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

I will echo John's issues and recommendations as well.

This is the model Leupold I've been buying lately, seems to be a good intersection of quality, size and value for the $.

LEUPOLD VX-5HD 2-10x42mm (30mm) Duplex Reticle

Typically can be had for less than $800.

My 300 WM wears a VX3 3.5x10 and I have never felt a need to change or that it was lacking in any way. I do like the 2.5x8x and also the 6Xs and have them on most of my lighter rifles. Just got a Meopta 6x42 with German #4 and that would be a good set up for hunting dark timber. I don't think I would feel handicapped by a straight 6x, if it was not enough power then the Elk is out of my range.

Which ever you decide on go with a lighter scope and skip the 50 mm objective. I see the main advantage of the 30mm tubed scopes is in greater turret adjustment range. Since I don't crank turrets or shoot at extreme range the advantages are mostly lost on me, at the expense of more weight.

Weight and reliability would be my first concerns, magnification could be anything from 6-10x on the top end and all would be fine.

I would look for VX3 with a Boone & Crockett reticle and learn where your bullet lands at 200 yards on the highest power. Then figure out where your bullet lands at other distances using the other parts of the reticles. Write that down and tape it on he side of the stock until you have it memorized Then if you have a range finder you can range critter if needed and know what part of the reticle to place on the target.

I also think a 3.5-10x40 B&C is all one needs and I can make 500 yards hit with that scope and my 30-06 with 175 grain Barnes LRX bullets and can also do it with my little Husqvarna Lite 30-06 and 168 grain TTSX bullets and the Leupold 2.5-8x36 with the B&C reticle. If I was going to a 4.5-14x40 I would get the 30mm version with the B&C reticle. I have a harder time holding a 14 power scope steady when in the off hand position. It just shows all my faults and destroys my confidence. I gave up on dialing with Leupold scopes and much prefer to use them as a "point and shoot" scope.

I have never elk hunted and almost all of the moose and caribou I have shot in the last 55 years have been taken well under 200 yards and could easily have been taken with iron sights.

Just an FYI the 2.5-8 has a 36mm objective, not 32.

I killed close to 30 elk with a Herter's Model U-9 .30-06 wearing a Tasco 3-9x40 scope that I later had re-chambered to .30 Gibbs that wore a Weaver 3-9x40 scope.

About 10 years ago I finally got a .300 Weatherby and the first scope I mounted on it was a Leupold VX 3 4.5-14x40 B&C reticle. A few years ago I put a Leupold VX 3i 4.5-14x40 30mm tube with their CDS reticle and side focus. This is now my dedicated elk rifle. I also put another one of these scopes on my foul weather rifle, a SS Rem 700 in 7 mm Rem mag. Both of these rifles are zeroed at 200 yards, and the CDS system makes hitting the 300 and 430 yard gongs at our range a piece of cake.

I also put a Leupold VX 3i 4.5-14x40 CDS scope with a 1" tube on my Vanguard .308 Win. I like the 30 mm with side focus better, and I'm happy with the 40 mm objective lenses.

I have also shot elk with an iron sighted .30-40 Krag, a .257 Ackley with a Leupold 6x36, a 7 mm RM with a 3-9x40 Weaver, and although I've never shot an elk at 500 yards, I'm proud to say I shot my closest bull elk at 10 yards on a spot and stalk shot with a Herter's recurve bow without any sights. None of my elk were killed at over 300 yards, and most were shot at under 200 yards.

Depends on how you’re hunting. Getting large scopes in and out of a saddle scabbard is a pain as is lugging them up and down a mountain. Plenty of eye relief and a large field of view has always been my concern. The VX3 2.5x8 has been one of my favorites and the 3.5x10x40 isn’t bad. If you’re hunting out of a truck and in open country you could go large, but I don’t think it’s necessary. I’ve never had much time to look through my scope before pulling the trigger and seldom think to turn the power above the 4x I leave it set on.

One of my favorite hunting scopes is on my 300WM, and I use it for much more than elk. from antelope to desert Big Horn sheep.
A model that Leupold only made for a few years VX-3 6.5X20X40 Long Range, has a target elevation turret with a cap (much better than the exposed tactical turret's of today IMO), standard windage turret. Having a 40mm obj. makes it much handier than the 50mm + that they use on everything now. 30mm tube.
Has tracked perfectly since 2004 when I bought it.

Before I knew better, I used a 6-18 Zwaro with TDS reticle on a pronghorn hunt. To use the TDS, SFP scope has to be on max power unless one wants to get into calculations. I did kill that goat at 375 yds, but holding the rifle steady from a sitting position at 18X wasn’t easy.

I traded that scope for a turret model where could easily adjust power and range independently. Been a turret twister since. Ballistic reticles may be faster, just never went back.

DF

VX3i 3.5-10x40 B&C reticle.

Leupold VX-R was mentioned a couple of times. Unfortunately they have been discontinued. Other than the VX-3i 2.5-8x36, Leupold has over the last five or so years discontinued their scope models I liked the best.

Cdb- are you a fan of the vx R scopes?

My previous sarcastic remark aside, I’m not that familiar with all the newer Leupold lines but a clear optic with at least a 6 or 7mm exit pupil for dawn and dusk performance at 6x with plenty of eye relief is your real winner.

I like Leupold 4.5-14 scopes with either 40 or 50mm objectives. I have 5 or 6 of them.

Duplicate, I'm old.........

Which Leupold?

Any one you can aim with.

Anybody know why they discontinued the VXR line? I’ve had good luck with mine!

yes, discontinued

I just put one on my new .257bee and Im not sure which I like more... the rifle or the glass, both very impressive.