goose7856

Now I have never owned a Leupold, but almost every hunter knows someone who does. They seem pleased, but now after reading these articles, I may have to inform them that the quality is decreasing and the price just keeps rising. It sounds as if Leupold is doing what every other manufacteuor (in any field of business) is doing. It works great right when you get it, but they are not built as "rugged", so in half the time as the older models , they break!! I know they have a lifetime warranty, but if the parts don't work then they might as well just give a brand new scope to you for free??!! (I DONT THINK THATS GOING TO HAPPEN!!) I have just bought a Nikon Buckmaster 4-12x50. Its the new model that has come out. I have yet to mount the scope and sight it in, but when looking through it and comparing it to I think it was a 3-9x40 VariX II, I think mine has a larger field of view (I guewss because of the larger lens??), and is just as clear maybe even clearer. Some people may argue about the size........but I don't give a flip. I hunt out a stand, so once I'm in, I'm staying in. That is one of the two reasons I bought a new scope, even though I am only 15, I saved up money, and have bought a $330 scope for $270. Then I had enough money to buy a used rangefinder (Nikon 800, bought for $99). Oh, the reasons were to gain light gathering ability (I was tired of not being able to see the deer clearly with my Redfield Widefield. That and I had to just get a little higher power for those longer ranged shots (I only had a 2-7 to begin with). My opinion is that Leupold is a great brand. But I do not see them as being the "best" (other than Zeiss, Kahles, Swavorski, and Docter Optics). Nikon offers many products, that can easily be caompared to the Leupold's. Actually I will say that Nikon all in all has just as good of scopes or better scopes, for about $200 less (or even less). I think the only area that leupold excels is for the LPS series of scopes. Those things are unbelievable, if the advertising is correct. 99.65% light transmission, and the thing that surprised me is the 3.5-14x50. For one thing you don't see that kind of magnification very often, and Leupold normally does not make very many scopes with 50 mm lens. I have never comapred LPS to a Nikon Gold, but I am just guessing the LPS is a litle better, and it should be if you have to rack out 1K. Just my opinion.........you don't have to agree or disagree