Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Leupold Heavy Duplex reticle differences

The heavy duplex reticle in my Leupold 2-7 shotgun scope is identical to the one in your first picture.
I personally don't like the other one at all.

It's not, I just don't care for having that heavy portion come all the way in to the center. It covers up a LOT at low power settings. I'm almost wondering what's the point of even putting the 'plex' portion in that scope if you're going to have the heavy posts come in that far?

I really like what I've had for years (1.5-5x picture), and have had that HD sight picture across mulitple Leup model scopes. And that's what was advertised as what I would be getting in the 1.75-6x scope. I would have had no issue if they simply would have shown that particular 1.75-6x HD reticle configuration ahead of time. I wouldn't have ordered it.


As well as my 1-4x shotgun scope. Thanks for the confirmation.

Since I mainly use the regular duplex this tight HD was a big change for me. After a bit of field use I found it didn't cover up anything that mattered at ranges where I'd use the low power setting on this type of scope.

But if you don't like it then you don't like it. Leupold should be explicit about what a scope actually gets.

E,

Count me as wishing Leupold would actually provide a 4a reticle. I've got a 4a in a VXII 2-7 but it was done by Premier. Leupold now provides a #4 reticle which is different from the 4a. I had one of the #4 in a VXII 3-9 and sold it. Wish Premier or Leupold would get back to the 4a, I'd send several scopes in for reticle changes!

I have 2 VX-III 1.75-6x32 HD scopes and they have the same reticle as in pic #2. I don't like them nearly as much as a regular HD reticle as found on every other Leupold scope I've seen. I've tried unsuccessfully to describe the differences in previous posts, but I wasn't able to take adequate pictures. I don't know if it's worth the cost and effort have them replaced.

I've even sent several M8 4x scopes back for HD installation and they've all come back with crosshairs as in pic #1, so maybe it's something specific with this model of scope?

I have a VXIII 1.75-6 with the heavy duplex. It is the same as you've shown with basically no "du" to the plex. VERY narrow. I've had several other Leupolds with heavy duplex and the 1.75-6 is the only one I've found like this.

JCM

I'll just add that when I first started playing with the Heavy Duplex reticle, I didn't care much for it. It seemed to cover too much of a target, and it felt cluttered. Luckly, I kept it and hunted it for a few seasons. What I learned was that they are alot more practical for use in the field than I ever thought they would be. That and, if I use a large enough aiming spot, I can shoot just as small a group with one as I can with a finer reticle. E

at what range?

Dang, I like the newer style. If the fixed 4x was a bit longer and I could get the newer style in it, I'd be all over it.

I've got a VariXIII 1.75x6x32 that's about 8 years with the heavy duplex and it's the same as the second picture. I don't care for it much. I get everything I can with a #4 or 4a reticle nowadays if I can. The #4 is a better reticle than either of the depictions of the heavy duplex in my opinion.

I was told by Leup tech service that the heavy duplex that's used in a 1.5X5 can be installed in the 1.75X6.

Why it is different in the first place, is beyond me.

Although he's by no means looking for work after many many years still Wally Seibert continues to offer reticle changes and other services on Leupolds among other brands he continues to service.

Here's the Leupold Cust Service response to my question of why the different HD reticles:

Range estimation??? Was that in the instructions I should be reading?

John Schaefer (Father Frog) gave us a solution to using heavy plex at the bench. Use the 90 degree angle of the horizontal and vertical cross hair as your aiming point.

Doesn't seem to matter. Just use something you can see clearly. I've shot them at both 100 and 300 yds. repeatdly. E

Or you can just use a target that fits the reticle. Leupold has one that has four large black squares evenly spaced and works great for 100/200 yards. You just place the crosshairs so it's between the squares. I have shot many 1/2 moa groups with the leupold target and a HD reticle at 100 and 200 yards.

I'm up for a history lesson. Who is Wally and what does his company do?

It really is mostly history see e.g.:
Interview with Wally Siebert, Gun Digest Book of Scopes and Mounts by Bob Bell (1983)

J.D. Jones in American Handgunner.

Chuck Hunting with the 50 BMG By Daniel Lilja


Stuart Otteson in Rifle magazine writing about making weight in bench rest - Mr. Siebert offered hefty power boosts and other changes in lighter smaller scopes than the then common external adjustment Unertl and Super Target Spot and such. For many years Mr. Siebert was also effectively a custom work department for at least one major brand - not necessarily credited but never ignored.

Anybody have this scope with this reticle and likes it?
Black Bart has this scope for sale in the classified section
and I was debating about selling some stuff to buy it for my
Ruger 77 RSI 7mm-08 or just keep the Nikon Prostaff 2-7x32 shotgun scope that is on it now? Would the Leupold with this reticle best THAT much better than the Prostaff?(The Prostaff is brand new)
AMRA