VarixIII 2.5-8
Clean scope no signs of damage yet there are a bunch on tiny droplets inside the front lense. What could cause this?

Did you have it turned inside out while it was sprinkling?

My guess is fungal growth. Looks like something I had once on the internal surface of a camera lense. I have had water droplets on the internal lense of a spotting scope that looked quite different to your scope. Would Leupold give your scope a free service ? Might be worth asking.

send it to leupold. they will fix it for free

Looks like fungus and should be taken care of by Leupold.

I wonder how it got there. Assuming the objective has at least two elements, I suppose it must have leaked at the front.

I always suspect variables, though, esp. those with the power adjustment on a collar, when a long slot through the main tube is required beneath. Then, when the erector set is a loose fit, as in modern scopes, I guess the objective lenses are not far away.

I sent it in for Leupold to take a look.
A brand new one arrived today. 2 week turnaround including the time to ship. Thanks Leupold. Can't beat that!

Did they identify the droplets on the inside lense ? Would be good to know what it actually was.

There are many reports of great after sales service, such as you received, from Leupold. I've never had to return a scope to Leupold but would be confident of excellent service if I ever had to.

Not really. The written report just said dirt/dust on the lense. Likely lost its seal for some reason or another

DE,

I agree with you 100%, Leupold replaced it, sounds to me like great Customer Service.

Have fun and good shooting with your new scope.

Ihad a horse roll on a 2x7 and snapped the scope in half as one would expect..Sent it back and asked if tube could be replaced and told them I wouldn't expect the to fix it for nothing. Got a new one in the mail within 10 days..Sent a set of binocs back that an excited hunter twisted the adjustment lens off in a fit of excitement over a huge mule deer..told them what happened and got a new set within two weeks, no charged, two months later got my old binocs back repaired like new..Called them and told them they sent me a new set, the said Merry Xmas, don't mess up our book work, enjoy both..

Why would I even consider another brand of scope.

The prevalence of lifetime warranties "no questions asked" (as Burris puts it) is a hoot. My theory is they all know the image-movement system is dodgy but they can't let it go and can't afford to talk about it.

The only problem is when it breaks down in the middle of the hunt of your lifetime, so I suggest: buy two and have them both set up to go.

I like to take two rifles and both have an extra scope that's sighted in and matches the bore sighter of the mounted scope..No problem can be too great to concur with this method. (I don't think!!)

Yes Ray, that outlook's probably as good as it gets these days.

Even better, of course, would be a scope rig so reliable that we didn't even have to worry about getting back to camp for the second rifle.

Had Bausch & Lomb continued to develop their 'Custom' line with even more-robust mounts, we may have got there. If still not convinced, you could keep a second scope in your pack and change it at a moment's notice, in the unlikely event of the first one buggering up.

We tend to think of 'iron sights' as being more robust than scopes but I think, with the development I envisage, it could be the other way round. While I have seen a few scopes bumped and bent, I've seen as many front sights knocked or lost and one Lyman peep sight bent down against the receiver.

A front sight is out there on its own but a scope can be cuddled like a baby if you feel the need

I would agree that Leupold offers wonderful customer service. But don't be fooled into thinking that its free. The cost is born by everyone that buys a Leupold scope. Its like insurance. They have folks who annualize warranty and other claims to determine total annual cost, and those costs are then built in to the cost of the new scopes. Over a lifetime of buying Leupold scopes you will more than likely pay for the one or two "free" repairs that you will have done.

Not sure how many leupolds I have and have had, but many. Had one service issue that was handled free and fast.

The bottom line is anything made by man can and will break, and most hunters could screw up an anvil with a powder puff!