Let me say first off that I am a great fan of Leupold scopes. I have used their service department and that alone makes the scope worth the money.

However, I have a new VX I 3x9. Compared to my older Vari X II, it isn't any where near the optical quality. It's most telling at the range. The older scope is much crisper and I'm able to see the target better, and it has been treated to the same kind of abuse that EXPRESS stated, it gets wiped off with whatever is handy in the field. The scope has sat atop 2 300 Weatherby's, a 338 Win Mag, and has been to Alaska 5 times, for a total of 10 weeks of hunting there. Many times the weather was horrible, and it has never let me down. To me, that's more important than optical quality. It absolutely has to be as reliable as possible. I've had trouble with other brands, and won't go back to them. I have no qualms what so ever about setting a scope I'm going to use for hunting in a bucket of water. If it leaks, better to find out at home, rather than a 100 miles away from Nome Alaska.

The newer scope just isn't as bright, but, it works just fine. I don't spend much time looking through scopes in the field, and haven't ever had a problem with them because it was to dark. In America, if it's to dark, you are generally past legal shooting times.

I'm still a Leupold believer, but will probably step up to the VX II next time.

Savage99: I so often find your posts contrary and out of touch with reality!
I certainly hope you do not mind me making that observation!
I again find myself in wonderment as to what kind of Big Game you are shooting at all the time up there near the sun? Terradactyls?
Now I have used Leupold scopes since the early 1960's and have yet to notice your oft described brownouts!
Am I not aiming directly enough into a bright enough sun on my Terradactyl Hunts?
So what - even if the crosshairs do somehow turn brown?
Do they not contrast well enough for you against what ever Big Game Animals you are Hunting?
I have never, ever, heard a credible, experienced Big Game Hunter complain about Leupolds crosshairs turning brown! Nor have I experienced it myself
I have shot all manner of Big Game at all hours of the day and I have yet to be impacted in any way by the "browning" of my various Leupold scopes crosshairs!
If you consider this "browning" that YOU claim is impacting your Big game Hunting, and is in fact a detriment somehow then you go right ahead and trade off those sub standard Leupolds! Its your right and duty.
And I hope you do well in the upcoming Terradactyl season!
Leupolds perform better in low light, bright light, rain snow or foggy conditions than 98% of other brands of scopes I have used! And in my 45 years of Big game Hunting those conditions are much more prevelent than aiming into the sun trying to down those Terradactyls!
Are you sure Savage99 you are not just being contrary for contraries sake?
I just returned, Savage99, from my gun vault where I took out and tested 3 Big Game Rifles all scoped with Leupold variable powered scopes. I pointed them very close to the sun and none had the crosshairs turn "brown"! One scope was a 4.5x14, one a compact 3x9 and one a 8.5x25. I have to admit I simply could get exactly none of those scopes to change from black Du-plex's to brown!
Are you sure you have changing colors in your Leupolds crosshairs?
I have at least 40 Leupolds on various Rifles right now and I have never noticed them performing below par in low sun, bright sun or shadowy conditions!
I will say this on many of my Varmint Rifles equipped with Leupold scopes I have sun shades but these come into use more often for lense protection than diminishing sun glare (let alone browning crosshairs!).
Now back to what you may or may not be trying to imply regarding the fine Leupold scope line. I have virtually never been unable to make a shot I wanted to on a Big Game animal due to low sun glare. Again this may or may not be what you are alluding to but I will address it anyway. Say we are out on the high plains and the sun is just coming up or going down (my favorite times to Hunt Big Game by the way) and of all the directions one could spot ones desired quarry the chosen target is right in line with the rising or setting sun! Dang the luck. Yep glare can make it difficult to clarify the sight (crosshair) alignment on the game. This situation is VERY Rare! And let me remind you I have Hunted all manner of Big Game for 45+ years and have had to deal with it just a few times! And deal with it I have. One way is to cover the objective lens with a sunshade to begin with or place ones hand or hat in front of the scope (assuming you have a good rest for the Rifle already) to the point it removes the glare yet allows the sight to be correctly aligned. I suppose if the conditions were absolutely perfectly aligned to where it was impossible to align the sights correctly due to the animal being exactly in line (up and down - left and right!) with the rising or setting sun then the Hunter would have to pass on the shot! Safety concerns and trophy identification would preclude trying this shot under those never observed conditons by me! Let me repeat - I have never had to pass up a shot on my intended quarry due to this circumstance!
Seems like a feeble attempt at besmirching Leupolds to me.
Along those lines why in the world would you buy more (you use the plural - in "upgrading my scopes") of a product you feel is inferior to begin with?
Along those lines just exactly WHICH product would allow you to make that shot on that perfectly aligned head of Big Game and the sun?
You mentioned seeing into the shadows as being a "weakness" of the Leupold line! Again I strongly disagree with that contention! I Hunt Elk, Whitetails and spring Bear that are often found in shadows! The Leupold line excells in this endeavour - in my experiences anyway! And let me remind you that I have been using Leupolds for about 45 years now!
Your contentions, to me Savage99, are so out of touch with reality that they are bordering on slanderous!
They are just now predicting more snow for the opener of the 6 week long Elk, Bear, Deer and Mt. Lion season that starts here day after tomorrow, in the Rocky Mountains of Montana. Both my main go to Big Game Rifle and my Big Game back up Rifle are scoped with durable, reliable, weatherproof and black crosshaired Leupolds! And most of my many Hunting partners choose to stick with the Leupold line themselves! That sun really hangs low mornings and evenings for long periods of time during our October 24th through November 28th Big Game season! I have no hesitations what so ever using my Leupolds for Hunting Big Game during this time period.
Ever ask your self why so many Hunters choose Leupold?
I don't think its because the crosshairs turn brown! I think its because they work in all conditions - reliably!
Good luck on your high flying (up by the sun!) Terradactyl Hunts with whichever scope YOU choose to use!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

You can't look into the sun with a Leupold. The crosshairs turn brown and fade also. Looking into the sun and trying to see in the shadows is a great weakness of that brand.



The Euro scopes that I have are better at that but they are bigger and cost more. For the money a Leu gets you there and back most of the time.



I am upgrading from Leu but now I want smaller scopes and the Euro's seem to only want to make big ones.