Just got an email from Doug, they're offering the discontinued 2.5 fixed with a wide duplex for $270. Great price, but it only comes with that stupid wide duplex. Who would want this reticle on this scope? It screams for a duplex, heavy duplex, or German #4. Leupold can't even get one of their tried and true products right anymore.

I hear you PA. The FX3 6x42 only comes with the same reticle. I recently bought one anyway because I know they will discontinue it soon and I would regret not buying it. These scopes are going the way of the Dodo bird. Maybe that's the psychology, Offer it only with a Shyty reticle and they won't get pizzed at us when we anounce that it is now discontinued. RJ

I feel your pain.

Those POS wide duplexes completely negate the whole idea of why the duplex was made to begin with.

Most of the very best hunting reticles are being screwed up by the "modern" dipschit optical designers who probably never hunted in low light in their life.

Do a price challenge on buds gunshop for $240 shipped. Sometimes it works for $225

https://www.budsgunshop.com/product...fx-ii+ultralight+25x20+matte+wide+duplex

I feel your pain. I never could stand that reticle.

It’s about as dumb as the wide reticle in the VX-5s.

This scope dominates the competition in it's market niche. I have one with a factory German #4 reticle and it is the perfect low-power ultralite compact scope. It is the only Leupold scope I own and there is nothing else in their scope offerings that resonates with me. It's a shame they don't listen to their customers.

Try $248 on Bud's match.

No interest in trying buds match, because I wouldn’t give five bucks for a wide duplex scope.

I have the older heavy duplex. I hate that crosshair. I have no idea what it's purpose could be.

I actually like it very much - great for snapshots. Not sure, we are talking about the same reticle, though. Inner and outer posts closer together and the posts heavier than the regular duplex?
All in all - the regular duplex rules for hunting. Or a heavy dot. My two cents.

Likewise, I would be very interested in the Leupold 2.5 fixed scope mentioned above if it came with a German #4 reticle. Unfortunately, Leupold discontinued ALL of their German #4 offerings, across their entire product line, last year when they re-vamped their offerings. Makes no sense to me. I sold three different Leupold scopes with #4 reticles last year when I was paying hospital bills. Now, zero options to replace them.

Turn it 90 degrees when mounting it and you have hash marks..........

Say what? You lost me on that one. RJ

Windplex has hash marks that go side to side, if you turn it 90 degrees, now they will go up and down so you now have vertical hash marks........
It was a joke, or at least I thought it was funny........

Simple solution. Buy something else, or suffer their reticle choice. They don’t GAF what you think. Neither does anyone else.

Is there a company who provides custom reticles for scopes? That might be an option if it isn't too spendy.

That would sure be nice OSU. I called them last fall about the status of the custom shop for a reticle change and to ask in general why they suck so badly. They said OR's virus distancing rules caused their regular staffing to take up all the space in their facility for normal operations, so no custom shop. The answers about sucking were denials laced with alot of "but our warranty is great and people think we're awesome" sort of statements.

Last time I had a scope in for repair I ask about a reticle change. I forgot what the charge was but I remember it was stupid high. I could have gotten the scope back, sold it, and bought what I wanted and had money left over out of the deal before I could have paid what they wanted.

Fixed it.

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?

I have one on a 6x36mm...it's not something that keeps me up at night. Eventually, I'd like to have Leupold replace it with an LRD when (if) the custom shop returns. But's it's just an aiming device and works OK for its intended use. It actually seems to work well at the range; less cluttered view when shooting paper. I don't think that not having a "better" reticle will cause me to miss an animal in the future.

What irritates me about Leupold is their lack of reticle choices now and the expense to get one changed. They can do better.
Bob