Hey everyone I had a chance to compare two similar new scopes in the same price range and since I had some questions before buying I thought I would share my impressions. I am absolutely no professional (this will be quickly apparent) and absolutely not affiliated with any company.
The scopes are a Vortex Viper 4-12x40 AO BDC and Leupold VX3i 4.5-14x40 Duplex.
My hunting is usually after big whitetail bucks who rarely show themselves and when they do it's usually pushing legal shooting light. So by far my biggest concern and main purpose of the evaluation was "light gathering ability" or brightness. We can hunting until 1/2 hr after sunset so I set out with them a few hours before what would be the end of legal shooting time although it won't be hunting season for seven excruciating months.
On first exterior impressions the Vortex seemed much more robust. The Leupold much more sleek and sophisticated. Personally I liked the exterior of the Vortex, I know from experience Leupolds are durable as hell but the Vortex just made me feel like I could mount it on a rocket launcher. I suspect most people would like the Leupold fit and finish as it is nice but the short tube made mounting a little bit of a pain. I also liked the functions of the Vortex more, again just more of a solid feel. Clicking the scope adjustments on the Vortex was like racking a pump shotgun, solid and left no doubt in my mind what had just happened. Again nothing wrong with the Leupold, just a softer feel. The Viper had the side focus which I realized in all my years I have never actually adjusted while hunting but I liked the option. Vortex came with those cheap bikini style lense covers, Leupold came with better cloth cover like a scope coat although it felt a little thin.
Looking through the scopes I liked both reticles. I feel it is important to point this out to a new scope buyer, look at the subtensions carefully before buying! I had a 4-16x44 Viper HS with the BDC reticle I simply didn't feel comfortable with because the crosshairs were too thin for my eyes even though it was comparable to my Swaro Z3 for brightness. The lower powered Vortex has slightly heavier subtensions which felt perfect. The Leupold Duplex was also perfect for me.
Getting behind both scopes was pretty easy. I had mounted the Viper a tish too far forward so this may have been a small part of my impression but I can say the eye box of the Leupold was easier for me. I had previously shot a cyote I had bumped while walking with my Vortex so I can tell you from real life situations it was still easy to snap into shooting position with it. But I felt like I could rappel inverted and shoot a cyote with the Leupold. It was almost as easy as my beloved Pentax Lightseeker 3-9x50. That lightseeker was just made for me, sweet eye box and spotlight bright. I had issues with it and Burris recently said it was beyond repair due to rust thus the evaluation of new scopes but I digress.. (notice those brands aren't being considered for my new scope)
The biggest part of the evaluation went to the Leupold. It was a touch brighter and a touch more clear. I looked into trees about 150 yards away with both scopes until two minutes past what would be legal shooting time (yes I'd wack a monster two minutes after legal light, com' on so would you LOL). I felt confident I could have put a bullet in a booner with either scope at that time but the Leupold in my opinion had the better glass. I don't feel either would keep a guy from shooting at the last minute but the Leupold might make it a touch easier to confirm the big buck was actually the big buck you were after and not some average sized imposter that will shrink when it hits the dirt.
There you have it, if you were considering these two mid ranged scopes and wanted a average hunter's impressions of them I hope it helped. If you wasted your time I apologize. I just felt I should try add a little after all the good info I have gotten from the forum.
Now if anyone has the same type of comparison between the VX3i and VX6 please share it!!
Keep the wind in your face, battle the buck fever and for god's sake if you shoot, shoot straight.
The scopes are a Vortex Viper 4-12x40 AO BDC and Leupold VX3i 4.5-14x40 Duplex.
My hunting is usually after big whitetail bucks who rarely show themselves and when they do it's usually pushing legal shooting light. So by far my biggest concern and main purpose of the evaluation was "light gathering ability" or brightness. We can hunting until 1/2 hr after sunset so I set out with them a few hours before what would be the end of legal shooting time although it won't be hunting season for seven excruciating months.
On first exterior impressions the Vortex seemed much more robust. The Leupold much more sleek and sophisticated. Personally I liked the exterior of the Vortex, I know from experience Leupolds are durable as hell but the Vortex just made me feel like I could mount it on a rocket launcher. I suspect most people would like the Leupold fit and finish as it is nice but the short tube made mounting a little bit of a pain. I also liked the functions of the Vortex more, again just more of a solid feel. Clicking the scope adjustments on the Vortex was like racking a pump shotgun, solid and left no doubt in my mind what had just happened. Again nothing wrong with the Leupold, just a softer feel. The Viper had the side focus which I realized in all my years I have never actually adjusted while hunting but I liked the option. Vortex came with those cheap bikini style lense covers, Leupold came with better cloth cover like a scope coat although it felt a little thin.
Looking through the scopes I liked both reticles. I feel it is important to point this out to a new scope buyer, look at the subtensions carefully before buying! I had a 4-16x44 Viper HS with the BDC reticle I simply didn't feel comfortable with because the crosshairs were too thin for my eyes even though it was comparable to my Swaro Z3 for brightness. The lower powered Vortex has slightly heavier subtensions which felt perfect. The Leupold Duplex was also perfect for me.
Getting behind both scopes was pretty easy. I had mounted the Viper a tish too far forward so this may have been a small part of my impression but I can say the eye box of the Leupold was easier for me. I had previously shot a cyote I had bumped while walking with my Vortex so I can tell you from real life situations it was still easy to snap into shooting position with it. But I felt like I could rappel inverted and shoot a cyote with the Leupold. It was almost as easy as my beloved Pentax Lightseeker 3-9x50. That lightseeker was just made for me, sweet eye box and spotlight bright. I had issues with it and Burris recently said it was beyond repair due to rust thus the evaluation of new scopes but I digress.. (notice those brands aren't being considered for my new scope)
The biggest part of the evaluation went to the Leupold. It was a touch brighter and a touch more clear. I looked into trees about 150 yards away with both scopes until two minutes past what would be legal shooting time (yes I'd wack a monster two minutes after legal light, com' on so would you LOL). I felt confident I could have put a bullet in a booner with either scope at that time but the Leupold in my opinion had the better glass. I don't feel either would keep a guy from shooting at the last minute but the Leupold might make it a touch easier to confirm the big buck was actually the big buck you were after and not some average sized imposter that will shrink when it hits the dirt.
There you have it, if you were considering these two mid ranged scopes and wanted a average hunter's impressions of them I hope it helped. If you wasted your time I apologize. I just felt I should try add a little after all the good info I have gotten from the forum.
Now if anyone has the same type of comparison between the VX3i and VX6 please share it!!
Keep the wind in your face, battle the buck fever and for god's sake if you shoot, shoot straight.
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