Thinking about buying one for a .30-06.

Don't intend to dial much.

I had one for a year or so on my .338 and the optical clarity and the ability to transmit light was very good. Probably the best of any scope I have owned. I did not care for the scopes reticle offering which consists of Leupold's version of a wide duplex in either illuminated or non illuminated. The poorest reticle offering of any of their scope lines. In other aspects it was typical Leupold, light weight and good eye relief. Although it had the CDS feature, I never dialed with it and never really tested it's tracking abilities.

A short time ago I purchased a Nightforce SHV 3-10x42 with the Forceplex illuminated reticle. It is a bit heavier then the Leupold and with out a side by side comparison I will never know if the glass is as good as the Leupold VX-5 HD is. But, I know the glass is plenty good enough for my late evening moose hunts and I trust the adjustments will be rock solid, as others on this forum have indicated. The cost difference of a new SHV and VX-5 HD is not huge, although I expect a used VX-5 HD 2-10x42 could be picked up cheaper then a used SHV 3-10x42.

Either can be used as a "set & forget" hunting scope. I doubt I will ever change scopes on my .338, unless I can get a 4a reticle in a SHV 3-10x42.

After comparing the scopes and their cost I am a converted Nightforce user.

I have one with the regular reticle, which I kinda like. I use it without issue, but that's me. I would like the firedot, too, especially in a real low light situation where I can see that it would be the better choice. (grin)

I agree with 1AKshooter on Optical clarity and light transmission. I have tested it out to 400 yards and the CDS operated properly, putting the bullets right where they should go.

Now, I will say this. It's on a rifle I won't use so much.

I do have both an SHV and NXS on other rifles, and to me the Leupold glass is better, but *I* feel better about the NF's reliability, erector-wise. They are on the rifles I generally use if I think I'm going to twist turrets, with the SHV being, in my opinion, the better hunting scope, feature-wise.

But....you said you won't dial much so forget paragraphs 3 and 4......

Here it is...

Thanks gents.

I have a VX6 2-12 Firedot.

Is the reticle comparable?

I've never looked at that one. Sorry, can't give a comparison.

Mine (unlit) was free, so I have no skin in the game. It's a wonder to look through, (I admit I have no recent experience with true high-end glass). I checked it in the shade of my neighbors evergreen trees and even the dreaded standard duplex took me well past legal shooting time. No drama sighting it in on either rifle it's ridden. I really hope it holds up as it's a very nice scope. If I were paying for it, I'd probably just buy an SHV for a few hundred more and not fret over what might happen.

The Firedot in another Leupold was excellent.

I recently purchased two of the VX5's (regular reticle), one for my 25.06 and one for my daughters .260. My daughter loves the duplex reticle but I'll admit I didn't care much for it to begin with but after some bench time it has grown on me. As others have stated the clarity and light transmission is excellent. Both these rifles are hunting rifles so we don't do much dialing but with the initial setup and sighting in the bullet moved exactly where it was suppose to with each turn of the dial.

When I purchased these scopes mine was used and my daughters was new. Mine was installed on a rifle and never shot and then removed and put back in the box, it was in excellent new condition and I bought it for $485 which I couldn't turn down. I purchased my daughters at a local pawn shop new out the door for $546 which I thought was also a great buy. Before I bought these two VX5's I was looking hard at the SHV 3x10x42 but the cheapest I could find was $900 so there was almost a $400 difference for me from the Leupold to the SHV so it was a no brainer for me to go with the Leupold. I have no regrets with my purchase as the VX5's appear to be a very nice optics and i'm sure will serve us well in the field. There's no doubt the NF SHV is an excellent scope too and i'd still like to have one at some point and time but for now the Leupolds get the nod. Mike

Thanks for the input all.

The glass is excellent but the reticle is not as depicted on the box, which “appears” to be the same as the VX-6 duplex. The VX-5 duplex is more like a wide duplex which is the reason I sold mine.

Thanks Wes.

I really like the reticle as is on the VX6 I have.

Yeah the VX-5HD has PLEX a Wide PLEX design but strangely I’ve seen photo of the VX-6HD PLEX reticle and it was basically like the one in the original VX-6 which I liked better. It makes no sense because they are basically the same scope aside from the auto reticle level feature. I don’t understand it at all.

Thanks for the visual WY, much appreciated.

Leupold will tell you the firedot duplex reticles in the VX-6/VX-R series and those in the VX-5HD are the exact same. It's disheartening that they don't know any better -- or that they just don't care to know any better.

How does the VX-R reticle compare to the VX-6?