Is the Leupold M8 3x "good enough"?

[mannyrock]

Dear Guys,


  I''m down to my last deer rifle, a long action bolt.  I need a no-nonsense, trouble free scope for it.   Most shots are 50 to 100 yards, but I always like to maintain the possibility of a 150 yard shot out into a field.


  Most of my hunting is in the evening, particularly during the last 30 minutes of daylight.


  I'm thinking about an old Leupold M8 3x.  Nice long tube and enough eye relief.  Looks like you can find them for about $150 used.


  But, I'm a little concerned.  Is three power enough?  And, given that the scope only has a 20 mm lens up front, will it gather enough light for good shots right up till the sun goes down?


  In the past, I generally used the wonderful Leupold 2x7, Vari-X II, with a 32mm lens.    But, I put it on a rifle for my son when he left home.    And generally, I use to just keep it cranked somewhere between 3 and 4 power when I was hunting anyway.


  I guess I could buy a new Weaver 2x7, with a 36mm lens, for about $159.  But, they are somewhat ugly, have a silly white set of horns or something stamped on the side, and look like the rings would have to be pretty close together.


 Thanks for all advice.


Mannyrock

[Ranger99]

i think you may have answered your own question.
"i use to just keep it cranked somewhere between 3
and 4 power when i was hunting anyway"
i've checked the last few years when using a scoped
rifle the ability to get a clear picture against legal
shooting hours by my watch, and i can't see where
a big tube or big bell objective would have any advantage
on where and when i hunt. i've been going back to
lower power and fixed power scopes when i can.
the advantages i've seen are less weight and ruggedness
beside being more compact and less affect on rifle balance.


i still can't figure why a fixed power costs more on average than
a variable, unless it's just the difference in sales figures.

[Bigeasy]

Mannyrock.  Figure you exit pupil number by dividing the scope power by its objective lens diameter.  For your 3x20 scope, it would be 6.66 mm.  That is more light passing thru than you can make use of, especially with older eyes.  Your pupils will only open so wide.

The Leupold M8 series is as good as any, and better then most.  Just make sure you don't get a long eye relief model designed for a handgun or scout rifle by mistake.  3X is a fine choice for your uses.  I do the same thing - keep my scopes cranked down to 2x or 3x when hunting in the woods in case I get a snap shot at a running deer.  You can certainly still hit a deer at 300 yards with a 3x scope.  Personally, I like low to mid range variables, and the Leupold VX-1 series is nice glass in that price range, but nothing wrong with a fixed power scope.

Larry

[Stuart C.]

Manny, not to pry but what do you mean you're down to your last deer rifle?  Hope all is well.


The M8 4X is my favorite scope. 3x should be just fine. I was always intrigued by the relatively low power scopes used by the old gun writers. Go with it. They got panache.

[Swampman]

The new VX-2s are awesome.  Consider the 1-4X20, 2-7X33, or the 3-9X40.

[pastorp]

The M8, 3x has always been good enough for me. Under the conditions you describe. If the ranges streach further then buy a M8 6x.

[revbc]

Kinda depends on age, if it's an older leupold then there are other optics that are better today.  Don't know what Weaver model your talking about with the horns or whatever, but I have the Weaver classic V7 2-7x32.  It's a good scope for your application.  Little over $180 here, but you can find it cheaper.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/629513?cm_mmc=Froogle-_-Optics%20-%20Scopes%20-%20Under%2012X-_-PriceCompListing-_-629513&gclid=CPPk6dy267wCFVDLtAodLEMA1w

[Lloyd Smale]

revbc is dead on. Im a leupold fan and i think that 3x is plenty for what your doing but theres better optics out there today. Low light performance would take a big jump up with a new vx1 2x7 for about 200 bucks. the newest vx1s have click ajustments and the same glass that varyx IIIs used just a few years ago and are a major step up in performance from even your old vari x 2. Nothing wrong with a straight power scope but leupold doesnt seem to upgrade the optics along with the variables. Probably due to the fact they just dont sell well.

[Swampman]

I wouldn't buy the Weaver.

[cwlongshot]

Manny,
 The guys have given you what I have said many times. Those are the facts as I know them! 

Many look at the 20mm and say things like ''light gathering'' and ''light transmission''. Mostly because they are terms they picked up from armchair commandos.  The quality of the glass and the coatings make HUGE differences here and its something some forget. Lloyd said it and I agree 100% its the diameter of the shaft of light a scope is able to funnel to the shooters eye that makes the difference. NOT the diameter of a sub quality scopes objective that can do that. Yes a larger objective offers more surface area and can make up a little here but its not as big a deciding factory as overall optical quality of the glass.

I have a M8 3X and its been with me for a long time. It was actually my first Leupold bought on the very first ''deer'' rifle I bought for my self. That gun is long gone...but that scope is on another favorite. My H&R 357Maxi. This rifle has gone thru some transformations with wood and barrel length, but its worn this scope nearly form day one. I sent mine back to Leupold and had a German #1 reticule as the tapered reticule it had was not a the best for the thick woods I hunt.





Its also a favorite. I feel its a great choice for your needs.

[revbc]

I wouldn't buy the Leupold.    I would use it if I had it...........but if I wanted better optics I would get something else.

[SHOOTALL]

I ended up with a 3X scope (a Weaver I think) that is old . I have an old model 70 , post 64 . I mounted the old 3X on it and it works fine . 

[Swampman]

I wouldn't buy the Leupold.    I would use it if I had it...........but if I wanted better optics I would get something else.

It would have to be made in Europe and cost four times as much.

[Lloyd Smale]

dont know swampy but i do have only one of the newer weavers. Its a 1x3x20. It rides on a tc contendor 16 inch carbine in 4570 that kicks like an absolute mule. Its held up to hundreds of rounds of ammo that probably shouldnt be put through a contendor frame. Ive also tried it side by side against an old leupold vari x 2 1x4 of mine and it does much better in low light then the leupold and when i bought it it was almost a 100 bucks cheaper. So much so that that vari x 2 was quickly replaced by a new vx2.  Now if you asked me about those old k series weavers id tell you to run not walk away as ive had lots of trouble with them but Ive never heard a bad word anywhere on there newer scopes.

[Catfish]

I think you have picked as good a scope as you could. I have a 2 1/2 X Leupold on my muzzle loader and took a deer at 289 yards with it, and had plenty good cross hairs for good shot placement. As for a variable, why? It cost more money and it will never be moved from 3X while hunting. I carry an AR for coyote and it wears a 3 x 9 Leupold. In the last 7 yrs. I have moved it off 3 X 3 times to shoot at coyotes, I did not get any of the 3. You will do no better than a 2 1/2 or 3 X fixed scope for your needs.

[SHOOTALL]

Leupold has a good warranty they say , I have had their scopes for years and never had to use the service. Can't say the same for other brands .

[Graybeard]

btt