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fake Lupy MK4

23K views 27 replies 25 participants last post by  Capona 
#1 ·
I was at my gunsmith yesterday talking about scopes. He mentioned that a customer came in with a FAKE Leupold Mark 4 tactical scope. It had all the proper markings so I am not sure how it was caught as a fake. Has anyone else heard this about Mark 4 scopes.
 
#2 ·
I think I came across something on their website about identifying counterfit Leupolds. Apparently they come from where else... China GI8
 
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#4 ·
Lots of fake Aimpoints out there, too.
 
#6 ·
One of the guys at work got one a few years ago. He bought it off another co worker that I'm pretty sure knew exactly what it was.

That scope had no serial number on the bottom. The color of the Leopold writing was wrong and there was brass where aluminum should be on the knobs.....(or vice versa). Other tell tales mentioned on line were serial numbers of all the same number such as 777777.

That was a few years ago, I'm sure they've improved the fakery since then.
 
#11 ·
I saw a couple on Ebay last week, they were marked as Leupold "mark" (no 4) they said they were imports from china made by the same factory that makes leupolds glass. I flagged it but not sure if it took. Good looking out on the post.
 
#13 ·
I was told by Leupold that they get some of their glass from Japan....not China.

Bought and still have a fake nightforce and it is very close to the real thing. I can't tell the difference other than the knobs are different. I knew it was a fake when I bought it but the glass was so good I couldn't pass it up. Kinda like a Chinese M14, looks the part and in some cases does the job better.
Oh, no not "ANOTHER ONE THAT DRANK THE KOOL-AID."

GI1
 
#12 ·
Bought and still have a fake nightforce and it is very close to the real thing. I can't tell the difference other than the knobs are different. I knew it was a fake when I bought it but the glass was so good I couldn't pass it up. Kinda like a Chinese M14, looks the part and in some cases does the job better.
 
#14 ·
Given the lack of integrity that exists...
Do extensive research and know the product.
Check manufacturer's web sites.
Be suspicious of any change in markings, even if they look good. Companies do a lot of work to protect their brands.
Report fakes to anyone who will listen particularly venders.
If store employees do not know as much or more about a product than you do, prevalent in big box retailers, shop elsewhere.
Be wary of store exclusives.
 
#17 ·
also just make sure its not "the airsoft version"

you should be able to tell by looking through the scope and trying to read lettering a top magnification.
 
#19 ·
For what it's worth Chinese knock offs of other items continue to pollute the world. I had a family friend call us that their back up power generator had shut down during the nor'easter we had last week in the Northeastern US leaving them without power and she needs power for a nebulizer she needs to breathe and oxygen.
I came over and looked over their yanmar diesel generator and quickly deduced it was not a real yanmar at all and was a Chinese L100 clone that the seller had put a Yanmar airbox and valve cover on and sold it.
The main rear bearing failed after 50 hrs of use because the cam bearing race was not hardened and fell apart clogging the filter with metal and triggering a low oil shut down.
Yanmar parts DO NOT fit these engines and there are no parts trains for them.

By the grace of god I was able to modify a standard timken to fit and was able to clean/flush and restart the generator in 5 hours while another friend brought over a working generator to keep her alive.
The commercial seller was contacted and said they had no idea about that and said we needed to call the manufacturer.... in Guangdong China....
 
#20 · (Edited)
hmmmm...
So they say they have no idea that the new Japanese made generator they sold was actually a made in China counterfeit, and that you should contact the manufacturer in China if you have questions? Sounds to me like someone committed a crime and confessed to it in the same sentence. Impressive.

p.s. in response to the original topic, always remember ‘Caveat Emptor’ - Let The Buyer Beware.
Be prepared to walk away if that little voice in your head tells you some little thing doesn’t seem right. If someone’s on the level they shouldn’t have any issue with you doing your due diligence as a buyer. Do your homework and don’t get seduced by how good a deal may appear to be.
 
#22 ·
Sometimes counterfeit stuff is made in the exact same factory, by the exact same employees, with the exact same parts, just not licensed by the owner of the patents or plans and not put through the same distribution chain as the real deal. License agreement allows for production of 1,000 units and the factory makes 1,150. The extra 150 pieces fly under the radar when scrap, QC, damage and waste are considered. Or some parts are the original (true) and some others costly parts are replaced with second string stuff. Can make identification of counterfeits difficult.
 
#23 ·
Yanmars are all made at the Tsukaguchi Plant in Japan. This engine and it's parent company came from Guangdong china, if you look at the link below they are careful to say "Yanmar type" or "Yanmar technology" in most of them. In 2 of the listings they have Yanmar stamped on the engines. so I guess they don't care since who is going to sue them in China when the state controls the factory and court?

https://www.made-in-china.com/products-search/hot-china-products/Yanmar_Diesel_Engine.html
 
#27 ·
I would guess it is probably real if you bought it from a real company and didn't pay an incredibly low discounted price compared to other vendors.

Leupold can probably tell you if you just give them the serial number and see if it matches up with the vendor as well as the model. Even if they're wrong, if THEY think it's real, that's probably good enough for warranty repair :p
 
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