Hey all! I am (was?) the guy at the range everyone laughed at for having a $1500 rifle and a $49 scope. As a starving PhD student, such is the case.

Well, I finally decided it was time to take a small step forward (I hope) and bought a VX1 in 3-9x50.... I realize they are no Mark IV or Night Force but honestly, what advantages/benefits should I expect with this VX1 over my old junk Bushnell?

And what benefits and advantages would I get with a $700-800 Mark IV over this one (the VX1)?

It is going on either my CZ550 in .270 win or I may put it on my Rem 700 in .338 RUM.....or I may put on my Savage 16 .300 WSM....or???


IV

Other than the outsized 50mm objective, which is of no utility on any of the rifles you may mount it on, the VX-I is probably the best buy currently available in a quality scope. It is essentially the same scope as the previous Vari-X II, which for many years was the standard by which other scopes were measured. Its engineering and design is highly dependable and well-proven, and better yet, is long-since paid for as reflected in the very attractive price of the VX-I line.

There is essentially nothing that your 3-9 VX-I won't do that a more expensive 3-9 will. Some will argue about "an extra fifteen minutes of shooting light" from their $1500 scopes, but the fact is that your VX-I will provide you ample brightness for all legal U.S. shooting hours, so what's the issue?

However, if at all possible, trade your 50mm for a 40mm objective. You'll lose nothing except bulk and weight, and the 40mm objective can be mounted low enough that you don't have to lift your cheek from contact with the stock's comb in order to place your eye in the sight window.

As a comparison, a good friend and I were recently shooting two similar rifles, one equipped with a 4-12 VX-I and the other equipped with a 4.5-14 VX-III LR. After shooting both extensively, we agreed that there was no practical difference in the sight picture or utility offered by either scope. If used in a situation which required constant reseting of the zero, then the click adjustments of the VX-III would be more adaptable to that situation. Also, if shooting at highly variable ranges, then the adjustable parallax of the VX-III would be helpful (although undesireable on a game hunting rifle). However, as a sighting instrument under normal conditions, the two scopes were essentially identical.

Use your VX-I with confidence.

Thanks for the reply! Good information. I have always heard differing arguments on optics but never paid any attention because I can't afford to put $800 optics on my rifles (yet)..... I do know that my RUM chewed through a Simmons I had when I first bought it and the Bushnell seems to be doing fine so far, but I think the clarity and durability will be better with the Leupold.....

IV

I have similar sized vx1 and a vx11. I can't tell any difference betwen them. I agree that the 50mm is too big. In fact the 32mms seem fine to me although I guess the 40mm is the near universal choice nowadays.

It's a good, solid scope that should serve you well for years to come. I personally am not a fan of Leupolds as I know there are better performers out there for less money -- with Nikon at the head of the pack.

But again, that Leupold will serve you just fine.

You didn't specify what model Bushnell you had, so I can't give you a detailed and accurate comparison, but if indeed it is one of the lower-end models, the primary difference you should be able to detect is improved resolution in low-light conditions along with better edge-to-edge sharpness/perceived clarity.

BT: Its a lower end Bushnell 3-9X40 I think its 8 years old? It was only $60. I have been thinking about getting a Nikon for my .300WSM-- every once in awhile you can find the silver 4.5-14x42 that retails for 279 on E-bay brand new for 190-220 depending on the bidders present. I decided to put the new Leupold on my .338RUM as elk hunting here is a near dark affair during the early season in August, killing one before 8:30PM when its 95 degrees is asking for trouble so we always go out at 7pm and hunt right up til legal shooting time ends........

IV