Re: Why all the Leupold bashing? What am I missing?
Precise1,
In another post today I said the following of Leupold:
<span style="font-style: italic">Leupold was the pinnacle of tactical rifle scopes.....in 1989. Not much has been improved over the last 20 years, except the prices have gotten higher; and therein lies the problem with Leupold.
Great Customer service, Great Custom shop, and operational features that were the cutting edge 20 years ago.
Wish they would get a clue. Used to love their stuff. But the world has moved on, and Leupold has stood rigidly still.</span>
That is not bashing Leupold, it's a realization that previously well thought of US company, is on the decline. There is no good reason for this to be so. Insipid management, resting on it's past laurels, are dooming a fine (MK4) product line to an also-ran, laughing stock status.
The only rational that prevents Leupold from fully competing with S&B, USO, Premier Hertiage, Nightforce, IOR, Vortex, Sightron, Falcon and even SWFA's Super Sniper lines, is that they (Leupold) chose not to do so. So they peddle the exact same products as they did in 1999, but change the packaging, and increase the price.
If Leupold choses not the compete and provide me as a shooter with a product that is competitive, both functionally and price wise, with the competition; then I chose not to buy their product.
But as a company who at one time lead the world in production and design of tactical scopes, Leupold's fall has been profound and stunning.
Maybe there is more money to be made for Leupold, by peddling Dog Shit Optics from China, and selling it as America's finest. But count me off of that bandwagon.
Bob