Leupold vx3

K

kmaysob

New member
Im planning to buy the vx 3 in 6.5x20-50 fine duplex come tax time. Ive looked at it several times and it seems like it will fit the bill. I was wondering if any of you guys have this same one and how you like it. I tried a search but came up empty handed. Any dislikes? This will be my first leupold.
 
I have the vx3 in 3.5-10-40 and I have no complaints at all. I got a very reasonable price on it and am more than happy with the quality. It has the target turrets and a mil dot reticle which i consider to be very nice features. It is by far the nicest scope I own at the time. I'm sure you would be happy with this scope. what do you plan to put it on?
 
I too have the VX-3 3.5-10X40mm scope for past couple years.
It is a great scope and I like it a lot but I just recently came accross Bushnell 4200 series 3-9X40mm scope. I checked them side-by-side and I personally think the quality of Bushnell optics is better/higher than the Leupold at about half the price. I ended up buying two Bushnells.
 
I'd way until SHOT and let them release their newer scopes so the price might get pushed down. Leupold has re-entered the game with all the new Mark 8 and Mark 4 series (the 3,000$ ones)

Here's a list that SWFA gave us over at the hide, of what leupold is introducing at SHOT
Leupold
VX-I entire line replaced by VX-1
VX-II entire line replaced by VX-2
VX-6
VX-6 1-6x24mm (30mm) CDS, Matte, (Duplex, German #4 Dot, Illum. Duplex, Illum. German #4 Dot, Illum. Circle Dot, $799.95 - $899.95
VX-6 2-12x42mm (30mm) CDS, Matte, (Duplex, Boone & Crockett, Illum. Duplex, Illum. LR Duplex, Illum. German #4 Dot), $899.95 - $999.95
VX-6 3-18x44mm (30mm) Side Focus CDS, Matte, (Fine Duplex, Illum. Duplex, Illum. Boone & Crockett), $999.95 - $1,099.95
VX-6 3-18x50mm (30mm) Side Focus CDS, Matte, (Fine Duplex, Illum. Duplex, Illum. Boone & Crockett, Illum. German #4 Dot), $1,099.95 - $1,199.95
VX-6 4-24x52mm (34mm) Side Focus CDS, Matte, (Fine Duplex, Illum. Boone & Crockett, Illum. Varmint Hunters), $1,299.95 - $1,399.95
Mark 6
Mark 6 1-6x20mm (34mm) 7.62 M6C1, Matte, Illum. Front Focal CMR-W, $1,949.95
Mark 6 1-6x20mm (34mm) 5.56 M6C1, Matte, Illum. Front Focal CMR-W, $1,949.95
Mark 6 1-6x20mm (34mm) M6C1, Matte, lllum. Front Focal TMR, $1,949.95
Mark 6 3-18x44mm (34mm) M5B2, Matte, Front Focal CMR-W, $2,199.95
Mark 6 3-18x44mm (34mm) M5B2, Matte, Front Focal TREMOR 2, $2,549.95
Mark 6 3-18x44mm (34mm) M5B2, Matte, Front Focal H-58, $2,549.95
Mark 8
Mark 8 CQBSS 1.1-8x24mm (34mm) M5B1, Matte, Illum. Front Focal Mil Dot, $3,599.95
Mark 8 CQBSS 1.1-8x24mm (34mm) M5B1, Matte, Illum. Front Focal H-27D, $4,599.95
Mark 8 3.5-25x56mm (35mm) M5B2, Matte, Illum. Front Focal Mil Dot, $3,299.95
Mark 8 3.5-25x56mm (35mm) M5B2, Matte, Illum. Front Focal H-58, $3,399.95
VX-R Zombie
1.25-4x20 Green Dot Illum., Zombie Graphics, BDC Dials for Hornady Zombie Max .223 and .308, .10 Mil, $599.95
 
I have the previous generation scope, being a VariX-III in 6.5X20X50 with the 30mm tube and the fine crosshairs. I absolutely love that scope. It's on my 220 Swift. Seems like most of my coyote shots are during fading daylight, and I can see coyotes and crosshairs till very late. I've often wondered if the 30mm tube is the reason for that.
 
Leupolds older model scopes don't have the greatest glass until you get up in the MK4 line IMO. I'm not saying the glass isn't good because it is, i just think the tactical line is a step above. The 30mm tube helps 10 fold at low lowlight. My MK4 M2 2.5-8x36mm is much clearer and brighter than my dads VX-III 4.5-14x50mm. My zeiss Conquest is better than both of them and right with my USO SN-3. Zeiss just has the better glass when compared to their older optics. But like i said leupold has turned over a new leaf since last year and i'm eager to see what they've done. Their new VX-R and VX-R patrol series is interesting all of them have 30mm tubes and i looked through a 3-9x40mm (non patrol) and it was ok. But i think that their glass on their tactical scopes is usually a step above the regular hunting line in the same price range. I plan on putting the VX-R patrol 3-9x40mm on my youth model .243.

It's also about damn time they switched to Mil/Mil preferences instead of having a Mil reticle and MOA adjustments.

As i said wait until SHOT passes by and see if the price goes down. If it doesn't, get a VX-6 or something out of their new lineup for the same.
 
I'm sure Blackops is right about the Leupold tactical line of scopes being a step up in quality from the VXIII, but quite honestly...how much scope is enough and how much is too much? That has been debated endlessly here, but always has to be decided by the buyer. Some folks think $100 is about right for a scope and some want the very absolute best and don't care about price. I don't need a $2400 scope to hit a coyote that's 400 yards from me. I'm doing just fine with what I've got. One of the most recent coyote shots was about 325 yards. He was laying in the grass on the other side of my pasture, tongue hanging out and it looked to me like he was smiling. I was at 20 power on the Leupold and my old Swift wiped the smile right off his face. I will have to admit that if he was at 600 yards, and I had that $2400 scope with the BDC turrets, it would have been a doable shot if I could read the wind. I probably couldn't make that shot with the scope I have now. So, bottom line is - what do ya really need? That's not the same as what some of you really WANT. The only change I'd like to have on my Leupold is the Varmint shooter BDC crosshairs that are offered in the VXIII, but truth is that I really don't need it for anything under 400 yards or so.

And that suggestion about waiting till after the SHOT show is a very good one. I suspect that Nightforce and some of the other top of the line scope makers have probably put some pressure on Leupold to come up with more and better tactical scopes or lose marketshare. That's going to be good for us, the consumer, as the new and better innovations work their way down the food chain into the VXIII and maybe the VXII lines. Start putting money into those hidden jelly jars...:D
 
What is / when is the shot show? I had planned mid to late feb when i get my tax return. I plan to buy it, leupold mounts, and a 4" sunshade
 
For the record my USO was 2280$ ;)

But like you said 603 for hitting coyotes thats not needed. I have it on my bolt rifle where it will be needed in the future. Other than the PST series, finding a optic with FFP, Zero stop, Mil/Mil adjustments, and illumination and a good reticle is pretty expensive.

I wasn't attempting to down the VX-III by any means, my friend runs those on his rifles when we shoot together, my dad has one. They're great quality scopes. I was just simply stating my opinion from my experience.

SHOT is jan 17-20th

http://www.shotshow.org/
 
im looking at about 1200 before discount on the vx3, ill wait for the shot show anyways as i wont have my taxes till mid feb. i plan to shoot around 1000 yards eventually.
 
Blackops, I didn't take any offense at all, and you didn't say a thing that I disagreed with. I look at those Tactical Leupolds and the Nightforce scopes like I used to look at Baywatch (flared nostrils and oozing testoterone), but I just can't bring myself to spent that kind of money. Like I said, I'm good to 400 or maybe 450 if I know the distance and the wind isn't too high. There are a few scopes now that I'd swap for that aren't crazy priced. Leupold has those new ones with the squeeze adjustable turrets that I think are for BDC. I'd go for the 6.5X20X50 with those turrets, the 30mm tube and the fine crosshairs. That would make me 'good' at 500 yards, where the pasture stops and the treeline starts. If I really had the need, I'd spend the money. Heck...I wish I had the need, but all I have is the 'want'.
 
if you plan to shoot out past 7-800 yards a typical hunting scope like a vx3 will not have enough ajustment built into it. For that kind of work you need a dedicated long range scope.
 
QUOTE

if you plan to shoot out past 7-800 yards a typical hunting scope like a vx3 will not have enough ajustment built into it. For that kind of work you need a dedicated long range scope.

END QUOTE

They make scope bases with 10, 20 and 30 MOA angle built in.
 
the vx3 being a 30mm wont have enough adjustment? ive heard of guys running out of adjustment at 600 with a 1'' tube but i would have figured 30mm would get me there
 
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