I owned lot of different scopes over the years. I've also drug many of them into hunting camps that really torchured them.

In all of those years i've put more Leupolds on my "work" guns than anything else. I also have two Williams scopes that i bought back in the 70's that still work perfectly.

If i was buying a new scope today i'd without a question buy a Zeiss because they are better in low light conditions and are as good as or better than everything else out there today in every other way. My second choise would be another Leupold. I buy my scopes for life, not untill i get another rifle!

I've yet to have the "gas wear out" in a scope, and the real test to this is, put your scope in the freezer over night, the next morning put it in a pan of luke warm water and see it any bubbles start riseing.

My scopes will past this test, cause if they didn't they didn't go hunting with me. If you go hunt fall brown bears on the Alaska peninsula, your scopecan get pretty much the same treatment. Other places in Alaska can be like that too, and your going to be out there for a while, so why carry something you can't trust?

I had a 2x6 Williams scope on a 338 mag. one time, and while crossing a glacier i fell hard on the gun. The scope would no longer rotate to a higher power and the tube was bent. I put up a target and it was still on the money.

I think a "quality" variable scope today won't be failing in the feild just because it's a variable... None of mine ever have, but i won't put a low end scope a work gun either.

DM