Leapers UTG Scopes. Value and Quality for Airguns.

A CLASSIC AMERICAN SUCCESS STORY.

Leapers is well known for its comprehensive range of scopes, mounts and rings for airguns, offered under the Accushot and UTG brands.

What you may not know is that Leapers, Inc. is a classic American success story. Like many other successful and famous companies, Leapers started in the garage of the owners’ house and has expanded hugely since then.

Back in 1992, David and Tina Ding – pictured in our photo above – started Leapers Inc. by selling a 4 x 20 compact scope from the garage of their home in Michigan. From this they were able to build a customer base and move forward with what has been a continuous story of expansion.

By 1997, Leapers were exhibiting at the SHOT Show – the huge annual firearms (and airgun) industry trade show. In 2002 they proudly purchased their very first 14,000 square foot commercial building for business operations. Leapers established its own US manufacturing plant, still in Michigan in 2009, and in 2011 they set up a UTG Europe Distribution Center to provide local and direct support to international customers.

Below, a part of Leapers in-house scope manufacturing facility.

After 22 years of hard work, Leapers is now headquartered in a 3-building complex in Livonia, Michigan with over 150,000 square feet of space for various business operations. Leapers has manufacturing plants in China – as well as in the US – together with a full in-house team supporting design, development, manufacturing, marketing and distribution activities globally.

Leapers now offers a huge range of products, including scopes, mounting systems, bipods, flashlights and lasers. There’s also a wide range of accessories and parts, gun cases, tactical armor and, most recently a new range of outdoor fashion apparel!

The company is still run on a day-to-day basis by David and Tina Ding. And, from the first, Leapers has seen airgun scopes as a key part of their business.

TRUE STRENGTH PLATFORM BEATS RECOIL.

The Leapers team is well aware of the need of airgunners and keeps them in mind when designing UTG scopes.

This means that all Leapers UTG scopes are able to withstand the punishing forward recoil generated by high power spring/piston and gas ram air rifles, as well as conventional rear recoil. This “True Strength” platform ensures that UTG scopes are able to give a long and successful life in use on air rifles of all types.

Leapers UTG scopes also combat recoil through advanced design of the elevation and windage turrets. The UTG leaf spring system uses a special Beryllium Bronze alloy with optimized heat treatment to maintain reliable and consistent tension for long term use. This gives accuracy benefits to the owner in long-term zero holding.

Below, Leapers scopes are designed using CAD (Computer Aided Design). Here is a CAD design file of a scope…

 …that started life as a concept drawing like this.

MIL DOT RETICLES AID ACCURACY.

Another key aspect of Leapers scope design that’s widely appreciated by knowledgeable airgunners is the provision of mil dot reticles in the vast majority of UTG scopes.

Mil dot reticles – the name comes from the term “mil”, used in artillery gun-laying, representing 1/6400 of a complete (360 degree) rotation – are a key feature for successful air rifle shooting. That’s why we’re so keen on scopes with mil dot reticles at HAM!

The mil dot markings on the reticles of UTG scopes are an ideal way to achieve a predictable “hold over” or “hold under” that takes account of the flight of airgun pellets at different ranges. Mil dots can also be used to offset cross wind, in the same manner.

Using mil dots significantly increases the accuracy of real world shooting, where you may want to engage one target at, say, 20 yards and then another immediately after at 40 yards. Rather than fumbling to adjust the elevation turret, simply aim off using the mil dots.

For this reason, mil-dot scopes are ideal for air rifle hunting.

AO FOR SHARP FOCUS.

Leapers also supports the needs of air rifle shooters by providing Adjustable Objective (AO) capability on most UTG scopes.

AO allows air riflescopes to be focused at the close ranges required for air rifle shooting. Many UTG scopes have a minimum focusing distance of as close as 5 yards! Again, this is critical for accurate hunting and plinking with airguns as it enables you to see a sharp image of the target.

As most airgun shooting is made at ranges of 50 yards or less, the ability of AO to give such close focusing is another element of Leapers scopes that aid your real world accuracy.

(Note that scopes designed for firearms typically have their focus set for 100 yards or more and so do not give a sharp image at airgun ranges. They also can’t resist the recoil of many air rifles as can “True Strength” UTG scopes).

Below, scope lenses arrayed for inspection.

Leapers’ Accushot Premium Series scopes include a Side Wheel Adjustable Turret (SWAT) that allows for sharp focus down to 10 yards with AO.

Side focus adjustment is much more convenient than standard front AO. Leapers SWAT turret is designed with an internal cam and stopper for single revolution focusing from infinity to 10 yards – it’s also compatible with UTG Big Wheels, making an ideal combination for Field Target shooting.

LEAPERS IN HOUSE DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING.

UTG scopes are manufactured in-house by Leapers using specialized dust-free rooms for optic assembly. Many metal parts are made using automated, high-tech CNC (Computer Number Controlled) machinery. Lenses are checked for quality in a Lens Certification Center and all assembly is undertaken with structured, disciplined assembly procedures.

Below, some of the precision test equipment that is used in the manufacture of Leapers UTG scopes.

David Ding stresses his firm belief in “in-sourcing” under the company’s own disciplined management team. Leapers is one of the very few companies in the scope industry that integrates the full range of operations to support product development, manufacturing, distribution and service.

This is why Leapers customers can count on UTG scopes to offer the best combination of quality, value and affordability for air gun hunting, plinking and Field Target competition.