Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Differences in Leupold

What is the difference in the crosshair durabillity in VX1, VX2, and VX3?

I do not care one bit about glass quality, just wondering about returning to zero, and abillity to handle and maintain zero through recoil and carrrying...

Thanks in advance

Adjusting windage and elevation and returning to zero is called tracking.

On the whole, Luepolds do not have a good reputation for tracking. However, Some do report good results.

All 3, once you've zeroed your gun, and the adjustments have "settled", have had a great reputation for maintaining zero.

I have been reading here from creditable folks that their reputation is slipping. Their warranty and reliable Customer service is typically enough to maintain a loyal following, myself included.

I would own the latter 2 without hesitation. The VXI... I'd go with a new redfield. They can be had NEW for the price of a used Luepold. Or buy any Vari X, VX-II or III.

Luepold makes a great scope, provides a Lifetime transferrable warranty and has exceptional CS.

FWIW, a Leupold service technician once told me over the phone that the erector assembly and other mechanical characteristics are the same across the entire product line, and that the only difference is in the glass and coatings. That's what he said to me. Take it FWIW.

That is what I have been told as well--except the VX-3's have an improved dual-spring setup in the adjustments. This makes the adjustments very repeatable--and I get that not from being told, but by throughly testing three VX-3's.

I took a fall on an elk hunt and busted my scope. Had to run down to the local Wally World to buy a replacement and all the had was a VX1. I mounted it, sighted it in by headlights, and was hunting the next morning. It is a good scope and took an elk. The only real difference I saw was when my elk was moving west into the setting sun, it was very obvious the lens coatings weren't the same.

Many of us would like to be in a position to thoroughly test VX-3s. Yes, I'm jealous.

thanks guys, these are the answers I was looking for

MD, does that include the VX-III's?

No, the older Roman numeral scopes had a single-bias spring erector setup.

Only the new Arabic numbered have the dual spring, though I think they might also have put it in their Mark 4 military scopes earlier.

Buy a Zeiss Conquest instead. And that comment is from a guy who owns, and uses 10 Leupolds.

I'd just add that if you are the type of shooter/hunter that sets the zero on a scope and leaves it there, I've never had any real problems getting any of mine zeroed. That includes several with the older friction adjustments. Once zeroed, they stay put. Even when bounced off of the hard ground, rocks, etc. Or at least the smaller variables and fixed magnification scope I have do.
From what I gather, the complaints comne from those that demand that if they change zero in the field, they insist on their scopes coming back to zero, not a 1/2 inch off. The older VXIII's, with their finger tip adjustments apparently generated most of the complaints.
I've done alot of this changing zero stuff both in the field and on the range. Never had any problems with my scopes. I suspect that that is so because I had them modified with target style adjustments.
I've also got a new FX3 with the dual spring system. It, too, from what I've seen always tracks very accurately.
BTW, the Mk.4 scopes have always had this dual spring system. E

I can't speak to the Arabic numbered models, but the Vari X and VX series used single-bias spring erectors and the Mark 4 uses a duel spring erector.

JD338