Leupold scopes are made by a US-based company, and they are one of the best and affordable scopes available in the market. They have all the best features you would wish to find in the high-end but budget-friendly riflescope. The Leupold manufacturer is a family-owned business that operates from Beaverton in Oregon. The firm is renowned as the oldest sports scopes maker in the US.
The first scope made by this company was after one of its founders had a disappointing experience with a foggy riflescope. This foggy riflescope hampered his hunting ability, and that’s when he decided to develop a fog-proof scope. The company launched an iconic fog-proof scope branded as plainsman. This was a new turning point for American sports optics. One of the big clients for this company scopes the American armed forces who came in 1985. There are other scopes use do such as the vortex scopes.
The company has been producing scopes since then, with quality being their aim. However, with the increase of counterfeit scopes in the market, it is now turning out to be challenging to get the best features of a genuine Leupold scope. One of the red flags to watch when looking for a true Leupold scope is the country of origin. Genuine Leupold scopes bear the USA as the country of origin. In contrast, the poor quality Leupold scopes come with non-disclosure of the country of origin.
How to Spot Counterfeit Leupold Scope
With the increasing number of online shops vending riflescopes, it is now easier to a counterfeit Leupold scope than before. Most of these fake Leupold scopes are illegitimate imports from the People’s Republic of China. And differentiating genuine Leupold scopes from the counterfeits can be challenging. These products look similar, especially when observing them externally; they bear most of the trade dress and trademarks of the latest Leupold riflescopes. Unfortunately, most buyers only realize the counterfeit when claiming the Leupold manufacturer’s warranty service for its products. The manufacturer does not service or repair counterfeit riflescopes. Here are the pointers to watch out for when shopping for a Leupold riflescope.
- Absence or incorrect numbering convention: All genuine Leupold riflescopes come with unique serial numbers. Counterfeit Leupold riflescopes come with a fake serial number identical in most products. In some cases, the serial number may be missing or follow an incorrect numbering convention.
So how do you identify a fake serial number? By confirming the serial number via call on 1-800-LEUPOLD, they will help you verify the authenticity of the scope. Additionally, Leupold does not use I, O, and Q in its serial numbers. Any serial number that bears these letters is counterfeit.
- All Leupold products are made in their Beaverton, Oregon manufacturing plant. The company does not have any other manufacturing plant outside Oregon. Any riflescope labeled Leupold but has no disclosure of American origin or displays made in China is likely to be fake.
- Leupold scopes have unique physical features: At the end of the scope’s objective bell, you will find a metal ring that is a trademark for Leupold scopes. The modern models from Leupold have black engravings inside the gold ring that displays the model number, Leupold’s name, and focal range. The fake Leupold scopes have a decal.
- New Leupold scopes come wrapped in a cellophane box. When you buy a Leupold with a broken seal, it’s either not new or counterfeit. Authorized Leupold dealers always have a sample scope for inspection before you decide to buy one. The samples are to ensure buyers get adequate time to inspect the scope before buying.
The most common counterfeit Leupold scopes are;
- Mark 4 riflescopes
- Prismatic riflescopes
- VX-III riflescopes
- CQ/T riflescopes
- Deltapoint pro sights
- LCO sights
Key Features of Leupold Scopes
- Clear glass and reticle
Leupold scopes have a clear glass that produces bright images for easy shooting, even in low-light settings. The Twilight Max Management system and Index Matched Lens combination deliver incredible brilliant views in dark environmental settings. The reticle offers a ballistic illuminated fire dot. The scope has eight brightness settings for easy adjustments on the light setting from dark to bright.
- Eye relief and the eye box
The eye relief for Leupold scopes sits at 3.7 to 4.2 inches. The allowance on the eye relief allows you to use the scope on a higher recoiling rifle without any fear of scope bite. The eye box will enable you to zoom in and still maintain a field of view.
- Durable materials
The Leupold scope tube is made from aircraft class aluminum, making it tough and lightweight. The scopes are also waterproof to a maximum depth of three feet. In case it drops in water, you can pick it and continue using it without any fear. Fog proof and scratchproof features make Leupold scopes ideal for usage in any environment.
- Presence of elevation and windage knobs
Leupold scopes have easy-to-use turrets. One can quickly zero the scope to 200 yards (like with these 200 yards scopes). It also has a custom dial system that you can tune to fit your specific load, velocity, and shooting surroundings.
