Leupold selection help

[el Pollero]

Question:
Is paying the $200-250 more for a leupold vx5 over a vx3i worth the money for a dedicated deer gun .

Built a 6.5 Grendel on an AR15 platform over the winter . Aero Precison upper and lower, Lilja barrel.
Trying to get the glass on this thing before fall.
Hunt middle TN farm land for deer. Big timber and rolling hill pasture land.
Longest shot would be 400-450 yards but I have never had that opportunity. Usually 50-200 yards.
Looking at
leupold VX-5hd 3-15x44 with the illumated reticle.
Leupold VX3i 4.5x14x50

Is the extra money worth it for a dedicated deer gun . The illumated reticle is a plus and if I go up to the VX-5 I would pay the extra for it
Have hunted with a tikka t3x with a VX-3i 3.5x10 for the last few years and have been pleased with the early morning clarity of the VX3
I have had good luck with the CDS on the tikka so I think I would like to stick with one or the other of these.

Opinions please!!

 

[CVCOBRA1]

Just picked up a VX3i in 4.5 x 14 x 40 for a TX3. I wanted the one inch tube and 40mm to keep the scope low. Didn't really need the extra light gathering but wanted the magnification. Makes a nice light semi compact set up. Don't like the big-uns on my AR's either.

 

[bullfrog]

The VX3i is just about as good if you don't need more than one revolution of the turret at the longest range you plan to shoot. The glass is a little better on the VX5 but not enough to matter when hunting. I have both with the wind plex reticle and you can clearly see well after legal shooting light with both. Biggest reason to go VX5 is to get the extra range with the CDS dial. You can only dial up about 14 MOA with the VX3i and the CDS dial (little less than one revolution).

 

[Dave Bales]

I have a vx3i 4.5-14x50 on a 7 mag,i also have 2 vx5 44mm,to me the 5's are sharper to my eyes

 

[PredatorSlayer]

The VX3i is just about as good if you don't need more than one revolution of the turret at the longest range you plan to shoot. The glass is a little better on the VX5 but not enough to matter when hunting. I have both with the wind plex reticle and you can clearly see well after legal shooting light with both. Biggest reason to go VX5 is to get the extra range with the CDS dial. You can only dial up about 14 MOA with the VX3i and the CDS dial (little less than one revolution).

Even if you get the VX3i with the 30mm tube?

 

[Hand Skills]

VX5. Main advantages being;

-fixed eye relief
-firedot
-locking turret

The variable eye relief on VX3's always bothered me. The Leupold firedot is great. I used a VXR with a firedot on my coyote gun for a couple of winters and I really liked it.

Only advantages the VX-3 has are slightly lower cost and slightly lower weight.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

Question:
Is paying the $200-250 more for a leupold vx5 over a vx3i worth the money for a dedicated deer gun .

Built a 6.5 Grendel on an AR15 platform over the winter . Aero Precison upper and lower, Lilja barrel.
Trying to get the glass on this thing before fall.
Hunt middle TN farm land for deer. Big timber and rolling hill pasture land.
Longest shot would be 400-450 yards but I have never had that opportunity. Usually 50-200 yards.
Looking at
leupold VX-5hd 3-15x44 with the illumated reticle.
Leupold VX3i 4.5x14x50

Is the extra money worth it for a dedicated deer gun . The illumated reticle is a plus and if I go up to the VX-5 I would pay the extra for it
Have hunted with a tikka t3x with a VX-3i 3.5x10 for the last few years and have been pleased with the early morning clarity of the VX3
I have had good luck with the CDS on the tikka so I think I would like to stick with one or the other of these.

Opinions please!!

I always try to buy the best glass that I can afford and I haven't regretted it. If you have the coin you won't regret going with the VX5HD.

 

[Patton63]

To me, the issue is whether you want the lower low end on the VX5. The difference ion the higher end will be marginal, but the field of view and ease of picking up the target at 50 yds may be better with a 3x than a 4.5x. I've found that I rarely ever use the top end of the magnification range on my scopes (usually between 15x and 18x, depending on the scope) when holding on an animal in the field (even at 500-600 yards) because I want a wider field of view. As a result, I've come to greatly appreciate the value of a scope that goes down to 2x or 3x on the low end.

 

[bullfrog]

Even if you get the VX3i with the 30mm tube?

The tube size doesn't matter. It is the CDS dial on the VX3i that limits the travel. If you don't use the CDS dial you can dial the full range but will not have a zero stop.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

The tube size doesn't matter. It is the CDS dial on the VX3i that limits the travel. If you don't use the CDS dial you can dial the full range but will not have a zero stop.

Ah, interesting. Thats kind of dumb...I have two VX5HD's and my buddy has a VX3i with the CDS - he never mentioned that.

 

[el Pollero]

I always try to buy the best glass that I can afford and I haven't regretted it. If you have the coin you won't regret going with the VX5HD.

I needed to hear that. I would tell e=anyone who asked me the same thing.
Bought the VX5HD online tonight. Thanks

 

[fabricator21]

Great choice. You won't be disappointed.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I needed to hear that. I would tell e=anyone who asked me the same thing.
Bought the VX5HD online tonight. Thanks

Great decision brother - I think you will be happy with your purchase

 

[Hoss50]

Yes...VX5 is a nice scooe.

Look at a Burris Veracity if you want a good bang for the buck scope.