TwoStage,
Yes, my "NO" does come from personal experience. I worked the better part of a whole day trying to help a guy get his working right this past summer. It would not hold zero, and wasn't repeatable. After over a month of trying to get it to work properly, he got rid of it. The RO at the club bought one at the same time as the other guy and he got rid of his after the reticle broke from the "punishing" recoil of a .308 after 5 rounds. They are made by Hakko in Japan (same people that make the Springfield scopes and the Tasco SS series), not here. The problem is, where are you going to find an "old" one. You yourself said "...I was refering to the frist ones that came out I don't know about the new one's", so if you plan on getting a new one, then you don't know what you're getting.
You say you like the M3 and that is what you had on your "long" guns...what other kind would you put them on?
In general, always be wary about what a company has to say about their product. Do you really think they would say something like "...ours are good but not as good as a Leupold or USO..."?
As far as SC, I've been a regular there since '97. There's only one guy there who uses a Shepherd, and he takes quite a bit of good natured ribbing about it. Check on the archives for Shepherd. Here are some quotes from the SC link you provided....
"...The only thing is they just didn't go the full mile in building it. I has a reputation for not holding together. I've never heard anyone say that it did not shoot according to plan but the one's I've looked through lack a little in lense quality and that stuff tends to clog the visability. The company is a bear to deal with and dealers won't stock them much..."
"...It does all it was advertised to do but it had a short eye relief and would "Bite" you when shooting prone or off the bench..."
"...Amgoing to give up on the Shepherd. Comments posted eariler are well made. Cluttered reticle, coarse lines, and average optics..."
"...Several of my friends in Montana did use Shepherds on their STW's and have great result. Anyway they did until i brought up some of the rifles I have with the Leupold and B/L tactical. Needless to say they switched over..."
"I have a Shepherd on my rem700p...I am definitely in the market for a different scope..."
"Leupold Tacticals, Bausch & Lombs discontinued 10x tactical, or even a Taaa, Taas, TTTaaasco would be a better bet..."
"...It breaks too often and costs too much. I wish a good serious scope maker would use the same system and build it right. Shepherd in my experience is arrogant if you have a problem and assumes it has to ve you or something stupid you have done. Until they change their attitude with dealers and users they are doomed to sell shepherds in piss aunt quanities..."
I think when they make a good scope it's OK at best, but they seem to be cranking out a lot of scopes that seem to have been made at 4:30 on a Friday afternoon, if you know what I mean. When Shepherd passes guv'mint testing and gets a mil-contract, I'll change my mind. But for what they cost, (IMO and experience) you'd be better off with something else.
Later,
Rich