Leupold Chinese Clones ?

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suprane

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Boy I was shocked when I received an auction I had won on GB. I bid on a CZ 550 .308, rings, three magazines and a hard case and BTW the guy was "throwing in" a Leupold Mark 4 4.5-14x50 M1 turret NIB that he'd won as a door prize at a Oil Corp. dinner. The opening bid was $899.00. I had looked , passed by and then did a double take and returned and looked to make sure I had read it correctly. Sure enough, NIB Leupold Mark 4 NIB, plus everything else for $900.00. Heck Leupold sells for $1000.00 wholesale. So I bid and won it all, it was paid for and shipped. Nice guy to deal with and talk to, buuuuutttt.....scope turned out to be "cheezy" and when I first saw it, worked it I said this is crap. Two lens, mushy controls, poor glass and no leupold box, came in a plain white cheap box, that had not been sent. Did some research and sure enough those China men were cloning Mark 4s. You can get one for $60 shipped. I didn't buy other than to resale and make a profit. Already sold the rifle and stuff for $800.00 and thought I'd get around $1100 for the scope and pocket the difference. NOT ! ( I have never had such a deal fall into mu lap before and still haven't :banghead: ) But guy was good man (I believe him when he said he did not know himself), sent scope back and he is going to exchange for a "German" scope he has, not sure what kind yet. We'll see. Anybody else get fooled by these cloning fools. I sure had my eyes opened.
 
Leupold warns of these counterfeit scopes. They explain how to identify the fakes. Most of them are being sold over the internet, so the best way to avoid getting scammed is to buy only from well established reputable dealers. But if you come across someone selling any suspect Leupold product, just write the serial number down and call Leupold, they will be able to tell you on the spot if it's one of their products.

This is something that has been going on for quite a long time actually, stinking communists! BTW, $60 would be over rating those pieces of junk knock offs, .60 cents would be more like it.

Glad the guy is going to try and make things right for you. There have been a lot of folks who have lost big time on them.

GS
 
gamestalker, I had heard of the communists cloning golf clubs and other things, but was totally in the dark about Leupold scopes. The pictures looked really good. But genuine ones have no white lettering on front objective, no lettering under scope and the gold and black trade mark is missing. And of course the Leupold box is missing, which we didn't see because he shipped scope inside gun case. That was our first clue when we asked for box so we could sell as NIB and found out box was a nondescript plain white on of cheap cardboard. Yes I am glad he will do me right, as would never have bid without "thrown in Leupold Mark 4" Didn't want a CZ nor a 550 FS, nothing wrong with them just not what I was looking for. And the opening bid was too high for used 550. Just threw in a bid to see if I could get it reasonable and resell to make a little cash for home projects. He says he will ship me either a Sarovski or a Zeiss, used, and close to value of real Leupold Mark 4, hoping. I simply asked for the difference between bid and used value of the gun and stuff but he felt so embarrassed he is going all out to make it right. If he does he'll be very honorable and has my total respect.
 
As many of our members would say, that's capitalism, buyer beware, win some lose some, and so on. It's a shame we can't seem to do anything about it.
 
JC I thought about that old saying many times before I bid, even sent an e-mail confirming the guy was throwing in a Leupold Mark 4, I truly believe he was taken too and hope he will be a man of his word and make the deal right. Time will tell. The rifle, rings, extra mags and hard case were all as described and in fantastic shape, so all signs point to a honest man.

Browningguy I hear you, been buying and selling guns off the internet for 14+ years and now that I am winding down I get a troubled deal. Still hope this is a 'win one', but prepared for a 'lose one'. What can you do ( I mean one can leave negative feedback and file a claim with GB but man I hate doing all that to someone )

rcmodel wow that many clones out there. Is there no way to stop the cloning idiots or always "just beware?" Scammers, may their teeth fall out and unable to enjoy steak! :neener:
 
If it were me, I would have asked to return the stuff for a refund with return shipping paid by the seller. If that went through OK, I probably wouldn't leave any feedback at all. If the seller didn't wish to do that, then negative feedback would be left.

As for filing a "claim" with Gunbroker, good luck. If a seller gets enough negative feedback, they might be terminated from selling on the site but that's all you're going to get from Gunbroker despite all the huff and puff on that site about auctions being "legal" transactions, blah, blah, blah.
 
Grumulkin I hear you. If he ends up asking for it all to be returned for a refund, fine. But my friend has already spoke up for the rifle, rings, magazines and case for $800 and I'd like him to have it. It's a fair price for all of those used items. Everything in excellent shape. But he's waiting to see what the seller ends up doing before calling them his own and paying me. The Leupold is what made the deal a good thing for a starting bid of $899.00 In fact made it a way underpriced deal. So I will bide my time, see what the seller does and then go from there. I hate attacking people on feedbacks or on forums, just too much anger in the world as there is. GB does have a $500 fraud claim with a membership, if it can be documented and proved. If the seller bails, chalk it up to my ignorance and move on. What goes around always comes around. No use losing sleep over it. It was just a complete surprise that Leupolds were being cloned. Well live and learn. Right?
 
I can't believe anyone would go through the effort to sell a rifle for $900 on the internet and then just "throw in" a scope worth $1000. You may choose to believe this, but not me, no way...just doesn't happen. Playing clueless is always their first line of defense. Good that it all seems to have worked out alright. Buyer beware!
 
CHicoms are quite savvy . THey are relentless in faking just about anything. Even the Russian AKs exported to China in the 1950s were improved with thicker stamped receivers and folding bayonets . The Chicoms also have the folding stock type 56s. Many of these were supplied to the NVA and VCs in the war.
 
It's not Capitalism or Buyer Beware, it is theft and stopping it is part of what this governments job really entails.
The crap merchandise that is copied is no different than the counterfeit money those same governments send here and that's not including the human trafficking on our boarders.
 
One vendor at last month's gun show in Lewisville TX had some bogus Leupold scopes. He actually pointed out the differences from the real ones that he also had for sale.

Question for our badged friends. Was he breaking any laws by having the counterfeit scopes for sale?
 
I hear you on a "throw in" That's why I e-mailed and asked if he was including a Leupold Mark 4 ??? He replied yes sir, he only used German scopes and this scope he won as a door prize at an Oil Convention ( he sells oil equipment world wide ) was one he didn't care about. He had 40 all positive feedback, all A++, so I bid a "low" went to sleep and never expected to awake to a winning bid. This is how I figured the auction. used CZ 550 FS .308-$650 CZ four screw rings-$50 Two extra magazines-$125 and hard case with four latches-$25 for a total of $850, then add in Leupold Mark 4 ( wholesale $1000, retail $1300 ) total on the auction $1850-$2050. I got it for a grand. Already sold rifle and stuff for $800 so $200 light. If it had been a Leupold could have made a $800-$1000 profit. Now the seller says he will ship a "quality German, Sarovski or Zeiss, to me to make the deal right." He's embarrassed he had not seen it was a fake. IF he does that he's a man of honor and integrity, if he doesn't I got another life lesson, my friend has a real nice rifle and I walk away and chalk it up to experience. End hasn't been written yet.
 
P. T. Barnum was right.

Be adivsed that Swarovski's are not German made and not all Zeiss's are either.

Good luck.
 
DubbleA you know I erased two comebacks, just didn't want a word contest. But you know I believe your reference to being a born fool at least deserves this: In my 62 years I have found most "know it all" arrogant people to be the biggest fools, for we all will get sucked in, sometime in our life. Now that is all I got to say, for if I believe you to be the biggest fool, then I would be a bigger PT Barnum offspring to argue anymore.
 
There is a saying: "If it's worth making, it's worth faking."

Fake items are nothing new. As always when purchasing anything (especially of value, such as a scope) do your research and buy from reputable source. Buyer Beware.
 
I hear you, in 14 years all went right on GB. I really felt, after e-mailing this guy, it's was ok. I still believe the seller was fooled also. Waitng to see if he comes thru and makes the deal good. Still just pissed fake stuff is allowed through into the country. But I did get a lesson. One of many in life. Life moves on.
 
"Throwing in" sounds like he gave the scope to to you. From what I read, you bought the gun and got the scope as a gift.
 
Colt I hear you, but when you bid you bid on the total package. A CZ 550 FS .308 NIB is $775 Rings, $50, Extra Mag. $60, simple hard case $25= $910 Now discount for used and what is it worth. Say $800. The starting bid was $899.00 You just don't bid. But now "throw in" a Leupold Mark 4 and you bid and a reasonable winning bid for all that could be as high as $2000.00, but without the "throw in" the starting bid is already too high. I only bid because of the Leupold and did not expect to win. So it is false advertising when in the title you include "...and Leupold Mark 4." IMHO
 
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