Dave,

He's been trolling for years in the optics forum and we've been chasing the bait like a dog chases a car. Sly old fart.

Well, we'd have to decide whether "a nickles worth of difference" equates to "I could have still killed it".

Where 7 different scopes at noon can leave someone scratching their head for a difference, may be a different story at 15 minutes after sundown. And while you may be able to kill something with any of them at that time, people pay a lot of money for subtle and maybe not so subtle, differences.

Right on Foxbat. Can't argue with that. I'm just one of those who believe brand bias talks us into believing what may or may not be there. I can honestly say I have zero brand bias or loyalty. Would you believe it if I told you that a very well respected, knowledgable, and veteran hunter, a guy who has tested dozens of hunting scopes over the years and lately, recently told me that a FX3 6x42 recently tested ever so slightly a notch below a Zeiss Diavari optically? True story. He tests them the exact same way every time.

I like him even if he's fishing.

Foxbat says,



Let me put a couple brands on that. No one can see any difference between my 6500 and my z5 during the day. But only a died in the wool Bushnell lover would tell us the 6500 is as good as the Swarovski when the sun goes down. There is just no comparison.

I worked out a simple solution for this problem. I put the Bushnell on a heavy varmint rifle that works only the day shift. The Swarovski goes on the hunter rifle.

Anyone else with brands they will tell us about?

Only problem is it's hard to take him seriously about anything else. I used to think that he offered up some good info on bino's but now I starting to wonder about those reviews. I guess that's the chance you take when you post nothing but foolishness.

I'm the same way. I have no brand loyalty when it comes to optics. I have 6 different brands of binoculars and 6 different brands of scopes currently and have owned several other brands.

It doesn't hurt my feelings if one brand is better than another at low light, just means the better one is going on my rifles that I use at dusk and the other will be relegated to daylight service.

While I think he's a lot smarter than his on-line persona, I'm not ready to send him an application to the Mensa Society either. I think he enjoys stirring the pot, and apparently, written abuse has little or no effect on him.

I wonder how the new vx6 will compare to the Meopta.

I sure did open a can of worms with this post, bea175, I too was always a Denver Redfield man, I bought them rebuilt for pennies on the dollar with a lifetime warrenty from Gaines Chestnut when he was CEO at Redfield and I was a student at CST and remained loyal all the way to the late '80's.
There are other options now for me, Redfield is probably a very viable one as is Leupold, Kahles ,Swarovski and Leica the problem lies in the fact that i like fixed power and they are far and few now.
I am not bashing anyone's choice, all I did was ask for a comparison and I appreciate all replys and those that came today from a person in the form of a PM, albeit too late to do anything but boost my confidence in my decision to buy 2 Meoptas.
280 Ackleyrized had some good thing to say before the OP was made and I paid attention.
Every person has their preference as do I, but I have no brand loyalty anymore, I look for what fits my needs for the rifle I chose for the hunt.
I thank each and everyone that has responded to this post, and particulary Pete and 280 A.

if the price isnt descent, i wont be compairing it to my meopta anyways

http://swfa.com/Leupold-2-12x42-VX-6-30mm-Riflescope-P49441.aspx

Decent?

I'm interested in the meopta 3-12x56 for a 35 whelen cva apex and a browning a bolt 270. My only concern is whether the meopta will have enough eye relief for the 35 whelen. If I did buy a Meopta it would be the 4B, however I don't know anyone with that Reticle and it concerns me that it may be too busy to able to use. I've only used a leupy with standard duplex. Anyone have any experience with the 4b Reticle? Any advice on the eye relief?

Bwilliams, I have the 50mm version and find no problem with eye relief. Your CVA might be light enough to offer a nice kick, especially with 250g, but I would believe that 3.5" is just about right. Mine has the #4 reticle, which the thick posts of the reticle come in very close to the duplex, which I prefer. The duplex is hair thin (actual subtensions are impossible to find on the 'net). I can't speak for the 4B though.
Also it looks as if the 56mm is a first focal plane scope which may negate all that I just stated
But, I really love mine, it's a pleasure to look through every time. Mechanically, I can find a fault.

Long eye relief is no substitute for good shooting form.

I My buddy who purchased the meopta before me put it on a 9.3x62 steyr which is like a 35whelen on horse steroids. This is a fairly light rifle and neither he nor I had a problem with the scope catching us on the brow.

Can't comment on the 4b as my freinds and i have purchased 4C reticles which are great for hunting, not so great for the tightest group shooting due to the focal plane.

unfortunately we purchesed ours for 799, the price has gone up in many stores.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is the VX6 supposed to be better than the vx3 and mk4 or just newer.(hopefully it is better at that price since the glass i've looked through has been overpriced) Even though I just spent a grand on a 40mm variable i can't say that i'll be in the market to do it again any time soon. I did it this time because of limited oppourtunity and nearly unanimous quality reviews.

it is kind of interestin, putting out a 6x mag variable to keep up with the 5 and 6 of other brands, but they did them all with 30mm tubes...interesting.

I am not familiar with the 4C. I have a Meopro with a 4, and I like the bolder outer lines, but the inner lines are very thin, and I wonder if you would be able to see them in dim conditions.

Regarding eye relief, the Meopros have nice long eye relief, and I have read the Meostars had the eye relief extended recently.

4C


4B


4K is like 4C but the actual crosshairs light up in the center, not just a dot. cant find a goodsized pic of one right now.

Unless I'm mistaken the new VX6 is supposed to replace the VX7 line as leupy's top end scope.

Be interested to see how things look through one at last light and in pre dawn hours. But I'd bet the 4-12x50mm Meopro will keep pace without breaking a sweat. And for about half the price. Leupold could become a viable option if they weren't so full of themselves. But like other product manufacturers, they are pricing themselves out of the market.

Oh, I see. A VX3L is the same scope as a VX3. Even though the name is different.
You never did answer my questions of your focusing method or the fact that Leupolds test virtually as well under twilight conditions as they do in daylight.
Leupolds work fine at night or during twilight. Unless the operator does not know how to adjust them. E

Get over it E. Quit tryin to be a brand loyal Leupold kiss azz and actually crawl out from under your rock once in a while. I don't give a schitt how you focus it, the VX 3 sux hind tit to the Meoptas.

Haha, you speak the truth. Meopta is the best deal going in optics. Wish I would have discovered them sooner.

Please tell us how tweaking the focus ring brings out better twilight performance. If you can focus a Meopta you can do the same for a Leupold therefore your basis for a discrepancy is invalid. Please do as others have asked and try and be at the very least objective and opened minded. Leupold doesn't build the finest/brightest optic on the planet, good value, "yes", the best, "no".

I would comment but I will hold my comments in reserve as to Leupolds. Do you want to sell the Zeiss?

I know you are right , but what I ordered was the 7X 56 and the 6X42 and I am confident they will do what I want here in the South at low light.Still if Swampman wants to get rid of his Zeiss put it in classified and let's see.

Im sure with that 7x it will still look like noon when looking through it at midnight. I have never tried a fixed power scope before. I may have to try one some day. I tend to instead run a variable with a low end of 3 or 4 x and a high end of 12x. I just wish they made the 3-12 Meostar in a 50mm as well. The 56mm obj gets me a little farther away from the stock than I like being for consistant cheek weld.

you act like it's rocket science to focus a scope for maximum clarity. we were in the stand for hours, the more we fiddled with them, the better the meopta looked compaired to the lupy. If lupy priced closer to their scopes are worth, I'd be willing to buy one, but they don't so i wont. There are enough people out there willing to pay for a name that i don't have to put a dime down to try one out.

nock off about 40% of the price of most leupolds and thats where their price will match their performance. If they were worth every penny then they wouldnt have made the redfield line.

if they made a 4 or 5 by 56 meopta i would probably buy two lol. probably only cost about 400 bucks and it could be the baddest nachtjagd scope around.

That brings back memories. My first centerfire rifle was a used Rem. 722 with a Redfield 3x9 purchased in about 1965. At the time I lived very close to the old Redfield plant in Denver, and I took it there to have the parallax adjusted. Later on a tip I tried a Leupold and, like you, became a convert. Mainly, my eyes just felt more comfortable looking through the Leupold. A bit subjective, like others have said.

I have had to use Leupold's warranty service more often that I would have liked to, but I won't belabor the point.

Paul

That's how Leupold is able to fix stuff for free even when it's the user's fault. Swaro probably does the same thing by charging more up front than they should.

I try not to compare leupold to sworo, more to nikon. apples to apples. This thread is realising that lupy and minox might not be the same fruit either lol.


which turns the wheels raider, why isnt nikon charging so much for their warranty? which is just about matching lupy's? Just an interesting thought you brought up.

The written warranties from nearly all the manufacturers are very similar.
It is in actual practice that Leupold excels by going above and beyond the verbiage of their warranty. They routinely replace and repair product which was clearly damaged by owner abuse.
This is a superb practice if you abuse your scopes but it is surely not without significant cost largely borne by the purchaser.

Right on Nsaqam. I believe Nikon's customer service to be hit or miss, a far cry from Leupold or Swaro. Nikon would probably be close to the bottom on my list of scopes or binocs.

I buy Leupold when size & weight are at a premium. When they aren't, I'm pretty sold on Conquest. The 3-9x40mm Conquest is a shockingly good scope for $400...

Hmm... thread idea...

I am starting to take another look at Nikon. The earlier monarchs weren't very nice in my opinion, but the new ones with long eye relief, and available do it yourself target turrets have me thinking. Not impressed with the prostaff or buckmasters though.

I find Nikon, across the board, to be some of the most overpriced for quality, optics out there. That's not to imply that they don't make some good stuff, but it's seldom a value.

If you can find instances where a conquest will fit your needs, you got to give the Meopta Meopro 3-9x42 a shot. It wont disappoint.

To like a Buckmaster, you gotta drive the 4-12x50. One resided on my Borden 280AI for a quite a few years. No complaints, No issues. The Monarch might get a second look from me if they made a 3-12x50 instead of the 42mm. But I dont think even the Monarch has a chance beside the Meopta.