Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Leupold VX2 3x9

I have a new VX2, or at least it hadn't been used on a rifle yet. I have it on a 7mm RM now. I was sighting it in today. The strange thing is that instead on 1/4 MOA clicks, It's changing a little over 1 MOA per click, almost 1.25 MOA - both vertical and horizontal.
I've never seen this on a scope that is in new production. Have you guys seen this before?
What's your opinion, "Should I send it in?"

I say keep it. It’s as good as they’ll ever get it. Just be happy it’s consistent.

You're imagining things. Clearly you've been influenced by all the Leupold hater lies that have been propagated here.

IME, Leupolds with dual bias springs have worked pretty well. Others have been “challenging” to adjust. If it were mine, I’d send it in and at least then you can sell it as “just serviced” to a true believer.

Mine is an adventure and a ammo consuming monster to zero but holds zero pretty well. I do usually check zero before hunting w/ it. It is on a truck gun. I do like the view but would not buy another.


mike r

First, be sure your rifle is capable of "holding a group" inside the 1-1/25" that you believe it is shifting.

As long as it is not shifting point of impact, I'd say leave it as is. On a set and forget scope, this should not be an issue either way.

If you send it back to Leupold, just be prepared to be told that the scope is not repairable, but you can have a comparable "Freedom" series scope for a replacement. For your purposes, I don't know if that is good, bad or indifferent. RJ

Likely...I'd be looking at the gun or my ability to shoot the gun.

All the Leupold scopes I've owned prior to VX III scopes did not have click adjustments...they had mark's and they all worked fine. Honestly I prefer the marks.

A trick I was told years ago and I practice it to this day....after any scope adjustment I take a quarter and lightly tap on the adjustment turret a few times to be sure it takes the adjustment....might not mean anything but it makes me feel good and I never have a problem sighting in.

Your rifle has significant recoil and will test your mounts, your installation, and the scope. A rifle for a lighter cartridge, even a .22, would make diagnosing any issue easier.

Leupold used to recommend that before you sight a scope in, run the dials all the way back and forth several times, stop to stop. I guess that was to free up the erectors so they wouldn’t stick, then jump a bunch all at once. (I actually saw this in print in a magazine interview).

Another trick is to run past the place you want to adjust to, then go the place you really want to stop at. Tapping the turrets with a screwdriver handle or some such after adjusting is also an old trick.

Bottom line is you shouldn’t have to do any of these things to sight in a rifle, but since you have it, one or more may help.

To eliminate shooter error and rifle accuracy issues, you can use a collimator or even just clamp the rifle or just the scope securely and using a grid target, run the knobs and watch how far the reticle moves on the target. If it doesn’t move the expected amount, there’s a problem. All of this is a considerable amount of trouble, but so is sending it back, especially if they tell you there’s nothing wrong and leave you exactly where you are now.

Good luck.

IME sighting in Leupolds is always a matter of "change and check". The "1/4 per click" has always been optimistic. But for a set and forget scope they usually hold zero.
Having shot Leupolds almost exclusively for 50 years I never knew any better until my first SWFA. Shoot once, measure the amount of adjustment needed with the reticle, adjust and shoot to verify. 2 shots to sight in. Done.

I've wondered for a long time whether the weight savings seen with Leupold scopes was due to a much lighter tube. I have no more Leupold scopes to play with myself but if I was you I'd be lappinng those rings but good, and then remount the scope and try again. It could just be that ring alignment is more critical with the lightweight Leupolds.

It groups OK, 5 shot group in about .8 MOA. It is shooting 1.1 inch high and 1.25 inch to the right at 100 meters - last group. Next time out I expect it to be very close to 1" high and windage right on. I'm shooting 140 grain Partitions at 3260 to 3275 fps. The load is 71 grains RE 26 and 215 primers in an early 700 BDL. I put 20 rounds down range the other day trying to get it sighted in and measuring groups. I was over-adjusting, which is the reason for the whine.

(I'm shooting these groups at 100 meters and converting the groups from inches to MOA.)

I'd expect that shooting these rounds should have 'settled' the scope. But I'll be testing to see if it moves. I probably should have run the knobs from one end to the other first, but I didn't.

BTW: I'm planning on ordering a couple SWFA 6x scopes for my 7mm RM's - I'm not into spinning the dials, but I want a scope that I can trust - having a warranty while watching game run over the hillside doesn't mean much to me as I'm getting so old I don't worry about the expiration date on groceries any more - never know if I have another year hunting. Hopefully I'll get them before I go out with those 7mm's.

I dare you to try spinning the dials on a mil/mil scope that works. Try it you might like it.

Get the MQ reticle and the appropriate dope and you will have an easy and accurate bdc. I am a late in life convert to SWFA and enjoy the ease with which dependable accuracy can be gained.

Tikka T3 + LRF + Swfa w/MQ reticle=happy boomer learning new tricks.


mike r

oops, double tap.


mike r

I had similar issues earlier this year with a Z3 Swaro 3-9x36. Though each click was 1/2 inch rather than 1/4 inch. Not as bad as yours though. I'd probably send it back with click adjustments that big. That's what warranties are for.

a new scope is on the way. I decided on a Fullfield II 4.5-14X42 BPLEX PA MATTE from Natchez - they are on sale for $170.99.

I'll be buying one or two SWFA's later.

Just put a Fullfield II 3x9x40 with the Ballistic Plex $160 On my Kimber Hunter 7mm-08. My only bitch is the cross hairs are a little thick. First trip to range sighted it in at 100yds then hammered the piss outta the 300-400yd steel gongs. Couldn't see the 500 yd gongs from my spot on range. Scope is crystal clear and bright. Finger clicks solid and pronounced. Tracked perfect. For the price and performance thus far I doubt I'll ever buy another VX II. And I liked the VX II. Have 3 on rifles now. Enjoy your Burris! Doubt you'll want to go SWFA. Let us know how your Burris performs... FWIW a solid gun writer and experienced hunter here on the fire recommended I sight my Burris in at 6x and he was spot on. We shall soon see how it holds up to the weather. Going back to check 500yd tomorrow. Happy hunting

Back in the later 1980's I had that problem with a Burris. Sent it in and they told me the incorrect adjusting screw was placed in the scope. I don't know but, it has worked fine ever since.