Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Which Leupold on a .300 WM for elk?

I’m wanting to put together a dedicated elk / western big game rifle. Planning on a Ruger all weather .300 Win Mag. Wanting to top it with a Leupold VX3i scope. I have always used 2.5-8 x 32 on my hunting rifles but I’m really wanting a 4.5-12 or 4.5-14
Main questions are... do I get a 1” or a 30mm tube and do I go with 40mm or 50mm objective?

VXR 40mm

40 mm! But I'd lean VERY heavily towards a VX3 I 3.5 -10.

Please tell me why. I’m very open to suggestions

Super eye relief, more flexible mounting, elk are large ...

I have a vx3i 3.5-10×40, great scope. Just picked up a vx5 3-15×44 for my m77 in 7wsm. Its not even mounted and im in love! Perfect mag range, simple duplex for deer hunting with the cds zl. Depending on where you hunt will determine giving up the magnification on low end for the high end. I currently have a 4.5-14 nikon on the m77 now and i dont feel short changed on the low end at all. I would go with the 4.5-14. The vx5 is worth the exrta cash if you can swing it. I picked mine up for $700.

I have a VX-Ri 4X12X40 mounted on a Weatherby Vanguard2 SS and Synthetic in .30-06. If it's not as good as VX-3 I cannot tell it. The little lighted dot is wonderful when the light is failing between 20 and 30 minutes after sunset. Mine holds zero very well and rides with me every day. I've read the complaints about Leupold but I've been lucky so far.

I think some people would be surprised at how many elk are killed with 3x9 Bushnell scopes.
On Savage 110s.
With $20/box factory ammo.

I never hunted elk but have killed a lot of deer with open sights and Remington Core Lokt or Winchester silver tips.

Pharmvet: My "main" Elk Rifle is a Remington 700 Classic in caliber 7mm Remington Magnum.
It has used a Leupold 3.5x10x40mm variable scope on it since day one - it has done a great job in all manner of extremes of usage.
Mine has the Du-Plex reticle and with just a little familiarity the "ranging" feature works well. One inch tube by the way.
Best of luck to you with whichever you choose.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I have a VX5 3-15×44 Firedot on my 300WM elk rifle.

I like the 4-12's but there is on older 3-9 with dots out to 600 it will probably be on that rifle for the rest of my hunting days...

I vote D:

A. Leupold VX-3i

B. Leupold VX5

C. Leupold VXR

D. None of the above.

I’d try and find a Leupold 6x36 as first choice on a dedicated elk rifle, or a Meopta 6x42. The last 2 Leupold VX3i scopes I’ve had were full of problems so didn’t stay long. My own 300s wear older VariX scopes that have been solid for the last 30yrs.

3.5-10 is all you really need ok an elk rifle and it will keep your rifle lite.. The CDS makes longer shots a breeze. But you still need to practice at those ranges!!
If you need or must have 12 on top end, make sure you have 3 on bottom end. You don’t want to be in the thick and lowest setting is 4.5. One thing I hate about leupold.

Most of my elk have been shot with a Leupy 2.5-8 x 36 on a 338 or a 3.5-10 x 40 on a 300. At least half of my recent elk have been shot at less than 100 yards, and after losing a nice mule deer a long time ago, I always remember to keep the scope on the lowest power. You always have time to roll it up for a long shot. You dont have time to roll it down when all you see is hair in the view, and bouncing at that. I think 4.5 is too much for elk--not enough on the low end to give you a large FOV, and nobody needs more than 10 for an elk on the high end. As another poster said, elk are large.

I’m a fan of 6x fixed power scopes for hunting. Simple, sturdy, light.....and as said, an elks a big target.

6x36 or 6x42

If I was to buy a new Leupold variable the vx6 2-12 scopes seem interesting, but over priced.

Suggestions you already have work. I like the larger objectives & higher magnification with my old eyes the extra light is a good thing but that slightly larger field of view can keep you from shooting the wrong animal in a herd. Seeing the cow about to step in front of the bull makes a big difference.

I use a Zeiss 3-15x50 on my elk rifle, an old 300 Weatherby & have shot them from 11-550 yards. It has a Christmas tree reticle the z800 that matches the trajectory of the rifle out to 800 yards very fast for shots over 400 yards.

That’s what I’d do..

That's a good one. I've read than the VX-R glass is equivalent to VX-2. I've handled a VX-2 next to a VX-3 and can't tell much if any difference in glass quality;

More expensive, but a jump in glass quality is the VX-6, 2-12x42. It's a bigger, 30mm scope, (like the VX-R) but not that bulky or heavy for what it is. Those can be had with the FireDot, as well.

I, too, have read horror stories about Leupolds, but have had good service from the one's I've owned. I understand the VX-5 has great glass and is less expensive than the VX-6. Never handled one.

For a hunting rifle, I do like the lower power, such as 2X, for fast off hand shooting.

DF