leupold returned for warranty repair

B

bamaranger

New member
While up in PA this spring for gobbler hunting (and my 93 yr old Mom!) I made a circuit with my brother-in-law to a number of big central PA gun shops. I located a used Leupold 1-4x Vari-X at what seemed a fair price and bought the thing for on one of my turkey shotguns (yes, a scope on a turkey shotgun). Once I got back to 'Bama, I went about dismounting the clunky 30mm scope on board the Mossberg 835 and installing the tidy 1" 1-4x. Alas, I soon discovered the power ring slipping (I felt certain it must have have begun after I got it home, I believe I checked the thing thoroughly in PA, even stepped out side with it). No worries says I, there's the Leupold warranty.:D So off to Oregon it goes for warranty repair.
That was over a month ago. Curious, today I called Leupold, spoke to a helpful young gent, who advised they were replacing my vintage Vari-X, 1-4X with a Leupold Freedom 1.5-4x. No questions asked. Should arrive at the 'bamahouse tomorrow. Given the going retail price of the Freedom, I came out about $100 bucks ahead. I already have one of the tidy 1.5-4x numbers on a .308 carbine, so I am familiar with the item. I figure way better glass for sure.
Don't recall I've ever had a Leupold fail , though over the years I've sent a few back for reticle changes when they did that sort of thing. The Vari-X in question could have been produced as early as the mid 1970's. Since the scope in this instance had a standard duplex crosshair it's not an issue. I'd hate to loose one of my vintage Leupolds with the German #1 reticle (no longer offered) I'm so fond of to a replacement decision.
 
When I got interested in F class, I sent my 3.5-10 Vari-X III to Leupold for installation of target adjustment knobs. They replied that the tube was irreparably bent (nothing I had seen) and that they would replace it with a current model. I selected a 4.5-14 and felt well treated.
 
delivered

Scope arrived on Weds, but out-of-town trip prevented opening same. Quite partial to the traditional 1" tubes due to their lower profile and weight. This particular scope will go on a Mossberg 835 turkey gun, replacing a 30mm scope whose large ocular bell blocks the tang safety enough to be annoying.
 
yes

Tremendous fan. I'd have to pause and count but it must be close to a dozen on my collection, many of them older Vari-x and Vari-xII models, all giving good service. As noted earlier, I've never had one fail while on a hunt or mounted on a rifle, the one in conversation here was bought used. I've bought a goodly number of others used from ebay as well.

Like everything else, scopes have gotten way expensive. The tidy 1" LPV's have gotten extremely scarce it seems and used prices have jumped as well. The 30mm LPV scopes intended for mostly AR carbines (?) seem overly large and come with features I for the most part don't want.
 
Willing to bet?

I wonder how many knock off's get sent to leupold for repair? It's gotta be a PITA for the manufacturer's that provide excellent warranties. Seems like the first thing to do is determine if your company made it.
 
Is it fixed. The last Leupold I knew that was sent in was not fixed upon return. They did stuff, but it still had a wandering zero.
 
replaced

Had to leave town the very morning the package came in from Leupold and I had no time at all to open the parcel. I have not returned home as of yet. In a conversation the day previous, Leupold advised that my Vari-X would be REPLACED. I am of the belief that the replacement scope will be a Leupold Freedom. Home in a few days, we will see.
I
 
I sent an old (70’s) 4x in for some fogging issues. I was informed that the parts required were no longer available. The gentleman then asked, is there something comparable you would like in its place? I chose a 1-5 x 4 Freedom with the Hog Plex, very happy.
I have also bought my share of scopes from eBay. Two notable ones are a gloss heavy duplex 2.5x compact shotgun scope and more recently a 3-9 x 40 gloss finish with an AO.
Scope had recently been resealed and nitrogen charged by Leupold and had the original box, paperwork and paperwork from Leupold documenting what work had been performed.
That Compact 2.5 HD is on my 77/44, couldn’t be happier.
Sure miss the lack of new gloss finish Leupold scopes these days.
 
saga continues

Home from my trip and open the box from Leupold. Within, a brand new Leupold Freedom 1.5-4x...........with a nerdy MOA reticle. The old Vari-X had a simple duplex.
OK, so turns it, or so it appears, that Leupold no longer offers the tidy 1.5-4x with a duplex, just the silly MOA-ring and the Hog Plex. I hate to be that customer, but I am going to recontact Leupold and request the Hog Plex. The MOA-ring holds no appeal whatever. In fact, with 5MOA hold offs, and a 40 MOA ring, I cannot tell exactly what use it would be at all. But it looks all cool and tactical........:cool:
Nobody asked, they just sent the M-ring. If they will swap, and they oughta, I will pull a standard duplex 1.5x-4x Freedom off a .308 carbine, and replace it with the Hog Plex. The carbine scope/duplex will go on the turkey shotgun. I hope.....we will see.
 
As I’ve gotten older heavier crosshairs like the Hog Plex are better for My eyes, especially in low light situations.
Too bad Leupold stopped offering all those alternative crosshairs, everything seems to be going to a one size fits all inventory.
 
offerings

Leupold offers lots of crosshairs, but nearly all are intended for long distance, twirl and shoot folks. The simple duplex still exists, but only in certain models.
They have a duplex they call the Hunt Plex which resembles the old German #4. Another they have named the Creedmoor. It resembles Nikons old BDC but uses solid dots, the Leupold Creedmoor is also similar to the Burris ballisti-plex, but again solid dots instead of the hash lines used by Burris. I dunno of the custom shop still exists or not, but the old reticles like the German #1, #4, target dot and others are gone. Whether or not you can request a swap from one new reticle to another new reticle is unknown to me at this time.

Back to my new/old scope. I'm way ahead on this deal, I just need a reticle with which I am comfortable and is practical for my use. I will keep all advised.
 
I haven't heard of those reticles, so I looked them up.

I believe the subtensions on the pig Plex are in mil, instead of moa. Nothing wrong if you are ok with that. I myself would prefer the moa ring. It is just slight upgrade to duplex, which lacks adequate references for hold over. Quite ok for hunting within 200yd. 5moa hatch on moa ring is handy for holding for 300yd. 2 hatches for 400yd. 3 hatches for 500yd. I can ignore all that if I just need a duplex equivalent. Center is center.

The turrets are closed. Not tactical.

-TL

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
 
substensions

The Hog Plex reticles is simply not as "busy" as the MOA-ring. That is a personal thing, but that opinion is shared by others. I handed the MOA-ring to a shooting pal the other day, who's done a bit of hunting and a good bit of shooting. His immediate comment was "What a mess". Another shooter present, with LOTS of range time liked the MOA and all the multiple hold off points. He shoots at steel at variable considerable distance alot, though he no longer hunts.
And there are MANY hold offs, in fact 40 MOA worth of elevation hold-offs, a total of eight, one every 5 MOA. Windage hold offs are not to be out done, there are 4, two left and two right, supposedly for 10 and 20 mph moving targets.....but that begs the question, at what range? Couple all of that with a 40 MOA ring, which is huge. For me, that is a very cluttered sight picture. More than I can simply ignore. Center is center, .......once I find it.
The 40MOA ring poses it's own set of questions. Too big to suffice as a close range aiming point....it's 40MOA at 4X. With the scope cranked down as one might for close range, say HD, the ring substends even more area. The ring is also relatively thin, so I question it's usefulness in bad light, likely a bit hard to see.
I really would like to have just a simple duplex, but in conversation with Leupold, the simple duplex low power 1-5-4x scope have all gone out to the dealers.....not available for swap. That leaves the Pig Plex.
Leupold will swap me for a Pig Plex. The Pig is a bit less cluttered, and the hold offs make more sense. From memory, there are three .....4.5 MOA, 8.+ MOA and 12.+MOA. That works out pretty closely to a .308/150gr at 200, 250 and 300 yd hold offs with a zero of "on" at 100, which works for me. The ring on the Pig is 9MOA. Tha is roughly 25% smaller than the MOA ring, so cranked down, it will substend sufficiently less area than the monstrous 40moa ring and thus might be useful as an speed circle up close. The Pig offers a single windage hold off 11 MOA (the ring could be used as a windage hold off as well, at 4.5 MOA).
As noted, I am way ahead on this deal no matter what. The plan at present is to do the swap, pull a standard duplex 1.5-4x from a .308 and put it on the turkey gun and put the swapped Pig on the .308.
 
Nothing wrong.

The pig Plex elevation hatches are at 4.5, 8.6, 12.6 moa. Those odd numbers made me think they were originally mil and translated into moa. You are right. They probably have more to do with BCD. I think they are for 300yd, 400yd, and 450yd.

-TL



Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
 
cow kissing

It's like the fella that kissed the cow....to each his own. Had this same conversation ( about the reticle, not the cow;)) the other day with a guy just down the road. He says "wait here" and steps inside , reaches behind the door, and emerges with an AR carbine and a Leupold on top. You gotta love country folks. Said Leupold was equipped with the scope in question, a 1.5-4x with the MOA-ring. He says he loves it. Can shoot at coyotes as far as he can see them. Picks a hash mark and lets fly. 'merica!
 
update

I mailed the MOA-circle scope to Leupold a few days ago, requesting them to replace with a Pig-plex........we will see.
 
Not being a hunter, I have to ask:

Can shoot at coyotes as far as he can see them. Picks a hash mark and lets fly.
Click to expand...

How does he know which hash mark to pick? Seems like it would take a rangefinder, range reticle on known target size, or Old Indian Scout skills.

The pig Plex elevation hatches are at 4.5, 8.6, 12.6 moa. Those odd numbers made me think they were originally mil and translated into moa. You are right. They probably have more to do with BCD. I think they are for 300yd, 400yd, and 450yd.
Click to expand...

Is it usual to shoot at a pig that far away?
A friend took some successful hunters out on range with targets at 100-600 yards, but not marked. 300 was about their maximum effective range.
 
pigs and hash marks

I doubt my neighbor, or 90% of the guys I've been around in hunt clubs have any idea what their bullet is doing much past 250yds. Jack O'conner wrote that the average stiff has no business shooting at big game over 300 yd under field conditions. Remember that was O'Conner, not me. That was a long time ago and I suppose technology and the interest in long range in recent years has changed that limit a bit. The neighbors coyote shooting mostly involves seeing one from the pickup (in his pastures and hay field,) slamming on the brakes and taking a shot from the truck at a runner.

What hasn't changed is where we find game. In most of their range, deer are twilight creatures and generally hold to cover in daylight. I'd wager 90% of whitetails killed in this country are shot under 100 yds. Can't say much about pigs , limited experience. The hunt shows have the sports shooting over bait from blinds at very close range. I suppose, muleys, elk and antelope are different, but I have not hunted them.

No word or new scope from Leupold........yet.
 
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