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Leupold - worth my hard earned dollar?

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motoxleo View Drop Down
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    Posted: October/25/2017 at 06:25
Gentlemen

Im getting a 6.5 Creedmor. Looking for a scope for it.
Ill be honest I like simple duplex recticles. I dont know how to use mil dots effectively. Ive been looking at Leupold vx3i 6.5-20x duplex with CDS. But so many seem to give Leupold bad feedback.

~Ive got up to 1000$ to spend, less is ok.
~Im going to shoot mostly paper on 500+ yds.
~Occational hunt in low light.

There are so many options. Id appriciate if you could share your wisdom on this.

Many thanks
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote magshooter1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/25/2017 at 07:22
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supertool73 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote supertool73 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/25/2017 at 08:00
I have a vx6 and a vx5hd with cds and absolutely love them. I have stretched them out to 1000 yards and back and everywhere in netween and they are doing great. Most hunting scopes are set it and forget it. With the cds you get a low profile type hunting scope with the option to dial elevation changes. If you want to be accurate at mutiple distances its a must to be able to dial.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/25/2017 at 11:11
For a $1000, you can get a pretty nice scope and you can do better than VX3i.  I really like Leuoppld's newer products (VX-5 and VX-6, for example), but I am not nearly as impressed with most legacy designs, like VX-3i.

If you are shooting beyond 500 yards for the most part, you need to make sure you have accurate and repeatable turrets.

In the sub-$1k range there are a few good options, but for what you are describing, you should really be giving a very close look to Sightron SIII 6-24x50.  It has versions with both mrad and MOA turrets.  

ILya
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote supertool73 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/25/2017 at 11:41
for $1000 on a hunting rig, I would get the Leupold VX5 HD with ZL2 turret in 2-10x or 3-15x.  YOu can do those for $900ish on SWFA.  Or for $1000 you could do this, with the firedot reticle.  https://swfa.com/leupold-3-15x44-vx-5hd-30mm-riflescope-12.html
I have the 2-10 firedot ZL2 on my 6.5 creed and love it.  Spend 4 days hutning with it over the last weekend and it was perfect.  The 2x on the bottom end worked extremely well for the hunting I did in heavy trees.  I could pull up and follow deer running through the trees with no issue.  It heavy trees were not a norm for me I would have went 3-15x.  And the firedot illumination was awesome in low light.  Next to my trijicon scopes, it is the best illumination I have used. 

Plus you can get the awesome alumina flip up caps.  They worked excellent as well.


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motoxleo View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote motoxleo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/25/2017 at 13:34
Are you finding the mil dots or rads actually a useful tool or just cool?
No offense, Im maybe just old fashioned duplex guy.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Scrumbag Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/25/2017 at 16:07
A second vote for Meopta
Was sure I had a point when I started this post...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JGRaider Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/25/2017 at 16:33
I've been using a 2-12x42 VX6 CDS for 3-4 years now on a 7mag and it has performed great.  I'm not a perpetual turret spinner, but I do dial occasionally and it's always been repeatable with return to zero.  I've even taken it to Africa 3 times now and it's never need to be re-zeroed.  IMO it has the best duplex reticle made in a true hunting scope.  It is bold, not too bold, and very black and it remains black.  Glass is super good as well.  

I always get a kick out of those Leupold bashers on the 'net.  My buddy and I have killed several hundred inches of mule deer bucks with Leupolds, VX2's, VX3's, and VX6s.  Never had an issue.  Good luck!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/25/2017 at 22:37
JG, I would imagine that is mostly a testament to your skill as a hunter, not so much as a testament to the scope.

Either way, for the OP: VX-5HD that Supertool recommended is a nice scope, but if the bulk of what you plan to do is target shooting beyond 500 yards, there is really little downside to going for a bit more magnification.  As much as I like the new VX-5/6 HD rilflescopes, their higher magnificaiton models are beyond your budget.

Meopta does not really offer anything with the right magnification range you are looking for that also has sufficient adjustment range and exposed turrets.

I still think Sightron S3 is your best option.

ILya
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JGRaider Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/26/2017 at 09:13
Maybe so Ilya, but the point was that not all Leupy scopes fail to hold zero, fail to dial, or both, as many(not you)  on the internet would want you to believe.  
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/26/2017 at 13:17
Originally posted by JGRaider JGRaider wrote:

Maybe so Ilya, but the point was that not all Leupy scopes fail to hold zero, fail to dial, or both, as many(not you)  on the internet would want you to believe.  

That, I agree with.  Leupold builds good scopes and, as I said, I like the newer designs.  They are doing a lot of things right with them.

ILya
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Lockjaw Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/26/2017 at 16:02
I don't know what it is about a Leupold Scope, but to me, they just seem to work well. Every one I have ever peeked through has a nice eye box and its crystal clear. 

The VX1's now have the same coatings the VX3's had just a few years ago. So to me, that is a lot of scope for the money for your average person slapping a scope on a deer rifle and heading to the woods. A

After researching, mostly here, about a scope for my Marlin 336, I got the VX1 2-7x33. I liked it so much I put a 3-9x40 version on the AR15 I am letting my son hunt with this year. 

I have 2 monarchs, a Minox ZA5, and a Zeiss Duralyt on my other guns, but don't feel like I am giving the farm away using a VX1. And I do like the cds system. One of my Monarchs is a BDC, and while I like it ok, the CDS would seem to be a better way to go to me. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rancid Coolaid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/26/2017 at 17:31
I do not spend money on Leupold. I had several fail in a few ways while serving and - admittedly - it was a long time ago.

I hope their new stuff is good, but I won’t be spending money to find out.

My PH in South Africa told a story of a hunter arriving at camp, hadn’t zeroed scope, hadn’t shot the rifle at all, nada. After getting him set up on the range, they went out. A 62” kudu - or was it 64 - walked out at 50 yards, perfect broadside. The new hunter dropped it.

Sometimes it ain’t skill or scope or rifle or bullet, sometimes the gods just smile on you. I’ve had good gear fail, I’ve had crap gear not fail. I prefer to play the odds, knowing that sometimes the other guy gets his card on the river.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kickboxer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/27/2017 at 05:38

Originally posted by Rancid Coolaid Rancid Coolaid wrote:

I do not spend money on Leupold. I had several fail in a few ways while serving and - admittedly - it was a long time ago.

I hope their new stuff is good, but I won’t be spending money to find out.

My PH in South Africa told a story of a hunter arriving at camp, hadn’t zeroed scope, hadn’t shot the rifle at all, nada. After getting him set up on the range, they went out. A 62” kudu - or was it 64 - walked out at 50 yards, perfect broadside. The new hunter dropped it.

Sometimes it ain’t skill or scope or rifle or bullet, sometimes the gods just smile on you. I’ve had good gear fail, I’ve had crap gear not fail. I prefer to play the odds, knowing that sometimes the other guy gets his card on the river.

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