high.
i wonder if the cheaper leupöld vx1 scopes are as good as the vx11 and vx111 series? what is the real difference between these modeles?
regards
yes

I think that most of the difference is in the lens coatings and the fact that the VX I scopes have friction adjustments while the VX IIs and VX IIIs are click adjustable. As you go from VX I to VX II to VX III the coatings are different and yield higher light transmission as you go up in model. Incidentally, I have an older (purchased 1996) Vari X-II that seem to me to be about indistinguishable from the newer VX I in that it has friction adjustments and standard coatings.

My father contacted leupold directly, and asked this very question. The answer he recieved was that all three models will handle shock equally, and are the same as far as durability is concerned. The real difference in them is the coatings and clearity in the glass.

I have not tried the VX-I or the VX-II personally. I only have the VX-III models, but I going to try a VX-II on my .458 so I will soon know if they will hold up.

The difference is primarily in features and availability of certain power ranges rather than in function.

Both the VX-I and the VX-II are based on the long-proven Vari-X design, "improved" through the years to make manufacture easier (cheaper), and in a few ways make it function slightly better.

The VX-III is based on the newer (but now thoroughly seasoned) Vari-X III design. It is only slightly different from the orginal Vari-X, but anecdotal instances indicate that the older design may be just a tad more resistant to recoil. I believe that this is largely due to a great many more III's being used on testosterone-laden calibers, thus offering more opportunities for failures than for the II's. Either should hold up as well or better than any scope available.

Leupold is attempting to justify the rather substantial difference in price between the lines on the basis of fifty cents worth of lens coatings. I've never seen a test run on the various models with any optical testing apparatus such as a light meter. Despite this you will hear various opinions as to the difference in the optical quality of the three lines. Without quantitative information it's difficult to tell you exactly what the differences are, but I can tell you this: Legal hunting hours in my state are from 1/2 hour prior to sunrise through 1/2 hour after sunset. The least expensive of the Leupold lines will allow you to effectively sight on game outside of the legal hours, so they are in effect exactly the optical equal to one another insofar as legal application.

Good optical glass and coatings are cheap these days. Everyone, including Leupold, makes a good telescope. Buy your scope based on the qualities you need for an optical gunsite like dependability, waterproofness, accuracy of adjustment, weight, compactness, eye relief, eye placement, etc.

Bottom line, the VX-I is perhaps the biggest bargain in a riflescope on today's market.

I have 2 VX I 's . Both 2x7s.

They are great scopes. Beter glass coating than the old VariX IIs. So I think they are a great bargin.

I have one VXII , Couple VariX IIs, Several VariX IIIs