Leupold's last great hope....(Tactical market)???

[ALCOAR]

Why would you buy Leupy if you were buying only hunting glass...That is when I would be buying a Zeiss or a Swaro who owns the hunting glass market b/t $1-2k imho.

One would think that leupy lost a ton of potential Business growth and by extension the leupy civilian tactical or whatever segment when they lost favor in the Military use category.

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

I must say I was overjoyed when my fav optics company released details on the CQBSS. But joy soon turned to anger when I saw the price tag. I'm a man of humble means and this will never happen for me.

Who do you think the intended market for this optic was? I hope they sell them as I love my other Leupold products.

[d90king]

Sadly they have gone off the deep end with their pricing... I cant imagine someone spending as much for a Leupold as either a S&B or Premier or even Night Force for that matter... I think Vortex will have greater success than Leupold but I could be wrong...

IMHO NF is one of the better values out there unless you want to play with the big boys Premier, S&B USO etc, etc...

[ALCOAR]

I may sound negative about Leupy, but at one time I considered them easily one of the best. They obviously still have the potential and that is what is so frustrating. I would not give a hoot about Leupy's disappearing presence in the tactical market if they never had such a wonderful position in it at one time.

As far as the ball busting CQBSS goes, It's my understanding that all the actual features and overall specs were driven solely by SF Operators downrange who were doing what we all do and that is chase puff the magic dragon or the "End all, do all" optic.

The price point is two fold....one, as mentioned their is a very respectable amt. of R&D and new optic technology combined with at least initially very small production runs, and secondly you have the Military pricing aspect although I have not heard of any actual contract.

The CQBSS is the real deal holyfield from all I can tell and learn, and as time goes on I bet we see the price come down to the $2.5k mark.

[SHIVAN]

While the "tactical" market may be taking over the internet, there are probably still 200 million hunters and sportsmen who consider Leupold as one of the best, especially those guys who can't ever consider buying a $2000++++ Swarovski or Schmidt & Bender.

Their VX-3 3.5x-10x is a kickass hunting scope. So were their older VariX line that preceded them.

I would venture there are more of them, than there are of the people who really require an optic on par with S&B...

[d90king]

I predict you will see the CQBSS paired with a certain rifle and sold to Uncle Sam... I find that most of the chatter about this optic is coming from the same place...

All of the above is simply speculation of course.

[kartoffel]

Their VX-3 3.5x-10x is a kickass hunting scope. So were their older VariX line that preceded them.

Quite true. Got a 22LR bolt gun that's nearly perfect with a Leupold 3-9x33 EFR. Nice and light, clear glass, and adjustable parallax from 10 yards out to infinity. I think the same scope is maybe $350 brand new nowadays, and if they're still made like they were when I got mine, it's way better than a Meuller, Weaver, or similar such rimfire scope.

[Sensei]

Right now, Leupold is able to charge a premium for the 1.1-8x because it is the only model to be actually produced (albeit in limited numbers). The Premier offering has been pushed back to Summer 2011, and there is no definite word when SB will release their model. So, the lack of immediate competition allows Leupold to recover some R&D costs.

Basic economics says that prices will come down if the competition can produce a comparable product for less money. I'm betting there will be at least 3 choices in the 1-8x market priced at around $2.5K within two years.

[MassMark]

While the "tactical" market may be taking over the internet, there are probably still 200 million hunters and sportsmen who consider Leupold as one of the best, especially those guys who can't ever consider buying a $2000++++ Swarovski or Schmidt & Bender.

Their VX-3 3.5x-10x is a kickass hunting scope. So were their older VariX line that preceded them.

I would venture there are more of them, than there are of the people who really require an optic on par with S&B...

Great points.

I had nothing to go on really, except using the MR/T on a friends rifle and really liking it. I tried a 1-4 on the low end of the spectrum, (Millet) with not the best results. The Leupold MR/T was in my price range and immediately available, so I bought it. Having it on my rifle for months now, I wouldn't be without it. Is there better out there? I'm sure, but for me, the MR/T fits the bill. It's held up well to some very hard use and while I would love a better lighted reticle, I seem to do pretty well with it. Perhaps down the road I can dance in the $1k+ realm, but for the time-being, I'm pretty happy with my Leupy...

[ALCOAR]

While the "tactical" market may be taking over the internet, there are probably still 200 million hunters and sportsmen who consider Leupold as one of the best, especially those guys who can't ever consider buying a $2000++++ Swarovski or Schmidt & Bender.

Their VX-3 3.5x-10x is a kickass hunting scope. So were their older VariX line that preceded them.

I would venture there are more of them, than there are of the people who really require an optic on par with S&B...

Firstly, It's Leupold who refers to the market segment in which they make optics fit for Military or Police applications as the "Tactical" segment. Leupold referred to this market as the "Tactical" market way before the silly internet and these silly forums were as big as they are today.

Secondly, I do not shoot any animals for fun and I am not a member on any online hunter forums so I have no interest in their scopes made for the hunting market, however I am well aware of their current position in that market as well.

So regardless of their position in the "Hunting" market...where the non-internet people obviously are, this thread and topic is the discussion surrounding Leupold's diminishing position in their self named "Tactical" segment, and then whether or not Leupold's new...wait, here it comes again..."Tactical" lineup of optics can reinvent Leupold's overall presence in this particular market, hints the inclusion of the Magazine article and picture