| I was having a chat with my Leupold customer | | | | These tips will tell you if you are looking at a genuine |
| service rep about a client's range finder. I was | | | | Leupold or a fake: |
| sensibly surprised to discover that Leupold has been | | | | Adjustment dial - All genuine Leupold scopes carry |
| having some problems with knock off Leupold | | | | the antiqued brass Leupold medallion on the |
| scopes in the world wide market. Evidently, | | | | adjustment dial. At this time, all the known phony |
| customers are sending rifle scopes in for service and | | | | scopes have had a bare black center on the |
| Leupold was finding that the scopes are actually | | | | adjustment dials. |
| imitation models. | | | | Objective ring - All bona fide Leupold scopes have |
| Right now as it stands, the knock off rifle scopes | | | | black on black objective rings, with "Leupold" etched |
| seem to be confined to the especially popular Mark 4 | | | | on the ring. The counterfeit have an objective ring |
| series, which is one of Leupold's pinnacle sellers in | | | | etched in white on black, and does not say "Leupold." |
| military and law enforcement. It rather stands to | | | | Turrent - real Leupold scopes bear the "Leupold" logo |
| reason as the Mark 4's are not inexpensive so it was | | | | and "Mark 4" nomenclature laser etched in silver on |
| probably fairly easy to sell a counterfeit one at a | | | | the bottom of the turret. |
| lower than average price. Leupold has been able to | | | | Serial number - All Leupold scopes have a serial |
| track the fake versions back to China. Guided by the | | | | number, usually on or around the bottom turrent. The |
| cases that Leupold is aware of, the sales seem to | | | | current clones don't feature a serial number as of |
| begin on the Internet in some fashion. It is also | | | | yet. |
| believed that some of these imitation models might | | | | If you aren't sure about a specific Leupold scope or |
| have made their way into secondary merchandising | | | | have an authenticity question, Leupold has asked that |
| channels (unauthorized Leupold dealers) through the | | | | you please call their customer service team at |
| gray market, surplus goods channeled through Europe | | | | 1-800-LEUPOLD. |
| or Canada into the US. | | | | |