leupold vx3 long range series

[pjeffreys]

has anyone ever used a leupold vx3 long range 6.5-20x40 rifle scope before. these scopes are the ones with the 30 mm tube and side focus. i have a 257 weatherby mag in rem 700 that i'm thinking about putting one of these scopes on and i can't find any reviews on them. i'm sure they are the same quality as all other leupolds but i was wondering if they were worth the high price.

[Austin from NC]

I got one in 50mm used and love it for trying out guns but for hunting it is too heavy. Well worth the money if you can afford it.

       Austin

[diggler1833]

Did a huge amount of comparing these to the Sightron SIII series a year and some change ago.  Glass quality is very subjective, but the Sightron's glass was better in my eyes than the VX3 or Mark 4 Leupold glass, but not by a huge difference.  Actually I had to take both scopes off of their respective rifles and put them next to each other to see any difference.  I gave the Sightron the upper hand due to being able to see more imperfections in the 2x6 that was about 90 yards away.
 
Either way Leupold's glass is pretty good, customer service has been great when I had to deal with them, but I still prefer the Sightron SIIIs and have had two of them.  I've also owned a couple of Leupold Mark 4s too.
 
Personally, if I were going to be dialing in a lot of my adjustments I'd go with something a bit more sturdier than the VX3 as well.  Price is going to go up considerably, but you do really get what you pay for as far as comparative prices to comparative reliability.  I've broken too many cheap scopes to ever want to put one on a serious rig again.

[Austin from NC]

If you consider a vxlll cheap you are a lucky man. If you can break a leupold you are doing something terribly wrong.

       Austin

[Victor3]

I've had a 50mm one for ~10 years or so. Used it on a few different bench rifles (too big a scope for field use for me). Currently on my BRNO Mod 4. I like to play around at longer than usual .22 ranges and it has more adjustment than 1" tube scopes...
 

 
Although it's excellent in every way, I wouldn't buy one today. Too expensive and there are better values (IMO) out there now. The aforementioned Sightron, Weaver and Clearidge scopes are all made by Light Optical Works (LOW) in Japan and their high-end scopes are very good by most accounts. Recently got a Weaver V24 (6-24x42mm AO) and although it's no Leupold killer, it's very solid, clear & bright for a $320 scope. Not quite as clear at 20 power as the VX-III and I can't yet vouch for its adjustment repeatability, but so far it's been great for what I use it for. It's the 2nd new Weaver I've bought this year. Friends have all been very happy with their LOW-made scopes; some being former Leupold snobs.
 
I haven't abandoned Leupold; recently bought a VX-II 3-9x33 EFR ($300). Still feel that their mid-priced scopes are a good value when you can find them on sale. Their high end models seem to provide diminishing returns IMO, unless you really need a premium scope. Hard to beat their warantee and service I hear. I've never had to use it.

[diggler1833]

I don't consider a VX3 cheap.  That is why when I do spend the coin, I get something that I'm completely content with.  Uncle Sam pays me pretty well, but I'm definitely no millionaire.  Yes, Leupold's warranty and customer service are great, I'd just rather spend a few more bucks and have to worry about using them less.  The only rifle I hunt anything with at the moment sports a US Optics for this reason.
 
By the way the Sightron SIII was about the same price as the Leupold.

[pjeffreys]

what would y'all recommend for this gun? i also considered a nikon monarch 5-20x44. it is a little less money, but is it as good?

[Graybeard]

pjeffreys What the heck you gonna do with this rifle that you feel the need for so much magnification?

I have one of them as well mine is the Limited Edition LSS with gray laminated wood stock from a couple or three years back. Right now I have a Leupold VX-II 3-9 on it and can't imagine much I'd ever do with it that scope wouldn't do the job for me.

I do have a burning desire for a Bushnell Elite 6500 2.5-16 with the DOA600 reticle but realistically for my use there is nothing it would do for me the 3-9 won't do as well. I don't hunt anywhere a really long shot would be presented and as flat shooting as the .257 Whby is I'd likely never need the extra aiming points of the DOA600 reticle. I did order an Elite 3200 3-9 with DOA600 but decided to mount it on my new R700 CDL SF .280 Remington instead.

Some day if a real bargain comes along or I have temporarily flush with money I might still get the E6500 with DOA600 reticle but until then the VX-II 3-9 will stay on it. I have a couple loads that have turned in half inch three shot groups using the Barnes 115 TSX and Nosler 120 PT. I can't do thats every time but I can keep them at an inch or so all the time and when I do my part the gun can get down to that level with the scope at 9X. I doubt having 16X or 20X or even 24X would reduce the group size noticeably and such a huge scope would definitely be out of place out in the woods on a hunting rifle.

[pjeffreys]

good point graybeard. this is probably the finest rifle i have ever owned and i just felt it needed that kind of scope. i think you and i bought these guns the same year. mine is the cdl version with the fluted barrel. i have already talked myself out of the leupold and i'm gonna go with the nikon. as far as magnification, i just like to shoot the ticks off of those alabama whitetails before i put them down for an eternal nap. lol

did you change the trigger out on yours? i'm not a fan of the new xmark pro triggers. my gunsmith can't get them down to the 2 pounds i like them to be.

also, what type of powders or what powder have you found to work well in your 257?

[hotrunner]

what would y'all recommend for this gun? i also considered a nikon monarch 5-20x44. it is a little less money, but is it as good?

pj, I'd stay away from that Monarch. I have one and the glass simply isn't up to what the "Nikon" name should stand for; also there's very little adjustment range for any long-range shooting setup. FWIW: today I bought a Sightron SII Big Sky, 4-16X 42mm with AO. Very nice glass, better than my Elite 4200 at long distance. Maybe not the more "elegant" feel/looks of a VX3 Leupold, but less cost. Sightron's fixed-power 30mm VXIII - would give you even more adjustment range, if you really feel that you'll need it, and only run about 500 bucks.
 

[Austin from NC]

a good quality 4-12x40 or 50 ought to do everything you want to do. You never know when a deer might come in close and finding it in the higher magnification can be tricky.

       Austin