Leupold Scopes and their Legendary History

Leupold is famous for their great quality scopes, great customer service and their great lifetime warranty on their products. Sportsman after sportsman can tell you about their awesome customer experience with Leupold. Or how they've been using the same great rifle scope for the past 3 decades and how many times they've banged it, dropped it or scratched it and it still shoots as straight as they day they sighted it in.

However not too many people know the history behind the legendary optics maker.

Leupold is a five generation family owned and operated company. They were first founded in 1907 by Markus Friedrich Leupold and his brother-in-law Adam Voelpel. At first they used a different name known as Leupold & Voelpel. And in 1942 they changed their name to Leupold & Stevens.

They originally manufactured a water level recorder that they designed and patented as well as surveying equipment. The idea to build and manufacture rifle scopes came during a deer hunt that Markus was on shortly after World War II. He missed a deer due to his scope fogging up. It's reported that he said "Hell! I could build a better scope than this!" all while the deer was running away. And thus the legend was born.

The scopes they started producing and selling were making twice as much money as the other products they were selling. In 1969 they became a major shareholder for the Nosler Bullets company. Hence the great quality with Nosler bullets today as well, even though they sold off their shares in 1988.

In 1996 Leupold scopes were hitting a revenue of $100 million dollars a year and $203 million by 2008. They employ around 600 people and they're based out of Beaverton, Oregon. In 2008 Leupold & Stevens purchased the optics company Redfield Optics. Redfield optics are quickly becoming popular and well known for their great quality and reliability.

My father has a Remington 30.06 that has a 3X9 Leupold Scope mounted to it. He's had that same rifle and scope for more than 40 years. I can't tell you how many times it's been hit, banged and dropped and still shoots as straight as it did from day one.

I'm sure every sportsman has his or her unique story about their Leupold. They are the stuff legends are made out of.
Whenever a hunter hears the name Leupold only great memories of hunting and bagging that big buck or bull come to mind.