Counterfeit scopes

604Gil

604Gil

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I wasn't aware that there are counterfeit scopes until I read an earlier post on Leupold.
There is a local Craigslist seller selling Barska, Zos red dot, Leapers scopes along with a few other new optics at reasonable prices. Any chance these lower end optics are counterfeits?
 
It is very hard for a non expert to detect counterfeit scopes.

Craigslist does not jump to mind as a place to buy high end scopes. The fact that they are selling multiple "new" scopes also rings a warning bell.

You may be better to buy here on EE where there is at least a trader rating.
 
It is very hard for a non expert to detect counterfeit scopes.

Craigslist does not jump to mind as a place to buy high end scopes. The fact that thye are selling multiple "new" scopes also rings a warning bell.

You may be better to buy here on EE where there is at least a trader rating and a knowledgeable community.
 
stampede said:
It is very hard for a non expert to detect counterfeit scopes.

Craigslist does not jump to mind as a place to buy high end scopes. The fact that thye are selling multiple "new" scopes also rings a warning bell.

You may be better to buy here on EE where there is at least a trader rating and a knowledgeable community.
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Thank you very much. Appreciate your comment. I agree. Too many red flags
 
I doubt that the scopes you mentioned would be counterfeit - they are the counterfeits. Not enough money in the lower end scopes to go the extra mile to copy them. When you're talking Leupold, Zeiss, Nightforce, etc. you're talking $1000+ for a scope, so if it costs them $300 for a knock-off it's worth it. $300 is more than most Lepers/UTG scopes sell for.
 
With all due respect KePet, profit margin has little to do with motivating counterfeiters.

In a previous career I used to attend an annual event put on by a lawyer for manufacturers. It was mainly to educate RCMP and CSBA about counterfeits. It certainly educated me.

There was an entire auditorium with table after table FULL of counterfeits. From Canada Goose coats to breast cancer pins selling for a dollar. The stupidest stuff one would never consider counterfeiting, even silly license plate holders.

The I forget his C-suite title of Canada Goose told me he was having to hire someone else to do his job, because he was spending so much time fighting counterfeiters. Why?

People saw a $700 Canada Goose jacket for sale on line for $175 and bought it, then when it fell apart tried to get warranty. Told they'd bought counterfeit, they then ripped CG online for krappy quality.

I learned that price/cost has no bearing on what somebody will counterfeit.
 
Not going to disagree with you Flash. I’ve seen some pretty stupid things counterfeited. I’m just saying that, much like your Canada Goose jacket story, they want a higher end name on it. If you’ve got a counterfeit scope, why put a name like Leepers or UTG on it. Put Zeiss on it, convince the sucker it’s a $1400 scope that you’ll sell him for $800 and you’re making a profit. Put Leepers on it and you can’t sell it for even $500, because an actual Leepers is only a $300? Scope.
 
In the case of Leupold, you can phone their 1800, number, and give them the serial number, from the bottom of tube. They can/ will confirm if they manufactured it, or not..
 
There has been a few counterfeits on EE. Gun stores would be the safest. I buy counterfeit scopes know that they are fake just to see how they compare. Some of them are not too bad for the money.
 
Flash said:
With all due respect KePet, profit margin has little to do with motivating counterfeiters.

In a previous career I used to attend an annual event put on by a lawyer for manufacturers. It was mainly to educate RCMP and CSBA about counterfeits. It certainly educated me.

There was an entire auditorium with table after table FULL of counterfeits. From Canada Goose coats to breast cancer pins selling for a dollar. The stupidest stuff one would never consider counterfeiting, even silly license plate holders.

The I forget his C-suite title of Canada Goose told me he was having to hire someone else to do his job, because he was spending so much time fighting counterfeiters. Why?

People saw a $700 Canada Goose jacket for sale on line for $175 and bought it, then when it fell apart tried to get warranty. Told they'd bought counterfeit, they then ripped CG online for krappy quality.

I learned that price/cost has no bearing on what somebody will counterfeit.
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The last tiem I was in China, they were selling counterfeit Budwiser beer in the gift shop at my hotel.

It was spelled "Budweser" and tasted awful.
 
KePet said:
Not going to disagree with you Flash. I’ve seen some pretty stupid things counterfeited. I’m just saying that, much like your Canada Goose jacket story, they want a higher end name on it. If you’ve got a counterfeit scope, why put a name like Leepers or UTG on it. Put Zeiss on it, convince the sucker it’s a $1400 scope that you’ll sell him for $800 and you’re making a profit. Put Leepers on it and you can’t sell it for even $500, because an actual Leepers is only a $300? Scope.
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Point well taken.

Years later I'm still amazed at the little tiny krap people counterfeited. Like plastic Ford and Chevy names that are stuck on the sides of cars, selling for a couple of dollars.

Tonnes of pink breast cancer stuff was particularly galling for the females in attendance, because as the lawyer said, "Do you think the money from those counterfeits is actually going to breast cancer research?"

stampede said:
The last tiem I was in China, they were selling counterfeit Budwiser beer in the gift shop at my hotel.

It was spelled "Budweser" and tasted awful.
Click to expand...

A good one and unsurprising to me.

When I moved to TO to attend college I didn't know anybody there. Classmate invited me to his place on the first Friday nite after school. A friend of his of Asian descent showed up with DuMaurier and Player's cigarette packs wrapped in clear plastic with the yellow tax ribbon. Offered people smokes.

Everybody who smoked -- not me -- lit one up, took a drag... looked puzzled and uncomfortable... took a second drag... then coughed and put them out.

Took a couple of them apart to find wood splinters and something that supposedly passed for tobacco and who knows w t f else was in them.

This was a decade or so before the Chinese put melamine in pet food to kill thousands of North American pets. A friend lost an incredibly well trained guard-attack dog to that.
 
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Savage28 said:
does anyone know if US optics have been counterfeited?
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I’ve never run into any, but that’s not saying much. US Optics are pricier, so there’s a chance. US Optics is not as well known as other brands, so there’s a chance that they haven’t been copied. Could go either way.
 
Flash said:
Point well taken.

Years later I'm still amazed at the little tiny krap people counterfeited. Like plastic Ford and Chevy names that are stuck on the sides of cars, selling for a couple of dollars.

Tonnes of pink breast cancer stuff was particularly galling for the females in attendance, because as the lawyer said, "Do you think the money from those counterfeits is actually going to breast cancer research?"



A good one and unsurprising to me.

When I moved to TO to attend college I didn't know anybody there. Classmate invited me to his place on the first Friday nite after school. A friend of his of Asian descent showed up with DuMaurier and Player's cigarette packs wrapped in clear plastic with the yellow tax ribbon. Offered people smokes.

Everybody who smoked -- not me -- lit one up, took a drag... looked puzzled and uncomfortable... took a second drag... then coughed and put them out.

Took a couple of them apart to find wood splinters and something that supposedly passed for tobacco and who knows w t f else was in them.

This was a decade or so before the Chinese put melamine in pet food to kill thousands of North American pets. A friend lost an incredibly well trained guard-attack dog to that.
Click to expand...

Boycott China.
 
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