Hi, I am looking to buy a scope on a larger bore, a 9,3x62. or 416 rigby or 458 win mag. Now I have a Zeiss 3-12x56 but I dont have the money for another Zeiss. I am going to Minneapolis in november a plan to buy VX-III 1.5-5x20 or fixed 2.5 scope. Is the Leupold 2.5 ultra light good for big bore or should I take the variable.

Sherpi,
First of all, I'm not really sure who started the rumor years ago, that a DGR required a scope with no more than a 20mm objective. These scopes look cool on a 416 but gather no freaking light at dusk and dawn! I would never use one of those, instead, I would look at a sworovski ph 1.5-6x42 or something similar. This set up is much better. My 2 cents......wapiti7

Well, unless I was actually going to use the rifle on dangerous game, I would pick a 3-9X variable. Of the two you mention, I would choose the 1.4-5X.

quote:

Originally posted by wapiti7:
These scopes look cool on a 416 but gather no freaking light at dusk and dawn!

A scope does not "gather" light, it transmits it. A low power scope with a 20mm objective at its lower range of magnification will transmit all of the light your eye can use.

how about a 3.5-10x40
not any bigger than a 3-9.
barely larger than a 2-7.

I beg to differ sir.............

As I already have a 3-12x56, so I am looking for a light, smaler scope. So the choose was between the fixed one and the VX as the Zeiss, and the other Euro cost to much.

You might consider the Leupold VX III 2.5-8x36... It will bring in a reasonable amount of light and still have a good power range... Would probably set you back about 400 U.S. dollars...

Ken....

quote:

Originally posted by wapiti7:
Sherpi,
First of all, I'm not really sure who started the rumor years ago, that a DGR required a scope with no more than a 20mm objective. These scopes look cool on a 416 but gather no freaking light at dusk and dawn! wapiti7

20mm divided by 2.5X magnification = 8mm exit pupil. An 8mm exit pupil is larger than any human eye pupil, therefore an objective larger than 20mm cannot, by physical definition, provide any more usable light at that magnification.

It may be true, however, that higher magnification (which would require a larger objective to provide a full exit pupil) may provide better low light resolution than lower magnification.

Bottom line: Yes, the 2.5 fixed Leupold is perfectly adaptable to a large bore gun, having both good eye relief and a wide field of view. It will be a bit more recoil resistant than a variable, simply because it has no moving parts.

Will it give you adequate target resolution? It depends on the distance, but it is not handicapped by the small objective.

Now, let me introduce some heresy into this discussion: I have never heard of one of the scopes built on the original Leupold variable mechanism design (the Vari-X II, VX-I, or VX-II) failing from recoil. There are some anecdotal stories of the somewhat newer Vari-X III/VX-III design failing from repeated recoil of big bruisers. I would suggest that a VX-II in 1-4X or 2-7X would be a more economical, and perhaps more serviceable scope for you to consider.

It's too bad that Leupold no longer makes the original M8-3x. It was the perfect scope for big bore rifles.

Most of the scope "failures" I have seen were due to improper scope mounting and NOT the scope itself.

I don't use those heavy recoiling rifles but I ran a gun shop and had customers and friends that have used the heavy rifles and they like the 1.5x5 VXIII in good lapped steel rings/bases on the guns that they scope....very few problems ever reported and eye relief allows flexable mounting positions for safe shooting....hth..good luck and good shooting!!