I am considering purchasing one of these, as I would like a little more magnification than my 3x9, but would still like a light weight scope. I owned a 4.5x14x40 VX-3 for awhile and didn't really care for it. It seemed to be very difficult to "get behind". My head had to be in the perfect position to see through it well. I read later that it had a very small eyebox. It seems like I also read at the same time that the 4x12 had a small eyebox as well. I'm no optics expert, and small eyebox may not be the proper way to describe it, but is the 4x12 an easy scope to use?

I don't know why you would think the cheaper version of a scope you didn't like would be any better?

Dude,

You came to the wrong place to ask questions about Leupold scopes. It would seem most here would rather have a cardboard tube from a roll of paper towels, with a mad scorpion in it, for a sight than a Leupold scope.

Me, I have used a VX2 4-12 x 40 for 17 years and never had an issue of any sort, but its on a 6lb .280AI, so it has never been subjected to recoil.

the Leupie 4-12 is NOT an easy scope to use, in the sense that it has extreme variation in eye relief from low to high power. The eye relief is too long on low power, and changes to over an inch less on high power making it too short.

I said nothing negative about the brand. He has owned noticed and mentioned not caring for a 4-14....I don't like them either at all but used the 3.5-10's for years and love them for set and forget. I don't know why he would think he would like the cheaper version of s scope he didn't like.

I have several Leupold scopes, mostly 3-9's, one 3.5-10x40. A year ago I got a good deal on a 4-12x40 on eBay. Mounted it on my 270 in September, shot a deer with it in mid-November, and I was so disappointed with the scope I sold it a couple weeks later. When I went to shoot the deer, at about 150 yards, I cranked the scope all the way up, and after what felt like forever, but was probably only about 30 seconds of not being able to find the deer in the scope, I turned it down to about 8 power. Still had a hard time seeing the full field of view through the scope and finding the deer, but I finally made the shot. I've never had any issues at all like that with any other Leupold scope. So I'm back to just the 3-9's and 3.5-10. Not that the 4-12 couldn't work for some people, but it just didn't work for me.

The reason I asked the question is because I have several 3x9s and a 2x7 Leupolds and have no problem with them. The 4.5x14 is the only one I've ever had a problem with. I've never had a 4x12, hence the question. Thanks for the responses.

Mixed reaction. The 4-12x 's I've owned were the older vari-x IIs. They're a little dim, perhaps, but I'm very fond of the one on my .17 HMR. Good balance. I'm not a fan of "knobs" but I'd consider the CDS / windplex version today.

I like the 4.5-14x as well. I'm on my 3rd. The first I foolishly sold on a rifle I got rid of. I have #2 and #3. They're not going anywhere.

Tom

If you didn't like how hard the 4.5-14x40 was to "get behind", you are absolutely not going to like the vx2 4-12x40. That was by far one of the worst scopes I've owned. It rates right up there with a Zeiss terra 4-12x42 and Burris 2-7x32. Now I'm not Leupold bashing, just telling it like it was/is for me. If the OP, just have to have a Leupold, I highly suggest buying a VX3 3.5-10x40. I realize it is not a high magnification scope, but it sure is easy to get behind, is bright and very clear. The choices of reticles are great too, however for plain ol hunting I'd go with just the standard duplex reticle and be done with it...

Bsa1917hunter: Now I am not bsa1917hunter "bashing" but I have been using Leupold 4x12 and 4.5x14's on my Varmint and Big Game Rifles since they were introduced - day "one" in other words.
I have 12 (twelve) of them currently mounted on various Rifles.
IF... YOU are having "eyebox" problems then YOU have not set-up your 4x12 Leupolds or 4.5x14 Leupolds correctly on your Rifles in the first place!
I can (and do!) throw my various Rifles with these scopes on them up to my shoulder, at ANY power, and I have a full field of view at the natural Rifle mounting position!
I also have several Leupold 3.5x10's mounted on various Rifles and they also pose NO problems for me once properly mounted on the gun.
I simply can NOT imagine what you are talking about?
Are you saying that at different powers with the 4x12's and 4.5x14's you have to move your head to or fro to obtain full sight picture - because if you are, that simply is NOT the case with my many Rifle /scope combinations.
And again if you are, then I am saying you did not set up those Leupolds correctly to begin with.
The 4x12 and 4.5x14 Leupolds are amongst my all time favorite scopes.
Long live Leupold & Stevens Corporation - an American Company!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

What he said.

Bamasnyper,

The Leup 4.5-14 have long been notorious for lacking the large eyebox of other Leupolds, and the 4-12 does have a pretty significant change in eye relief as magnification changes.

The Leupold 3-9 and 3.5-10 do indeed have a lot of eyebox and probably in large part contributed to Leup's reputation of a forgiving eyebox.

If you want an extra large eyebox try their 1.5-4 or 1.5-5 on lowest power--a guy can practically look through them with both eyes--kinda' like binoculars...

The 2-7 and 2.5-8 are very good too.

I have one of these with fine duplex on a Remington 541-T HB .22 and it works very well for that application. However, I generally have it set on 10-12X and don't move the power ring much, so I don't experience eye relief changes. Since it's a .22, slightly shorter eye relief is not an issue. I probably wouldn't wouldn't put one on a .300 magnum but I think it would be OK on most standard calibers.

I have never notice this problem, but I only have 17 4-12x40 Leupolds in service at this time on rifles ranging from 17HM2 to 6.5-284; Rifleman x1, Mark AR x3, VX-I x6, VX-II x4, VX-1 x1, and VX-2 x2.

Have had many Leupold variables over the years. When you get more than 9x or 10x IMO the scope must have parallax adjustments to get the most from the scope. Whether it is a VX-2 or a the higher quality models, the max magnification looses clarity. I have a wonderful 8.5-25 x 50 LR that is a bit unclear past 22x or so even with careful parallax adjustments.

I still have two VX-2s: a 4-12 x 40 AO (you didn't mention the AO) and a 6-18 x 40 AO. Especially with these models, you need to buy more magnification that you will need to get decent resolution/clarity on the midrange magnifications. I don't use either of those two scopes on max settings, just not enough clarity.

Those that have read me saying before that I won't put a Leupold on a big game rifle, I still will use them for varmints and targets. If the erectors fail I can send it back and little lost, not so for a big game hunts which are often hard to get a tag AND the effort and money spent can be ruined in one moment due to failure. Had that happen twice on a coues wt hunt, never again.....

Thanks for the responses, but I just bought a Sightron Big Sky 3x12 off here. Maybe it'll be what I am looking for.

Actually that would have 100% color and clarity.

I own at least half a dozen Leupold 4-12X scopes. Some are VX II some are VX 2. And I still have a vari x II. They are on smaller centerfires that I use for calling coyotes and other varmint shooting.
I have had zero mechanical or optical problems with them.
Are they harder to use, difficult to get behind, small eye box, not in my opinion.
They work very well for my purposes and I’ll buy more if I need a scope in that magnification range.
I think they are discontinued though.
My view, they are a very good scope for the money.
I have not used these 4-12X Leupolds on rifles bigger than my 257 weatherby. But I have had Leupold variables on 270 WSM, 30/06, 300Win, 338 Win,and 375 HH. They do fine for me.

Yes, it is an easy scope to use. I have 5 of them, all with a CDS including one on a 300 win mag. It is my favorite hunting scope.

I have both AO and no AO , with the non AO I adjust the ocular part of the scope for parallax and shoot out to 1,200 yds with them.

All in Duplex.

I'm laughing at these imaginary eye box problems some seem to have.

Depends on whether it's range shooting vs hunting somewhere besides a blind.........

The 4-12 has a decent eyebox, it's the eye relief that changes so much with magnification.

That's the story with my VX-II 4-12x4-AO. To set it up for quick, full sight picture acquisition I need to pick which end of the mag range is most important before I set the eye relief and mounting position.

I set mine up with optimal eye relief at 4x since that's what I'm most likely to use in a hurry. If I have time to change power, I have time to slow down and adjust my eye position as well. YMMV, though.

Tom

When mounting the scope I set it on 10x for proper eye relief, that fits me without stretching my neck.

I normally hunt/stalk at 6x and for using the CDS I adjust to 12x to properly use it.

I'm not having these eye relief problems.

I had a 3-9x40 on a .243 and ran across a good deal on a 4-12x40, so swapped.

It looks identical. They use the same tube. Same ring position, same eye relief, only difference is it goes up to 12x instead of 9x. Generally eye relief complaints are from a scope incorrectly mounted or mounted too high