Leupold's MK4 precision rifle scope: want some stand-your-rifle-against-the-truck-and-it-falls-over -but-thank-goodness-the-scope-is-okay durability? Here it is

Guns Magazine, Sept, 2004 by Jim Garnder

For the occasional silhouette match I shoot, they're invaluable. But I'll use this handy feature when testing ammunition as well. Without losing my former zero, I can quickly dial in a strange load to shoot to the center of my 3x5-card target (it's handy for filing test results). With the range session complete, I run the knobs back to "0" and know I'm back in business with my regular load.

Gonna' shoot at some extended range all day? Pull the protective cover and dial in the correct setting, it's so much easier than holding off. Fighting a consistent crosswind? Use your windage dial to cancel it out.

Target turrets add capability and make life easier. The screw-off covers make them just as durable and weather proof as regular windage and elevation dials, as well as preventing unintended movement. By the way, windage and elevation adjustments of the Mark 4 PR feature crisp 1/4 MOA (roughly 1/4" at 100 yards) clicks so changes may be executed "eyes off."

But Wait, There's More

Mil dot reticle's are practical. The Mark 4 PR is available with either a standard duplex reticle or with a rail dot reticle. The nail dot system has been so well described in the past it seems unnecessary to go into it again here, but suffice it to say it provides a simple and highly accurate method of establishing the distance to a target of known size.

With laser rangefinders now inexpensive and readily available, the rail dot reticle's main advantage may be the ability to quickly hold over for firing at a longer range without the need to make a sight adjustment.

As an example, with my favorite load zeroed spot-on at 100 yards, if I want to place a quick shot at 200, I'll use the point midway between the center of the reticle and the center of the first rail dot below the reticle. Why? Because that "half-mil" equates to 3.6" at 200 yards, and I know my load drops 4" at 200 yards from a 100-yard zero.

How about a quick shot at 400 yards? Simple--I know my load drops approximately 32" at 400--so I'll use as a spot half way between the second and third mild dots (2.5 mil), as my aiming point and it will put me maybe 3" high at that distance (as if I could hold that tightly).

Scope quality is paramount. There's not much to be said here. Every experienced rifleman I'm familiar with gives Leupold high marks for quality. The Leupolds in my stable have certainly given me the same impression, but a chance visit some years ago to the production facility really opened my eyes.

From the CNC machining centers turning out scope tubes from solid billets to the clean room technicians clad entirely in dust-free white cover garments, the entire facility was extremely impressive.

But the jaw-dropper was watching the pneumatic recoil testing fixture as it first raised then slammed a selection of Leupold and competing rifle scopes to a tooth-jarring stop. The official guiding us beamed with considerable pride when he said they'd yet to find a competing scope that could tough out this abuse like a Leupold.