Shot Show Update - Leica

[Larryh128]

I spent some time in the Leica booth and was disappointed to learn that they have discontinued the ER-5 series of scopes. They were built in the US with imported German parts. Apparently German engineers think that only Germans can properly assemble a scope, so they want total control of the product. Sad news because it was a great scope at a decent price. If you want one, I would be looking hard before they are gone.

I also played with the new 2700 rangefinder, it's a very nice unit with a narrower beam. Obviously distance was limited but it works very well as expected.

 

[nakneker]

You had to figure that the ER-5s were on their way out when they unloaded them this fall. I bought 4 of them and think it was a steal of a deal. Great scopes.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Heard some of the ER5 scopes have tracking issues under recoil.

Germans are probably right in not trusting Americans to make or assemble a quality product. Its sad, but "Made in America" does NOT always equal quality like it used to...

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Heard some of the ER5 scopes have tracking issues under recoil.

Germans are probably right in not trusting Americans to make or assemble a quality product. Its sad, but "Made in America" does NOT always equal quality like it used to...

Sadly made in germany doesnt carry the prestige it did 25years ago either.

 

[jsthntn247]

To be ‘made in Getmany’ Only require 10% assembly in Germany. Most folks get their stuff assembled in a sweat shop in China, ship it to Germany and stick the eye cups on and a sticker saying made in Germany, at least Minox does .

 

[JRS]

To be ‘made in Getmany’ Only require 10% assembly in Germany. Most folks get their stuff assembled in a sweat shop in China, ship it to Germany and stick the eye cups on and a sticker saying made in Germany, at least Minox does .

Read the EU "made in" laws. Germany is pretty strict. Something to remember about Minox. They were a Japanese company operating under the Leica umbrella. They moved their headquarters to Germany, and employed German engineers to design their optics. Their high end optics are now made in Germany.

 

[JRS]

 

[Ledd Slinger]

I'll tell you one country that has been impressing me a lot in recent years. The Czech Republic. They have really been stepping up their game in the sporting world over the last decade or so.

Meopta glass is awesome and definitely competes with the best German and Austrian glass. Makes sense since Czech Republic borders both Germany and Austria.

Meopta also used to make all the original Conquest MC scopes for Zeiss. Zeiss doesn't use Meopta any longer. I'm sure they have someone else making the new HD5 scopes for them and you can definitely tell the glass quality has gone downhill in the Conquest line.

Meopta even makes binoculars and spotting scopes for Cabelas, and spotting scopes for NightForce.

Then you have CZ firearms. Always excellent products in all forms of weaponry from handguns, to rifles and shotguns.

All top quality products fully made in the Czech Republic and fairly priced. Now I'm just waiting for Meopta to step up their game in the riflescope market with more modernized features and higher magnification ranges in their offerings.

 

[hogpatrol]

I'll tell you one country that has been impressing me a lot in recent years. The Czech Republic. They have really been stepping up their game in the sporting world over the last decade or so.

Meopta glass is awesome and definitely competes with the best German and Austrian glass. Makes sense since Czech Republic borders both Germany and Austria.

Meopta also used to make all the original Conquest MC scopes for Zeiss. Zeiss doesn't use Meopta any longer. I'm sure they have someone else making the new HD5 scopes for them and you can definitely tell the glass quality has gone downhill in the Conquest line.

Meopta even makes binoculars and spotting scopes for Cabelas, and spotting scopes for NightForce.

Then you have CZ firearms. Always excellent products in all forms of weaponry from handguns, to rifles and shotguns.

All top quality products fully made in the Czech Republic and fairly priced. Now I'm just waiting for Meopta to step up their game in the riflescope market with more modernized features and higher magnification ranges in their offerings.

Agree 100%

Helped assemble and worked on an L39 Albatross made in the old Czechoslovakia. A masterpiece of simple engineering. I don't think one could find an easier turbine powered aircraft to maintain.

 

[nakneker]

Agree 100%

Helped assemble and worked on an L39 Albatross made in the old Czechoslovakia. A masterpiece of simple engineering. I don't think one could find an easier turbine powered aircraft to maintain.

That’s just cool.

 

[JaoeyP]

Apparently German engineers think that only Germans can properly assemble a scope, so they want total control of the product. Sad news because it was a great scope at a decent price. If you want one, I would be looking hard before they are gone.

It likely has nothing to do with Germans trusting Americans with making good products and EVERYTHING to do with the commercial failure of the products. They may have been a great product, but if it isn't a profitable venture they can't continue making them.

 

[Larryh128]

I'll tell you one country that has been impressing me a lot in recent years. The Czech Republic. They have really been stepping up their game in the sporting world over the last decade or so.

Meopta glass is awesome and definitely competes with the best German and Austrian glass. Makes sense since Czech Republic borders both Germany and Austria.

Meopta also used to make all the original Conquest MC scopes for Zeiss. Zeiss doesn't use Meopta any longer. I'm sure they have someone else making the new HD5 scopes for them and you can definitely tell the glass quality has gone downhill in the Conquest line.

Meopta even makes binoculars and spotting scopes for Cabelas, and spotting scopes for NightForce.

Then you have CZ firearms. Always excellent products in all forms of weaponry from handguns, to rifles and shotguns.

All top quality products fully made in the Czech Republic and fairly priced. Now I'm just waiting for Meopta to step up their game in the riflescope market with more modernized features and higher magnification ranges in their offerings.

The Czechs have always had a good reputation for machining. The CZ 98's were a good example. The quality in my opinion was much better than Germany at that time.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

The Czechs have always had a good reputation for machining. The CZ 98's were a good example. The quality in my opinion was much better than Germany at that time.

Agreed. CZ has been around for a long time and Meopta has been making optics for many decades. But it's only been in recent years that Czech companies like CZ and Meopta have been starting leave a big footprint on the sporting and hunting market. 20 years ago, I rarely ever heard of the name CZ in the US sporting firarms market. Now just about every varmint hunter owns a CZ 527, well...except for me

Then it wasn't until about 14 years ago when Meopta first came out from behind the curtains to offer fantastic optics under their own name to the sporting world instead of secretly producing them for other companies. Later when they came out with their HD optics, they really started to take off. Of course they still produce optics for other companies like NightForce and Cabelas, except now we all know who is making those excellent pieces of glass which adds to their reputation even more.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

I do actually own two CZ semi-auto shotguns tho. One is a CZ model 712 - 12 gauge and the other is a CZ model 720 - 20 gauge (20 ga actually belongs to my 13 yr old son). Many say CZ makes one of the best bolt action rifles "for the money". I dont own any of their rifles, but I would definitely claim the same about their shotguns. Light and fast, great balance, perfectly sloped comb on the stock for quick natural sight acquisition down the rib, good trigger break, and extremely reliable. Haven't had a single malfunction on either one. Have fired about 400 rounds in the 20 ga and probably 800+ rounds in the 12 ga.

 

[Hydenseek]

Anyone have the chance to check out their new 2700/3000 ranging bino’s?