Leupold quality lately

[Downwindtracker]

When anyone on the net asks for scope recommendations we have always said Leupold. I have a mid-80 2.5x8 VariX-III,while a bit milky compared to newer ones,it's very reliable. I think that design is about perfect for a huntng rifle. However of the last four Leupolds I have bought,two went to Alberta for repair, a VariX-III 2.5x8 that was bad from the get go and VX-III 3.5x10. Luckly the VX-III packed it in after load development but before hunting.The new VX-II 2x7 hasn't had 20 rounds yet.But here's what someone else has said about them:

"260RemGuy: I am Down's hunting partner who has had the issues with the Leupold scopes. I have gone through 3 - 3 x 9 x 40 Leupold VX11's in just the past 1-1/2 years and now the last 2 x 7 x 33 Leupold I own is showing the same problems. In the past 5-7 years I have gone through a number of other Leupold scopes as well so this has been going on for a while. My rifles are capable of shooting tight groups from the handloads I assemble. My hunting rifle accuracy standard is 1" 3 shot groups at 200 meters and I will play until my rifles shoot these groups at will. If they don't, I usually rebarrel using Kreiger or such top notch barrels. I, my ammunition and the rifles can shoot. Typically these are the problems I see with Leupolds now. When first mounted, the groups are tight. Then the groups slowly get bigger and bigger ranging into the 6" diameter size(200 meters). Then the adjustments start to go and lastly the parallex goes. All 4 of the last Leupolds I purchased went in this pattern. I realized that I was owning duplicate rifles in each of my hunting calibers simply because I didn't have a newer Leupold scope that would hold together long term. Yet, if you ask if the Leupold's "failed", I cannot tell you they broke. I think this is at the crux of the Leupold situation. Most people don't realize they have a problem because the crosshairs have't disappeared. When I say the Leupold failed it is because they are not performing to a standard I expect from a high priced product. That is that they hold the same sized grouping from the same ammunition lot year by year and put that bullet in the same spot!! I cannot say that the recent Leupold purchases I have made have performed well. The local very large sporting emporium is rumoured to be very unhappy with the amount of returns they have been getting on the Leupold brand lately. I used to be a Leupold fanatic since the early '70's but my recent experiences are leading me away and looking for other product "