Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics If not Leupold then.....

For the people moving away from Leupold riflescopes what do you prefer in the 3-15 /4-16 power range? I'm playing with a 3-15 Vortex Razor LH that has been pretty easy to get behind. No complaints so far.

Leupold.

Does that mean you come full circle or just expressing your unwavering loyalty?

Bushnell 4200 or 4500 4-16X. They have the hydro-phobic coating so they do very well in rain.

I need to look through one.... Haven't owned a Bushnell since I was 15.

LRHS

I like my Elite 3200s and 4200s.

Personally feel that the Bausch and Lomb 3000/4000 series are more clear to my eye, wish they would have had the Rainguard coating around back then.

If I needed more power I would definitely look at the LRHS that Bushnell builds.

TRACT, of course!

TRACT Toric 3-15x42

A little bias now and then again never hurts...

I've had decent luck with a few Bushnells, but the eye relief is marginal. The best of them was a 4200 1.5-6, I think. JB did a positive review on a mid-range Nikon not long ago, so in that price range, I might give one of those a go.

Now that I'm pretty much up to my neck in rifles, I might just decide to spring for something like a Schmidt & Bender for whichever one gets designated as the go-to gun. I can't afford that level for everything, but one is do-able.

The only scope I have had to send back for repair was this exact scope. I wouldn't trade a Leupold for a truckload of Bushnells.

I've got a Baush & Lomb 3000 and a Bushnell 3200. Both are 3-9x40 and I can't see a damn bit of difference. Eye relief on both sucks. My Weaver classic's and Nikon pro staffs are optically sharper than either. I still like my Leupolds better than any of those because of the longer eye relief and more forgiving eye box. Though the adjustments are more positive on the Weavers, Bushnells and Nikons. All hold zero just fine but I sight them in and leave them alone. I have no need to twist turrets as I'm not a long range target shooter and seldom get a shot opportunity at anything beyond 300 yards due to limitations of the terrain where I hunt.

Some of Nikon's best ED glass can be found on the MONARCH 5 3-15x42 Advanced BDC riflescope. Tough to beat ED glass. This scope will even save you hundred's of $ over other ED glass scopes. You can also dial in this scope using Nikon's Spot On ballistic Program. Pretty amazing longrange accuracy using this ballistic program.
Check out this video review .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzvyMwGol40

Not that I'm looking to moving away from Leupold, but, if the SWFA SS 3-15x43 is even close in clarity and brightness to my SWFA SS 6 and 10 fixed power scopes, it would definitely be my choice.

Leupold for me!

I'm sticking with Leupold, but NF would be my choice if you're a turret spinner.

I've got Leupold, Swarovski, Kahles, Zeiss, Sig, Meopta, Leica, Minox, Tract, etc. under the variety is the spice of life don't keep all your eggs in one basket plan.

http://cameralandny.com/spec-sheet.html?catalog[name]=Vortex-Razor-HD-LH-3-15x42---G4-BDC-MOA-%23RZR-1589-vortex-razor-lh&catalog[product_guids][0]=1237133

Pretty decent price on the 3-15 Vortex Razor LH right now....

Leupold, but I don't go above VX3's

The Toric I have on my 30-06 has near 250 rds so far, and performance is very impressive so far. The optics are ridiculously good as well.

My primary fear is scope failure. However, I'm also weight conscious as I get older.

I want a 2-12 or 3-15 with a 42-44 objective that is lightweight, illuminated, and hard to break. These things don't usually go together! So far, the Leupold VX-6 2-12 has filled the bill but I still worry about it. I have some weird phobia about missing an animal with a wounding shot! On travel hunts I even carry a spare scope, although I've never needed it. My primary hunting choice is a 300 Weatherby.

If not Leupold, then what?

Lightweight and hard to break don't fit into the same sentence in my experience, the lower powered variables with no parallax adjustment are definitely tougher than with.

Tough? try a Super Sniper from SWFA, great glass and tough as nails, they get very good reviews.

I've ran a SS 3-9 MQ for a year. No issues with tracking, durability, or clarity of glass. For people who want to twist turrets I think it's fantastic, just not my personal preference. What I would like to have is a 3-15 sub 18oz scope with usable holdover reticle, decent glass, and the ability to hold zero with the last being the most important.

I love my Meoptas. I have a number of brands of scopes, and Leupold and Meopta are my favorites.

Aheider: Leupold!
I suggest the Leupold 4.5x14 with adjustable objective.
I have several of these and love them all!
They have served me well for not only Big Game Hunting but for year round Varmint Hunting as well.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Trijicon Accupoints are all I'm buying these days. Especially the 2.5-12.5x42. A side by side comparison with it and a VX6 is a real eye-opener.

I am a big time Leupold guy and have four of them. But I recently bought a Trijicon 1-4 for my AR and it's unbelievable.

My next rifle will likely sport a Trijicon 3-9x40.

I'd say a good, proven Leup- and they exist!- or ANY of the Conquests I've owned represent my minimum acceptable level of mechanical stability and repeatability.

To answer the OP's question, the 3-10x42 Nightforce SHV rocks.

I have Leupolds,Minox.Zeiss,Meopta, Bushnell,Burris,Vortex.I prefer scopes with a longer eye relief ,but would buy any of the scopes I listed on sale.Huntz

Not much experience with them but Kahles at least the old Helia S were hell for stout and the view is excellent.

Lost for 27 years and still worked fine. http://www.opticstalk.com/kahles-scope-found-27-years-later_topic728.html

I have tried a few other brands in similar price range. They were sold and replaced with Leupolds in pretty short order.
If you like the other brands, go for it. I'm staying with Leupold.

I am not real pleased with Leupold, as the only one that I have, had to be sent in for repair. I generally like the SWFA scopes better now, but I am not adverse to buying used Leupolds for the right price. There are enough good scopes around now, that it is not necessary to depend on Leupold. I also have several Bushnell Elites that have been real good scopes, although, not as clear as the SWFA, or Leupold. I would really like to try the Bushnell LRHS scope series some time, as they have developed a good reputation.

Mostly a fixed magnification user, Have had a Weaver Super Slam in the past, it was nice.

I'm a Bushnell guy myself. I have the Elite, a couple of 4200's and a 6500.


Dan

I used to swear buy Leupold and their VX3 scopes were all I would use. The last one I purchased was was about 2007 and it was not as good as the same scope I bought in the 80's. Their recent productions seem to be turning around but I am not back yet. The discontinued VX6 they were selling several months ago had me thinking and they manufacture near you. Trijicon is pretty sweet if you like the reticles and the tritium can be an issue. No better than Swaro or Zeiss though. Lately I really like the Zeiss HD5 3-15X42 it fits right into your parameters and is a reasonable value IMO. Meopta as mentioned is very good they made the Zeiss conquest line that Zeiss sold before they re-engineered to the Terra line and are a very good value.I would like to try the SHV but the size comes into play with the 56mm on there 4-14 Objective lens.

Scopes are individually very subjective and its best to try them out. Ask to look through some at your next range session you results may vary.

Good luck and shoot straight

Bob

lately have been happy with burris.

Ed

If eye relief was not a issue and you're not a heavy twister, Vortex.

Interesting that no gun writers have offered a view of Leupold's recent deliveries. Seems I heard someone mention at the last 'fire hog hunt that things at Leupold had been going south a bit. This, and I may be mistaken, a view from a gun writer thus second hand provided...

I've never been impressed with vortex based on their tunneling effect. However, the new Razor LH does not suffer from the same and has a pretty good view.

I'm really starting to like Meopta, especially their 6X. I have 2 now. Still like Leupold, but I'm branching out.
Bob

The 3-9 Accupoints at 13.4 oz. are great if you are after miminal weight, but if you can stand 9 more oz. and a couple hundred dollars more you can get a 2.5-12.5 Accupoint -- the finest hunting scope available anywhere at any price, so long as you aren't sheep hunting.

Except for one VX3 2.5-8 I've moved completely over to Meopta scopes. Im not a turret twister but if I was is go for a SS from SWFA. I really like Trijicon optics as well but don't currently own any.

which one do you have?

I have the Toric 3-15x42 with the duplex. It's more like a #4 though actually. My son like it enough that he took it off and put it on his CTR 260.

Same here.

I've got a dozen or two Leupolds and a Nikon (that came on a rifle I bought and was replaced by a Leupold.) I've had other scopes. I'm very happy with my Leupold scopes, but then again, I'm not an "operator." Also, I spend more time shooting than reading or surfing the internet so I probably don't know how bad I've got it.