The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Guns, Politics, Gunsmithing & Reloading Optics Leupold scopes!!??!!Go | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
| Leupold scopes!!??!! | Login/Join |
| One of Us |
Man o man! I've got a couple of rifles that need a new scope and as usual I looked at Leupold. FXI, FXII, FXII or VXI, VXII, VXII What the heck are the differences? Time was when I just bought a 2X7 or a 2.5X8, but find I set them on about 5X and forget them. I'd opt for a 6X but that's just a little bit more than I like? Should I learn to live with a little more magnification for simplicity? | ||
|
| one of us |
Seems like you know pretty much what you want. I favor variables but use fixed scopes now and then. No big deal. I have VX1, 2 & 3's and wish they and the other 6 loopies here were zeiss. Thing is a 2.5-8 Conquest costs over $400. Join the NRA | |||
|
| One of Us |
I think you would be happy with fixed 6X scopes, considering you usually shoot at 5X. The Leupold Gold Ring 6X36 is still out there in a secondary market. It is light, a very nice scope, and they typically go for about $200, give or take... | |||
|
| One of Us |
I just checked out the Zeiss Conquest scopes, and find them a little heavy at 13.75 ounces. You're right I do know what I want, but the trouble is nobody makes it! I'd like a 4.75 to 5 power scope with about a 36mm bell. Weaver came close with their Grand Slam in 4.75, but screwed it up with that ridiculously large 40mm bell? By the way, I do have an older conquest in 3x9x40, but weight wasn't a factor for that rifle. | |||
|
| One of Us |
Money really isn't a problem, but I cannot see much difference between the 6X with a 36mm bell and a 6X with a 42mm bell other than size and price? Time was when all I had to do was look at the width of the "golden ring". The wider the ring, the higher the quality. Simple? Now we have FX and VX, as well as I, II and III! I don't like big bells, so the 6X with the 36mm bell sounds fine, but at $100.00+ less in cost, is it as good as a FXIII or VXIII? The VXIII 2.5X8 sized housing with in fixed 4.75 power scope would be the cat's meow for me! | |||
|
One of Us |
If you are interested I have a 6x42 multi coat matte finish scope with duplex reticle for sale, as new condition. $280 shipped CONUS pm me if interested, thanks | |||
|
| one of us |
Don, Now that I read that weight and size matter most and price does not I would ask if your eye sees a optical advantage in the Conquest vrs Leupold scopes? My eye sees a significant advantage to the Conquest reticule as it's much sharper and does not fade to pink in a sunfield. Also the Conquest line has superior resolution as I see it. I have had scopes for a long time using 4X Lyman All Americans as my ideal big game scope. That was three decades ago and then I tried the good Leupold 2-7's and they are a little better than the Lymans and at least new and available. I have a half dozen of them. When the Conquests came out I was amazed and the improvement in the optics and find that they are well worth the size and weight. But thats my opinion as what my eyesight sees. My last four scope purchases have been Zeiss. For light weight, simplicity and superb optics and adjustments consider the Diatal 4-32. Thats what I choose for my five pound 308.  Join the NRA | |||
|
| One of Us |
Sorry, but it's too big to suit me. | |||
|
| One of Us |
Yeah, 99, the conquest does seem to have a sharper reticle. I too like the constant 4" eye relief. Thanks for the second post, buddy, I hadn't thought about the 4X. I'll have to find one and check it out. Should be around the right size! It will be for a custom Ruger short action rebarelled to a light 7mm-08, and fitted in a Borden Rimrock stock. Still trying to decide whther or not to have a LaPour 3 position safety installed? All my other rifles, save the CZ 527 American, in 223 have them, although bought from Jim Wisner. What is your 5 pound 308? Looks like it might be a Kimber Dakota? I briefly had a Sightron 2.5X10 compact that I put on the last Winchester model 70 SA I owned. I didn't really like the rifle, so I sold it scope and all. It may well be my alternative to the Zeiss since I prefer right around 5 power. | |||
|
| one of us |
If some feature of a gun bothers you like the safety that you mention then get it fixed. However most of us go from shotguns with tang or guard safeties to pistols and all kinds of rifles. Once I pick up the gun for the day I get used to it again. Sure an argument could be made for having them all the same but........... If you shop for a Diatal 4 make sure it has the plex reticule. Some were made with a fine crosshair and I would not prefer that. They go for about $250 +. If I had to choose a fixed power it might be 4.5X vrs 3.5X but both work. The 6X is more magnification than my eye needs but to each his own. Yes it's a Kimber Montana. The Zeiss is not heavy or big. Its far superior optics to the Leu. 4X. Don't forget the plex reticule. Join the NRA | |||
|
| One of Us |
Thanks again, 99!  | |||
|
| One of Us |
Don, You probably already found this info, but here is a quick Leupold guide to the new scopes. The FX simply stands for fixed power, while the VX for variable power. The level of each is marked with a I, II, or III (of course there are other high end specialty scopes as well). The VXI/FXI is the entry level but still backed by Leupold's full warranty. It has the standard lens coating & micro friction dials for elevation & windage. The VXII/FXII is very similar to what we used to know as the Vari-XIII. It features the multicoat 4 lens system & 1/4 minute click adjustment for elevation & windage (a step up from the micro-friction). The VXIII/FXIII is the highest (before you get into the LPS series which is big bucks). The III series offers the highest quality glass with the multi coat 4 lens, but adds the index matched lens system which is essentially a glare reduction/elimination system. This model also features finger adjustable dials and fast focus eye peice. So there is a difference. In my opinion, the VXII/FXII is an extremely underappreciated line! It offers features that 10 years ago were the best in the biz, is somewhat reasonably priced, and comes in many of the traditionally popular sizes. Call me old fashioned, but I just think that 3x9x40 flat out works, as well as 6x36 & 4x33. But then I'm partial to the Leupolds...in my opinion they still look the nicest on a high quality sporter displayed in a walnut cabinet. Hope this helps. Too much is just right! | |||
|
| One of Us |
Thanks six, With this info, I can now navigate the F and Vs as well as the I, II and IIIs! I/m going to print it off and put it in a file.  | |||
|
one of us |
http://www.leupold.com/products/Scope_Feature_Matrix.htm You learn something new everyday whether you want to or not. | |||
|
| One of Us |
Thank You, Jackfish! | |||
|
| one of us |
Don Slater---You wont notice any difference in a 6x with 36mm or a 6x with 42mm unless you are perhaps a cow or very very young person. In those cases the difference will be slight. In the first example you have a 6MM exit pupil(36 divided by 6) and in second example you have a 7MM exit(42 divided by 6). Once that exit is the size of the pupil of your eye you gain no more. The older you get the smaller your pupil gets---thats why it takes longer to adjust to going into a theater for example than it did when you were younger. I can compare 7x35 binos with 7x50's and same brightness---a younger person might detect a slight difference. | |||
|
| One of Us |
Price point! Seems like the "standard" scope for Leupold these days is the VXIII, 3-9X 40mm. Leupold must make zillions, because this is what you see out in the field, on the "used" racks at the shop. And so the VXIII 3-9X 40mm is ALWAYS on sale. These days it's running about $200. I just purchased a VXIII in 1.75 - 6X 32mm and it was $325 at the store. Cabela's has it for $299.99 -- plus shipping. The point being, the 3-9X 40mm is the easy one to get and at a good price. That said, there's not much point in looking at a "fixed" power when the variable is about the same $$$. VXIII has finger adjust knobs with a "zero index" feature. You sight in the scope and then zero the knob -- no tools. Then in the field you can "click" to adjust for range, windage, and come back to zero rather than having to remember where the dial was set for "Zero." That's a nice feature over the VXII. That and nicer optics are worth the extra $$$ in the long run. | |||
|
| one of us |
You don't have to be a teenager to have a Leupold reticule fade to pink or have a Leupold scope haze up everytime you look towards the sun. Those are two significant takebacks to the old design Leupolds. When I got my first Conquest about three years ago I was astounded on how sharp the reticule is and how much better the scope is on seeing what I am aiming at. I had bought nine Leupold scopes up to that point. Since then I have added four Zeiss scopes and I will not buy any more Leupold scopes. They are just an old design. Join the NRA | |||
|
one of us |
45/70 Govt. wrote:
Sorry, but I must correct this. Leupold has no 3-9x40 VXIIIs and never has. And I guarantee you can't show me ONE new 3-9x40 VXIII for $200; of course, that's because they don't exist. And I assure that you can't even find a new VXII 3-9x40 from a legitimate store for $200 -- it just doesn't happen. The 3-9x40 in the VXI and Rifleman do, however, sell for $200 or under. Bobby Μολὼν λαβέ The most important thing in life is not what we do but how and why we do it. - Nana Mouskouri | |||
|
one of us |
Take a look at the Leupold LPS 2.5-10x45mm. It will cost about twice the $$ of the VXIII. The optics are very sharp, has very good low light transmission, and appears to stand up to the recoil of the big bore rifle. Mine has a home on my M70 300 win mag with QD mounts and doubles as a back up for my M70 416 Rem Mag. Jim "Bwana Umfundi" NRA | |||
|
| one of us |
My Cabela's catalog lists the 1.75-6 VXIII at $399. | |||
|
| one of us |
Savage99: Are you imagining things? I have used Leupold scopes for more than 45 years now and I have NEVER noticed any "pinkening" of the crosshairs of ANY of the myriad of Leupolds I have owned! I am guessing I have owned in excess of 150 of them! I presently have 42 of them in service on Rifles. They range in powers from 1.5 to 36 and just about every power option in between, both variable and fixed power models. They also include some powers that are no longer made like 10 and 16 powers. AND, AGAIN, (with emphasis this time!) I have never been "denied" a shot at Big Game by your "imagined" sun glareouts and/or crosshair discolorations! Me thinks you are simply imagining things! And in case you care - I Hunt for and shoot a LOT of Big Game! And have for 45+ years now! In fact, when you have burped up this Leupold only "red herring" (so to speak) in the past I took the time to correct you! It seems you need another bout of correcting! I have INTENTIONALLY taken ALL manner, sizes and powers of my Leupolds outside and PURPOSELY pointed them towards and then AT the rising and setting suns! I have NEVER once seen a pink crosshair! NOT ONCE! Indeed, I recently got a great deal on a Zeiss 3x9 made in Germany scope. Among many other tests of it I pointed IT towards, then at the rising and setting sun. It turns to what I would call "glare out" at EXACTLY the same distance (degrees away from!) the low sun as does my Leupolds, my Lymans, my Nikons, my Refields, my Sightrons, my Burris's, my Unertls, my Weavers and on and on! So your observations in my mind are not only fallacious they are without practical merit - as witnessed by my 45 years of Hunting all manner of Big Game! The types of game I have pursued include, Elk (both Rocky Mountain and Olympic), Mt. Goats, Antelope, Mule Deer, Cougar, Black Bear, Whitetailed Deer, Moose, Blacktailed Deer and probably some others I have overlooked. Indeed, in some years I have Hunted Deer in three different states and Antelope in two! I been around! I have never lost a shot at a Big Game animal due to sun flares or "pink outs" in my Leupolds or with ANY of the other scopes I have used for that matter! If you don't like Leupolds then hooray for you but your ineffectual attempts at blowing smoke are just that - ineffectual and baseless! By the way I am Hunting Big Game here in Big Sky country this month and last month on virtually a daily basis - my Leupolds have and ARE serving me exceptionally well! I am not swayed one bit by your observations - again because I am certain they are fallacious! If you are having continuous flare outs and pink outs with your Leupolds then you simply are continuously Hunting directly into the low risisng or low setting sun AND having the misfortune of only having Big Game appear exactly between you and the low sun! I LONG ago learned to Hunt with the sun at my back when ever possible! Not because of any rumored or imagined flareout problems with my scopes but because the human Hunter can SEE his quarry MUCH easier when the sun is at the human Hunters back and in the quarries face! Sheesh! Hold into the wind VarmintGuy | |||
|
| One of Us |
I was looking for a light-weight scope for my newly custom built 9,3 x 62 rifle that I could mount fairly low - no bigger objective than a 40 mm; the 42's were already getting unnecesarily too big for me. Also, the "mount ring space" had to be no less than 5.6" for my K98 action so that one has the ability to move it backwards or forward to get the ideal positioning for the eye. With the above criteria, I looked around and there was not too much of a choice, but to pick a Leupold. I also looked at the Bushnell 3200, but was not impressed. Bushnell's record in SA is not a particularly good one. The Burris Fullfield II was very clear, but is not so refined looking than the Leupold and I was a bit concerned though about their after sales service, having read some comments here on AR. The Lynx scope was good, but far cheaper than the Leopold, but every bit as clear. The Swarovski AV 3-9x36 fits the bill, but at more than double the price, it is prohibitively expensive. The new VX2 is a fine scope in my opinion and good enough for my use. I compared the VX2 (3-9x40)in broad daylight with a VX3 (3.5-10x40, and could not see the difference at a target some 200 odd yards away. I checked them out at the same magnification setting, first at 6x and then at 9x. Simple test, but that was all I could do. So, I went with the VX2, as I could not justify spending the extra money. I felt the VX3 was over priced for its few extra features over the VX2. For example, I could not detect the value of the indexed match lenses that should have yielded a clearer or brigther view. The VX3 2.5-8x36 was too short for my liking at 5.12". The VX2 3-9x40 features 5.6" and the VX3 3.5-10x40 features 5.75". The FXII 6x36 features 5.94" which I liked best as far as mounting space is concerned. Correct scope positioning just make for a more comfortable aiming position. Can anyone justify spending the extra money on a VX3 over a VX2? Curious to know. Chris | |||
|
| one of us |
Well that is the question. Once we get past basic dependability, for most people most of the time most scopes will do the job. Then there is braging rights with other shooters. But IMHO it's not that the dearer scopes arn't worth it, it's what can we afford to spend? Heck, it's only money after all. | |||
|
| one of us |
i think the greatest problem with leupold scopes is the substandard reticles....compare them to the zeiss zplex and you will see what i mean for this reason alone i would never invest in a leupold daniel | |||
|
| one of us |
Savage 99---When I read your report that Leupolds reticles turn pink in the sun,I had horrors this might happen while hunting pink elephants and I would be trampled. So I did go out and check and I could not duplicate the phenomenon. The scope I tried is on my air rifle( Leupold 3x-9x compact 33MM with EFR) and I dont hunt pink elephants with it so I was safe. Looking into the bright sun there was a point,I dont see how even a very dark sun shade would have made it possible. Certainly that dark of a shde would be useless in poor lighting. Even looking into sun,I could see the reticles(and they weren't pink) I do have an old Bear Cub 4x double scope made by Kollmorgen that has a dot reticle. Young folks can see the dot but I cant. | |||
|
| one of us |
The sun has to be hitting the front lens. Can you see the Leu reticule at all? Other brands of similar scopes to the Leu design do the same thing. Join the NRA | |||
|
one of us |
Pinkout? Yes it does happen. I've seen it myself. I hear they make goldring rose colored glasses that fix this and other problems.  Terry -------------------------------------------- Well, other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play? | |||
|
| One of Us |
How do the best sniper scopes of WW2 era compare with the current line of Leopolds that we critize so much? Think of advances in type of glass, polishing, coatings, etc. Just a thought. What exactly did these snipers used some 60 odd years ago. Before the 1970's, when I was still at school, most hunters and farmers in my neck of the woods still used .303's with open sights. Chris | |||
|
| one of us |
.45/70: I don't have the latest version of the VXIII but one of my big complaints with finger adjustable knobs is that very few manufacturers put in a rotation counter. Does the new VXIII have a rotation counter? | |||
|
| one of us |
| |||
|
one of us |
For the price, I really like the VX I 2-7 matte for $189. A whole lot of bang for the buck (excuse the pun). **************** NRA Life Benefactor Member | |||
|
| One of Us |
Let us ignore for a moment that we pay a bit more than what we would like to, and/or that we would have liked to have a few more features included in a particular model. How does a VX2 3 - 9 x 40 mm scope, for example, compare to what the snipers of WW2 used or even the Redfield's that the US Marine Corps used on their M700's not so long ago? Anyone old enough or curious enough to have done some comparisons? Chris | |||
|
| One of Us |
I think for the money, the 2-7 is a good value vs. double or much more for many higher end models they sell, perhaps one of the better one's for a simple no frills hunting scope suitable for most all shots short to long on game like deer. The bushnell elite 3200 2-7 is also good and I like the quick ez turn power knob better. I think the VX-1 is multi coated now, the Vx-2 fully coated perhaps, do get the rainguard on Elite scopes, perhaps worth considering. While hunting recently I can see that many shots can be had with a scope maxing at 7 or 8x on deer. Too many x's really makes field of view very narrow, and not enough light at dawn/dusk. Not sure what reticles and knobs etc were in Sniper scopes then, but there needs might differ than a hunter in some ways. Some hunters find it better to spend more time making shot, then turning to many knobs. A non AO mid range variable can help KISS, if not a fixed 4-6x. Just depends if you need flexibility where you hunt. | |||
|
| Powered by Social Strata |
 | Please Wait. Your request is being processed... |
|
Visit our on-line store for AR Memorabilia