There was a time when the Leatherwood ART base and a Realist brand scope was a well-respected sniper optic combo in the Nam.

Then Leatherwood started making its own scopes as well as the bases, and after a couple of years, it was being reported that while the bases were still okay, the scopes themselves were basically trash.

I don't know if those reports were accurate, but some of the gun magazines of the 70's were saying that in their technical columns.

I notice both Leatherwood scopes and Leatherwood bases are still available. Does anyone have any first hand knowledge of the quality (or lack there of) which the current Leatherwood scopes display?

Had two (6x24, original new and then the refurb. replacement) come thru the shop last winter. The customer wanted it mounted on his brandy-new Springfield Armory M14.

Mount- pure crap. took 3hrs. to get it on straight,
and it didn't want to stay there.

Rail- Couldn't tighten the unslotted clamp knobs enough. The POS shot loose.

Scope- Pure Chinese crapola. Put it on the bench next to a Taiwan Tasco and it looks and acts embarrassed. Can't imagine it holding a purge for more than 5 minutes. The adjustment system on the base is OK if you don't mind that the closest zero is 300yd. and that the zero changes when you zoom,
unless you unlock it (WAY beyond the nitwit who bought it.)

After the rail shot loose the scope's zoom was locked up, so it was sent back. Leatherwood returned a ratty-looking refurb complete with chewed-up screws, and a front lens cell so crooked you could watch the image move across the reticle as you moved the AO.

We found a pair of slotted nuts for the Chinese threads on the rail bolts, tourqued them 'till hell wouldn't have it, and sent him on his way.

I'll never touch another. I sure am glad he bought it from Midway.

Thanks for the info. I had one of the original Realist/Leatherwood ARTs some 38 years ago and it worked very well.

It was reportedly when Leatherwood took his company into the scope-making field that things went to hell in a handbasket. Sounds as if they are still there (in Hell's handbasket).

I'll not consider them any farther until we finally become a Province of China, as we seem hell-bent to do.

Thanks again.