Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Leupold VX3 Long range...any users?

The 4.5x14 Long Range looks promising. It is roughly 15oz, and has a lot of elevation travel. Seems like this coupled with an M1 turret would make a good all around platform. Not a big fan of Leupold, but this one has me curious.

Input?

I had that scope w/ side focus on my 7STW. I wanted to creep up when it was cranked up to 14x. I had to be conscious of it and tell others to be careful too. I like my 3X9x40's too much.

I recently pulled it, sent it to Leupy for an M1 and am screwing on to my 223.

Thanks for the feedback. Does the side focus lock? One feature I like is the side focus.

thanks.

no, it doesn't lock

I have the VX-III version, and it has landed on a 223 for me as well.

When I first got it I was in love with it. But as time wore on, my 6x42 and 3.5-10x40 scopes kept reminding me what really good eye relief was all about.

Ahhh, so in layman's terms, the eye relief sucks?

thanks.

10-4.....

I have that exact scope. Sent it off to get the M1 turrets and it hasn't worked since I got it back. It will not track correctly or hold a zero. I'm going to send it back to Leupold to get fixed and then sell it. Replaced it with a Viper PST and it has performed flawlessly. It weighs a little more but that's ok as long as it works.

I have good things about that scope, when properly modified.

John, I haven't tried the 50mm version like yours. The one I became less enamored with is the 40.

Have you compared the two w.r.t. eye relief?

Drew, I have two of them and the eye relief is just fine for shooting boomers for target work. The eye relief is the same eye relief at 11x as the 10x on a 3.5x10. I have the 3.5x10 as well. Same length as a 3.5-10 too.

I use 14x quite a bit for target work and find no problems w/
eye relief.

I prefer the 40mm.


My favorite scope by far over anything else.

It may measure the same, but it doesn't feel the same looking through my scopes.

I have a VX3 4.5x14LR with M1 elevation and it's going on my new 223 also and I have been very happy with it's a great LR scope!

But I expect I know what mathman is talking about!

With that 338 and scope set on 5x I shoot running elk in the timber with it.

...and one mounted on a Sav. Striker 8-T Broughton 243 WSSM--



...std. elevation turret only (factory windage) with VH reticle.

117DTAC at 2500 mv.

Wasn't designed for that...

Thanks for all the feedback. I was thinking 4.5-14x40. Either standard duplex, or heavy duplex.

Drew how much Ele has that scope got in it?

P.S. Just got my highschool budget "long range" rig all set up... loads to be tested!

mine is a 4.5x14x40mm with an M1....my experience has been the same a mathman's. It doesn't feel the same as my 3x10s when I look through it

I think there is quite a difference between the 40mm and 50mm version.

At 14X the exit pupil on the 50mm is 3.6mm.

At 14X the exit pupil on the 40mm is 2.85mm.

The exit pupil could be thought of as the actual viewing area we must align our eye with to see through the scope. If the pupil in our eye dilates to a diameter that is equal or bigger than the exit pupil in the optic, then we must have our eye exactly centered with the exit pupil to see through the optic.

If our eye pupil is smaller than the exit pupil then you will basically start seeing through the optic sooner during the mount and it will be much easier to stay with the optic during recoil and spot your own hit.

The reason the 4.5-14X50mm is such a good close range optic is because of the large 11mm exit pupil combined with the 4.5X.