While I have have two 6X42's and couldn't be happier with them, I am curious about the 6X36.

The 6x36 will fit the original Sako rings (as the 6x42 will not) on my Dad's Sako Forester Deluxe 308 (the original Redfield Widefield 6x is kaput).

Any downsides to the 6x36 Leupold?

I've had both, now I have two of the 6x36's and can't think of a downside.

Dober

I have both. The only downside I can think of is tracking with the 6x36 may not be as good if you are twirling turrets. Supposedly, and I haven't tested this yet, the newer 6x42s have better tracking with the newer twin erector spring set up. I will know soon in that I'm having a new 6x42 mounted on a rifle that is being built and should be in within the next week or two.

If you're a set them and leave sort of guy as I am with most of my rifles, then either are great. I in fact like the lighter weight and greater tube length of the 6x36 in those instances.

I'm a set them, leave them guy, and I really like the 6x36.

It's got very long eye relief, big eye box, brighter than it should be. It's light, easy to mount on most rifles too.

The new fx3's have a single erector spring, not duals like the vx3. Leupold catalog p 38

field of view I would think be the main diffrence

I have several 6x36mm with the LR on rifles they are among my favorite scopes, but wanting a CDS dial I went to a FX-3 6x42 CDS that works great and other then a couple of extra ounces do not see a downside.

There's very little difference in FOV, and probably not in the way you're thinking: The 6x36's FOV at 100 yards is 17.7 feet, the 6x42's 17.3.

The 6x42 FX-3 is one of the brightest 6x scopes in the world, but the 6x36 isn't far behind. The extra brightness has a price, though. The 6x42 weighs 36% more, in fact it weighs an ounce more than the 3.5-10x40 VX-3.

Check Leupold's new website under the FX3 6x42. Dual spring it is.

IMHO the only down side is if you get a matte finsh 6x36 is the wide duplex is the only out of the box choice. Easy enough to fix if you buy through the custom shop. My son bought one last year with the post & duplex reticle. Great scope. The 6x36 is a bit lighter.

Not a one that I can think of...

I have two of them... one with a German Number 4 reticle and one with a Leupold Target Dot.... they do get shuffled around a lot...mounted on loaned deer rifles for kids coming hunting season I take out in the field... and then on 22s after hunting season.. once again for kids...

the one with the Number 4 reticle, I like due how I obtained it..

Good old Leupold customer service...

some moron was down at Bi Mart, trying to trade in a Leupold 3 power scope that had busted cross hairs on it...and was replacing it for a Simmons 3 x 9 22 scope to put on a 7 Mag..

the Simmons were $39.95...he was trying to sell the girl at the counter for an even trade.. talking up what a great scope a Leupold was.. and they could easily sell it.. not getting it thru his head, they don't trade scopes or rifles...

so I asked him how much he wanted for it... he comes up with $40, to cover the cost of his desired Simmons 22 scope...tells me the gun was inherited from his dad who passed away...

I pick up the scope and look thru it and the cross hairs are turning as I hold it..."sure" I say, and pulled out a pair of 20s to give him...

he and his buddy are leaving the store, and I can hear them a few aisles over congratulating the other on selling a broken scope to some idiot, and they have a new Simmons 22 Scope to put on a 7 Mag for free...

so I get home, box it up.. ship it up to Portland to Leupold..

two days later I get a call from them, and telling me that the scope is no longer made and they don't have parts for it...

so they offer to send me a new 4 power as a replacement...

I ask how much to upgrade to a straight 6 power instead...

the Leupold gal asks could she put me on hold for a second..and comes back with " we have a 6 power with a German Number 4 reticle, that a customer sent in and we put the wrong reticle in it.. it was brand new... would that work? "

sure would 'maam....two days later I get a new 6 power Leupold back in the mail...4 day turn around...

so I have a new 6 power scope for $40... and I am sure these two idiots wasted their new Simmons 22 scope in about half a dozen shots out of their 7 Mag...

proving once again.. Stupid is as stupid does..

Yeah...you can't buy it over the counter in a Matte finish with a standard Duplex reticle.That's all...

If the marketing geniuses at Leupold are reading this,they have lost at least a 10 scope sales to me alone for pulling this marketing faux pas with the 4X and 6X Leupold.I shopped and bought used instead....and I spend like a drunken sailor when I see something I want.

I don't mind a bit of creative marketing but I hate it when a company insults my intelligence and thinks I'm stupid.

And I can toss in at least another 10 from our hunters who checked mine (FX3 6x42) out while in camp. As everyone says, it makes absolutely no sense.

JG: Knuckle heads....

I'm in the drunken sailor who didn't get to spend boat as well...... I am appreciative that they make quality fixed power scopes, but the pairings really are an insult. Hopefully they'll read a thread.....

JCM: Let's hope so....

I hate ordering things,dealing with Custom Shops,etc,and am an impulse buyer. I want it in front of me right now .

If it ain't there, it ain't getting bought,with some exceptions.

Tell me I have to spend another $150 bucks(and order it) for Matte finish and a reticle I've been hunting with for 40+ years and used to buy over the counter, I get downright ornery....and get even more pissed if I have to buy a friggin' variable instead...that's like buying disposable napkins or toilet paper.

If that scope is all that will fit then it's better than irons.

I have one I got on a trade and I think it's on a back row .22 that I will never use.

I'll trade you a Barska Tactical for it - take it of your hands.

Savage 99.

I will upgrade that to a Cabela's Pine Ridge variable straight up for it



FB

We just got back from Cabelas where I got a new 3-9 variable.

I started with fixed x scopes and have a dozen or so but now I prefer variables.

They took the 10% off coupon we get in the mail for one of these.

Wait a cottonpickin minute...I am workin this side of the street.

Yep, probably another half-dozen here...

Sorry couldn't resist. Street, what street, I didn't see no stink'n street!!

I'm not sure how Leupold obtains their weights. They list the FX3 as 13.6oz's but I just got 11.5 for one brand new out of the box...so 2.1oz's less than listed....that said, I think the 6x36 is a little lighter than the 10oz's they list as well but I don't want to pull one out of the rings to confirm. I can say a VXII 2-7 is only 9.9 and the FXII is probably lighter.

Anyone seen an FX3 6x42 that goes 13.6?

I should add that the FX3 I put on the scales has the heavy duplex so the wide and LRD should be a little lighter...

JMCUBIC,

I got my latest 6x42 (matte finish, Heavy Duplex) directly from Leupold maybe 6 months ago, and it felt heavy to me compared to the many older 6x42's I've owned, going back to single-coated M8's. I weighed it and it was right there with the 13.6 ounces listed. Maybe they've lightened them up again since then.

I've never weighed a 6x42 that went as light as 11.5 ounces, but it would sure be nifty if the latest models are that light!

I've weighed a bunch of 6x36's, again beginning with single-coated M8's and most recently with FX-II's. All went right around 10 ounces,

Did the surgilube come in the box or did they give it to you at customer service?

I've never met a Leupold 6X I didn't like.....

I think most of the 6x42's I've weighted were in the mid 11's...which is why I put this one on the scale when it came in. It could be that my scale is off a couple of oz's....

My FX3 6x42 is also 11.5oz.

That proves it. Mule Deer and Leupold have FATTY SCALES.

Is that Canadian or US...?

Dober

Leupold 3x20 is my current woods favorite, but starting to get an itch for a 6x with LRD.

Both?

Battue, is your 3x the M8 or the FX ? What reticle? Thanks.

Bobin, I too agree, until Leupold starts offering the Matte/Duplex as a factory production option standard, I am probably not buying another. The 6x optically is fine, but the package they offer it in is lacking.

I have bought 3 Elite's in my last purchases, all great glass, and reticle, and dependable. Personally I'd rather the B&L name stayed, but ignoring that and looking purely at the quality/value, I am very happy w/the Elite scopes, and I have run many.

As to Leupold 6x's - well it's a good thing for Leupold that Zeiss does not make a Conquest in 6x, as I'd probably never look back. Zeiss does not play 'games' w/consumers trying to manipulate them into upcharges for a reticle as you say Bobin, that has been around for decades.

On my electronic scale, all the 6x36's I've had go 9.5 oz's (or "right around 10 ounces" as you say).

Leupold is one of those rare companies that overstates the weight of their scopes.

Well, it looks as if a gloss 6x36 gets put on top of the Sako Forester Deluxe 308.
Thanks for the comments.
Steve

65BR,

The ones I have are the new FX with a 3minute Dot reticle. Think I read they are actually a 3.4x, but I could be wrong.




The one on the left may be a one of a kind. Although it does work well in taking out some of the guessing if needed when shooting longer. Did it for fun, and it did work on this little Doe for my first go with a .22-250 and Barnes TSX. They have bounced around on a few rifles already and it's almost like not having a scope on top. The rifles handle much better and for in the woods are just about perfect.

And for those who think you can't shoot groups adequate for Big Game, with the lower powers and fat reticles, at ranges that will cover most opportunities.

With the above 3x:

200yards:



300yards:

Those are some nice examples of matching the target to the magnification/reticle/distance combination being used.

I find it fun to answer questions at the range about shooting small groups "way out there" (300 yards) with a "little" 6x scope.

I frequently challenge folks with high powered variables to shoot a group with the lowest setting, then another with the highest at a big plain target like a five or six-inch bullseye. It's amazing to most that they do very little or none better with the higher magnification.

Battue, Nice, tell me what rifles are those - nice. Looks like a Dakota action?

That's KOA scopes, Kill of Angle

I too love the handling when using the light fixed, 2.5 thru 6x all have alot of utility. My Custom 260 Borden shot SUB .2 as in 2/10" at 100 yds using a 6x fwiw.

GF1, no doubt, groups size is not proportional to scope power for many folks. There is a diminished return IME as X's go up.

Battue,

please post a picture of your reticle.

I have an M8 3x with a 4 MOA TK Lee that I love.

The one is a Nula in .22-250 and the other a Pre64 Model 70 FWT in .308W.

The Mod70 had been left to sit for way to long and may have never had a day hunting. It had been shot, but certainly not much in that it was pristine. Two years ago that was fixed, and on the last day of the season it was signed off as being an official hunting rifle when it used to take a Doe.

Give me 5 or 10 minutes and it will be up.

Just started to rain here, hang on.

Sorry.

The small pocket camera takes a pick that is not close to being realistic and trying to do it with the sony is driving the 18-70 lens nuts.

Will keep working on it.

Thx. Please do not feel obligated. This is for fun and interest.

I have the 4 MOA Dot. Most think that can only be used for brush hunting.

Reason I got it that big, though, was for LR play.

On the LR Reticle Leupold puts the first dot 2 MOA below the cross.
So bottom of 4 MOA dot works for that.

Sighted in 1,5 MOA high at 100 meters - you can use the top of the dot.

The 4 MOA dot lets me range against the animal chest size.

Works perfectly in practice -

I hope to turn a few heads this fall in the alps - chamois hunting with a Leupold 3x on a 7x57.

Thx for trying.

Ok after adjusting the camera magnification I got some results. I would say the dot is a little bigger than reality. Those trees taken outside are around 30yards away and the one through the door about 20yards away.

Through the door:




Outside:

Thank you.

I really like the dot reticles. Who did that one?

It stands out nicely.

Nice rifles Battue

65BR: Thanks.

CMG: It is the standard Leupold dot with tapered crosswires that comes from the factory. The cross wires are less obvious in real time use. They come in two different sizes. One is smaller and would not be all that useful in my opinion. I actually wanted one that like yours covered 4MOA, but they don't offer one that large. The Leupold 2-7 that I have also is a dot and with the exception of the power ring that is ridiculously hard to turn is nice in that it appears smaller as the power goes up.