New Leupold Mark 3HD / Zeiss Conquest V4 (the sub ~20oz scope choice)

[BrentM]

I was a huge leupold fan but they didn't seem to keep up with the rest of the popular LR scope trends. I went to NF. Low and behold a few years later leupold went full tacticool and today, those scopes are pretty dang good. My vx6 replaced my NXS and I have no regrets for a hunter. For a comp rifle the mark5 is excellent. I just bought a vx5 for a lr pistol build and spare scope to swap to a saddle rifle I built as well. The vx5 glass is pretty dang good. They are in the 19oz range sporting the 44mm. I can't really see anyone going wrong with Leupold, ziess, or swaro these days. Leupold and ziess customer service is excellent. Swaro has been good to me but I hear it can take very long to get things done. My bino's were gone for a month but they took very good care of me. In the end, seeking a light hunting scope with good glass, turrets, and reticle leupold is serious contender imho. The vx freedom in the 4-12x40 is 16oz and has the cds turret, side focus, and tri moa reticle. I almost bought that scope instead of the vx5 but opted for the more expensive since I have a vx3 with m1 turrets already.

 

[jreagle]

i could not find anything that fit my needs at 16oz. I think the tube ends up getting pretty thin at that weight sacrificing some durability, unless you end up with a short stubby model, but that ends up with a cramped scope tube to work with in order to setup the right eye relief mounted low on a long bolt action or Mark V 9 lug action..
Right now, I have Razor LHT 3-15x42 at 19oz.
and
Vx6HD 3-18x50 @ +- 24oz.
a Vx5HD could work as well..... a little less weight than VX6HD.... although i like the option of illumination on a TMOA or similar Mil reticle which i could not find on VX5 at the time i was ready to purchase.

 

[shooters]

i could not find anything that fit my needs at 16oz. I think the tube ends up getting pretty thin at that weight sacrificing some durability, unless you end up with a short stubby model, but that ends up with a cramped scope tube to work with in order to setup the right eye relief mounted low on a long bolt action or Mark V 9 lug action..
Right now, I have Razor LHT 3-15x42 at 19oz.
and
Vx6HD 3-18x50 @ +- 24oz.
a Vx5HD could work as well..... a little less weight than VX6HD.... although i like the option of illumination on a TMOA or similar Mil reticle which i could not find on VX5 at the time i was ready to purchase.

Whats your favorite out of those three you mentioned you have? Quality, optically, etc

 

[blackbrush1]

Sucks when you're trying to buy American

 

[jreagle]

I have VX6HD and Razor LHT. No VX5hd yet.....

I just got the LHT, haven't used it in the field other than looking at objects at last light.... when its dim to your eye and hard to make out objects, then look thru the scope and it seems to brighten a little and objects are clear.
SO far it seems that the optics on both models look similar in clarity and resolution (older eyes, so maybe not the best true judge of character) to me and the turrets on both feel similar to me, They both work with gloves on, can feel and hear discernable clicks, Razor may be a little crisper feeling although hard to tell. Am expecting the Razor will be at least as good as or similar to the VX6HD, although it has a lower price point than VX6HD. With optics, it seems you get what you pay for, no free lunches. Both have lifetime no questions asked warranty, so if one craps out it should be fixed without too much trouble.

Right now I'm in the middle of deciding if a 50mm objective is really needed. It adds bulk and weight and a large reflection surface area back at the target vs the 42mm/44mm objectives. The Razor i have has a 42mm and the VX6HDs i have are 50mm..... SO with the larger objective, using a little higher power to maintain a constant exit pupil. The difference being (assuming a 6mm exit pupil) 7x with the 42mm vs a little over 8x with the 50mm. Not sure how much of an advantage that is. Also for me, the scope weight works with the balance and handling of the rifle. For example, a 6.5-7.5 lb raw rifle seems a little too top heavy for me with a scope over about 30-33 ozs....... 20-25 ozs feels right.

 

[freebird63]

I don't see any info on Leupolds site about the new Mark 3? I need to find a decent scope for my kimber 280AI.

 

[D-mon]

Leupold needs to sharpen their game. I feel they should have Come with a mk5 into a 30mm tube or a vx5 with fpp.That is what is lacking on the market: a lightweight ffp scope. March seems the best out their so far!

 

[Coldfinger]

Just saw that Leupold is coming out with a Mark 3HD...a few differnt flavors, but mostly the same reticle...the Firedot TMR. illum or not.

I just sold my LRTS 4.5-18x44...loved the scope for the price and the function, just wish it was lighter. as i'm working on building a sub 7# rifle.

I was pretty set on the Zeiss V4 in 4-16x44 at 21oz...gets good reviews, seems to track well and return to zero. Not a huge fan of MOA, but is what it is. Pricing is about $900-1000.

Today, i saw that Leupold is coming out with the Mark 3HD...baby brother to the Mark 5HD and the 4-12x40 is tipping the scales at 16oz.

I know the jury is still out on the VX series, some love them, some don't, tracking seems to be a complaint. But Mark 5HD seems to be pretty well received for being a solid functioning scope, good glass, durable and i have not found many threads with complaints about reliability, tracking or return to zero. I'd expect the same from the Mark 3HD...but i guess no way to know.

based on that, what do you guys think about the 4-12x40 Mark 3 at about $700?

its not going on my long range rifle, it's a lightweight build, 7RM, will be used for Elk and muleys out to 700 at best...no bipod and that's about pushing my max comfort zone with a lightweight gun and at best a pack or my tripod.

Any concerns on a 40mm objective or noticable difference between that 44mm? I'd prefer it was a 3x, but beggars cant be choosers. For 16oz i can't really argue. I'd still like to be able to ring steel out to 1k with this and think it's doable but not ideal at 12X.

Wondering overall what you folks think. I'll leave off by saying if Bushnell could have made their 3-12 LRTS in a 16oz package, i'd have already bought it...huge fan of the LRTS

thanks!

Only scopes I've owned and not ever sent back for warranty repair are Zeiss and Swarovski! I can't say the same about the big L.

 

[Glenn Tullius]

For a one and done, I chose the leuy vx6HD 3X18X50, CDS dials, because it only weighed 21 ounces.
Expensive for the average Joe (me) bought one off Ebay that a guy used for one hunt for $600 less than new. With Leup's warrantee I am not worried one bit. In fact I LOOK FOR used one's at gun shows all the time.

The 5 oz difference between is a lot, so maybe a 4.5x14x40mm would work for you.

 

[1894C]

Vx6 hd 3-18x44, vx5 hd 3-15x44 for a hunting scope.

 

[nicholasjohn]

I was a huge leupold fan but they didn't seem to keep up with the rest of the popular LR scope trends. I went to NF. Low and behold a few years later leupold went full tacticool and today, those scopes are pretty dang good. My vx6 replaced my NXS and I have no regrets for a hunter. For a comp rifle the mark5 is excellent. I just bought a vx5 for a lr pistol build and spare scope to swap to a saddle rifle I built as well. The vx5 glass is pretty dang good. They are in the 19oz range sporting the 44mm. I can't really see anyone going wrong with Leupold, ziess, or swaro these days. Leupold and ziess customer service is excellent. Swaro has been good to me but I hear it can take very long to get things done. My bino's were gone for a month but they took very good care of me. In the end, seeking a light hunting scope with good glass, turrets, and reticle leupold is serious contender imho. The vx freedom in the 4-12x40 is 16oz and has the cds turret, side focus, and tri moa reticle. I almost bought that scope instead of the vx5 but opted for the more expensive since I have a vx3 with m1 turrets already.

I just bought the Leupold 4-12 Freedom for a Dakota Model 10, because the geometry of the gun is such that the scope mounts sit farther forward than they do on a bolt-action rifle. A scope with really long eye relief is necessary, and the 4 -12 Freedom has a shade over FIVE inches at 4X, and just shy of 5" at 12X. I haven't used the scope yet, but I have mounted it on the rifle and I can put my cheek on the stock right where it first comes in contact when mounted like a shotgun and not have to stretch my neck forward at all. It mounts and points like a really nice bird gun, and not having to really stretch forward to get full field of view is great. I'm hoping that the CDS turret works as advertised, and I wonder if anybody out there has used it this set-up.

 

[BrentM]

VX6 3-18x50 is not 24oz.

I just bought the Leupold 4-12 Freedom for a Dakota Model 10, because the geometry of the gun is such that the scope mounts sit farther forward than they do on a bolt-action rifle. A scope with really long eye relief is necessary, and the 4 -12 Freedom has a shade over FIVE inches at 4X, and just shy of 5" at 12X. I haven't used the scope yet, but I have mounted it on the rifle and I can put my cheek on the stock right where it first comes in contact when mounted like a shotgun and not have to stretch my neck forward at all. It mounts and points like a really nice bird gun, and not having to really stretch forward to get full field of view is great. I'm hoping that the CDS turret works as advertised, and I wonder if anybody out there has used it this set-up.

I may still wind up with one for the pistol. I got the vx5 as part of a christmas cash present. I liked the eye relief on the freedom a lot so I still debate on my decision. The good news is that the 5 will definitely have a home on any of my other rifles if and when needed.