Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics The Leupold FXII 4x33 is as long as it needs to be

That should work.

Both look ugly, clutter the gun, and weigh more than necessary.

The long tube solves all those problems. The short tube solves none.

If given equal glass, would anyone actually choose the short tube by preference?

I would think a longer tube would weight more than a base extension. Geez it's only an ounce. Maybe. The one piece would probably only be a couple of ounces.

As far as looks are concerned I like both styles.

Depends on the gun. On my Marlin guide gun yes I'd choose the smaller tube. On an AR I would choose shorter tube. On a bolt rifle I'd be partial to a medium to long length but I wouldn't let the looks of a one piece or base extension stop me from getting the right eye relief.

Tom

Last I heard was if Leupold decided to bring the long tube 3X scope back, it would probably be via the Custom Shop.
My take on that statement is, Leupold Marketing couldn't support the sales volumn necessary to have the 3x go into full production. That left it as a Custom Shop item. But, that statement was made over a year ago, and time marches on. Nothing has happened since then. So, that tells me Leupold is probably hoping the 3x will go away with us guys demanding that they do something. When a company builds something in the Custom Shop, the Price is HIGH.
So, I'm not holding my breath waiting for the Long Tube 3x ship to come in.

I finally broke down & bought a Leupold 3x here, to see what the fuss was about. Right out of the box, I liked it: size, weight, straight tube, pretty clear glass. It's got a dot & crosswires reticle, & I'd prefer a duplex, but I'm still pretty pleased with it. Haven't gotten it mounted & to the range to wring it out yet. Not sure what to mount it on - maybe a Whelen?

If they could get those 3x's to $199, I'd buy a few. I'm sure they'd be closer to $299 if they were regular production scopes, and maybe $499 from the custom shop????

I don't know that there are enough scope buyers like me out there to justify them putting it in production. Judging from the prices on the used ones, there seems to be plenty of demand for the ones that are already out there.

FC

I'll take the long tube version every day over the short 4X's;but sometimes you gotta make do with what is provided.

I think the 3X's will sell OK,but likely more among guys who hunt mixed cover and brush,or DG hunters with medium to large bore rifles...how many they will sell to the younger generation is a big question mark in my mind...most young guys are deathly afraid that every game animal they see will be in the next zip code,so they want power in scopes.

Bobin,,,,,many wanna be long range killers/hunters put Hubble scopes on whizbang MagUnums and expect to hit and kill as far as they can see....funny to see the inexperienced flinch and miss at the range w/more gun than they are ready for, many better off w/a simple common non magnum round, and a fixed 4 or 6x IMHO.

Wonder how many misses happen with over powered....or scopes turned too high for the shooter, and when the wobble looks right, the trigger is snatched?

Sad to see Leupold not make at least a ltd. run of the 3x, if anything done after doing a survey to determine serious buying demand. It's called, customer focus.....on their wants/needs...but I think the company has gotten like Big Green and focusing on the big volume and masses. Mart marts and TactiCOOL/LE getting alot of play it seems by Leupold.

MANY would be 3x buyers/users ALSO buy other scopes too, perhaps Leupold fails to see that piece of it. OR they'd rather you pay 3-4x the price for a scope that gives 3-4 times the zoom, and still allows you to power down.

Perhaps they should quit the 2.5s, and NOT make a 3x, and instead, intro a NEW 2.75x20 matte in duplex and #4 German (in lieu of the HD in the 2.5), and split the diff on the tube length!

NOW we have an idea.....keep production SKUs the same, and have a scope more akin to buyers requests/needs.

The long tube and short tube 4x actually weigh exactly the same.

Long tube has a 28mm objective, while the short has a 33mm.

I recently purchased a Ruger M77ST. This is an older, "round top" model that uses screwed-on scope mount bases instead of the Ruger brand rings and integral bases. With standard Weaver bases and rings my favorite Leupold 2-7x33 scope would not fit. It is too short. So I bought the extension front base. The scope fits but I could not abide that ugly extension base. It extends over, and partially obstructs, the action port, and it just plain looks ugly. I ended up re-installing the standard front base and mounting my old but good Weaver K4 on the rifle - to my complete satisfaction, I might add.

I have not tried a Leupold FX2 4x33, but would like to. It looks just like my VX2 2-7x33 minus the magnification adjustment ring.

PM sent. Good day to all.

65: I agree;there are some very skilled LR shooters out there today, well equipped, etc.But my general impression is that a great many are out matched by a 7/08 and a 3X scope;many would be better served by this combo in many instances because the combo is so simple to shot...and hit with....

I talked with Leupold about another subject around 2 weeks ago and when I asked them about the 3x was told there are now a couple prototypes that are being evaluated. Awhile back JB posted that he had one of them to evaluate.

The representative said that he was fairly confident that it would eventually be offered, but could not comment on when.

Leupold has been making scopes for a long time and I can't see how the actual making of another fixed can cause them much difficulty. If that is the case, having enough sales to justify doing so has to be the deciding factor. Those of us who want one seem to be few in number. Make the price out of the normal range of a fixed and I would say I can do without.

IMO if they do commit, most will either not notice or think WTH.

Seems Bob Bell who reviewed scopes from mini to Hubble in one of the annual gun/shooters digest a few years ago, had a 2.5x on his Model 7 7/08 for deer. I ran that scope on a 22 for tree squirrel hunting, always enough, and for a 357 lever.

No doubt a lightweight low mounted scope aids in fast handling and sometimes that makes the difference in the outcome.

The tree rats were small but the fov helped track those 'cat squirrels' running thru the trees. I was pretty good w/that set up.

What needs to be done is a random test of hunters w/various set ups.

I'd bet the largest powered scopes and cartridges would fare less well in field shooting w/various rest, and offhand.

I think you are right!

Actually, I like both versions, the 4x28 and the 4x33. The 4x28 works better on some rifles, and the 4x33 on others. In general the eye relief is a little longer on the 4x33 (though this varies with the era of the 4x28's) and when the longer tube isn't needed the 4x33 is a litrle stronger, at least theoretically.

Good to see this thread has had the life I'd hoped for it

1. Someone disagrees and sings the praises of the 4x28 "long tube" because it can fit a rifle that is better suited to a peep sight.

2. Someone laments the passing of the Leupold 3x.

3. Someone else says that Leupold is bringing it back.

4. Discussion turns to Leupold bringing the 3x back.

Only thing that's missing is someone claiming that Leupold 4x33's break too much in sniper competitions and thus we're all better off which 4x Zeiss Conquests

I prefer the short tube 4x33. I have a long tube 4x28 if anyone would like to trade a short tube 4x33 for it just send a pm...

JCM

You forgot No. 5: Is the long tube more likely to break than the short tube and how do either compare to the Euro fixed?

That should be good for at least three pages of hissy fits, Leupold bashing/praising or Euro bashing/praising.

Yup, I did forget the relative frailty of the long tube and short tube Leupolds.

Battue..

Actually this thread has been pretty devoid of the any biased Leupold trashing.

I vote for a slightly longer tube for non-stock crawlers who are mounting such scopes on long action rifles.

But such a scope would be going backwards for Leupold. Just like comming out with that old 3x again that nobody really needs...