Oh Goodness!!!

[Ian M]

Leupold VX-7 3.5-14x50mm scopes are amazing. Three turrets with the slickest idea - after turning the turret cap a certain amount outward it pops up and locks in the up position. Now you use the cap as a turret "handle" to put on clicks. No way to lose the cap, it does not remove. When finished you push down, re-engage threads and tighten into place.
This is a deluxe rig, comes with custom made metal magnetic front and rear lens covers that pop open, even one that fits inside the fast focus eyepiece.
More to come regarding optics, haven't shot this puppy yet but plan to soon.
They are premium scopes and priced appropriately. I am thinking the VX7 puts Leupold solidly into the realm of Swaro, Zeiss and S&B - plus an improved warrantee which sounds impossible given how good Leupold's current coverage is now.
30mm tube, 50mm objective, excellent matte finish, nice tactile feel on the turrets, glass looks very good, scope reeks of quality - like getting into a Lexus or Mercedes... Might have to talk to Grouper's uncle about borrowing his credit card tho - give it too big hits in one month /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[lerch]

yea there **** nice

We just got a couple in here at our shop, definantly one hell of a scope. I've been looking through the 3.5-14x50mm LR and i am really impressed. The turrets are a really slick design and the glass is very impressive. Good hunk o glass

take it easy
steve

 

[pinshootr]

pictures boy's, we need pics !!!!!!

 

[Ernie]

Lerch,
Initially, how do they compare with NF in the same power range?

 

[Jeff In TX]

This was a quote from MSN talking about the decline of General Motors. With a little word smithing much can be said about Leupold.

"But the most difficult challenge facing GM? Trying to convince the American consumer just how good the new products it's offering are. It does absolutely no good for GM's new products to be great in every respect if the American consumer public doesn't believe it or buy it. The negativity in the market that's eating away at GM is fueled by a 20-year period of mediocrity when GM built crappy cars with poor quality, uninspired designs and dismal reliability. And now that GM has seen the light and is finally building first-rate cars and trucks, it's finding it extremely tough to make inroads with American buyers. If GM can't make inroads with these consumers -- and can't change their negative perceptions -- then its market share threatens to plummet even further. "

Now let's give it a Leupold spin.

But the most difficult challenge facing Leupold? Trying to convince the American consumer just how good the new products it's offering are. It does absolutely no good for Leupold's new products to be great in every respect if the American consumer public doesn't believe it or buy it. The negativity in the market that's eating away at Leupold is fueled by a 10+ year period of mediocrity when Leupold built crappy scopes with poor quality, uninspired designs and dismal reliability. And now that Leupold has seen the light and is finally building first-rate scopes, it's finding it extremely tough to make inroads with American buyers. If Leupold can't make inroads with these consumers -- and can't change their negative perceptions -- then its market share threatens to plummet even further.

The new VX-7 is supposed to be quite a scope but it also comes with a more than $1000.00 increase over Leopold's current scope offerings. Leupold makes its bread and butter off the hunter class sportsman. In the tactical community Leupold has lost tremendous ground to many foreign and domestic scope manufactures that have listed to their consumer and built the products with the features they wanted.

Much like GM, Leupold has told the consumer the features they wanted and has been building crap for well over 10 years. Wanting to compete with US Optics, S&B, Zeiss, Nightforce and some of the other top builders is going to be an uphill battle for Leupold. Making their new VX-7 in the $1800.00 isn't going to help. The average hunter class sportsman isn't going to spend that kind of money on a scope. Those that will spend over $1K or more will go to the companies listed above.

When Leupold came out with something new like the VX-1, 2 & 3 series it was just the old Vari-x line with a new package number, but with a hefty price increase and a decrease in customer service. The tactical community was really screwed getting a Vari-X III as the new Mark 4 scope.

In a year from now Leupold is going to be scratching their heads like they currently are with the VX-L Eclipse scope line and wondering why the sales are way below projections and why the US market isn't buying into them.

I wish them luck, but it's in uphill battle. I doubt I'll ever own another Leupold.

 

[Alan Griffith]

Ian,

I've been looking at these a bit via the internet to include talking to the guys at Cabelas in Lehi, Ut and Leupold just yesterday. Their seem to be several qualities which seem appealing, especially the one time free trip to the custom shop for custom dials or engraving. I specifically asked about M1 dials and either the TMR or mil-dot reticle. The TMR was not an option. The mil-dot is, but at full cost ($200) and the M1 dials were doable but also at cost ($100 for elevation and $130 for elev and windage). This is the same cost of setting up a VXIII the say way. My dealer cost is about $350 more than setting up a VXIII in 4.5-14-40 the way I want it with the TMR and M1 dials. If I'm going to pay Leupold to set it up the way I want it I'm not going to do it at a total cost of $700 more than the next step down to a VXIII.

Is their "Speedial Adjustment System" dials conducive for us dial crankers?

I'm sure it will be a sweet scope.

 

[Ian M]

GSSP,
I am a turret-cranker like you and the truth is these new turrets do not have the tough, solid, accurate feel and clicks that a well-used M1 turret gets. They are not bad, and with use they will probably improve but they are not "crisp and snappy" like I prefer. Now in my opinion a new M1 turret can be a bit sluggish, the clicks are not sharp and crisp but shoot them enough and they break-in really nice. I was told this has to do with the fit of a rubber seal in the turret, whatever, there is a difference. I used to run my 16X turrets up and down, side to side for a half hour at a time to improve their "snappy-ness". My elevation turrets are always crisper than my windage turrets on my Mark 4 M1's since they get more use.

One thing I am not very impressed with is having to undo the parrallax turret housing to make a focus adjustment. The left side turret has the same housing as the elevation and windage. In my opinion this should be live or available all the time for long range use.

Optically, I believe they have a winner. Initial assessment indicates this is one sharp, bright instrument. I put it on a light custom .338 Win that has beat the heck out of me in the past, but it looks real fine for pictures. Will shoot it on a .308 and admit that I am a wimp.

I have some scopes in the same power range to compare the VX7 to, just need to find some time. Went shooting gophers yesterday - to have a soul-searching commune with nature - and my wife figured I was goofing-off... When you need some trigger-time you just plain got to scratch the itch. Itchin' bad these days since the nice weather has finally come to the wasteland.

 

[Dead Beat]

the last 5 scopes i bought 4 were lueupold and a cheap bushnell $100 its a on vanguard 270 win. still ok and holding its zero after 200 rounds!! the other 4 leupold two vx3 and two vx2. one of each had to be sent back go figure. i will continue to buy leupolds !!!and reason is the warrenty i sent in a 26 year old varix 2 it was the second scope i ever bought i used lock tite on everything even in the ring saddles it was a mess glue all over dings dent scratches they replaced the main tube and all the o rings and some other stuff no charge .the scope are less than a 2 years old

DB