Leupold® & Stevens, Inc. has purched the Redfield® brand and "all intellectual property and associated assets". Founded in 1909, Redfield was for decades a leading domestic producer of riflescopes, spotting scopes, mounting systems and binoculars until it closed in 1998. Since then, the Redfield brand has changed hands a number of times, with Leupold & Stevens making this latest acquisition from Meade Instruments. Leupold officials have declined to discuss the purchase price, or future plans. Tom Fruechtel, Leupold's President & CEO says the company will "carefully consider how to proceed" while being "cognizant of Redfield's historical significance and the place it holds in the hearts of millions of dedicated American sportsmen."

Tom,

Good posting. I wasn't aware of that.

Thanks,

Don

it would be a smart move - leave leupold as the top of the line and redfield as a mid grade

Interesting. Of course, there is nothing to buy other than the name. There is no "Redfield" equipment, buildings, inventory, etc., only a name for marketing purposes. One big question is whether Leupold has agreed to service existing products with the "Redfield" brand on them?

If I recall correctly, Meade only owned the name as it relates to optical instruements, and someone else has the rights to the mounts. This is probably irrelavant since the patent has long since expired and everyone, including Leupold, already makes the famous Redfield-style dovetail mount.

It would seem logical that Leupold's interest could only be in using the name to market a line of scopes that is priced somewhere below its own proprietary line. My guess is that it will be attached to a line of scopes made in Asia by the same factories which currently produce the Wind River line of binos and spotting scopes. But who knows -- they could use it for a "retro" line of high quality target/varmint scopes or lower power hunting scopes similar to their Alaskan series of a few years ago which was a reproduction of the Lyman product. As I say, it will be interesting to watch.

One more thought:

If they've been watching ebay they realize that there is a big market for the little 3/4" standard eye relief scope that Redfield made. It would be a great one to bring back.

The elder generation in my family and their friends all swore by Redfield. I'm curious how much of that goodwill is still around.

All my dad ever talks about is the "redfield illuminator" Not sure what it means, but if this holds true, I may find out.

My father, grandfather, and all my uncles have the same automatic response to the word redfield "Redfield, thats a good scope!" Granted I don't think they had purchased a new one in at least twenty years, but they still think highly of them. I would like to see them brought back as possibly a vintage type model with better glass. I have a couple of guns that a redfield fixed 6x would look awfully nice on top of.

George, you have a private message....Grant.

Well, as long as Meade is out of the picture, that instantly makes life an improvement...

now if a decent company will purchase Weaver, and Simmons from them...at least Weaver...

whoever owns Simmons really doesn't make much a dent in my world...

i've also heard that they sold weaver - true or not?

quote:

Originally posted by butchloc:
i've also heard that they sold weaver - true or not?

True. To a company that owned Weaver previously. Something like ADK??? Not sure, but the company has a similar three letter name.
Denver Redfields were very good scopes and I had two of them back in the 1960's.

Don

ATK is the previous owner of Weaver that you speak of. They are the CO. that supplies spear bullets and ammo and is a suppier to the miltary on some ammo.

The Redfield name meant quality, until they went out of biz [Thank you Slick Willie and your EPA] and the name was put on allot of ~$20 import scopes that with the Redfield name, retailed for ~$400 and on sale for ~$200.

For ~$100 and trade in your old Redfield, they would send you a new Redfield.

Lots of old gray haired grandpas fell for this.


What does it all mean?
With nearly externally identical scopes that can be worth $20 or $2000, all you can trust is the name brand, and they are playing a shell game with the names.

quote:

Originally posted by DMB:

quote:

Originally posted by butchloc:
i've also heard that they sold weaver - true or not?

True. To a company that owned Weaver previously. Something like ADK??? Not sure, but the company has a similar three letter name.
Denver Redfields were very good scopes and I had two of them back in the 1960's.

Don

Is this really true? I had on older weaver 3-9x40 on my first ruger .243. I wish I had that scope back (and rifle). It really was excellent, no match for my Burris EuroDiamond but great non the less.