Preparing for hunting season is a never-ending endeavor – be it food plot work, custom ammunition loading, target shooting, or even equipment upgrades and/or tweaking. So, last year, when I decided to opt for more optical magnification for my go-to muzzleloading rifle, another project evolved.
To begin, I removed a Leupold 3.5 x 10 power scope from another rifle I was preparing to sell. I have found that most people don’t want an existing scope on their firearm, no matter how pleased you may have been with compatibility. It was easy enough to swap it out and it seemed just right, once mounted. The large 50mm objective lens would provide more light-gathering ability and field of view, along with more magnification for more precise shooting. Since this was a utilitarian rig designed for use in snow and rain, it would need lens covers. But, when I tried to slip on typical store-bought covers, the objective lens cover would not clear the razor-thin space between the barrel and scope.
Options included the installation of higher scope rings, installing a different scope, or installing custom Leupold scope caps that are actually threaded to fit female threads already machined into the scope’s housing. Leupold’s Alumina flip-back lens covers seemed the perfect solution with their magnetic latching and O-ring seals. But, when attempting to install the ocular lens cover, I found that the threads did not match.
A call to Leupold’s service department revealed that my older model scope’s threads would have to be changed to match the threads of the custom covers. Since it was off-season, I sent the scope and lens cover to Leupold. A friend’s Leupold scope, which was suspected of not holding zero, was included in the shipment.
The machining for my project cost a total of $25 and included return shipping. In the process the scope was visually inspected, mechanically inspected, and internally inspected. My friend’s scope was also inspected and the internal erector system was replaced and the parallax was adjusted – all free of charge including return shipping.
I simply cannot be more satisfied with the service and warranty policy, which is as follows: If any Leupold Golden Ring® product is found to have defects in materials or workmanship, we will, at our option, repair or replace it free – even if you are not the original owner. No warranty card is required. No time limit applies.
In this throw-away society, it’s refreshing to know that an American company still stands behind its products to an extent hardly conceivable. But, it does.
Leupold & Stevens is a fifth generation, family-owned company that has been in business for 102 years and employs over 600 American workers. And, the secret to its success is no mystery. Just food for thought when you are looking at optical options for your firearms.
For me, it’s off to the shooting range to dial in the “new, custom” muzzleloading rig.
