Leupold vx 3 6.5-20x50

savage7mag

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Joined
Feb 15, 2011
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18
What do you guys think of this scope? I have never had a scope that I used to dial windage or elevation before before but have always had Leupold glass and this looks like a good value. I can get this scope for about 720$ before shipping. Any other suggestions around this price range?

Thanks.
 
I am not sure on the pricing of the scope, but i would look around and then you will know if its a good deal. As far as the scope goes, i have had great luck with the leupolds. If you are going to be dialing with it, i would make sure it has m1 turrets (my preference only). if it does not have them, they can be added by leupold. i just got back a vx-1 i sent in to have the m1 turrets added and it cost me 129.99. that included the shipping back to me.

good luck
 
Its the best price I have found on it. It comes with the tall target turrets, not the M1 turrets. Thanks, the only thing I was worried about was the tracking, I have heard mixed things about leupolds tracking.
 
Jon, I have always had and liked Leupold products and have never had to use their customer service but have heard many many stories about how great it is. When I wanted a new scope I Looked Leupold first. What exactly do you think is better about the vortex? They are right in that same price range. Thanks for your input.
 
Looked at that vortex online. pros: zero stop, max power 24 instead of 20, reticle, a little cheaper.
Cons: Never owned Vortex, only 65 Moa of elevation adjustment instead of 90.

24 instead of 20 does not seem like an issue to me. Probably never use all 65 MOA of elevation, also a not a huge issue.

My main issue is I like the zero stop and reticle but am infamiliar with the product and brand.
 
What do you guys think of this scope? I have never had a scope that I used to dial windage or elevation before before but have always had Leupold glass and this looks like a good value. I can get this scope for about 720$ before shipping. Any other suggestions around this price range?

Thanks.
I have several. Leupold won't let you down
Cheap will always be cheap
buy good for the long haul


We have no problem with those who sell for less, for they know what their product is worth
 
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Looked at that vortex online. pros: zero stop, max power 24 instead of 20, reticle, a little cheaper.
Cons: Never owned Vortex, only 65 Moa of elevation adjustment instead of 90.

24 instead of 20 does not seem like an issue to me. Probably never use all 65 MOA of elevation, also a not a huge issue.

My main issue is I like the zero stop and reticle but am infamiliar with the product and brand.
You hit most of them. The more versatile power range means the PST basically covers the Leupold 6.5-20 and 8.5-25X both in one scope. The target turrets on the one you're looking at aren't nearly as nice as the M1's or PST turrets. The TMR reticle is nice but you can't get it for that price. They have no reticle to match MOA knobs, to get matching Mil/Mil you need to get the M5....

The way I look at it, the PST of mine is basically equivalent to the 8.5-25X50 MKV ER/T Leupold. Except it has a much better lower end magnification. And it has a zero stop. And it has illumination. And it cost about 1/2 as much.

If you qualify for the 40% military discount on the Leupold, then it's a much harder question.
 
It has many cool features, my problem is if it such a great scope and so superior to Leupold then why does it cost so little? and why does no one I know have one? It definitely has hands down a lot more features. It just seems to good to be true almost and the fact that I don't know anyone personally who has one worries me. If these scopes are so great and so cheap why doesn't everyone use them?

Im not trying to start a ****ing contest or say you don't know whats going on,just want to make a good buy and it seems odd to me.
 
Im sure the vortex warranty in the states is similar to the one in canada but as far as warranty goes on the vortex it is a good if not better than the leupold warranty from what i hear. I work at a hunting store and the sales rep told us that any problems for whatever reason whether its your fault or manufacturers defect you send it back and they either fix the scope or replace it. Second i have not looked through the vortex pst but have had the chance to examine the viper which is a step down and it seems very comparable to the VX-II. I have had mark 4 scopes in the past and they were good but i was still looking for something more for the $1900-$1400 that you pay for them. The best feature i like about the vortex is the zero stop and matching reticle to turrets :). I have yet to try the vortex pst but have ordered the vortex razor hd 5-20x50. I was a little skeptical about switching from leupold to vortex but i read alot of reviews and heard nothing but good things about the vortex so i decided to try it. I use these scopes for hunting like a lot of other guys so the zero stop is big in my books and that was the downfall of the mark 4 along with the tmr reticle in mils. Just my opinion hopefully this helps but i definitely think they are worth a shot.
 
if it such a great scope and so superior to Leupold then why does it cost so little?
The better question, which I and so many others have been asking for years now, is why do Leupolds cost so much? They didn't used to. Quality hasn't dramatically improved or anything. Same old scopes at new, higher prices. While they have FINALLY listened about FFP and matching clicks, they've cranked the prices up on those even higher, and still can't illuminate them.

Especially in the case of the MK IV's which, unless you're talking about an original like the fixed 10X are basically VXIII's with M1 knobs and a reticle. And they're asking Nightforce money for them these days. If you're going to spend Nightforce money, why not buy a Nightforce? Or an IOR, or Razor, etc....

So it shouldn't be surprising that other companies like Vortex, Sightron and even Weaver can put out comparable scopes (even better in some ways) for a lot less money and other companies like NF, IOR, SWFA (and even Premier soon) can put out much better scopes for the same money.
and why does no one I know have one? It definitely has hands down a lot more features. It just seems to good to be true almost and the fact that I don't know anyone personally who has one worries me. If these scopes are so great and so cheap why doesn't everyone use them?
That's because only a few people in the country have had one for any length of time. They are now finally shipping in quantity so hopefully the backorders will be filled pretty soon. There should be a deluge of reviews soon enough.

The other answer to that is a whole lot of people who used to use Leupold nearly exclusively no longer are. People who have tried and used different stuff have often decided they can get more value for their dollar somewhere else. The average hunter who only shoots a box of ammo a year at 100 yds obviously won't notice any of these things because they don't require them.

any problems for whatever reason whether its your fault or manufacturers defect you send it back and they either fix the scope or replace it.
Yeah, it doesn't get any better than Vortex's warranty. You hear all the time on regular hunting boards of Leupold replacing scopes with new ones when they didn't have to...but it's usually on a $300 scope. You don't hear of them doing that for one of their $1500 tactical scopes.
 
Well thanks for the info guys, I think I will wait until I can actually hold one at my local Sportsmans to buy and keep doing research in the mean time. I will have a hard time dropping 900$ for something I have never seen. I'm going to keep looking but if I can hold it and look through it and it feels like a quality product I think ill probably pick one up. If anyone has any more input or knows where I could see one around the Boise area let me know.
 
The better question, which I and so many others have been asking for years now, is why do Leupolds cost so much? They didn't used to. Quality hasn't dramatically improved or anything. Same old scopes at new, higher prices. While they have FINALLY listened about FFP and matching clicks, they've cranked the prices up on those even higher, and still can't illuminate them.

Especially in the case of the MK IV's which, unless you're talking about an original like the fixed 10X are basically VXIII's with M1 knobs and a reticle. And they're asking Nightforce money for them these days. If you're going to spend Nightforce money, why not buy a Nightforce? Or an IOR, or Razor, etc....

So it shouldn't be surprising that other companies like Vortex, Sightron and even Weaver can put out comparable scopes (even better in some ways) for a lot less money and other companies like NF, IOR, SWFA (and even Premier soon) can put out much better scopes for the same money.

That's because only a few people in the country have had one for any length of time. They are now finally shipping in quantity so hopefully the backorders will be filled pretty soon. There should be a deluge of reviews soon enough.

The other answer to that is a whole lot of people who used to use Leupold nearly exclusively no longer are. People who have tried and used different stuff have often decided they can get more value for their dollar somewhere else. The average hunter who only shoots a box of ammo a year at 100 yds obviously won't notice any of these things because they don't require them.


Yeah, it doesn't get any better than Vortex's warranty. You hear all the time on regular hunting boards of Leupold replacing scopes with new ones when they didn't have to...but it's usually on a $300 scope. You don't hear of them doing that for one of their $1500 tactical scopes.

Whole Lotta BS here.
no one has moved away from Leupold because of quality. Price maybe. They pay American wages.
Another scope that is very good is Nikon Buckmaster 6x18 side focus if you are watching your pennies.
Do not believe everything you read on forums. There is a lot of myths perpetuated by armchair shooters hiding out under the anonymity of the internet.
Sorry for the rant. I have several Leupold Long Range, Side Focus, target/varmint scopes
nuff said
 
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At 4 posts you just insulted captain Jon a military man. Who probably has given the most detailed and honest scope advise on this forum,as on person. I and others could nick name him the "scope eater'' He has owned and tested most of the scopes out there. I agree as many probably do with him,I also have many Leupolds.In a conversation with a friend the other day. I brought up my mark4, on a light weight,larger bore, this guy has 3 similar in same caliber 338. His friends mark4 lasted 200 rnd.first failer, then made it to 80 next go. Did not make me feel to good about the $1700 I just spent on my M4. pS Im not a arm chair guy either, spent over 160 days in the field last 3 seasons
 
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