Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Leupy vx6....anything better for the price?

I recently ran across a vx6 2-12x42 CDS w/ side focus for $699. Is there anything better/comparable for the price?

Make sure it's not a 3-18 with the side focus. The 2-12 doesn't have A/O, not unless they've changed it up very recently.

DF

I think they represent a tremendous value at the cureent close out prices.

What's wrong with the 3-18 side focus?

Good call. The picture is of the 3-18, the 2-12 is what I'm after, with the CDS. Does anything in the $700 price range come close to the vx6?

The VX-6 at these prices may be the best scope deal since Zeiss closed out their Conquest line in the $200+ range.

I have two 2-12's and they are about my favorite scopes. I love their duplex reticle. To me it's about the best in the industry and I do have Alpha Euros to compare.

DF

Answering the question: Is there anything better?

Well, it depends. If weight is your key consideration then yes.

I have 3 VX6's - fine scopes with no complaints.

I put them on bigger guns, like this .240 HS Precision SPL in Hunters Edge. I use smaller scopes on more compact rifles.

DF

They are nice, but there are some alpha closeouts that offer even better optics in the same price range. EuroOptic recently had the Kahles Helia C 2.5-10x50 with 4-a reticle for 759. And they have the Leica ERi 2.5-10x42/illuminated 4-a for under 1K. I have the 3-12x50, and it is truly impressive optically.

Not sure about Leica CS. The Kahles is a super scope.

DF

I've heard mixed reviews on their CS, too. But maybe they don't get as much practice as Leupold.

I do consider CS, but overall optical performance is much more important when selecting a scope. And I am really liking the 3-12x50 ERi. Both of these were taken with only the illumination of the moon. And I love their illumination system. It's one of the few that adjusts to a dim enough level to be truly useful at night.

Can someone pm me who has close outs? I really like Kahles C FFP models and have wanted to try a VX6. Checked s few of the normal places and don't see them.

Love that 2-12 VX6, wouldn't touch a Leica scope with a 10 ft pole though.

I'm of the same mindset as Bobby T. When I choose a scope it's based on glass quality and features not the manufacturers CS or warrantee. The best CS or warrantee is the one you never have to use.

Leupold's VX-6 is a darn good scope and with prices being lowered due to the introduction of the VX-6HD a few models can be bought for a good buy, BUT Leica ER & ERi and Kahles scopes can be bought for nearly the same price. Having owned VX-6, Leica's and Kahles scopes IMO the European scopes have much better glass.

JG,

Does your VX-6 have the CDS? And if so, have you had any issues with tracking?

Thanks

Cabelas has them 2-12x42 for 699 as a closeout.

I've only seen the Kahles CX for $1000 and the CL for $900 at scopelist.com. I've not seen any for $699

For $799 the Vortex Razor HD LH 2-10X40 is a better scope if you don't have to have ill IMHO.I like the glass better than the VX6 and I trust it's Japanese construction from LOW. I also like the G4 reticle better. If it had ill it would be a no brainer.

Yeah Leica is a beautiful scope. Guy I work with sent his er 2-10x42 back to them in August, he has still not received it . He says when he calls customer service they have no answers

Customer service and reservations that they would someday not honor their warranty is the only thing that has kept me away from Leica.

My whole take. I have never ever been remotely disappointed with a Leica product whether camera , binos or riflescopes. That said the feedback I get from the guy waiting for it is Leica does not give a F about taking care of this matter promptly. I won't buy one even though they are beautiful products. I hope I never have to mail in my Trinovids.

Yes it has a CDS dial for the 7Rem Mag it sits on, calibrated for a 3050fps 160gr Accubond. I have probably 300-350 rds with this setup and it has been a great performer out to 900, back to 200 zero, and various distances in between. Maybe I'm lucky, but so far so good. It also has the best plex hunting reticle of any scope made IMO.

I always scratch my head when a hunter says the main criteria in a hunting scope is glass/optics. Any $300 scope nowadays has glass that will get you past legal shooting light. Holding POI/POA is my main criteria, followed by a reticle that I can see in low light (56 yr old eyes), eyebox/usability ranks up there too. This particular VX6 has the most generous eyebox and usabilitly I've ever personally seen in a hunting scope, even at 12x.

If you buy anything Leica, keep Doug @ CL's phone number handy. When Leica screws you over he will fix it for you.

In 47 years and having owned hundreds of scopes the only brands that I have failures/issues with were Weaver and Leupold.

I'll keep take my chances on Euro glass

Take a look a the Burris Veracity scopes; FFP, good reticle IMO, good form factor, priced in the $600 - $800 range, but maybe just a few ounces heavy for some. Saw them at DSC last week and I was very impressed being a FFP fan. Oddly, the low price is a concern - How can they market such a scope at that price?

That may be true, but as soon as there is a $300 scope that could have made ANY of these shots, I'll buy it.

Count me in as one of those risk-takers as well...

Better maybe, but MUCH better...???

I have VX-6 and Alpha Euros.

It's diminishing returns, a little mo better for a LOT mo dough...

The VX-6 glass quality approaches the Euros, IMO.

With some Euros now selling at discount, it does get more interesting. Euros have generally been in the $2-3,000 range, aren't 2-3 times better than a VX-6.

The VX-6, IMO, has the best duplex of them all. And, I like the Firedot set up better than illuminated Euros, some of those with ugly battery pods on the eyepiece...

DF

How much better is a vx6 optically, mechanically than a vx3?
Would a vx6 overwhelm a kimber montana or forbes?

BobbT, nice pics buddy. Shooting in the dark is cheating! We use spotlights with our $300 scopes....works great!

To me it's step up, closer to the top dogs. Mechanically, I don't know, no problems with VX-6 or VX-3.

From what I can tell (without elaborate testing, just looking) the VX-3 is about on par with the Conquest. I like the heavier Conquest duplex better than the std. VX-3 duplex.

The VX-6 is pretty close to my Zeiss Victory scopes, closer to them than the Conquest/VX-3.

The VX-6 eyebox (ease of getting behind the scope and quickly on target) is top notch. It's very forgiving even at max power. The ER is very adequate at full range of power.

The VX-2 is pretty close to the VX-3, making those a real sleeper of a deal.

The 4200 Bushnell glass quality is somewhere in there, but with shorter ER. I had a 6500 2.5-18x42. ER was less than the Leupolds, the eyebox a bit tight, even tighter at max power and in dim light, it started to fade at 16-18X. I sold it. The VX-6 2-12x42 eyebox is still generous at top power and it doesn't fade, never handled a 3-18.

Now, you may say I'm comparing 18X on the 6500 with 12X on the VX-6. True, but I doubt the 3-18 would fade like the 6500. Would appreciate input on that.

30mm scopes can be rather big on a sleek, small rifle. The VX-6 2-12x42 is streamline and not that heavy. So, I guess it's all in the eye of the beholder. Personally, I'd go with a Z3 3-9, VX-3 or similar on a small gun.

DF

I agree with Dirtfarmer and JGRaider in that the VX-6 lineup offers some terrific optics and bridges the gap between lesser models and the Euros. Leupold offers them with an excellent duplex, a distinct improvement over the skinny reticle used for years, and added a decent illumination system.

But then Leupold dropped the ball and went with ideas of marketing instead of input from hunters.

Instead of the added expense and lost transmission from a 6x zoom, why can't they offer a simple 3x or 4x magnification range -- and put the $$ saved on the additional glass into improving the optical performance even moreso on a 3-9 or 4-12x? I'd buy into that.

But I don't want or need a 3-18x just to get their 50mm objective, and I simply won't buy it when better options exist. The 2-12x42 is good, but for a hog in the moonlight at 165 yards, I need 9 or 10x...and that leaves the Leupold out in the dark, so to speak.

Granted, everyone's situation is different, but I don't want or need all the bells and whistles and light-robbing mega-zoom ranges to kill a hog. I just want pure optical performance. And that's where some -- not all, mind you, but "some" -- of the Euro scopes excel.

Bobby
Is that 3-12X50 Leica ERi the best low light scope you have used?

I've also been considering a Zeiss Victory HT ill 2.5-10X50. What I don't know yet is if the ill is low enough for complete darkness.

Great point about the smaller exit pupil in the 6X zoom ratios. Many people haven't caught on to that yet.

Thanks DF. I already have 3.5-10 vx3's on a kimber and and Forbes.
That Cabelas deal just had me wondering if I was missing much by not trying one.
I guess I could put it on my Sako 7 Mag!

The HT can be adjusted until you can no longer see it, I was thinking Leica except service complaints.

I'm thinking same. I still wish I could see them both in the dark side by side. The HT was a no go for me when it first came out because of price but their are deals now.

I'll say this about the Leica ERi: it produces an image more vibrant/pleasing and resolves detail better than any scope I have tried. Its light transmission is on par with the original Victory. And its illumination system is wonderful and adjusts even more dimly than my beloved Kahles CSX.

It may not be the best, but it suits my needs as well as -- and perhaps better than -- some of the tops scopes I have tried.

I had a 3-12x56 Victory HT for a while and wound up returning it. It had an array of problems, including an incorrectly-set parallax and the inability to produce an acceptably-sharp image at 200 yards, even in the best of lighting conditions.

The HT illumination system is good, and the saving grace for it is the fact that the dot is 0.3 MOA -- the smallest of any I have tried. While I'd prefer it be a tad dimmer, it works fine -- without adversely affecting your vision under diffused moonlight -- thanks to its small size.

I plan to revisit the HT series some day, but the 3-12x56 I had did not make me smile.

One more thing about the Leica ERi: At night, we need amplemagnification to make an ethical shot, and I have found that 9-10x generally serves me best for those 150-175 yard shots. In fact, in poor lighting, I usually can't make out enough detail until the magnification is that high, including with Kahles, Zeiss & Swaro.

But the Leica -- likely due to its terrific resolving power and the way its contrast range separates tones -- has proven to me that 6x will work for a 150 yard shot at night, something I have not been able to do with other optics.

Not true...

The dot on the HT goes fairly dim, but at night, it will never adjust to the point you can no longer see it and in fact could stand to be a tad dimmer. But it works fine due to its small size.

Here is a 2-12x42 on a Kimber Montana.

Been using it the last two years with zero issues. Though it's caused so issues for some moose, caribou, and grizzly bears

That looks good, not over powering.

Thanks for posting.

DF

The cabelas deal shows a model with Zero Lock and parallel. Is the pic and ad misrepresenting? I want something similar with a zero stop, and reticle options later like a TMR or windplex so this seems like the perfect scope for my application. I want 2-3x on the low side with at least 10x on the high side. I like SF though and if this has capped turrets and no SF it's probably not for this application. I was looking hard at a Zeiss Conquest HD 3-15 but the target turrets don't come with any windage hold just a duplex. I would ideally like a tree but not a calibrated deal just standard mil or moa to match turret. I sold my LR stuff but my new backyard is all steep terrain and valleys leaving longish shots a real possibility. Funny, I keep changing tools for different terrain. I guess that's why people don't sell guns/scopes but the idea of dust collecting isn't appealing to me.

Just tried HT in dark room basement 3-4 min to let eye acclimate could not see it and had more adjustment, yours was broken.

The only one available for the cabelas deal us the 2-12....it has the cds lockable turret, but no side focus. The scope pictured in the ad is the 3-18.

Just curious, Jimmy: Since the Zeiss HT has a stageless wheel and the dot was no longer visible, how could you know you had more adjustment?

Check this one out...

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/11740726/1

DF

I really like the larger FOV the VX-6's give and that the listed magnification is the true magnification. I think they are heads and shoulders above the VX-3's. Here's a 2-12 on a Forbes 308. and a 1-6 on a faux TI. The size of the 2-12 didn't bother me however, I did put a VX-R 2-7 on the Forbes to keep with the light rifle theme. Reality was only a 3.4 oz diff! I have a Forbes 280 coming that will wear the VX-6 2-12.

Had the pleasure of using a 3-18x50 this past deer season. Personally I think it's a great scope. It suited my needs very well. Great eye relief, simple to use, clear optics and I was able to see game at reasonable distances at all legal shooting times. The draw to the scope initially was it was made by Leupold, and I liked the 3-18 variable. As everyone knows Leupold stands behind their products. The Alumina scope covers were just icing on the cake. For my applications it was perfect fit.

Tell us about that rifle.

DF

Alaska Lanche, what height Talley LW rings are on your Montana VX-6 setup?

Because when you can't see you the dot you can still turn it and it don't get brighter, I actually own one you know.

Good for you. I am glad yours will adjust so dimly. As you know, the Victory Varipoint uses a similar system in terms of adjustment, and it doesn't adjust as dimly as the Kahles or Leica, either. Ditto for the Victory FL. No, I don't own the FL or Henny in the photo but had them here a while last week to review for a friend. And I hate to re-post these photos but -- being that you say you "actually own one" -- it seems you think I am just guessing on what I have stated. Again, both of my Kahles and Leica scopes adjust more dimly than the Zeiss Victory HT. And the Leica goes even a step below the Kahles and affords what I consider the perfect level of illumination for night shots, though I have no complaints on the CSX as it has proven itself in some tough lighting. By the way, do you mind sharing the serial # and model of your scope because I'd definitely like to see what Zeiss has to say regarding the discrepancies? You can PM it to me.

BobbyTomek,

Those 72mm scopes look pretty exciting. How much moon do you need in order to see animal targets at night?

Ringman-While they won't necessarily add days to your hunting over a good 56mm, what the 72mm scopes will do is transmit more detail to your eye and allow you to use higher magnifications, and those 2 factors combine to make those difficult moonlight shots a bit easier.

If atmospheric conditions are in your favor, 5-6 days either side of a full moon are possible for the type of shots I take. For someone who can stalk and get closer, that undoubtedly could be extended. But I am mobility-limited and only have the option of 150-200 yards from a rest near the house.

But the view through the 72mms is certainly pleasing...

BobbyTomek,

Sounds great. I noticed two brands in your photo. Is one better than the other?

At that level of quality, it's more personal preference than anything else -- and there is certainly no loser in a direct comparison of these two.

Without getting into too much detail: The Henny gave a slightly more contrasty and thus more vivid daylight image than the Victory FL, but things evened out in that regard in moonlight. Both resolve detail extremely well and have excellent edge-to-edge sharpness, with a slight advantage going to the Henny due to a bit less swirling effect at the extremes. Also, both have exceptional flare control, though the Henny is slightly better than the Zeiss in that regard. I also detected slight ghosting from the ocular in moonlight from the Zeiss FL, something I have noticed with the Victory and Victory HT series as well. It is certainly not bad, but it's one more thing that can work against you in the poorest of lighting. With that being said, unless someone spends quite a bit of time behind the scope, chances are they will never, ever notice it in the first place.

But again, at this level of quality, there are no "losers" in a comparison, and there are more similarities than differences -- which shouldn't be surprising considering their pedigrees.

Nice toys, Bobby; they're obviously effective.

You have more money in glass than rifles.

You must like T/C Contenders, from a lefty perspective I can see the attraction. (I figured lefty from the stocks).

DF

DF-
I do believe in good glass, but the 72s aren't mine and were returned last week. Thought about finding and boxing up a couple of Barskas to send him and blame the mailman but didn't think my friend -- who is aware of my attraction to good optics -- would buy that story ha ha!

I do shoot left-handed. I am right-handed but left-eye-dominant.

Yep, I love the Contenders. I used them quite a bit as handguns until my health issues and severe pain in the hands forced me away from that. So I adapted, tried them in rifle format and never looked back. The cartridges are mild but will take care of anything I ever need them to.

But back to the scopes: I've gone through quite a few looking for that elusive -- and non-existent -- perfect optic. But one that really has my attention is the Leica ERi 3-12x50. Its resolution is the best of any scope I have tried, and the splendid contrast levels make for a rich, vivid image.

I've sold off some of my guns to upgrade my optics. I've decided that I'd rather have just a few guns with great glass than more rifles with average optics. My opportunities to bag anything are minimal as I am very limited in what I can do, so I want to make the most of those fleeting moments. And since most of my shots are hogs in poor lighting, good glass is a necessity if I want to get to pull the trigger.

Agreed.

Makes sense to me.

DF

Great thread. Cabela's just took my $. I had been thinking about a VX3i previously.

Just placed an order with Cabelas also.
Sale price $699.00
10% off with free shipping club promo =-$70.oo - shipping $19.95
- $53.83 in club points
Total price = $576.16

Also earned another $11.17 in club points

Cabela's website shows them sold out now. I see that scopelist has them, but is that a real company? I am suspicious because they ask for payment through paypal.

I have bought a lot of stuff from the scopelist(phantom company run by Eurooptics) and have paid with Paypal , never an issue

Here, too. And if it's on scope-list, it's likely on the Eurooptics site was well if you prefer to deal directly with them. Good folks to deal with...no doubt about that!!!

You can deal directly with Scopelist too. I made them an offer on my Razor and bought it a bit cheaper than what they listed. All transaction done over the phone.

BTW Cabela's must have found more; the 2-12 is back in stock.

Posted by me 6 weeks ago:




Update: the 3-18 is down the road, and the 2-12 is in the safe waiting to prove itself on a "fun" rifle. The two rifles previously wearing the VX-6's now have a 3-9 SS and a 3-15 NXS...and all is good so far...


So, to answer the question "Leupy vx6....anything better for the price?"...Yes - the SS 3-9, in a walk...

I had same issues with new 1-6 VX-6, dial an inch and get 5 sometimes 3 etc vertical. They fixed it without admitting anything was wrong with it and now two years latter it still is holding zero. If SWFA could figure out how to put a VX-6 type duplex into a SWFA 3-9 and sell it for the $500 price range they would take a bunch of business here in the Southeast provided the reticle was bold at 3X of course.

The also have the firedot LR duplex, but it is still almost $1100 at Cabelas.

They do have a new VX6 HD models listed starting at $1400 for the 2-12 and going up from there.

VX-6 line has been discontinued.

If you want the old style without illumination better get them now.

They just priced themselves out of the market.

I texted my cousin and daughter's boyfriend who had asked me about the best deals on scopes. Both bought the 2-12 VX6 this afternoon and Talley's to attach them to a 7mm-08 700 BDL and a TC Venture 30-06.

Thanks for the heads up on the new stock arriving.