Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Leupold 3X: Extra Extra

While talking to Leupold this evening on the way home from hunting, I gave my often expressed request for a 3x Long Tube.

This time I was given an answer that there is a good chance it will be offered initially as a custom shop option to get a feel for customer response. If things go as planned it can be expected sometime in 2010, and introduction will be preceded by a magazine article. I'm guessing in time for hunting season.

There was no request for the info to be off the record, so I'm passing it on. Those here who have said they would buy one or two just may have the chance to put the money up.

Interesting.... I'd be down for one or two.

I'd be down for 6 or 7 if they price them the same as the 4x33 and 2.5x20

If they put the price north of $300 then things would get a bit dicier....

This is good!

Mark me up for 2 if they are built to be the most rugged Leupold, as the older ones were. I can easily forego the multi coat optical glitz, etc., if they are designed for the big kickers and to reliably hold zero. The long tube is a must.

Glad to hear it's coming back. I do hope that custom shop doesn't = high $$$, like I suspect it will.

Thanks for the info.

I think that would be about the perfect scope for my 250AI...

It would be an easier "fix" to lengthen the 4X another 1"-1.5" and keep the eye relief the same. The shorter tube scopes are like spoilers on cars. Exist for the look, not performance. If Bushnell Elites had more eye relief or Nikon Monarchs had a heavier reticle available, they could move into the lead for my tastes. Wake up Leupold!

I've heard it before but will welcome it if it happens. I'll buy a gross of them.

I understand the Leupold 4X was made shorter and with a bit more exit pupil size to make the image appear brighter. Most buyers judge a scope on how bright the image looks, and not really is, and how well it resolves it's image.
I'd be up for both a longer 4X and a new 3X. My current 3X has seen service on 3-4 rifles and one very light, very hard kicking 12 ga. slug gun. Still works fine. E

Price is key, if they try gouging consumers via a custom shop exclusivity, I will not buy.

If they price it as it should be, offer matte, current coatings, and standard duplex I would be a buyer. Be nice to have a #4 reticle option, esp. considering these are often used on big game/DG rifles.

Well, now that the cat's out of the bag I'll confess that I've had a prototype of the new 3x for about a year and a half now. They asked me not to write about it unless and until they decided to sell some.

It has a Duplex reticle, multi-coated optics and click adjustments, and is just as tough as the older 3x's, from what I have seen. The first rifle I put it on was a .416 Rigby, which I shot considerably. Also used it on a .416 Remington and .375 H&H quite a bit with no problem.

Have also had it on some other rifles, including my 7x57 Serengeti, which I took to Africa last year. I fell right on the rifle and scope while going down a very steep, gravelly path into a valley on that trip and dinged the scope up, but it survived nicely. Right now it's on my .358 Winchester 99F, where it has also worked fine.

In fact it has already appeared in photos in several magazines but if the scope whad to be identified I mereloy said it was a 3x Leupold.

Dunno about their plans for a matte model but that's one of the things I suggested.

You must have 'kept the secret' by using a gloss? I'd expect it will come in matte since the market seems to want them. Good to know.

JB, in your experience, where do you see the 3x best suited? Longer actions and big game rifles? On a short action deer rifle, would you choose it over a 4x or 6x I am curious?

I think the scope would have an ideal place as well on No. 1's.

That is great, and I hope they have the snap to price the scope at an affordable price in which case it will sell...

I also wish they would come back out with the 2.5X Leupold Alaskan, it didn't sell last time because they simply didn't promote it, nobody knew about it but a few of us, many have never heard of it to this day, it lasted about 18 months and they dropped it, it was poor marketing practices that made it fail..Some of gun nuts bought them, I got one in 2.5, 4X and 6X. then they discontinued them, and we sold most of ours for 3 times what we paid for them and they are still going up in price...Jack Belk got my 4X and 6X for his hornets..I still have my 2.5X and love it on smaller guns like a 30-30 Marlin, 300 Savage, and the likes.

What bothers me is this custom shop business, thats a recipe for failure as custom means big bucks and big bucks means failure to Leupold on a 3X, especially if I can buy a 1x4 for not much money..Thats the best buy going today..The 3x can be a top seller at a right price. All those Marlins, Winchester lever guns and Hornadys new rubber pointed bullets scream for a low power scope.

The 3x Leupold was the best "hunting scope" ever made and I have a few of the old ones, I would love one of the new ones with click adj.

This is all great news....now if they would bring back the post reticle, I'd be really excited.

Yeah, mine is a gloss. It's also probably a little longer than the custom-shop scope will be.

The big thing hunters buy 3x's for is to put on heavy-kicking dangerous game rifles with long actions, because the scopes fit easier than the 2.5x Leupold on some rifles. They're also tough and 3x is good compromise between magnification and FOV on dangerous game rifles, or even an all-around African rifle like a .375 or 9.3x62.

It's also a good scope for medium-range cartridges of any sort, and works very well on Savage 99's and Ruger No. 1's, two rifles that can be a little tricky to scope with any scope that has an objective bell.

A lot of peple also think that straight-tube scope just look classy on classic rifles. My 3x did look pretty nice on my Serengeti 7x57!

Vern, I'd buy one, w/post. A #1 is also a good reticle for that scope IMHO.

JB, agree that is a proper scope for that 7x57, nice rifle btw - seen pics. Thanks.

This is great news! Just picked up a Springfield sporter in 257 Roberts that needs a 3x!

They better bring one out know. Fit with M1 turrets would be cool......

Just kidding on the last. I could like a few with a Heavy Duplex.