leupold vs redfield

[Redneckguy77]

im in the market for a new scope a 4.5-12X40 and i have narrowed it down to leupold but i dont know if its worth paying the extra 200- 300 bucks for the gold ring. i know redfield and leupold are the same company but is there really that much of a difference in the quality of the optics. help me out here boys!!!

[Oldshooter]

I have both! I like both, Leupold for the dependabilty, Redfield for the economics! In my Experience they arent the same in contsruction or quality. Leupold makes a better scope, now thats my opinion !

[Lloyd Smale]

ive got a new 2x7 and a 4x12 redfield and many luepolds and heres my take on it. The glass in the redfields is decent. In my opinion a bit better then a vx1 or the old vari x2s but not quite as good as the new vx2. The click ajustments on them suck. There mushy and not accurate. But then the vx1 and old varix2s with there friction ajustments are no better. The couple vx2s I have are very predictable and accurate in ajusting. When looking at scopes with a power level of over 9x an ajustable objective or side focus is about nessisary. When looking at game out 400 plus yards with them over 9x its about impossible to get a focused picture without them. the 4x12 redfield is useless at 12x at ranges over 400 yards and even at 400 is showing focus problems. If moneys an issue id recomend a vx2 4x12 with an ajustable objective and if money isnt a consern a vx3 3.5x10 or 4.5x14 again with some way of focusing. If the longest shots you will take are 300 yards and your the type that sights in his gun with one load and leaves it alone a vx1 or redfield will probably serve you well.

[Drilling Man]

I have both! I like both, Leupold for the dependabilty, Redfield for the economics! In my Experience they arent the same in contsruction or quality. Leupold makes a better scope, now thats my opinion !

  That doesn't make much sense to me, as the new Redfields are made by Leupold, although the Redfields aren't the same as top of the line Leupold......yet.

  I don't have much use for the old Redfields.

  DM

[Swampman]

I don't have much use for the new Redfields.  They seem really cheap.

[Empty Quiver]

If this is mostly a range gun that will see blue skies and paper targets, economize. Once in a lifetime hunt or heirloom gun I would pop for better myself. My .22 wears a BSA that I wouldn't allow in the same gun case as my Marlin1895. One is a toy the other is for serious business.

This isn't to say the Redfield is crap, it is likely better than a premium scope, thirty years ago.

[Oldshooter]

I have both! I like both, Leupold for the dependabilty, Redfield for the economics! In my Experience they arent the same in contsruction or quality. Leupold makes a better scope, now thats my opinion !

  That doesn't make much sense to me, as the new Redfields are made by Leupold, although the Redfields aren't the same as top of the line Leupold......yet.

  I don't have much use for the old Redfields.

  DM

I have a brand new redfield. It aint as good as my older midgrade leupold. And "aren't the same" and  "yet " are the key words here.

[williamlayton]

Hummmm---you get what you pay for and after the noney is paid are you gonna kick your own behind cause you went cheeeeep and it don't work like you want.
I got the bruises boys and I don't do that anymore.
Blessings

[MGMorden]

Why not try to find the Leupold used?  They've got a lifetime warranty so if it ever gives you any trouble you're covered. 

Only Leupold in my gun cabinet came to me that way.  Usually I consider the scopes that come on used guns throw-aways, but a while back I picked up a nice post-64 (right on the line - made in 1964) Winchester Mod 70 that to my delight had a Leupold VariX-II 2-7x33mm strapped to the top (whole package was $300 out the door too).  Scope still works great.

[SHOOTALL]

There was a show that went over the scopes and it said leupold was making the redfiels to capture more market share . They had a cheaper finish and were of good construction on the inside comprable to a VX-1-2 depending on mod. Like the guy said everyone knows Leupold is making them and they don't want to damage their reputation . Its billed as an economy scope not high end. But a good economy.

[JimFromTN]

You should check out the Vortex Vipers.  Camera Land has the 4-12x40 v-plex reticle on sale for $249.  SWFA has them for $239.  They are less expensive than a VXI but better than a VXII and their customer service is just as good as Leupold's.

[Redneckguy77]

i went with the mueller 4.5-14 tactical because of money reasons but i absolutly love it the 30mm tube makes a huge difference i shot it at the 300 yard range the other day and i felt that i could see better through mine then my buddies nikon in 4-12

[cwlongshot]

I agree with MGMorden, look for a used Leupold scope! That way you can get the scope you know you want!! 

I haven't owned many higher powdered Leupold's. But I did have a 4x12 for some time and it was a good one. I know I have over 25 Leupold's and don't think I bought 2 or 3 new.

Now I just picked up my first new Redfield form another member here. Just got my hands on it tonight. Its a nice scope. If I remember correctly its going to be leupold's lower price point scope. Kinda like the Rifleman. maybe the same as a VXI in quality. Seems there to me. I got it early enough to sit outside with it for about 20 minutes with a VXII for comparison. its just as brite in the sun, but as the shadows get longer the better optics of the VXII prove them selves. They where brighter longer. but the Redfield was pretty good. I will have to check against the one VXI that I have and see.

Good luck with what ever you get.

CW

[carbineman]

I purchased two of the Leupold VX1 shotgun 1-4x20mm scopes for discounts off the price at Cabelas.(around $150 out the door) I like these scopes but as usual with the Leupold, the power ring turns very hard. I bought two 1.5-5x20mm VariXIII's used for good prices and I like these scopes as well. Power ring turns hard but not as hard as the new VX1's. I like the weight and compactness of these scopes along with the forever/no surprise warranty.

In the last year I purchased a Redfield Revolution 2-7x33mm and this scope has many great features. I like the accurange reticle, the matte charcoal finish, good enough glass, the power ring is easy to move, It will fit on any of my single shot NEF-H&R's and the ocular bell clears the hammer, and the eyebox and eye relief are better for me than the Nikons and Bushnells I looked at on my buddys handi's. Also with a Cabelas coupon you can have a plex reticle version shipped to you for around $100 and still get some of the Leupold features. I am going thru testing with my Handi -06 and really like this scope. The Leupold warranty is a big feature to me.

I had 5 of the 1-3 Weavers and had problems with 3 of them fogging and though I really liked those scopes, I have one left and won't buy anymore as the warranty promise did not work out for me personally(long story) with the Weaver brand.

Buy what you can afford, but unless something changes, for me the Redfields are the ticket for an older guy trying to outfit 5 grandsons, a son-in-law and son. I get the Cadillac warranty with S-10 price. Anyway my opinion is just as irrelavent as anyone elses

[pastorp]

Well carbine man, your opinion is important to you. So it is of some value. 

Regards,

[gijoeman]

I have to laugh everytime I read the scope debate! First off I am a former military sniper and have hunted for over 40 years, I am also a NRA instructor. Not trying to impress anybody, simply stating I have been around firearms my whole life and my opinion is about as good as others, and I have always been a scope guy. I put a 4 power tasco on my very first stevens 73 when I was 9. I have a problem with gun snobs, these are people like one or two below with comments like ( you get what you pay for) well not really! There are many scope on the market that are WAAAY over priced! Nightforce being one of them, whenever the military starts buying a product, the price climbs like an atlas rocket. Are they good? Yes! are they worth $2500 Hell No! The new Redfield scopes are Very good quality! Leupold scopes are also very good quality, watch the redfield video, they are made right next to each other! for somebody to say leupold scopes are better, screams gun snob to me! Do you think the Leupold VX-1 zombie scope is better than the Leupold VX-1 patrol scope?  It's the same damn scope one just has a zombie logo on it, yet its $200 bucks more! Are you getting what you pay for? Maybe, if you like zombie brains on your lens cover! There will always be people that can afford to pay the top money for the most expensive scope, but if you cant shoot, it means very little. I went through a time in my younger years where I wanted to have the (GOOD) stuff and hunted only with Weatherby rifles (7mm Mag was the hot caliber) topped with Leupold scopes, there was a older hunter that carried a Savage 110 in 270 with a bushnell 3X9 and this guy ALWAYS brought meat home. Point of my rant is, find a scope that you can see well through and is able to withstand the recoil of whatever you are putting it on and does not fog up and enjoy! If you can afford the Swarovski's and Ziess and Nightforce scopes, well go get what floats your boat! If not buy what you like, it's hard to beat the current Nikon scopes for clairity and value (IMHO) but there are plenty of good scopes, stay away from NC star and anything you get for 40 bucks on Ebay. I used to date a girl that loved to ask the waiter "what do you like?" REALLY? what does it matter what HE likes? Anytime you ask sombody elses opinion about something, you are getting just that, an opinion! I like to build AR 15 as a hobby, the other day I was selling 2 of them, one was an aero persicion lower with Giessle trigger and shilen barrel and chrome BCG, the other was a Smith & Wesson M&P lower with the cheapest parts I could find to build it, and two guys were looking at them and the (EXPERT) told the buddy to buy the Smith because it was the better rifle! WOW some expert! DONT BE CAUGHT UP IN A NAME!

[tobster]

I once knew a couple of sisters. One was cute as a button and sweet as honey, the other had the disposition of a rented mule and weighed about as much. They were both made under the same roof, probably the same room with the same equipment-the problem was different parts were used! Might be the same situation with Redfield and Leupold?
 
 

[Lloyd Smale]

Well i wasnt a sniper but i know for a fact that if my life depended on my scope or others in my company lives depended on my scope id sure rather my gun have one of those OVERPRICED nightforces on it then a tasco. I guess i look at it a bit different then some. Shooting and hunting is my only hobby anymore and when i buy any equiptment to do it i try to buy the best i can afford. I wouldnt be caught dead on a hunt with a tasco scope on my gun. Maybe a 22 used for plinking but not on a gun that could mean the differnce in a successful hunt or going home with some broken parts. I HAVE had a number of cheap scopes fail and they seem to fail at the worse times. I kind of chuckle at guys that will put a tasco scope on there deer rifle but dont blink an eyeball at buying a 500 dollar chuck of chrome to put on there harley or there truck. Use what you want but I dont think a single honest sole here could honestly admit there 100 dollar scope is as good as a 300 dollar scope or a 300 dollar scope is as good as a 2500 dollar nightforce. If its all you can afford without your family starving go for it but dont try to justify it saying its a waste of money to buy anything better then what you use or can afford. I personaly cant afford a nightforce or a top end ziess or a comparable scope. My buget doesnt allow for any more then a grand for a scope and usually its more like 300-500 bucks but if all i had was 50 i think id go get a burger and a beer at the local tavern instead of wasting it on a toilet paper tube with coke bottle lenses.

I have to laugh everytime I read the scope debate! First off I am a former military sniper and have hunted for over 40 years, I am also a NRA instructor. Not trying to impress anybody, simply stating I have been around firearms my whole life and my opinion is about as good as others, and I have always been a scope guy. I put a 4 power tasco on my very first stevens 73 when I was 9. I have a problem with gun snobs, these are people like one or two below with comments like ( you get what you pay for) well not really! There are many scope on the market that are WAAAY over priced! Nightforce being one of them, whenever the military starts buying a product, the price climbs like an atlas rocket. Are they good? Yes! are they worth $2500 Hell No! The new Redfield scopes are Very good quality! Leupold scopes are also very good quality, watch the redfield video, they are made right next to each other! for somebody to say leupold scopes are better, screams gun snob to me! Do you think the Leupold VX-1 zombie scope is better than the Leupold VX-1 patrol scope?  It's the same damn scope one just has a zombie logo on it, yet its $200 bucks more! Are you getting what you pay for? Maybe, if you like zombie brains on your lens cover! There will always be people that can afford to pay the top money for the most expensive scope, but if you cant shoot, it means very little. I went through a time in my younger years where I wanted to have the (GOOD) stuff and hunted only with Weatherby rifles (7mm Mag was the hot caliber) topped with Leupold scopes, there was a older hunter that carried a Savage 110 in 270 with a bushnell 3X9 and this guy ALWAYS brought meat home. Point of my rant is, find a scope that you can see well through and is able to withstand the recoil of whatever you are putting it on and does not fog up and enjoy! If you can afford the Swarovski's and Ziess and Nightforce scopes, well go get what floats your boat! If not buy what you like, it's hard to beat the current Nikon scopes for clairity and value (IMHO) but there are plenty of good scopes, stay away from NC star and anything you get for 40 bucks on Ebay. I used to date a girl that loved to ask the waiter "what do you like?" REALLY? what does it matter what HE likes? Anytime you ask sombody elses opinion about something, you are getting just that, an opinion! I like to build AR 15 as a hobby, the other day I was selling 2 of them, one was an aero persicion lower with Giessle trigger and shilen barrel and chrome BCG, the other was a Smith & Wesson M&P lower with the cheapest parts I could find to build it, and two guys were looking at them and the (EXPERT) told the buddy to buy the Smith because it was the better rifle! WOW some expert! DONT BE CAUGHT UP IN A NAME!

[Swampman]

I won't spend more than about $300.00 anymore.  I'll stick with Leupold.

[Drilling Man]

  Well, i've also seen waaaaay too many cheapo scopes fail in the field and on the bench, so i also won't put them on anything but a 22 or something i'm going to plink with.  This may not be a problem for someone who just goes out and hunts a few days out of the year, but those of us that hunt a lot, we need equipment that that has a track record for reliability.  And i personally want a scope that works in the lower light levels and allows me to see into the shadows.  I just haven't got that performance out of cheapo scopes and in some cases, not even from the cheaper "decent" brand scopes.
 
  I take my hunting pretty serious, and i'd MUCH rather have one less rifle and put a good scope on my main hunting rifle.
 
  I get a chuckle out of those that say they can't afford a better scope and then brag about all the guns they have!  lol  ATV's...  and a zillion other things...  Pretty funny...  lol
 
  DM

[akpls]

I have both! I like both, Leupold for the dependabilty, Redfield for the economics! In my Experience they arent the same in contsruction or quality. Leupold makes a better scope, now thats my opinion !

  That doesn't make much sense to me, as the new Redfields are made by Leupold, although the Redfields aren't the same as top of the line Leupold......yet.

  I don't have much use for the old Redfields.

  DM

I'm not sure what you consider "old Redfields", but the original Redfields made in Colorado were every bit as good, if not better than the Leupolds at the time. 

[Swampman]

I never thought so......they were ok.  Redfield turned the local environment into a disaster and the EPA fined them out of business.

[pastorp]

Most vintage redfields I've seen had very poor lense coatings. They yellow and are not clear in a few years.  not as good as vintage Leopoldo's in my opinion.

Regards,

[Lloyd Smale]

In its day the redfields, especially the illuminators were fine scopes. they had as good of glass as anything on the market then and had more reliable tracking then about anything on the market then and are still better then the revolutions in that aspect. Compared to the newer scopes there still decent but dont have glass any better then the revolutions. Scopes have come a long way since the days of vintage redfields. If you doubt that just compare a old leupold vary x 2 to a new vx2. there not even in the same ballpark. Even the new vx1 is a much better scope then the old varyx2. I may be a bit of an optics snob as a vx2 or nikon monarch is about the starting point for my purchases but truth be told i killed alot of deer with varyx2 scopes and it doesnt take much of a scope these days to match the optical performance of those old leupolds. I think for me anyway i dont spend my money so much for optics as I do for reliability.

[eastbank]

i bought a very used 2.5x compact verix11 leupold scope at a flea market for 25.00 with a broken crosshair(first one i ever saw),how or why the crosshair got broken is unknown as the man i got it from got it at a yard sale for 10.00 in that condition. one call to the leupold service dept get the ball rolling to have it fixed. after paying less than 10.00 S&H to send it to leupold, it took all of 17 days to recieve it back from leupold. they fixed the broken crosshair and brought it back up to factory specks for no charge including return S&H. in over 50 years i have not had better service from another scope maker. the scope is still serveing in the woods. eastbank.

[Drilling Man]

I'm not sure what you consider "old Redfields", but the original Redfields made in Colorado were every bit as good, if not better than the Leupolds at the time.

  Yes, that's what i consider old Redfields...  I sent a pile of them in, mostly for leaking/fogging and Redfield just hated to warr. them.  I always had trouble getting them to fix them for free, just as "their" warr. claimed they would!
 
  Personally, i'd not put one on anything "I" had to depend on today!  I wouldn't even do that back then, waaaaaaaay to many bad ones!
 
  DM

[Freezer]

Logic would dictate the less expensive scope made by the same company can't be of the same quailty as their more expensive scopes. Even if they're made side by side in the same room they have to cut production costs to reduce the price. So I would question what have they done to reduce the production cost of the Redfield scope. In my mind it's an advertising gimic. They bought the name rights of their old nemises and are making a bare bones entry level scope to compete with Tasco, Bushnell, Simmons and Burris. Their only saving grace is they're made in America so I'd buy it over the other four.

[Swampman]

Not all new Redfields are made in America.  The Revenge series is made overseas.

[fast*eddie]

Not all new Redfields are made in America.  The Revenge series is made overseas.

I bought a Redfield Revenge 3X9 and love it . It's made in the Phillipines and I could care less about that .
I had looked at Leopolds , Nikons , Burris , Bushnell and Weaver . The nicest scope was a weaver but it was too big for the Savage 220 shotgun that I bought to put a scope on .

[Swampman]

Just wanted folks to know about the deception.