DIY Leupold reticle change.

[TaperPin]

Has anyone changed out a Leupold reticle? I heard they don’t lock the reticle in adhesive specifically to make changing reticles easier. Making a nitrogen purge tank for reassembly is easy enough, and if it takes a spanner of some kind to loosen the lock ring that’s quick to fabricate.

I realize there are shops that do this kind of work, but for an older scope the cost is prohibitive, and it would be nice to do it myself if possible.

What is the actual dot made out of? Solder? Drop of epoxy? Drop of paint? On an older scope are the reticles actually wires? In my case I just need to remove the dot if possible.

 

[TaperPin]

Guys here have built entire actions from scratch, machined every part, tuned every trigger, built stocks, and nobody has unscrewed an eye piece, changed reticle, purged it with nitrogen and screwed the eye piece back on? Wow, I may be the first - it makes me feel special. Lol

 

[TaperPin]

 

[TaperPin]

 

[liljoe]

The cross hair reticle in a 36D is about .0002" thick. Yes they are very fine.
Jackie Schmidt did some etched reticle conversions years ago when it was a big issue with getting a scope to hold.
If you have any micro braid fishing line, pull it apart until you get one filament of thread and see just how thin it is. This will be thicker than a fine cross hair.
Joe

 

[TaperPin]

The cross hair reticle in a 36D is about .0002" thick. Yes they are very fine.
Jackie Schmidt did some etched reticle conversions years ago when it was a big issue with getting a scope to hold.
If you have any micro braid fishing line, pull it apart until you get one filament of thread and see just how thin it is. This will be thicker than a fine cross hair.
Joe

I wouldn’t mind a medium thickness wire about .0005”. I have some unidirectional carbon fiber that will be plenty strong, but might not be thick enough. I see .0005” tungsten wire for reticles sell for $10/ft.

I did find another article about scopes:

Customer M40 Redfield conversion

Well, doing a job for a forum member here, so thought I would post the process as I do it. Andrew, please let me know if you have a problem with this. Received a Redfield 3x9 1" marked scope, Accurange reticle, in beautiful condition, member wants it anodized green. First step is to...

www.m14forum.com

Some talk about silk and transit reticles:

wire for cross hairs.

I am repairing a David White transit. The cross hairs are gone, I need a fine wire to lacquer in place. the mount is still there, and it has grooves where the wires used to sit so locating them shouldn't be trouble. Where might I get some really fine wire? .001" or so? I have no idea what...

www.practicalmachinist.com

Old scope reticle repair:

Replacing Crosshairs in Vintage Adjustable Scopes

Some information to help the scope owner make a decision on replacing crosshairs in vintage scopes. Also includes suggestions on the process and a source of crosshair wire.

www.texas-mac.com

 

[TaperPin]

I see requirements for transit crosshairs are very similar - I actually have 4 old transits that aren’t used and I’ll practice on them, and maybe steel a wire from one.

Ive also seen people using etched reticles from new cheap scopes to replace older wire reticles. Interesting.

Another video:

Another video at the Burris factory:

 

[Terrykuz]

I put a check for 225 bucks in a box with a scope and shipped it to Ackerman optics. It is like waiting for a decoder ring from crackerjack, - return time 2 months or so. I sent one in in mid November, and another one two days ago. As I recall my options were .0002 wire with dot in middle or a .0005 wire with dot. I requested .0005 wire and 5/8 dot for silhouette.
Leupold did the 6.5-20s with tapered cross hair, and I always ordered 1/2 dots. I can see that comfortably.
New VX3 HD are etched, so they can't change those at Ackerman. I will say those are a step up in glass, but I don't like the diamond reticle. If anyone knows where to get that changed, I would appreciate that information.