Can you all stand yet another VS WWTB optics thread?

[DartonJager]

I hope so.
Have my scope choice down to either a Leupold VX-5 HD 3-15x44 with the HTMR reticle at $1k
or the Zeiss V4 4-15x44 with the #94 Z-MOA 2 reticle at $900
Prices are so close to be a non factor. I will say up front I really like the fact the VX-5 has a locking elevation turret and the Ziess does not, and I also like the fact the parallax adjustment on the Leopold is labeled in yards and the Zeiss is not.
So I feel the VX-5 looks like it is the over all better deal.

Can anyone give me a reason I should buy the Ziess V4 instead of the VX5?

 

[Quintus]

I love my VX5s.

 

[Ross1147]

Haha, give it 5 or so replies and all the Leupold haters will come out. I have 2 VX-6HDs, a VX-5HD, a VX-3i CDS, and a VX-R. I vote Leupold!

 

[DartonJager]

I also own no less than 5 Leupolds. All sit atop currently or at one time or another scope killing shoulder ponding busing/blackening tooth loosening (338wm, 300wsm, 300wm, 7mmstw, magnum rifles), 12ga 3.5" magnum turkey guns (now you're taking some FORREAL recoil), 12 ga slug guns, and a inline smokeless ML with recoil equal to a 375 H&H. I also own Bushnell Elite 4200's, and WGS. All have served me superbly.
BUUUUUUT none are of a tactical design all are set and for get scopes. I did use my 4.5-14 WGS to do some dialing out to 500 yards and it worked quite surprisingly well.
As far as durability. I once dropped my NEF 920 Tracker a heavy bull barreled single shot 12ga slug gun that weighs at if not over 10lbs that first landed on the shooting bench dead on the scope, as i tired desperately to grab it I succeeded in slapping it away and it again landed on the concrete floor at the shooting range again mostly on the Vari-XII that sat on it putting more than a few dents and scratches on the both the scope and the gun while simultaneously loosing into the air an immeasurable amount of obscenities' from yours truly. That scope held zero then and for many 100's of additional 12ga magnum slug and turkey rounds since that day.

I am approaching this with as open a mind as I can.

This scope will be my first with turrets designed and intended to be dialed for W&E.

 

[Ross1147]

I think that's where most people dislike the Leupold. In a hunting setting it gets dialed a few times a year to ensure dope and while hunting. I've dialed my VX-5HD (on a 6.5-06AI) the most and have had zero issues with it returning to zero. But I've never shot PRS style shooting or any shooting that requires multiple fast shots requiring repeated dialing. So no help there?

 

[DartonJager]

I think that's where most people dislike the Leupold. In a hunting setting it gets dialed a few times a year to ensure dope and while hunting. I've dialed my VX-5HD (on a 6.5-06AI) the most and have had zero issues with it returning to zero. But I've never shot PRS style shooting or any shooting that requires multiple fast shots requiring repeated dialing. So no help there?

Thank you for mention that fact.
I should've included the scope will do double duty as a hunting scope and a fun long range steel plate killer scope as I will have to shoot A LOT at long range to become proficient at long range. So no it won't be getting dialed and used like a scope sitting on a PRS rifle but it will get some considerable use dialing for long range as would be expected.

But I can not imagine any scope company producing a scope like a VX5 or V4 that can not reliably dialed to the degree of frequency one would need to become proficient for a hunting application rifle for taking loner range shots while hunting.
At least I certainly hope not.

I plan on using a 308win to learn long range with. By long range I hope to become proficient on game to 600-700 yards and have fun with steel to 1k.

 

[General RE LEE]

Love my VX5HDs. In a matter of fact I prefer my 3-15 VX5HDs to a 3-18 VX6HD I owned. The VX5HD has the same glass and a ever so slightly wider FOV than the VX6HD I owned.

 

[lancetkenyon]

The way you are fawning over your Leupolds, sounds like you have your personal choice already set. For $1k, they are hard to beat.

Just because the parallax knob has yardage markers means nothing if it doesn't fit with your vision, and the diopter is not set for you. My scopes with yardage are rarely exactly accurate. 200 is more like 225, 500 is more like 600, etc.

Pick the reticle you like best, on the scope with the features you like best, and run it

 

[mercerbear]

I can't speak for the Zeiss but I really like the VX-5-HDs and VX-6HDs that I own. I haven't had any issues with dialing repeatability for steel shooting. I don't shoot PRS. Steel out to 800 and never an issue.

 

[Jakeweb09]

I have a v4 and v6 and love both of them but have definitely looked at this range of leupolds. I will say both my Zeiss scopes have dialed quite a bit and they've always been spot on. The glass on the v4 is not what is in the v6 by any stretch but I think they both punch above their perspective price points. One thing I don't see get mentioned often is the Zeiss power ring is in the opposite direction of most so if you are used to one direction it might throw you off. Both are gonna be solid performers so I'd pick the one that best suits your needs and has the reticle you like to stare at the most

 

[Nevrsummr]

Between my 2 shooting/hunting buddies and i we own 5 of these 5HD or 6HD leupolds. All in B&C reticle. At the time, we liked the idea of using hatches for quick shots and dialing if we had time.

When you really get down to it and start learning about / taking into account variables. We have all come to the conclusion that the extra money we spent for that special reticle was not worth it on a 2nd focal plane scope. Same with custom dials. Weather,elevation (or air pressure),and zoom all change the distance those hatches represent. Lance's post on paralax is also true, numbers arent accurate.

That being said. They have proven themselves to be good scopes. Very clear. Hold a zero and return to zero. And the price is decent. Were i to buy again it would be a simple illuminated duplex reticle like warpig usually offers for around 800 sometimes less. Then some flip caps. For the money/weight they are hard to beat. If i had more money to spend i would be looking at high end zeiss,atacr,or swaro.

Hope that helps

 

[DartonJager]

The way you are fawning over your Leupolds, sounds like you have your personal choice already set. For $1k, they are hard to beat.

Just because the parallax knob has yardage markers means nothing if it doesn't fit with your vision, and the diopter is not set for you. My scopes with yardage are rarely exactly accurate. 200 is more like 225, 500 is more like 600, etc.

Pick the reticle you like best, on the scope with the features you like best, and run it

I'd have to say I fall short of deserving the term "fawning" as I Openly admit both my Bushnell 4200's (I own 4) and my WGS's (I own 4 also) all have been subjected to the same recoil abuse and hard use as my Leupolds and have held up perfectly and bolth the 4200 and WGS track more accurately and consistently than my Leupolds VariX-II's and VariX-III's and the glass IMHO is better and the diopter is easier to set on the 4200 and WGS
The ONLY reason I'm not considering Bushnell or Weaver is they currently do not offer a scope that meets my criteria(s)
I am leaning more towards the Leupold primarily because it has a locking elevation dial and the way I hunt I am about 90% certain I will make contact with the dials often enough that a locking dial is a feature worthy of consideration but if the fact is the V4 tracts better than I would choose it as tracking is more important than anything else in a Tactical style scope if all other qualities are equal within a reasonable margin

But you have raised a extremely important question concerning reticle types and I thank you for it. You have caused me to pause and rethink my choices. I will post a request for input to educate myself better on reticlec types and what have the experienced amoung us found what reticle design works all around the best for hunting

 

[sp6x6]

Its personal,TMR if Leupold

 

[mercerbear]

Between my 2 shooting/hunting buddies and i we own 5 of these 5HD or 6HD leupolds. All in B&C reticle. At the time, we liked the idea of using hatches for quick shots and dialing if we had time.

When you really get down to it and start learning about / taking into account variables. We have all come to the conclusion that the extra money we spent for that special reticle was not worth it on a 2nd focal plane scope. Same with custom dials. Weather,elevation (or air pressure),and zoom all change the distance those hatches represent. Lance's post on paralax is also true, numbers arent accurate.

That being said. They have proven themselves to be good scopes. Very clear. Hold a zero and return to zero. And the price is decent. Were i to buy again it would be a simple illuminated duplex reticle like warpig usually offers for around 800 sometimes less. Then some flip caps. For the money/weight they are hard to beat. If i had more money to spend i would be looking at high end zeiss,atacr,or swaro.

Hope that helps

I agree. I keep the reticle simple and get a firedot.