Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Leupold and their dumb wide duplex

The wide duplex might as well be a standard crosshair.

Leupold seems to have left it's customer base. I like my Leupold scopes but none have the wide duplex. When the Leupold family heirs get the last drop of milk from their cash cow they will sell it.

Meh. I lament the passing of the simple fine crosshair myself. Duplex, wide or not, is fine for hunting but most of my use anymore is for black and white paper targets and the less crap crowding my field of view the better.

Hell i still like CPC

The wide duplex has been in Leupolds line-up for many years so somebody must like, I could take it or leave it Myself, it certainly wouldn't be a deal breaker if I liked the scope otherwise......Hb

Don't own any wide duplex scopes. I do have quite a few reg duplex Leweys, and like them well enough. I would love to see more low power choices with a German #4. Hell, I'd like to see more low power choices, period.

I don't believe they offer it anymore. I have 2 older Var X-III's with the heavy duplex. I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!! Our shooting hours are from 1 hr before sunrise to 1 hr after sunset. Thats where those big ol cross hairs really come into play. What they call a heavy duplex today........Isn't.
I'm slowly migrating to Meopta for new scope purchases which is a better clearer scope for real early/real late hunting.

Bought a few $69 Rifleman Leupolds, with the wide duplex......from here to the twin cities.....some on the Illinois side even.

Kinda feeling like I was taken, now.

When I originally looked through the scope, thought I saw an intersection point for aiming.

Ebay, there they go......

I dunno. I have three of the FX-II 2.5X Ultralights. I really like the wide duplex. In fact, the first time I used them I didn't think twice about it being a "wide" duplex.

After following this thread for a while, I've some to the conclusion that a bunch of posters have no idea that the Heavy Duplex and Wide Duplex are very different reticles.

I can see how a reg duplex can be used for ranging or diff holds.

Hell Leupold used to explain how to use it in their old catalogues.

Not everybody wanta or needs extra, and a wide duplex frees up the middle.

I dont mind it on a set and forget.
Actually kinda like it.

Dunno how much help to the eye the thicker sections are in low light. Dunno how much a reg duplex helps.

People eyes and brains can work a little differently.

Grew up running reg duplex.
Didnt mind the fine duplex.....but older now i prefer reg duplex over the fine.
Still dislike the heavy duplex.

For my hunting a wide duplex is neither here nor there.
Bud has an old arched logo 2-7x Leupold w some version of German.

It still works as it should and is pretty cool. But ive not hunted w it.

I have no issues with the wide duplex and prefer it over heavy. YMMV

Give me an aiming point and I guess I can make it work.

Yep.

Heavy Duplex:

Wide Duplex:

There you go.
Rex

Hey look, pictures from long ago when Leupold scopes looked like they belonged on a hunting rifle. All we see now is crap that looks like one of those had sex with a panzer turret.

Leupolds stock images do not represent the actual wide duplex very well.

This from a VX-5HD 3-15x44 Firedot.



The box it came in.

I have their offerings with duplex, wide, heavy, and LR. My eye finds center easily with any of them, and that's all I really care about. I don't mind the wide duplex. I'm in the uncluttered reticle camp, and most game I'm going to look at through any scope will be at 200 yards or less. YMMV.

Very true. For instance Have a 2.5x8x36 with German #4, VERY thick outer bars. And thin sections are nearly 2X thicker than a normal Leupold Duplex. The reticles really pop out / stand out. This scope is on my primary rifle. Not for sale. Had a 1.5x5x20 that was same German #4 config. (Would love to buy it back if current owner has any interest). OTOH, when one gets to the illuminated reticles, say Firedot 4's, there is a significant variation in the thickness of the thin and thick sections between the models. "Fire Dot 4" was offered in VX-R, VX-6, and VX-5 scopes. However, when you check the subtension levels, (or better, just look thru them), you can see a significant, almost 2X, difference in the subtension of the reticles. And as noted above, the picture on the box, and the verbal description, gave zero indication that they were materially different. Same for my impromptu side by side testing at 400 yards at sunset. Better glass may have made for better low light transmission. However, it is meaningless if you cannot see the aiming point...

I have a wide duplex 6x36 on my 300 H&H. No issues with it at all for the type of hunting I do.

What are you using for a competitor reference?