Scope Problems

26Reload said:

I bet it's in the parallax.....

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1st thing I would check.

I agree with wieserbucks, go get a NF scope ! You can find like new ones on this web site. They don't have ANY issues! A first rate company who makes well thought out, quality optics. I used to think Leupolds were good, but then their prices went way up and quality down. In my many, many years of using different brand scopes ; Nightforce is now my go to brand for quality, variety and price. They have a fine customer service/repair group, but you won't need them. Do yourself a big favor, get a Nightforce scope.

I must be lucky, in this area anyways, I've never had a Leupold fail on me nor a Burris, Nightforce or any "quality scope." I have had scope mount screws fail. Redid the mounts with heavier screws on a A bolt a couple of times. Except for two of my scoped rifles live a charmed life. 75% of my kills (100 hogs, 2 Elk, Antelope, and 1/2 dozen deer were taken with a $200 Burris.

I've had a USA made and a Zeiss HD 5 and an Nikon have to go back for repairs. Sooner or later you will have a scope fail if you don't you're a very lucky person. I am not a person that likes a busy scope on the radical so I would never own a NF

I don't have any Leupold glass so I can't say anything about them . I run several brands . I have a us optics which I loaned out it came back after 8 months with the rings marks in the tube and parallax didn't work they replaced the scope no questions asked I had a Athlon fail they replaced it no questions asked, a Burris failed me they up graded the scope and gave me 2 50% off coupons- can't beat that!! Now I usually run Burris they have great customer service and you actually speak to a real person!!

Good idea to pack an extra scope. I like mounting mine on a pic rail with high quality pic rail compatible rings and always carry a small wrench or torx driver to replace scopes. If possible 2-3 shots fired on a target pinned onto a cardboard box then set out at 200 yards using laser range finder to determine distance back to intended shooting position. Pinning targets on nice trees is a bad move.

First post here. Tried to get help here a year or so ago about a new VX-5 HD I purchased. Took months on end before I ever got approved on my registration. The thing has been on 4 different rifles and wouldn't hold zero on a bb gun. Sent it back to Leupold, they sent it back and said nothing was wrong with it. Put it back on and still no joy with it. The scope has been sitting back in it's box since then. Had always purchased Leupolds and was happy with them but the VX-5 broke me out of the Leupold habit. $1600 bucks for a scope is a lot of money for me but I coughed it up and bought a NF and been very happy with it since. If I do my part I can shoot a hole in a quarter at a 100yds with my 30-06 with the NF setting on top. Lucky to keep it on paper with the VX-5.

I've had a few scope issues in the past, but until I started paying what I consider a lot of money to go hunt somewhere I was just happy to have good customer service when an issue arose and was very vocal about supporting those companies. I would still recommend them depending on needs but if I can limit my exposure to failure by going with a company with a good history of durability that's the way I'm leaning these days. I do still have multiple rifles with cheap scopes that have served me well for a lot of years but as they fail I'll be buying more durable options.

I think the worst thing about a scope going bad is all the frustration that you go through with inconsistent or bad groups before you figure it out. You spend a considerable amount of time and money as you try to develop an accurate load before you even begin to look at other causes of inaccuracy. Sooner or later the scope and/or mounts get your attention, and the scope usually gets returned in the hopes that it was the scope all along.

While it is great that almost all US scope manufacturers stand behind their products and normally fix their scopes for free, you may have already put a few hundred rounds down that new custom barrel and burned through quite a bit of powder and bullets, only to have to start over when the scope comes back repaired.

Testing with a different scope, of known reliability, in the early stages of investigating inaccuracy issues is certainly a good idea. It's a pain-in-the-neck but could save you plenty of components and time in the long run.

shphtr said:

I mostly backpack sheep hunt so my scopes live a hard life. I have never had a Leupold go out on me without a good reason. I had one Nighttforce that fogged in the middle of an international hunt for no obvious reason. S—t happens. After 35 years of mountain hunting my rifles still wear Leupold's though I do carry an extra scope when I have the ability to change scopes in the field and hope for the best!!

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Anything can break. The difference is, Leupold has well known, well documented issues with their scopes lately. Any issue you hear of with NF is rare and a one-off thing. I am slowly ridding myself of all Leupolds, including older ones that I've never had an issue with. I just don't trust them and don't appreciate them as a company. And sadly, I used to be a huge fan.

FireFlyFishing said:

This seems to be the case on any of the turret configured Leupolds.

The Rockslide forum has scope tests and has found the Leupolds have a major durability issues with shifting zeros. In other words…it's a thing, unfortunately.

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I personally know of 5 that failed. One was new and the bell end fell off owner had to pay for it. Scope was not dropped and there were no marks on the scope.

lyotehunter said:

I personally know of 5 that failed. One was new and the bell end fell off owner had to pay for it. Scope was not dropped and there were no marks on the scope.

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I find it very hard hard to believe a new scope would lose the bell and Leupold wouldn't repair or replace it...has to be more to this incident

Leupold is the biggest let down in optics.

Absolute garbage.