After about 8 months of waiting, I got a Christmas Present from Leupold! Or rather, Bethany (My 450 Dakota) got an unexpected Christmas Present from Leupold…

I had been working with Leupold to get, via the HEI program, a VX6 1-6x24 scope for Bethany. I had seen a prototype at the January SCI show in 2011. I ordered one via the program, but they were not available yet. Initially they were due middle of the year, then in September, then November, and finally Q1 2012.

All year I have been listening to Bethany whine and snivel about how she does not like her current VX3 1.5-5x24 scope and wanted the new VX6. You know how women are… Something about:
-All the other rifles in the cabinet who are ANYBODY, all have shiny new Leupolds on them
-How amazingly fast the target acquisition was with true 1x magnification which allows for the shooter to see front iron sight in full focus at the same time things 500 feet in the distance are also focus!
-How it can be easily used with both eyes open
-And most importantly, how TOTALLY much better the field of view would be given that at just 5 yards a full 6 feet is in the scopes FOV! And furthermore how at 100 yards her VX3 only has a measly 68 foot FOV whereas the VX6 has almost twice the FOV with an UNREAL 114 feet! More than any other Leupold scope!
-It also made her look fat (her words, not mine, I think she is beautiful)
Basically, If I really loved her, I’d get her a VX6. Sheesh! Such a princess

Anyway, I came home from work on the 22nd, and there was a package on my doorstep! Merry Christmas from Leupold! Finally there can be peace in the gun cabinet. I pulled out the 30mm quick release Tally rings that had been sitting in a drawer for 6+ months waiting for this day, lapped them and fit Bethany with her new scope. Victoria (a more practically minded 505 Gibbs that was up until now, scope-less) was the proud recipient of Bethany’s Vx3.

I simply love the new scope. I had a rather difficult time getting it sighted in though.

My in-laws were in town for Christmas and wanted to learn to shoot-having never fired rifles before. So the morning of Christmas Eve we headed over to Kenmore for a couple hours. I brought Bethany who was sporting her new scope. Once I got them set up on the .22 lr, and a 204 ruger, I snuck in a few rounds with Bethany. First shot at 100 yards was not on paper. I did it again with the same results. I removed the bolt and sighted down the bore, and when I moved to the scope, it too was pretty much on the bull’s-eye. I took aim at the bottom of the target and proceeded to cover the entire target with mud splatter. I took a few more shots and finally gave up for the day since I really needed to focus on the in-laws and we were on a timeline. Anyway, I got back to the range the following weekend and tried again-only at 50 yards this time (the range only has 50 and 100 yard options for close ranges). First shot, again, did not hit the target. I took a second shot low and saw dirt move in front of the target. Assuming I was low, I took aim at the top of the target holder and finally found the bottom of the target. So it was about 25 inches low at 50 yards. Two more shots and I was in the bull. I moved to the 100 yard range and adjusted down 3 inches to be dead on at 100 yards.
The first photo is the VX3, the second one is the VX6.
VX3:


New VX6:


So now I am all set to get moving on load development with the CEB Solid/NonCon combo.

OK, this is quite enough naming your CZ Bethany. Anyone who names a rifle with a feminine name is banned from this forum. Especially such an English derivative. Please, consider Ingrid, Sophia or Olga.

Stephen

Rob,

Some more bothersome verbiage. " I really needed to focus on the in-laws...." I would consider what a LEO might make of your innocent post. Just trying to be helpful.

Stephen

Olga is one of my 44 Rem Mags, Ingrid is pretty close to Inga which is another of my 44 Rem Mags. Sophia is too close to Sophie is my 257 Wby Mag (but that is for the medium bore forum I suppose...)

Keep trying though, always looking for new names. (one of my elk hunting buddies attempted to address a Christmas card to "Rob and Melissa".... I had to break it to him that Melissa was my Elk rifle, not my wife's name!)

with all the guns I have, You guys are getting me aroused. All my guns are "Baby". Naming them is getting a little bit out of my league.

I name all of mine rifle, shotgun, or pistol. I'm old and can't remember too many names. I will admit whats her name look good.

Dave

Very nice rifle/scope combo. Does the VX6 have the pop-up turrents of the VX7 series of scopes? I have a VX7 2.5-10 and was disappointed when Leupold discontinued them. I really liked the erectors on the VX7 --hope the VX6 has the same quality and sticks around for awhile.

I have a VX7 on my 22.250 as well. Very nice scopes. The pop up covers are neat.

The VX6 however does not have them. It comes with the CDS turrets so you can get custom dials created. I kinda like that.

Time will tell on Quality. I have run about 20 rounds of 450 Dakota through mine since I got it. So it passed the initial hazing. Time will tell if it can endure a long life on a big bore.

What is the "HEI" program? Just curious.

Sorry,

Hunters Education Instructor Program.

Leupold offers to active Hunters Education Instructors the option to buy one optic per year pretty much at dealer cost. Typically prices are 30 to 40% off suggested retail. Pretty sweet deal.

It's a great looking scope and a 450 Dakota is a dream calibre for a handloader. You can shoot 6000 ftlb to 8000 ftlbs as your heart desires.

They're not up on the Leupold site yet.
they only have a Mark 8 with 3.3" eye-relief (something that I would limit to 270//308).

Would you happen to know the eye-relief at 6-power? I'm guessing that the low magnification end will be comfortably over 4", like most of their other scopes.

They are in thier 2011 catalog, I'll try to get the stats when I get home tonight.

I don't think it was much better than the VX3's though.

Found this on optics planet:
Reticle: Duplex
Lens Coating: Xtended Twilight, Diamond Coat 2 and Edge Blackened Lenses
Adjustment Markings: Finger Adjustable, Pop up resettable (or rezero), 1/4 MOA per click
Main-tube Diameter: 30mm
Environmental Protection: 2nd Generation, Waterproof, Fog Proof
Eyepiece Design: 1-Turn Fast Focus
Actual Magnification: 1-6
Linear Field of View (ft @ 100yd): 223-39.2
Linear Field of View(m @ 100m): 74.3-13.1
Exit Pupil: 10-3.9mm
Weight: 13.4oz
Weight: 380g
Length: 10.7in
Length: 27.2cm
Mounting Space: 7.3in
Mounting Space: 18.5cm
Objective Aperture: 24mm
Eye Relief: 3.8in
Eye Relief: 95.5mm
Elevation Adjustment Range (MOA): 110
Windage Adjustment Range (MOA): 110

and for comparison, here is the VX3 1.5-5x20

VX-3 1.5-5x20mm
Length 9.5 in
Tube Length 5.5 in
Eyepiece Length 3.1 in
Objective Length
Objective Diameter 1 in
Eyepiece Diameter 1.6 in
Tube Diameter 1 in
Actual Magnification 4.5 (1.5)
FOV@100yds (ft) 23.8 (68.0)
FOV@100m (m) 7.9 (22.7)
Eye Relief (in) 3.7 (4.4)
Eye Relief (mm) 94(112)
Objective Clear Aperture 0.8 in / 20 mm
Weight 9.3 oz / 264 g
Elevation and Windage Adj. Range (MOA) 120

Thanks.

We've got 3.8" on our 416 Rigbys (at 8 power, on Nikon Monarch 2-8). It seems to be enough, though more might be useful and we're going up to 5" for a 500 AccR with a 1.65 to 5 power "Slughunter" Nikon.

In any case, the 1-6 power looks like a winner for a 460 weatherby (AKA 450 Dakota, without a belt), assuming that the 3.8" is the eye-relief at 6 power and a little longer at lower magnification.

Yeah, I have come close to popping myself in the eye with the vx3. I have not shot the vx 6 enough to know if it will be similar.

What I really like about this scope it the FOV. I think that is a typo in the stats I published, I don't think it has 223 feet at 100 yards. I think the catalog published 114 feet which seems about right. But 114 feet is pretty amazing-especially compared the the 68 feet on the VX3.

Which reticle is your VX6 equipped with? Duplex or Leupolds version of German #4?

Hope it all holds up, I have broke two Leupolds, one is still in being serviced. I have also broke a top screw in both a Talley ring and a Warne ring all on my 450 Ultra Magnum.

quote:

Originally posted by SMACK!!!!:
Hope it all holds up, I have broke two Leupolds, one is still in being serviced. I have also broke a top screw in both a Talley ring and a Warne ring all on my 450 Ultra Magnum.

Interesting comment on rings.

We broke a clamping plate on a Talley ring last year. A call to Talley rectified eveything. They even sent two of the little plates to us in Tanzania and everything worked and looks fine. The rifle is a 416 Rigby, shooting 350 grain bullets at 2800-2900fps (6000+ ftlbs.) The 416Rigby is not the same as a 450 but in the ballpark when loaded hot (i.e., to its natural capacity [similar to 416Weatherby], not to the "1911 book standard').

Two years ago I busted a Tikka aluminum ring on a little 338 WM. The retaining pin on the front ring bent out the back of the ring. Tikka immediately sent a replacement, but on second thought I bought steel Warne rings for the lightweight 338 since I didn't want to risk a repeat sometime out in the field.

In general, I've only busted scopes, I've never had trouble with rings/mounts. And then two mishaps in two years.

I got the Leupold version of the German #4 on mine-I like it so far.

I hope it holds up too. I am packing the VX3 along with me as a backup. I have the QR rings on both of them so it is a fast swap should one fail.

I'd need to check, but I think my rings are Talley QR rings. I had not thought about the rings breaking (great, one more thing to worry about!!).

I guess I'm not too worried about it in the grand scheme. I'll use quality gear and get it broken in before the hunt and hope for the best. I supose I can test the zero after sighting in at camp and after using it in the field with my Leupold bore sighter - just make sure it holds the same point on the grid before and after the shot. Other than that, it's in the hands of God!