Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Leupold Mark 4 vs. VX-3 in the same size?

With the mounts that are available nowadays, that shouldn't be too much of an issue:

http://stores.homestead.com/Laruetactical/Detail.bok?no=40

You can have huge amounts of eye relief while still staying on the receiver.

the 1.5-5 MK4 has 3.6" (4.4") vs. 3.7" (4.4") for the VX3

about the same. i couldn't tell the diff. i had to look it up on Leupold's web site

I like it but stand by my comments. Doesnt mean it applies to you, but it certainly does to some people i know around here.

Glad you are happy with yours - hope the full auto 50 doesnt tear it up!

Sorry i Got involved in this thread. I thought i was pretty knowledgable about leupold scopes (except the mk versions) but clearly i'm not. Carry on

Seriously, what evidence is there that the glass itself is actually better in the VX-7 vs. VX-3?

http://www.opticstalk.com/new-leupold-vx3-vx3_topic14792.html

"The VX3 has VX7 glass"

Ok - admitting i am wrong for the third time now

Cant believe i'm getting schooled on optics by 2 guys with "fairly high end mid-range AR, going for a recon/recce/spr type" (whatever that is) and a "375 AI, which is kinda my SHTF rifle"

Seriously?

Seems rather presumptuous. You've admited you know little to nothing about the optics. I would think it's safe to assume you know even less about the people you write about.

Terry

Terry-

by "around here" i mean where i live, not the campfire. one of the things i like about the campfire is that most of the threads are about things that appeal to me and we are generally folks who are every day people and not extremists.

If someone came to the range where i shoot and saw some of the guys and their gear, they'd agree with my "tacticool" and "toy soldier" comments. It is really quite entertaining to watch these guys. I haven't shot an AR for over 20 years but guarantee you i could break down their rifles faster than they could.

I will give you an example - while i can think of many this is one i find the most entertaining. A couple of years ago one of my colleagues was doing some consulting work for one of the private military contractors based here in NC. This is a guy that i witnessed on his first duck hunt load the shells in the tube of his pump shotgun backwards. Anyway, some of the operators at this company used to let him shoot with them when he was onsite between meetings. I am sure he was good entertainment on the range knowing this guy personally. His office had several pictures of himself in full battle gear, AR slung across his chest and gargoyle sunglasses on, with the other real operators. Mind you this is a guy that voted for clinton twice and if you knew him, you would appreciate that he missed the day in school where they handed out man-cards.

Even though he readily admitted he was a poor shot with the rifle and pistol and had no use for one whatsoever, he went out and bought himself an AR - actually paid a premium for it so he could get one through this well known private contractor (all legally done) with their logo engraved.

He bought a mark AR for it (thank god he didn't drop the $ on a mark 4) and i let him take it to my hunt club one afternoon to sight it in. I offered to help him at every step along the way but he refused as he didn't want to admit he didn't have a clue what he was doing.

Upon his return, he was complaining the rifle wouldn't shoot straight - everything grouped left of the bull. I asked him if he took the cap off the windage knob and adjusted and he gave me a blank stare - no idea what i was talking about.

That is what i call "tacticool" and "toy soldier". So i may be ignorant, arrogant and presumptuous in your eyes, but I base my comments on what i have witnessed with my own two eyes. I think if you go back and look at my posts here at the 'fire i generally shy away from topics i know nothing about. I've admitted several times i know very little about the Leupolds Mark 4 line of scopes several times now - and frankly wish i'd never attempted to answer the OPs question with what i incorrectly thought was the right answer.

To my other point about the military not always using the best, all you have to do is see how the gear is different that the our soldiers use in the US military vs. the private contractors to appreciate that.

I think we can all agree if you go read a few threads in the custom rifles section that there are plenty of people with more money than sense that will pay a premium for stuff they have no practical use for whatsoever.

While i am sure the mark 4, which apparently is a much better scope than i ever appreciated, makes sense in a lot of practical applications (especially on a "SHTF 375ai", of course), i'm confident based on what i have seen with my own eyes that there are people that buy them for the look and the name ("Mark 4") no matter the price that have no idea what they are buying.

No different than someone who spends $12k+ on a Jarrett or similar "turnkey" rifle system and then turns it into a safe queen.

If people get defensive about broad brush comments i can't help that. Maybe the fact they get defensive about it says something right there.

I've yet to see a VX-3 but own a few VX-III's and 2 MK4's. Without a doubt the MK4 is clearer, the turrets work, the side focus is nice and the 30MM tube is 30MM.

I got a regular duplex in both but did mount them on an SPR and a RECCE in LaRue mounts. I got both of these for about the same price as the VX3 models were with added turrets. I wouldn't use the tactical reticles or even the illuminated reticle but I do use the turrets and the 30mm tube gives me more adjustment.

Matters not what some writer thinks.

i'll have to stand by my 'ignorance and arrogance statement'

the .375 AI SHTF rifle that amuses you, perched in it's happy place at sunrise...



and it's baby brother with the VXIII 1.5-5



and here is an example of the "S" in my SHTF



and let's see, this must be the 3.5-10 VX3



and the MK 4 variant...




and this concludes today's lesson in tacticool play toy soldiery...

I was actually hoping you'd explain, because I thought you might actually know what you're talking about, but the defensive snappy comeback just shot that out of the water. Apparently if a scope costs more, that must mean it has better glass. No way it could be anything else, right?

Toad, you've got some good stuff and appear to spend some time in some nice places. How much does that 375 weigh? it looks like, well, a toad.

Corndogggy - sorry if i offended you. I don't have anything to add to your knowledge of Leupold scopes. Clearly it is greater than mine. That isn't meant to be a smart ass reply but sincere.

Hope you both have a good weekend - i'm heading to the keys for spring break with the family

When Leupold came out with the VX-3's they never said they updated the Mk 4's with the same glass and dual erector springs.
I'd love to believe they did but never saw Leupold say they did or anyone else that was able to back it up.

shortmag - not offended, takes much more than that, it was kinda snappy though. sorry if I sounded abrasive.

For future reference, if you're even interested... a recon build, aka. "recce", basically means a 16" really accurate stainless steel barrel usually with a 1/8" twist, with a long handguard, usually firing heavier projectiles such as 77 grain. Much easier to say "recce" than all that.

An SPR is the evolution of that, basically a miniature sniper rifle with an 18" barrel, and usually with a Leupold Mark 4 MR/T scope. The general idea is a sniper rifle that doesn't weigh 15 pounds and can use the same ammo as everybody else if they had to.

Both basically denote a longer, more accurate, and more powerful rifle than a typical 2 MOA carbine firing 55 grain projectiles, but without getting into the huge varmit rifles, usually used for accurate shots at mid-range distances while still being maneuverable, hence my comment that I'm going for a "fairly high end mid-range AR, going for a recon/recce/spr type".

9#, 8 oz as pictured. pretty porky. i'm wringing out an 8# .375 RUM now to see how light i can go in .375 and still keep my retinas attatched.