Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Meopta, Leupold, Leica, oh my!

Ok, so I'm whittling down a list of scopes I'm considering for a semi-custom 35 Whelen Model 70 of mine.

I've looked at a Meopta R1 Meostar scope (30mm tube), 1.5-6x42, with a 4C (illum) reticle. Compared side by side to a Swaro Z3 4-12, both on 6x, the Meopta seemed to outclass the Swaro for resolution and overall image quality.

Then there's the Leupold VX6 with a lit #4 (I want a #4 ret.), and demos on the Leica ER 2.5-10 with a #4 (non-lit).

Any opinions? These all run in about the same ballpark price-wise.

Just looking for some perspectives.

Thanks!

leupold vx6 2-12

Any particular reason to push you to the Leupy? Just curious.

tddeangelo,



I am not surprised. It took four Swarovski z5 5-25X52 before I kept one. If the VX6 has as good of glass as the VX3, I would go with it in 2-12X based on what you posted.

I have two Z3's....a 3-10x42 and a 4-12x50BT, and both are great performers for me. I have the 3-10 on the Whelen now, and my only real "objection" is that the duplex reticle is very thin, and tough to see in low light. The Whelen is my "go to" rifle, and I want a good low light performer on it.

The 3-10 is destined for my pre-64 300H&H, which was what I bought it for in the first place. It just hasn't gotten there yet.

I have that Meopta on my 9.3x62 carbine... Liked it so much that I bought another. Glass is very good and I prefer the illumination controls on the Meopta over some of the others.

Swaro and Leica would be my #1 choice
Meopta close behind
I haven't spent much time with the leupold yet

Meopta.

Meopta hands down. I have 5 now and plan to replace all others with meoptas.

I'm considering the Meopta Meopro 3.5-10x44 with illumination for my 260 Rem that is used for deer hunting mainly. It can get real dark on the coast before legal shooting light is gone.

What in particular do you like about your scope and do you find it gets turned on easily by accident. The Leupold version seems like it would be really hard to turn on accidentally.

Meopta Meopro

I am a big fan of lower powered scopes and the 1.5-6x42 fits my needs perfectly for this rifle. I have not had any issues yet with the illumination getting turned on accidently. The controls are my favorite being a rotating dial with "off" between each brightness level... I much prefer this over the "up and down" buttons on my Duralyt and VX-R.

Trevor

Leica warranty seems to be questionable. Look before you buy that one.

Jack

Thanks, the Meopta really looks good.

I do not have experience with any of the above mentioned scopes. I think the 1" Meopro Illuminated sounds good, but I would think the 2-12 VX6 Illuminated would be an overall brighter scope, being it's 30mm.

Interesting debate, would like to hear from guys that have tried both

ive got the 3.5-10 illuminated meopro. heck of a scope

the tube size has no effect on brightness.

Just to be clear here...the Meopta I looked at is NOT a Meopro. It's a Meostar, so it is also a 30mm tube, just like the Leica and Leupold.

That being said, I put a VX6 2-12 next to a Swaro Z3 4-12x50 yesterday. Weird comparison, I know, EXCEPT that I own that same Swaro, so when I saw both scopes at Cabela's, I asked to see them both and compared side by side. The Leupold is a step down optically from the Swaro. I can't find anyway around that.

The Meostar, however, is mostly a step UP. The only bummer is there's some edge blur in the Meopta. Plus I'd prefer that Meopta to have more like a 2.5-10 range.

I did some digging on reticle substensions, too. Taking everything into account, I believe I'll wind up with Leica in time. Just not right now, as funds aren't there for it. Yet.

Well, if you're doing a scope comparison indoors, and/or without the scopes being mounted, then you're pissin' in the wind. I've done side by side many times with my VX6 and my neighbor's Swaro Z3. There's not a nickles worth of difference optically IMO, but the user friendliness of the VX6 makes it much more uable to me. The Meopta's rock.

I wouldn't quite call it "pissin' in the wind", as there are ways to check things like relative ability to resolve detail. Using a known commodity like the Z3 (since I have one and have hunted with it), I can get an idea of what the VX6 can do. No, it's not empirical, scientific data, but it is possible to at least get a feel for any possible differences. Remember, Cabela's stores are not small. I can look out over 100 yards in the store, at rocks, animals, etc, and see how each resolves those detail, and the scope counter has "snap on" rifle stocks for scope viewing purposes, which I used.

As for comparisons, I've had my two Z3's and my VX7 outside several times. The Z3's always win, especially as the light dims. Not to put too fine a point on it, but generally the optic one owns tends to be the one they prefer when comparing to an optic they don't own. I've seen that bear out more than a few times.

I love my Z3's, but the fine reticles are not ideal for low light. My VX7 has a great heavy duplex, and I was hoping the '6 would too, but it doesn't. The Meopta Meostar optically beat both the Swaro and Leupold to my eyes, but I would like a touch more magnification.

Given Doug at CLNY's praise for the optical qualities of the Leica scopes, and a review from John Barsness with high regards for the Leica scopes as well, I believe that's the way I'll head.