened to be a VX 5 HD, although as stated I am very happy with Zeiss (my last three scopes were Zeiss) just wanted to support an American business (and yeah we all know almost all high quality lenses, whether in microscopes, telescopes, cameras, or riflescopes are made in Japan, with the exception of some Zeiss, Swarovski and oddly enough, the Vortex AMG) I talked to the dealer about Chinese copies of scopes. He told me that the copies often hit the stores even before the originals, which is why you have to be careful when buying online, as if we've had a choice the last couple of months. When I thought about industrial espionage, I always thought patent violations of large-scale chemical and drug production or the small-scale knock-off DVDs and purses our kids bought when stationed in Korea but I guess any market is worth penetrating to some one.
 
Fake Leupolds and Zeisses are easy to spot as they are far too inexpensive and have features the real ones do not.

When in doubt, run the serial # past the manufacturer.
 
Warning! This thread is more than 5 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.
Top