michael458
AH fanatic
Copy/Paste from Jan 5 2023.........Leupold Scope thread;
From 2005 to around 2012 we were doing a tremendous amount of big bore shooting here. This involved Load Data, Pressure Data, Bullet Tech Tests along with a host of other work. On average shooting 200-250 rounds of big bore every week. From .416 caliber to .510 caliber.
For years on top of years my favorite scope, because of its size, eye relief, and its large field of view at very close range was the Leupold Vari X and later VX 1.5 X5. I also worked with the lesser version 1X4 for the same reasons. But there was a major problem, reliability. I always had 3-4 of these at Leupold for repair, and 3-4 on the bench to be sent in for repair, as soon as the others returned. They were good about repairs, 2 weeks or so. I had several scopes waiting, or in repair at all times.
This was at a terrible cost in time, effort and productivity. Finally one day I unboxed a brand new VX3 1.5X5, mounted it on a 50 B&M, and on the third shot fired it exploded inside right before my eyes. Crap on this, enough is enough...... time to look elsewhere.
It was, and even more so now, difficult to find a scope that meets all the parameters I had set. I do not care and will not use a 30 mm scope on my guns, the damned things are bigger than my rifles. No thanks. Size....... Eye Relief........ and most important "Field of View" at very close, 10 yards and in. At this time Trijicon made a 1X4 1" scope, Weaver made a little 1X3, and Nikon made a 1X4, all of these fit the size, Eye Relief and Field of View requirements I had. So I got one each to try. The Weaver scope was great for size, but lacked some quality features in my opinion. The Trijicon was great, it had the German Crosshairs, and other requirements, but damn it was fairly expensive, and I needed between 12-15 of them if not more...... At first I did not really care so much for the Nikon, had large adjustment knobs........ But it was clear, eye relief was great, and Field of View was great, overall it appeared better than the Leupold on those counts..... I put it on a 500 MDM heavy recoiling rifle, and went to work......
After several 100 rounds the Nikon was good to go, I bought a few more........ and this trend continued, I bought a few more......... Today I have 20+ of those Nikon 1X4 Scopes, many on rifles, some on standby. A few years ago Nikon went WOKE and discontinued all their rifle scopes. That was a terrible event for Big Bore shooters. You can still find them in various Ebay and Gun Broker sales, which I on occasion pick one up, spares are fine. Lost time, sending scopes for repair? After I switched to the Nikon I never sent another scope in for repair, not once. The original Nikon I bought, is still on a 500 MDM and has had 100s if not 1000s of big bore fired with it.
Yes, I have busted nearly all the very expensive Euro trash models too.......
The last 18 months I kept record of Leupolds I sent 13 different Leupold Scopes back for repairs.
Normally around 300-400 rounds of 458 Winchester a Leupold will hold, about the same on 45/70s. 458 Lott normally around 200 rounds. My .500s ..... well they are scope busting machines, as little as 3 rounds seems to bust them to pieces......... Of course on lesser recoiling rat guns one might last a long time......... Safe Queens that get fired 10 times a year they will last longer as well........... I am not sure if they are worth a crap today or not, with all the Nikons stored here I won't need to ever find out.........
As for the Trijicon, I see they do not make that 1 inch scope any longer, damn it was good, still have it. I recently bought a new 30mm Trijicon, they are still 30mm and over sized .... I put it on a 458 Lott I have and I suppose that will be home for it, its just to large to have on anything else of mine. And I will never take the Lott to the field anyway...........
From 2005 to around 2012 we were doing a tremendous amount of big bore shooting here. This involved Load Data, Pressure Data, Bullet Tech Tests along with a host of other work. On average shooting 200-250 rounds of big bore every week. From .416 caliber to .510 caliber.
For years on top of years my favorite scope, because of its size, eye relief, and its large field of view at very close range was the Leupold Vari X and later VX 1.5 X5. I also worked with the lesser version 1X4 for the same reasons. But there was a major problem, reliability. I always had 3-4 of these at Leupold for repair, and 3-4 on the bench to be sent in for repair, as soon as the others returned. They were good about repairs, 2 weeks or so. I had several scopes waiting, or in repair at all times.
This was at a terrible cost in time, effort and productivity. Finally one day I unboxed a brand new VX3 1.5X5, mounted it on a 50 B&M, and on the third shot fired it exploded inside right before my eyes. Crap on this, enough is enough...... time to look elsewhere.
It was, and even more so now, difficult to find a scope that meets all the parameters I had set. I do not care and will not use a 30 mm scope on my guns, the damned things are bigger than my rifles. No thanks. Size....... Eye Relief........ and most important "Field of View" at very close, 10 yards and in. At this time Trijicon made a 1X4 1" scope, Weaver made a little 1X3, and Nikon made a 1X4, all of these fit the size, Eye Relief and Field of View requirements I had. So I got one each to try. The Weaver scope was great for size, but lacked some quality features in my opinion. The Trijicon was great, it had the German Crosshairs, and other requirements, but damn it was fairly expensive, and I needed between 12-15 of them if not more...... At first I did not really care so much for the Nikon, had large adjustment knobs........ But it was clear, eye relief was great, and Field of View was great, overall it appeared better than the Leupold on those counts..... I put it on a 500 MDM heavy recoiling rifle, and went to work......
After several 100 rounds the Nikon was good to go, I bought a few more........ and this trend continued, I bought a few more......... Today I have 20+ of those Nikon 1X4 Scopes, many on rifles, some on standby. A few years ago Nikon went WOKE and discontinued all their rifle scopes. That was a terrible event for Big Bore shooters. You can still find them in various Ebay and Gun Broker sales, which I on occasion pick one up, spares are fine. Lost time, sending scopes for repair? After I switched to the Nikon I never sent another scope in for repair, not once. The original Nikon I bought, is still on a 500 MDM and has had 100s if not 1000s of big bore fired with it.
Yes, I have busted nearly all the very expensive Euro trash models too.......
The last 18 months I kept record of Leupolds I sent 13 different Leupold Scopes back for repairs.
Normally around 300-400 rounds of 458 Winchester a Leupold will hold, about the same on 45/70s. 458 Lott normally around 200 rounds. My .500s ..... well they are scope busting machines, as little as 3 rounds seems to bust them to pieces......... Of course on lesser recoiling rat guns one might last a long time......... Safe Queens that get fired 10 times a year they will last longer as well........... I am not sure if they are worth a crap today or not, with all the Nikons stored here I won't need to ever find out.........
As for the Trijicon, I see they do not make that 1 inch scope any longer, damn it was good, still have it. I recently bought a new 30mm Trijicon, they are still 30mm and over sized .... I put it on a 458 Lott I have and I suppose that will be home for it, its just to large to have on anything else of mine. And I will never take the Lott to the field anyway...........
