What is everyone's experience with this scope? My in-laws bought my wife one of these to go on her Model 7. I had it out yesterday comparing it to a couple of other scopes I have--Leupold M-8 6x42 and Nikon Buckmasters 6-18x40 with the side AO. Both of these scopes were notably brighter than the compact.

Is the lack of brightness because of the compacts smaller size? Did I just get a lemon?

One other thing I noticed is that the Nikon set on 6x was more magnification than the fixed-six. I thought that was interesting...

Thanks,

Dan

according to Leupold the actual magnification of that scope is 3.3 to 8.6 so the #6power should be just a range. There are trade offs for that small size. I would think that above about 4.5 power that scope would start to look darker. Some rifles just look out of proportation with large scopes. My wife's Ruger #1 with 20" barrel is a great example. It has a custom stock to fit her and is less than 34" long. I am looking for a new scope for it. She wants a heavy reticle like a #4. We want more maginification than a Leupold 1.5x5 and a larger objective bell. The 1.75x6 might work if we can get it far enough back for her to see through it. The new Nikon Omega seems perfect with 5" of eye relief but does not have the reticle we want. Plan to take it to Africa next year for plans game. Hope you find the right scope for your wifes rifle.

Those Leupold Compacts are absolute trash. I'm here in Austin, also. Send me a PM with your address and I'll come by and get it from you to dispose of it properly. You wouldn't want to overfill you weekly trash quota and have the Austin Trash Nazis send you a bill.

The 33mm objective will provide full pupil-width light set as high as about 5.5x (6mm exit pupil). Therefore, until the daylight begins to fade and you have it set at or near maximum magnification, there will be no disadvantage in its light gathering as compared to a larger objective.

I have some 5 or 6 or 7 Leupold compacts (lost count a while back), and their optical performance has never been an issue. Due to the compromises in packing them into a smaller, shorter instrument, they do have a slightly more critical eye window and field of view as compared to "full size" Leupold models.

Truthfully, there will never be an occasion during legal shooting hours that your wife's scope will not provide a usable sight picture. She will have to look for some other excuse if she misses.

But seriously, if you're interested in getting her a different scope, do drop me a PM as I never turn down a chance at a Leupold Compact.

quote:

You wouldn't want to overfill you weekly trash quota and have the Austin Trash Nazis send you a bill.

Ain't that the truth!

The scope is ok, I've just never been sold on it for the $, and when I put it side by side two other scopes, I was surprised at the difference. I thought maybe this particular scope was a lemon.

Thanks,

Dan

I have a 3x9-40 Vari-XII and a 3x9-33 compact (in addition to a few others of various types). Naturally, the 33 is not as bright as the 40. The 40 has 50% more area to gather light. In addition, the 33 has a little less eye relief.

However, the 40 would look top heavy on the small gun I have the 33 mounted on. Everything is a tradeoff. Decide your needs and get the proper scope.

I bought a new 3-9 Compact a couple of years ago after calling Leu and others as I was trying to fit a scope to an old Brno and retain the use of the unique factory mount that went on the rifles square bridges. The thing is that the rifle has an express sight in the way of a large objective and a high bolt that required a small eyepiece. The mount required at least a 5" ring spacing too along with clearance at the bottom of the scope.

The Leu. 3-9 Compact was perfect for this gun. After all that trouble how can I complain about it? I have loaned the gun out and I get praise for the rifle and scope.

The more I use it the more I like it better than the 2-7 Leus for woods rifles but it's no longer made and its replacement is quite expensive. Stonecreek reported that the replacement has a larger eyepiece.

This pic shows a close up of the Brno mount and an early attempt to fit a K-4 on the rifle. The K-4 is a little smaller than todays in eyepiece diameter but alas still too big. The mount on the K-4 is another one off.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by clark98ut:
What is everyone's experience with this scope? My in-laws bought my wife one of these to go on her Model 7. I had it out yesterday comparing it to a couple of other scopes I have--Leupold M-8 6x42 and Nikon Buckmasters 6-18x40 with the side AO. Both of these scopes were notably brighter than the compact.


Try the Sightron compact. The 2.5X10 is great on the short actions!

And yes, compacts deliver less light. It has to do with the exit pupil sizes. Multiply the magnification power times 7mm, and the result is the approx. size necessary for maximum brightness. 6 X 7mm = 42. That's why the boys like the 6X with a 42mm bell. Provides all the light your eye could possibly use!

Going smaller is a trade off of size vs exit pupil.

I have a 3x-9x compact with EFR(extended focus range--adjustable objective)on a spring air rifle. I consider it a great scope in all respects. I also have a couple compact 2x-7x and no complaint. As stated except on higher powers in poor lighting you cant tell a difference between them and bigger scopes.

quote:

Originally posted by carpetman:
I have a 3x-9x compact with EFR(extended focus range--adjustable objective)on a spring air rifle. I consider it a great scope in all respects. I also have a couple compact 2x-7x and no complaint. As stated except on higher powers in poor lighting you cant tell a difference between them and bigger scopes.

No squabble, carpetman. I have a Leupie 3X9 EFR on my CZ 527 American in .223. I can tell the difference though. Just like my Sightron S-II 3X9 scope with a 42mm bell is brighter than my Leupold 2.5X8 VariX-III which has a 36mm bell.

What you are experiencing is that ALL of them are bright enough to do the job well. If they
didn't, no one would buy them!

Ford, Chevy, Dodge trucks. It's what is important to YOU! Size, weight, power, eye box
or eye relief, etc. COST?

Don Slater--What Im experiencing too is being older my pupils aint what they use to be. I can tell no difference in my 6x30,7x35 which ocourse would be equal between them and my 7x50's---all same brand.