Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting Best Scope for Return to Zero with Turrets

I have a couple of Leupold scopes that are equipped with turrets, a Vari X III with an M1 and a Mk AR with the .223 factory turret. Neither seems to be 100% reliable in returning to zero. I would like to stay with a MOA turret like the M1, should I send the current scope to Leupold or is there a more reliable alternative that is in the same ballpark as far as price?

Its not the turret its the actual internal parts of the scope. While Leupold is a great scope and I like them I don't think they are the best for dialing and returning to zero. Also I think all vari x are friction style adjustment.

Vari X III are click. I seem to remember Zeiss Conquests being spoken of highly in regard to return to zero. Just not sure where to go with this. I don't have much confidence in either of these scopes any longer.

I just ran into the same problem with a Leupold VX-III 3.5-10 with CDS windage and elevation. It's at Leupold right now getting inspected. It should be back in a couple weeks. I'll update you when she comes back.

I've had 3 Conquests. One, a 4.5-14 was absolutely reliable in it's ability to return to zero, and the accuracy of it's click value. The other two were not. I have never been a fan of Leupold, and the only one I gave a real workout failed to perform. I am now using a Schmidt Bender on my long range rifle and a Night Force 2.5-10 on my light weight rifle. Both are dead accurate in both click value and return to zero. Both have the zero stop feature.
Night Force is a great value in an accurate scope. I paid for a couple of them in sorting through other scopes trying to find a few that actually worked. It would have been cheaper and much more gratifying to have laid out the dough for a good scope at the start.

The "new" VX3's have dual-spring erectors blah blah blah that do seem to work. Well, at least my sample of one does.

Conquests have tracked very well for me. Then again my precision (and skill) level is just to hold just sub MOA or so out to 500 yards... and I'm judging by hits on my 10" plates... so it's certainly possible that there are tracking errors that are "lost in the noise" that I'm not seeing.

But- I dial my Conquests up, the plates go clank, I dial them back down, and they hit where they are s'posed to, as far as I can tell anyway.

I've been using the Sightron SIII for a couple of years now.Not cheap,but nice glass and very reliable adjustments.My 3.5-10 is mounted on a fairly lightweight 338 EDGE,survived a ATV rollover while strapped to the rack,and the zero was perfect.Buying another this week for a new XCR.......

Nightforce

X2 on the Nightforce.

Wish nightforce would make a 2.5-10x40. I would have a couple on some of my hunting rifles for sure.

They make a 2.5-10X32 compact riflescope

what's wrong with that one?

I have spent time in my yard at dusk scoping the surrounding mountains at ranges out past 1K with my NF 2.5-10. It picks up enough light for me to shoot past legal shooting light. At longer ranges when it got a little dark on 10x I dialed down to 8X and it was noticeably brighter.

Vortex PST 6-24x50

Bushnell 6500 4.5-30x50 Tactical

NightForce and Schmidt & Bender are hard to beat!!!!

Ditto...

Those scopes are outstanding!

My latest Leupold with an M1 died within 200 rounds. They didn't believe me on the phone, until I sent it in. They replaced the whole elevation assembly. It is still sitting on my work bench since i am unmotivated to mount it up.

I'll take it from ya Drew

Was this an older model or the newer VX3 that died?

In the same price range as Vari-x III Leupolds the only one that comes close is the SWFA SS 3-9x42mm at $600. While it may not be a well known brand for hunters, on the "tactical"/sniper side they are known as one of the few brands that simply work. If I couldn't afford the 2.5-10x Nightforce or just had to have a 40+mm objective this would be my first choice.

Newest version VX1, which is last year's VX2. Sent it in for an M1, worked fine until it didn't. One click at 300yds was moving impact 3", when it should have only moved it 3/4".

I cycled the turret very little before it died too. I was mostly doing load development at 100 when it died. Then started playing with it at 300 and it went haywire.