Who has/had a Leupold VX Freedom 2-7x33

[RMS65]

I have a 223 Howa Mini-action that I need to rescope. It had a Nikon 3.5-14x40 PS5 on it. I was using it as a pest/patrol gun at a cattle ranch with open fields and some woods. I've since bought a wooded property with few clearings. For the same purposes at shorter ranges I'm considering a Leupold FX Freedom 2-7x33 with the hunt plex reticle. The hiccup is the scope has a 150yd parallax. I don't want to buy one and find out It's not in focus at ten or fifteen yards on low power. If anyone has this particular scope I'd appreciate any feedback on it.

Thanks
Ron Stearns

 

[John?]

Ron

I have the Leupold 2-7. It focuses just fine. Parallax and focus are different, but related matters. Parallex is the apparent shift relative to target. It hasn’t been a problem for me shooting critters. The vitals on a coon or skink at 15 yards is still pretty large. It might be a problem for target shooters.

An adjustable parallax scope is the answer if you’re concerned about it. Side adjustment is easier than the adjustment on the objective lens. I no longer use adjustable objective scopes; just gave my last one to one of my boys.

How do you like the Howa mini? I’ve looked at them off and on over the years but never bought one.

 

[RMS65]

Ron

I have the Leupold 2-7. It focuses just fine. Parallax and focus are different, but related matters. Parallex is the apparent shift relative to target. It hasn’t been a problem for me shooting critters. The vitals on a coon or skink at 15 yards is still pretty large. It might be a problem for target shooters.

An adjustable parallax scope is the answer if you’re concerned about it. Side adjustment is easier than the adjustment on the objective lens. I no longer use adjustable objective scopes; just gave my last one to one of my boys.

How do you like the Howa mini? I’ve looked at them off and on over the years but never bought one.

Absolutely love my Howa Mini-action lightweight. It's a number one barrel. It's light handy and accurate. It's MOA or occasionally better with Fiocchi loaded 50g or 55g vmax. It's a not as smooth as my Tikkas but just as functional. I paid $329 for the gun best money I've spent on a firearm. Except maybe the $349 for the wife's Howa 223 HB 1500. She regularly shoots quarter MOA groups at 100 with Fiocchi 69 grain or Hornady 68 grain HPBT. She outshoots me and my $800 Tikka T3X Varmint. I don't feel bad she outshoots lots of guys shooting handloads through much more expensive rigs. Got my son a #2 barrel Howa Hogue 308 for his first deer gun. It cost $349 and it's MOA or better out to 200 yards with box ammo. Buy a Howa with confidence. Clunky and chunky but boy do they shoot!

Back to scopes. I'm deep into spring powered air rifles. I have a slew of side focus and adjustable AO scopes on them and most of my powder burners. I understand parallax and focus. I'm getting away adjustables. Their depth of field narrows considerably when focused close, especially on high power. They never seem to be in focus when and where I need them when something suddenly appears. I've run into this with the Nikon SF on the Mini-action. Mostly because it was left on high power but have still missed opportunities while adjusting the parallax to bring things into focus. I'm finding less is more. The less shit to fuck with, the less shit to go wrong in a hunting type situation. On a bench under no duress AO and SF is fine. With my woods situation I could probably do fine leaving the AO or SF on 50. I'd rather not deal with the extra weight, cost and potential weakness.

I wonder if Leupolds rimfire 2-7x33 stand up to the 223? It has a more appropriate 60yd parallax.

 

[John?]

I wasn’t trying to be pedantic about AO. I’m far from an expert on the physics of lenses. Just a practical user.

Can’t comment on the durability of the RF version compared to the CF on a 223. Never tried it. 223 sure doesn’t buck hard so it might be worth a try. They’re not expensive this time of year.

 

[RMS65]

I wasn’t trying to be pedantic about AO. I’m far from an expert on the physics of lenses. Just a practical user.

Can’t comment on the durability of the RF version compared to the CF on a 223. Never tried it. 223 sure doesn’t buck hard so it might be worth a try. They’re not expensive this time of year.

Everywhere I see is 299. Do you know a place that has them cheaper that's not knock offs?

 

[Modoc]

I haven’t tried the RF, but have a VX-Fdm 2-7x33 on both a Frankenstein M4gery and a Ruger No. 1 45-70. The MSR is set up for close to mid-range varmints and has not been handicapped by the 2-7. The only time I felt under scoped was on a 6.5 Grendel shooting at more than 200 meter.

 

[koshkin]

It will be perfectly fine on 2x for aiming at things 15 yards out.

I have an old 2-7x33 somewhere that I have been meaning to sell, but keep on forgetting. I'll pull it out when I have a chance and doublecheck (when I am back home after the holidays).

ILya

 

[fdkay]

The Mueller 2-7 multi shot is a dandy little scope, with a very good reticle.

 

[RMS65]

I haven’t tried the RF, but have a VX-Fdm 2-7x33 on both a Frankenstein M4gery and a Ruger No. 1 45-70. The MSR is set up for close to mid-range varmints and has not been handicapped by the 2-7. The only time I felt under scoped was on a 6.5 Grendel shooting at more than 200 meter.

Thanks. I'm more concerned with how close it stays focused rather than being under scoped. I have plenty of higher power scopes. I want some magnification but not a lot. I need it to be focused on low power at fifteen yards or less.

A LPVO would probably have been fine but the bolt handle hits larger oculars. I'm looking for something low power with a 1" tube so I can reuse the DNZ mount that's on there.

 

[Modoc]

Thanks. I'm more concerned with how close it stays focused rather than being under scoped. I have plenty of higher power scopes. I want some magnification but not a lot. I need it to be focused on low power at fifteen yards or less.

A LPVO would probably have been fine but the bolt handle hits larger oculars. I'm looking for something low power with a 1" tube so I can reuse the DNZ mount that's on there.

I haven’t had any problems with focus for shots under 25 yards,

 

[Hagen]

Absolutely love my Howa Mini-action lightweight. It's a number one barrel. It's light handy and accurate. It's MOA or occasionally better with Fiocchi loaded 50g or 55g vmax. It's a not as smooth as my Tikkas but just as functional. I paid $329 for the gun best money I've spent on a firearm. Except maybe the $349 for the wife's Howa 223 HB 1500. She regularly shoots quarter MOA groups at 100 with Fiocchi 69 grain or Hornady 68 grain HPBT. She outshoots me and my $800 Tikka T3X Varmint. I don't feel bad she outshoots lots of guys shooting handloads through much more expensive rigs. Got my son a #2 barrel Howa Hogue 308 for his first deer gun. It cost $349 and it's MOA or better out to 200 yards with box ammo. Buy a Howa with confidence. Clunky and chunky but boy do they shoot!

Back to scopes. I'm deep into spring powered air rifles. I have a slew of side focus and adjustable AO scopes on them and most of my powder burners. I understand parallax and focus. I'm getting away adjustables. Their depth of field narrows considerably when focused close, especially on high power. They never seem to be in focus when and where I need them when something suddenly appears. I've run into this with the Nikon SF on the Mini-action. Mostly because it was left on high power but have still missed opportunities while adjusting the parallax to bring things into focus. I'm finding less is more. The less shit to fuck with, the less shit to go wrong in a hunting type situation. On a bench under no duress AO and SF is fine. With my woods situation I could probably do fine leaving the AO or SF on 50. I'd rather not deal with the extra weight, cost and potential weakness.

I wonder if Leupolds rimfire 2-7x33 stand up to the 223? It has a more appropriate 60yd parallax.

I wouldn't go with the rim fire version. Not sure what fov is on either of those 2 but know the apparent fov on the rim fire version is tiny.

I put together a light weight 10\22 to use when running my squirrel dogs and put the rim fire version on it for its low weight, do not like it at all. Haven't had time to change it but definitely coming off.

 

[loveha]

Have one on my Henry 45-70 and not a fan. Fine for hitting paper at 100, but hunting? I was struggling to count points on antlers at 80 yards. I played with the ocular lens, made sure I wasn't fogged up, tried backing down the magnification to around 5. Just couldn't get anything to focus quite right. Maybe it's heavy on the chromatic abjuration. Maybe I got a lemon. My Trijicon 1-8 is clearer, but it is a lot more money comparatively. Not even sure I want to try and RMA it. Would rather just get a higher quality used 3-9 or LPVO.

 

[CJScout]

I have a 2-7x33 Rimfire MOA. I used two rubber strap wrenches to remove the threaded objective cap & then a butter knife to turn the lens carrier to adjust the parallax to a closer distance. With how the lens carrier is set up on Leupold scopes a lens spanner is not required. It is not recessed like other scopes.

I adjusted for actual parallax on max power. It does focus better at shorter distances than before but I'm not really sure how much better. I did not check the minimum focus distance on low power before making this adjustment.

If you prefer the Hunt Plex reticle I would try one as is. If you decide it needs to focus at closer distances then it's an easy adjustment.

 

[RMS65]

I have a 2-7x33 Rimfire MOA. I used two rubber strap wrenches to remove the threaded objective cap & then a butter knife to turn the lens carrier to adjust the parallax to a closer distance. With how the lens carrier is set up on Leupold scopes a lens spanner is not required. It is not recessed like other scopes.

I adjusted for actual parallax on max power. It does focus better at shorter distances than before but I'm not really sure how much better. I did not check the minimum focus distance on low power before making this adjustment.

If you prefer the Hunt Plex reticle I would try one as is. If you decide it needs to focus at closer distances then it's an easy adjustment.

Thanks that's a good idea. I forgot about home tuning the parallax. For now I'm holding off on the Leupolds. I stole my wife's Christmas gift, a Hawke Vantage 2-7x32 and stuck it on the Howa. I need the rifle together for our AR trip Saturday morning. I'll see if the Hawke fits the rifle's purpose next week and adjust as necessary.

 

[KYAggie]

I have had a VXII 2x7 for probably 20 years on my 270; I wanted a light scope for a mountain carry gun. I’ve shot out to 500 yards at the range and 338 yards at a mule deer that’s on my wall. I’ve never had a focus nor parallax issue with it.