Rifle Scopes Leupold Mark 4 10x or 8x which would you choose?

[5RWill]

SPR upper is in, so i'm starting to save for my optic. And damn i've having the hardest time deciding between the mark 4 2.5-8x36mm M2 and the M3 3.5-10x40mm. I talked to leupold and can get the elevation turret changed to a M2 for the 10x. I've found the prices 100$ apart on some sites. Looking at a small target at 500yds with my USO on 8x has me leaning towards 8x but i keep coming back thinking to myself maybe i'll need 10x. Weight differences are 21oz for the M3 and 17 for the M2 8x.

 

[BaileyMoto]

Re: Leupold Mark 4 10x or 8x which would you choose?

How about the 3.5-10 with M5 turrets (.1 mil) ?

 

[PLeighton]

Re: Leupold Mark 4 10x or 8x which would you choose?

I went with the 3.5-10x40mm LR/T FF TMR M3 Knobs and really like it.
Keep in mind that the 2.5-8 is not available in Front Focal if that is an option you were hoping for.
Since you mention using a USO I assume that you are accustom to using a Front Focal.

 

[lwrkeysfisher]

Re: Leupold Mark 4 10x or 8x which would you choose?

The 3.5-10 is far superior to the 2.5-8 in almost every way, except size and weight. Also I felt like I was looking through a soda straw with the 2.5-8, which made my decision much easier.

If size and weight are an issue, start looking for a used Nightforce 2.5-10X32 as it is better than the 2.5-8 Leupold but smaller than the 3.5-10 Leupold.

I recently took my 2.5-10X32 Leupold off of my precision AR and put a Leupold 3.5-10 on and am very happy with my decision.

 

[5RWill]

Re: Leupold Mark 4 10x or 8x which would you choose?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BaileyMoto</div><div class="ubbcode-body">How about the 3.5-10 with M5 turrets (.1 mil) ?</div></div>

I don't have anything against the M5 except that the knobs aren't low profile. And thats really my only problem with it. I've decided not to go FFP on this time around because i want illumination on it. This will be used mainly by me, but my father is also going to be using it for shooting beavers and other pest. So it will get tossed around in the truck a little.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: lwrkeysfisher</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The 3.5-10 is far superior to the 2.5-8 in almost every way, except size and weight. Also I felt like I was looking through a soda straw with the 2.5-8, which made my decision much easier.

If size and weight are an issue, start looking for a used Nightforce 2.5-10X32 as it is better than the 2.5-8 Leupold but smaller than the 3.5-10 Leupold.

I recently took my 2.5-10X32 Leupold off of my precision AR and put a Leupold 3.5-10 on and am very happy with my decision. </div></div>

Weight isn't that much of an issue i don't think. See i haven't held the SPR upper yet, i'm at college, so i'm wondering how heavy it will be when put together. And if nightforce had a 10x with a 37mm objective or bigger i would take it in a heartbeat but that 32mm drives me insane. Thanks for the input i'll most likely go with the 10x. I just haven't had a chance to look through either.

 

[m1ajunkie]

Re: Leupold Mark 4 10x or 8x which would you choose?

I have had the 2.5-8x on my precision .223 ar for the last year. I liked it very much and used it out to 700yds on man sized torso steel. I had the m2 turrets, which were nice but they are not a much have for me.

However, last month a blem model 3.5-10x mk4 m2 came up in the ee on another site at a price I couldn't resist. Now that I have the 10x I can't believe I went with the 8x to begin with. I haven't noticed any change in size or weight that really bothered me and I've only got to take the 10x out to 200yds so far but I would say go with the 10x. If you change your mind it's easy to resell and get the 8x.

Oh, I also really like the tmr reticle. I find that the open center really helps me.

 

[5RWill]

Re: Leupold Mark 4 10x or 8x which would you choose?

Good to hear i've found one for 1100$ with illumination. When the time comes will more than definitely think of picking it up.

 

[dbsinh2o]

Re: Leupold Mark 4 10x or 8x which would you choose?

Personally, I've never purchased a scope and then regretted not getting one with a lesser magnification range.

Do you currently have anything that goes down to 2.5x? Spend much time shooting on that setting? If not, I'd err on the side of higher magnification.

BTW, I have a 3.5-10x40 M2. Nice scope.

 

[Zanshin]

Re: Leupold Mark 4 10x or 8x which would you choose?

There is not a huge difference in magnification in the scopes. From Leupold's website:

The actual magnification on a 2.5-8 MR/T is 8.7 (3.0)
The actual magnification on a 3.5-10 LR/T is 9.5 (3.2)

If you go by the labels there is a 2x power magnification difference on the top and 1x on the low. If you go by the actual power of the scopes it is only .8x on the top and .2x on the low.

The MR/T is the civilian version of the TS-30/TS-30A2 (without the M3 turrets). I believe it was designed for use on an AR and sees use on SPRs and SAM-R type rifles, where more weight and a larger objective bell isn't necessarily a good trade off for a scant increase in magnification.

IMHO they are close enough that you should choose based upon which you think looks better if price is close. If you don't mind having a 40mm scope on an AR get the LR/T. If you want to build a more "correct" SPR I think the MR/T is closer to the issued optic. If there is a significant price difference be advised that you aren't getting that much more scope in the LR/T over the MR/T for whatever the difference is.

 

[5RWill]

Re: Leupold Mark 4 10x or 8x which would you choose?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Zanshin</div><div class="ubbcode-body">There is not a huge difference in magnification in the scopes. From Leupold's website:

The actual magnification on a 2.5-8 MR/T is 8.7 (3.0)
The actual magnification on a 3.5-10 LR/T is 9.5 (3.2)

If you go by the labels there is a 2x power magnification difference on the top and 1x on the low. If you go by the actual power of the scopes it is only .8x on the top and .2x on the low.

The MR/T is the civilian version of the TS-30/TS-30A2 (without the M3 turrets). I believe it was designed for use on an AR and sees use on SPRs and SAM-R type rifles, where more weight and a larger objective bell isn't necessarily a good trade off for a scant increase in magnification.

IMHO they are close enough that you should choose based upon which you think looks better if price is close. If you don't mind having a 40mm scope on an AR get the LR/T. If you want to build a more "correct" SPR I think the MR/T is closer to the issued optic. If there is a significant price difference be advised that you aren't getting that much more scope in the LR/T over the MR/T for whatever the difference is.</div></div>

Thats kinda the way i felt, and had originally settled on the 10x then switched to the 8x, and now here i am again. I do feel that the 2.5-8x36mm is a perfect profile for a semi mobile rifle, where as the 10x looks overly big in a sense. I compared 10x and 8x on my USO SN-3 on a golf ball washer @ 500yds and really didn't notice a difference at all. Which would initially lead me to get the 8x. But does that 36mm downplay it? Unlike most people i do not mind a small objective unless too small (32mm). I rarely use 50mm though. I feel 50mm and 56mm are over profiled on some rifles. Which is why i love 44mm on some of my bolt rifles. Feels perfectly balanced and it truly is. I'll be substituting a 2-7x36mm redfield on there for a while till i can get the money. I guess i'll see how i like the small objective. I might just stick with the 8x. See this has me going back and forth. If they made the MR/T in 10x it would settled it lol.

On the contrary my dad wants 10x, but he will want the rifle to be mobile also, not to heavy. He'll want something he can throw up fast. For instance i put a 6-18x40 nikon on our youth model .243, which had the redfield on it, and he complains that the nikon makes the rifle too heavy..