The FakeDEMic will go away after the election. But the damage it has done to the economy and to companies honest plans for product development or "custom" shops or whatever will be for years. My Vortex is my least favorite scope, frankly I have always bought Nikons but I think I will do Leupold now. Nikons came out of a Nikon factory wherever it was located, Leupolds come out of a Leupold factory in the USA, Vortex and Burris, not sure if they are multi-sourced but I doubt that Vortex/Burris owns the factory it is sourcing from. Which leaves open QC issues that Nikon and Leupold would have direct control over since they mostly own and run their facilities.
Leupold Custom Shop
- Thread starter cdb1
- Start date
- Status
Megawatt maker
Member
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2017
- Messages
- 699
I like Nikon as well, but they got out the the rifle scope side of the business in January. When I heard, I went around town and bought up all the P308 models I could find. Love that scope! Advantage of it..they were on clearance!
Nikon made their own glass (Nikko is their glass division) so they had direct control over that part. I dont think they built the scopes themselves. Pretty sure most came out of the same factory in the Philippines that Vortex also uses, with their top models made in Nippon itself maybe..but they keep that info close to the chest. Luepold doesnt even make it's own glass...so that was an advantage.
JFrank
Member
Saved;
There was a interview/article a while back with a Leupold rep that confirmed the outsourcing of glass which to me makes perfect sense, as these optical research departments must be enormous for one for another the high end glass is so good it would be imo virtually impossible for a small company to compete.
J
There was a interview/article a while back with a Leupold rep that confirmed the outsourcing of glass which to me makes perfect sense, as these optical research departments must be enormous for one for another the high end glass is so good it would be imo virtually impossible for a small company to compete.
J
Last edited:
OP
OP
cdb1
Member
It’s not important but I’m pretty sure Nikon did not make the glass used in their scopes. Very few companies do.
Megawatt maker
Member
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2017
- Messages
- 699
Nikon is mostly an optics company entire. Started with cameras of coarse, but they did make their own glass. Thats one of the few companies that I've confirmed that actually does.
Keep in mind...all the things Nikon makes that use optic glass, so for them to add scopes to their portfolio was a no brainer. Too bad they have stopped, for now at least, making gun scopes. They still make telescopes, binoculars...etc.
JFrank
Member
They may own Vortex stock.
You never know
You never know
OP
OP
cdb1
Member
I could easily be wrong cuz I never saw it confirmed but I’ve read a number of times that Nikon did not make the glass for their rifle scopes.
Megawatt maker
Member
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2017
- Messages
- 699
Their glass division is called Nikko. They also are one, or at least were, of the suppliers to the Germans. They make very good glass. So what I've gathered. Rumor too, Leupold also sources/sources some of their glass from them also, but they never confirm where exactly, they get their glass, but it's not hard to figure out. Their is only one optic glass maker left in the US (Meopa), there is Nikko in Japan, a few in Germany, then there is the cheap Chinessium plants and the two in the Philippines.
Hakko was once one of the top producers, but they got gobbled up and no longer make sport optic glass.
Far as Nikon went, I'm 100% certain they used their own glass. You can tell by simply looking through them. I have mid grade buckmasters, the glass in those is very comparable to the mid grade VX-111s and VX-3s from Leupold. They could get away with better glass because they owned the entire process from start to finish.
Then...there are my Monarchs...which are a large step above the buck masters. They are fantastic scopes!
Even the cheap P-308s glass is better then any of Leupolds low end scopes, at half the price.
But I digress...who really knows. Nikon didnt advertise their sources anymore than Leupold, Vortex, Zeiss or anyone else besides Schmit and Bender and IOR...which both prominently tell you they use Schott Glass.
Last edited:
I placed an order online at Leupold for a CDS and it went through just fine. When I get it remains to be seen. So far I have never needed to send a Leupy back. I tried a Vortex once and only once. Sightron made some great mid range scopes with excellent Japanese glass but they have gone into the LR high dollar market now. Leupys for me at this stage of the game and VX3 or better...
OP
OP
cdb1
Member
I’ll take everyone’s word that Nikon made the glass in their scopes.
There are many people, including me, that will disagree with the above statement. I’ve looked through many more Nikons and Leupolds than most people b/c I used to sell them. Any VX-2 I looked through was better to my eyes than any P series I looked through.
Megawatt maker
Member
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2017
- Messages
- 699
I agree with you. The Ps are good, but the VX-2s were very nice as well. When I say low end, I'm talking the old VX-1s and low end Riflemen series.
Both of which came with a higher price tag.
What I really like with the Ps, the turrets are very easy to adjust to zero, the reticle, which is dead on for my pet load, and they are tougher than tanks! The glass is better than all in the same price range, but there is always better glass. Just gotta pay more!
OP
OP
cdb1
Member
Gotcha.
- Status
