Rifle Scopes Leupy custom shop build.

[strick9]

I need a reasonable lightweight range and click optic for hunting only. All things aside it has come down to Leupy or a SnB, Non illum PMII, which I have owned and sold. So Leupy it will be, their custom shop says adamamently that VxIII glass is appreciably better than MK4 thus the VXIII.
What are your opinions on the two below?

4.5x14x50 VXIII 30mm
add tmr
add cds, elevation knob only, no single turn stop.
gives 116 moa travel
19.5 oz

Or 4.5x14x50 Long range illuminated 30mm
add tmr
add cds knob, elevation only, No single turn stop.
120 moa travel
23oz


price difference is 270 between Long range illum with paralax and standard VXIII.

How bout some opines from those of you who know the Luepolds well.

 

[jasonk]

Re: Leupy custom shop build.

What ranges are you thinking of shooting to? I'm curious why you'd go with TMR if it's for ranging or holdovers? The VXIII glass or new VX3 is just fine for hunting big game imho, I think the VXIII is one of the things Leupold still does well.

Reason I ask is the 3-10x40 has a more forgiving eye relief. I've got one with an M1 elevation knob and love it. The CDS knob is cool though I'd just use the standard one because I hunt a couple of elevations and make charts for each. Using a 3-10x40 VXIII I shot a mule deer at 520 yards 2 years ago, didn't even have the cool knob, just unscrewed the scope cap and made 18 clicks. I can't see needing more than 10x for deer sized game unless you were thinking about shots at least 600+.

Jason

 

[B.Bates]

Re: Leupy custom shop build.

here you go http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1235990#Post1235990

that and $100 to leupold and you can have what ever turret you want installed.

seeing how leupold has a great warranty system, i personally will not buy one new, i always buy used.

how far are you shooting?

I have 1 4.5-14 and 2 3.5-10's. I shot a buck last year at 500yds with the 10x and could have done the same at longer range.

the 10x is a more forgiving scope, but i still keep the 14x around, you could pick up the 4.5-14x40 above for $510 and have less than $620 in it after a turret, not sure what you are looking at above price wise but i would bet alot more.

why are you wanting the tmr reticle?

 

[BobinNC]

Re: Leupy custom shop build.

Neither....

Try the VX-3 4.5-14x40mm Long Range 30mm SF and only 15.1 oz. Then add the elevation dial CDS, M1, or M2 and the reticle of your choice.

The 50mm buys you nothing but more weight (1/4 lb) and more bulk (50mm vs 40mm), and the 40mm is usually $70. cheaper.

As far as the putting the TMR in goes, why buy a ranging reticle, if you don't have the ability to adjust what you have just ranged? To adjust you need both elevation and windage adjustment, not CDS.

Hey just IMHO, buy what suits you, not me.

Bob

 

[strick9]

Re: Leupy custom shop build.

Thanks for the input Gents , but all three ask why you would want a TMR , I am confused please look at this and see if this answers as to why I like the TMR.

http://www2.leupold.com/resources/downloads/2007_Leupold_TMR_Manual.pdf


Forget the CDS knob for now, the tmr allows a multitude of options from ranging,elevation and wind holds, and various caliber rough holds for on the fly anythings.

Add Cds now you can quick click for elevation and use tmr for wind.

Am I missing something simple here? Seems like the best of both worlds to me?


Jasonk... two years ago a 300 inch plus elk would have been dead at 700 if I had the optic ability. I just got access to a 1k range as well. So capability would be nice, and instead of looking at your chart you can just dial up once fine tuned, I am not getting return fire here, so plus minus 4 inch seems ok to me. I agree with standard knob increments as well but really like the idea of not looking at my chart taped to the side of my stock or in my flip up. BTW I just don't like the M1 knob, preferance.

Shootone, man that is close but the front ocular paralax doesn't do it for me at all, though its a great price!



Bob, Tmr for windhold instead of clicking. I concur on the 40mm, I have just been taught forever 50mm, by the beanfield boyz.

I am sold on 40mm anything else you guys care to add subtract keep it coming!

 

[strick9]

Re: Leupy custom shop build.

Bob,

Your last post dissapeared but I catch your drift entirely. The TMR allows for 180 inches thereabouts drift coverage which covers most calibers and weights out to 1k in a full value 15mph, but I definitely got your point, why not have the ability to go all the way. I was just trying to save 80 bucks and keep myself in simple mode.

Thanks fellers.

 

[ToddM]

Re: Leupy custom shop build.

Leopold will also put the CDS knob on the windage as well if you want a low profile click windage option. The TMR is fine for hold off's though.

That said I can't see giving leupold the $, I just have no faith in them anymore. I sent my perfectly good viii tactical 3.5-10 M3 in to have the battery housing upgraded under warranty, and they went through the rest of the scope as well. Came back with a parallax knob that doesn't work anymore so it's back at leupold again. Their glass is falling behind practically everyone on the market, included those at a lower pricepoint.

It's true though, finding a light (sub 30oz), lower profile good optical scope that has durability and quick adjust knobs is brutal. The best thing going right now IMO is the 2.5-10x32 mildot zerostop NF. I'm not sold on their new velocity reticules just because any ballistic reticule that isn't FFP isn't useful for hunting because my scope isn't going to be on 10x for most of it's use.

S&B has their precision hunter, but it has very little adjustment in the single turn knob, comes out to about only 6 MOA from zero. (32 clicks, .2" per click) if it had more elevation adjustment it would have been my go to choice.

Swarovski used to make the 3.5-12x50 in a TDS that was first focal plane, but they stopped that with the Z6 line, a major mistake.

 

[BobinNC]

Re: Leupy custom shop build.

Strick9,

Yes, I deleted it. I thought it was not adding to the discussion, just creating more confusion.

PM received, PM returned.

Thanks,

Bob

 

[strick9]

Re: Leupy custom shop build.

Great talking with you Bob, sincerely. Gents,Bob knows his exit pupils. Thanks for the intelligent insight to all.

 

[strick9]

Re: Leupy custom shop build.

I own the Habicht PV with TDS 30mm FFP 4x12x50, It leaves much to be desired due to FFP and wide reticle even at 4x to much for me is covered with reticle not sure of how much but certainly at 12x it covers way to much zone.

 

[ToddM]

Re: Leupy custom shop build.

What did you decide to go with?

Swarovski did seem to error too much on the small magnification side with the FFP reticules. I saw a duplex FFP swarovski version the other day that was identical, it looked pretty normal at 4x, but by 12x the "fine" cross hair section was as thick as most scopes thicker crosshair posts.

It's always a tough trade off. For me I refuse to leave my scope on max power, doing spot and stalk hunting at 10-14x in my experience is a bad idea.

This is where the TMR can shine over a BDC reticule if you have SFP. in that at 14x(10x) each mark is .5 mil but when I turn it down to 7x(5x) which is about what I leave it on typically, each has still has 1 mil marks and it's easy to build and remember your drops and apply the reticule at those two powers. Since the spacing is standard it's also easier to deal with different zero's where most BDC's only work well if you start with a 100-200 yard zero.

One of the best scopes in this regard (durability and quality aside) would be the FFP leupold 3.5-10x40mm with the TMR or mildot, but instead of the M3 dial have it replaced with the M2 dial so both windage and elevation are 1/2 moa. Of course giving $1700 to leupold is grounds for being committed.

I did play with the CDS knob on a couple scopes today, I like it, they should have put it on the windage as well but it's a nice option. They also should have put it on the LR series of scopes since the whole point of the CDS is to shoot extended ranges with precise adjustments, mise well put them on the scopes with more elevation range.

Now if leupold offered a VX3 4.5-15 40mm LR, CDS windage and elevation, with a TMR SFP or mildot FFP and kept the price in the $800 range they'd have something, but at $1000 they just don't build them the way they used to for that kind of $.

 

[strick9]

Re: Leupy custom shop build.

Todd, I am still pulling hair out..But looks like:

VX-3 4.5-14x40mm Long Range 30mm SF
add tmr
add cds windage and elevation
cds no zero stops

 

[ToddM]

Re: Leupy custom shop build.

That's a good package, light, good mag range, TMR will be ~ 1mil at 7x, will have quick adjust on both ends, lots of adjustment room, and as others said I think the whole 50mm thing is over rated. I have an old viii 2.5-8x36 that's been on my deer gun for 20+ years and it's never been too dark to take a legal hunting shot and where I hunted most of the time you got 30min before and after sunrise/sunset. I'd much rather have the smaller objective and a lighter/better cheek weld rifle setup or put those ounces into a larger objective pair of binoculars that do need every bit of light gathering they can get for before and after legal shooting.

I hope the CDS system goes over with the general populous I'd like to see them offer it on more scopes, and also on windage as well, just because the retrofit price is pretty spendy when you are changing a reticle as well.