Made in China?

GaryO7

New member
Things seem to change so often; is there any way to keep track of which popular scopes are made by the Chicoms? Thanks...
 
I don't have anything against them. Alot seem to have quality problems.

Especially in the fast focus eyepiece styles. Poorly machined eye pieces on some models that when backed out to focus the reticle for old eyes with glasses theres a good deal of wobble that'll dance the reticle around on a set target.

A Pentax Gameseeker and a few other poorly machined eyepieces in Chinese scopes come to mind.
 
I think you would be surprised what portion of scopes or parts of scopes are made outside the US. Regardless of what they say on them many internals and lenses are not made here. Reference the Leupold story in one of the recent gun mags.
 
Originally Posted By: skb2706I think you would be surprised what portion of scopes or parts of scopes are made outside the US. Regardless of what they say on them many internals and lenses are not made here. Reference the Leupold story in one of the recent gun mags.


Very true. Even scopes that are assembled in the USA have parts from overseas. I think most of the good glass is currently coming from Japan.(the glass itself)
Many scope companies offer products made here as well as cheaper grades that come across the pond.



eta: I have emailed some companies to ask them the origin of their products and most reputable companies reply back promptly.
 
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Originally Posted By: WildwvI buy one brand of scope that I know is built in the USA that way I never have to deal with it.


Who would that be?? Tom.
 
Originally Posted By: HOGGHEADOriginally Posted By: WildwvI buy one brand of scope that I know is built in the USA that way I never have to deal with it.


Who would that be?? Tom.

That would be Leupold Gold Ring.They do import the lenses used in them but have been doing it for 50+ plus years.
 
Originally Posted By: WildwvOriginally Posted By: HOGGHEADOriginally Posted By: WildwvI buy one brand of scope that I know is built in the USA that way I never have to deal with it.


Who would that be?? Tom.

That would be Leupold Gold Ring.They do import the lenses used in them but have been doing it for 50+ plus years.

They are one of my favorite as well. I have NEVER had a Leupold fail in any manner. I would rather buy a used Leupold then a new off brand piece of garbage.
 
Originally Posted By: skb2706I think you would be surprised what portion of scopes or parts of scopes are made outside the US. Regardless of what they say on them many internals and lenses are not made here. Reference the Leupold story in one of the recent gun mags.

I know of the outsourced parts, especially lenses. It's the assembly and quality control before it's shipped I'm concerned about.



 
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Chinese companies(most have major US stockholders) are capable of turning out whatever quality US marketers order.
If a US scope marketer orders cheap scopes, that is what they get. But if a US marketer orders a quality product and pays for it, they get it.

Jack
 
Originally Posted By: Jack RobertsChinese companies(most have major US stockholders) are capable of turning out whatever quality US marketers order.
If a US scope marketer orders cheap scopes, that is what they get. But if a US marketer orders a quality product and pays for it, they get it.

Jack

Well maybe Pentax and a few others should stress there quality point, or adjust there profit margins on there Gameseeker models? The new Redfield blows the Gameseeker into the weeds! The Gameseeker is about a $30.00 scope. At this point I believe a few optics companies are riding on there OLD name and there death throws are a few steps away.

Though it's good to clean house once in awhile. Vortex seems to be doing a good job at blowin away competition of late.

Of course Meade Optics big move to China from the Phillipines for production was classic with there new Simmons line! It about bankrupted Meade. Remember then they sold Simmons to Bushnell, Weaver to ATK, Redfield to Leupold. I still get a good laugh out of it!

Actually Brunton learned a good lesson in there line of Chinese rifle scopes. All gone now! The computer is a wondefull tool you can have a top notch product (brunton) then introduce an entry product and it has big problems. Thus everyone reads reviews and all of a sudden Brunton is crap and looses there upper end sales just by reviews of lower tier products. This will be the Pentax path unless propped up by the companies cameras and such!
 
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Originally Posted By: Jack RobertsChinese companies(most have major US stockholders) are capable of turning out whatever quality US marketers order.
If a US scope marketer orders cheap scopes, that is what they get. But if a US marketer orders a quality product and pays for it, they get it.

Jack

Exactly.
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I won't rephrase what Jack said. I'll only say that it is the purchaser's responsibility to determine if a product is well made, whether it be made here in the US, or in China.
 
My take on "some imported or Chinese parts". When a company stands behind their scopes like Leupold does, I really don't care if a few parts are from here or there, if they buy junk parts, it's going to cost THEM, not us, the end user. I have had a few other scopes fail from time to time. I own 3 Leupolds, out of these, I had to send 1 back, an M8 Fixed 16X It was made in 1978. After not having it out for years, I got it out and seen that it had a little Lens Seperation, and Parallax Ring was hard to turn. Paid to ship it to them,($27.00 w/insurance. No Questions Asked, just fixed, Adj. range checked, and shipped back in very reasonable time. Well worth that to have fixed since these scopes still go for $400 and up, when you find one these days.If this had been another scope, that was of good make at the time, I would have had to SEARCH for where to send it,and this and that. Some folks can say what they want, and if they have had a bad expierience with the Big L, then they have the right to say it, but Leupold is still the Genuine Article in my book. I also have a Redfield Widefield 3-9 that I've grown real fond of over the years, if it went out, I'd spend a little to have it fixed. Any others scopes that I have forget it, I'll replace it with Leupold.
 
Originally Posted By: lennyzrx

Well maybe Pentax and a few others should stress there quality point, or adjust there profit margins on there Gameseeker models? The new Redfield blows the Gameseeker into the weeds! The Gameseeker is about a $30.00 scope. At this point I believe a few optics companies are riding on there OLD name and there death throws are a few steps away.



I don't want to sound like a snob, but if you buy a $100 scope. You are not buying quality glass. Companies make cheap scopes for a reason, not everyone can afford a high end scope. The Gameseeker is not a high end scope. The Redfield scopes are a little more money, and a step up from the Gameseekers. I don't see the point in beating up a company for filling a niche.
 
Don't think your comments sounds snobbish, just stating a fact. If you buy a $100 scope nowadays, you are getting something far better than in years past. Having said that (and not trying to sound like a snob either) I haven't paid less than $300 for a scope in years and the last one was a Nikon Buckmaster made in the Phillipines. I don't normally look to see where a scope was made, just that it has good optics and is what I want for a decent price. But even I don't care to buy a scope made in Hong Kong.
 
Originally Posted By: P SideOriginally Posted By: lennyzrx

Well maybe Pentax and a few others should stress there quality point, or adjust there profit margins on there Gameseeker models? The new Redfield blows the Gameseeker into the weeds! The Gameseeker is about a $30.00 scope. At this point I believe a few optics companies are riding on there OLD name and there death throws are a few steps away.



I don't want to sound like a snob, but if you buy a $100 scope. You are not buying quality glass. Companies make cheap scopes for a reason, not everyone can afford a high end scope. The Gameseeker is not a high end scope. The Redfield scopes are a little more money, and a step up from the Gameseekers. I don't see the point in beating up a company for filling a niche.

You don't sound snobbish. Actually though I do beleive a person can get a decent scope, better than a Gameseeker for very close to the same money. A Sightron S1, Weaver K in 4X or 6X, Weavers new 40/44 series 3-9, come to mind. Natchez has them all fairly priced at $105 - $120.

As far as filling a entry level niche Theres BSA, Tasco, Barska, and plenty of others where your getting the same quality at 30-40% less in price.
 
Originally Posted By: HOGGHEADOriginally Posted By: WildwvI buy one brand of scope that I know is built in the USA that way I never have to deal with it.


Who would that be?? Tom.

Yes, I would like to know as well. If there is a scope being built here in the USA that is 100% all USA made parts I would like to know what it is.
 
Originally Posted By: Brasshound Vortex Diamond backs are China, Vipers are Japan..

And…… No US optic company is 100% USA parts...


I thought Vortex Diamond was Japanese built.I know Vortex Crossfire is Chinese built.

Funny as far as Lenses go if ya get on Swift Optics website they use Schott glass made here in Pa. or NY. I think Swift's are still assembled in Korea. I know the 2 I have are, though there 6-7 years old.
 
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