New Leupold Scopes

[AkBirder300]

Interested to see if anyone has held one of the new VX3HDs, or if it is just a re-branding. Looks like they've started hitting the market in small numbers?

 

[gr8fuldoug]

These have started to ship from leupold, we are expecting deliveries shortly. Upgraded erectors

 

[AkBirder300]

Thanks Doug, interested to hear more feedback or your impressions once they arrive.

 

[gunaddict]

Doug, could you give us more details on the upgraded erectors?

 

[gr8fuldoug]

We are waiting on Leupold to give us all the details so we can create the new product pages for our site as well as be able to give exact particulars

 

[gunaddict]

Thanks Doug

 

[Bullmark]

As there will be no SHOT Show, and there are no mfg reps coming around showing new product all I can do is read the same detail you can on Leupolds site about these new scopes. My most honest answer is that no new product can be fairly reviewed till it's out in the market place a few months being used and abused by the general public. That and IMO only that can say what the status of newly released gear.
Yes, we are selling the remaining inventory of VX-3i's at a discount while supplies last

Since you used the analogy of a car I shall too. Why are some cars $20,000.00 new and some from the same mfg $100,000.00? They will both get you from point A to point B.

In scopes there are many variables:
Optical quality
3x, 4x, 5x, 6x, 8x erector.
Quality and style of Turret
Robustness

Is a Tangent Theta worth an excess of $3,000.00? I can say that a Tangent Theta is probably the finest scope made. Yes, it is worth more than other options but saying it's worth X amount of money takes explaining why Tesla's market capitalization is worth more than most other car companies combined while producing a mere fraction of vehicles in comparison. This Bitcoin thing, whatever it is, is worth over $35,000.00 and I have no clue what it is or what its purpose is but it keeps going up in value.
So the question comes down to 2 things, again IMO

What's a dollar really worth and what is it that you want out of a scope?

Best Glass? Best Turret? Best repeatability?

Most quality hunting scopes....Leupold VX-3i, Meopta Meopro, Steiner GS3, Burris FFII, Swarovski Z3, etc will do the job, do it well, last for many years.

When I am asked what makes a great scope my 1st reply is always "Pick a reticle that you love. Every time you pick up the rifle and look through the scope you will be looking at that reticle. If you don't love the reticle you'll never love the scope" The pick magnification that suits your need.

I hope this helps to answer your question

Your advice on picking a reticle first is

As there will be no SHOT Show, and there are no mfg reps coming around showing new product all I can do is read the same detail you can on Leupolds site about these new scopes. My most honest answer is that no new product can be fairly reviewed till it's out in the market place a few months being used and abused by the general public. That and IMO only that can say what the status of newly released gear.
Yes, we are selling the remaining inventory of VX-3i's at a discount while supplies last

Since you used the analogy of a car I shall too. Why are some cars $20,000.00 new and some from the same mfg $100,000.00? They will both get you from point A to point B.

In scopes there are many variables:
Optical quality
3x, 4x, 5x, 6x, 8x erector.
Quality and style of Turret
Robustness

Is a Tangent Theta worth an excess of $3,000.00? I can say that a Tangent Theta is probably the finest scope made. Yes, it is worth more than other options but saying it's worth X amount of money takes explaining why Tesla's market capitalization is worth more than most other car companies combined while producing a mere fraction of vehicles in comparison. This Bitcoin thing, whatever it is, is worth over $35,000.00 and I have no clue what it is or what its purpose is but it keeps going up in value.
So the question comes down to 2 things, again IMO

What's a dollar really worth and what is it that you want out of a scope?

Best Glass? Best Turret? Best repeatability?

Most quality hunting scopes....Leupold VX-3i, Meopta Meopro, Steiner GS3, Burris FFII, Swarovski Z3, etc will do the job, do it well, last for many years.

When I am asked what makes a great scope my 1st reply is always "Pick a reticle that you love. Every time you pick up the rifle and look through the scope you will be looking at that reticle. If you don't love the reticle you'll never love the scope" The pick magnification that suits your need.

I hope this helps to answer your question

your advice on picking the reticle first is spot on for me. I've owned and sold several scopes because the reticle just didn't suit me. I keep it simple....I dial my yardage and have no need for a busy reticle. I also realized that my shooting was better when I had an illuminated center dot to hold on my spot. Even in the middle of the day I use it. Finding a scope that had a simple duplex with an illuminated center dot (only), narrowed down the field.
Then to have optical quality where the lighted dot didn't negatively impact the overall quality of the sight picture eliminated many of the more affordable scopes.
There are some fine brands out there that are not an option for me for the reasons above.
I have two hunting builds and the glass is the one place where I won't cut corners. In the end it kinda looks like I just picked the high end of the market and slapped em on my rifles, but I tried more than a few other options. Ultimately it was SB Exos if the weight is not an issue.....and Swaro Z8i if looking to save 9-10oz......with March and Leica Magnus right on their heels.......And for me it was all about starting with the right reticle.

 

[bororthenn]

We are waiting on Leupold to give us all the details so we can create the new product pages for our site as well as be able to give exact particulars

I know this post is a year old, but with all the VX-3 and VX-3i being posted in the classified at close to the cost of a new VX-3HD, I was wondering how the new line compares to the previous generations.

 

[WildRose]

Other than being able to share what's available I know no details as I have not seen anything 1st hand

VX-3HD 1.5-5x20 (1 inch) CDS-ZL Duplex

VX-3HD 1.5-5x20 (30 mm) CDS-ZL Illum. FireDot Twilight Hunter

VX-3HD 2.5-8x36 (1 inch) CDS-ZL Duplex

VX-3HD 3.5-10x40 (1 inch) CDS-ZL Duplex

VX-3HD 3.5-10x40 (30 mm) CDS-ZL Illum. FireDot Twilight Hunter

VX-3HD 3.5-10x50 (1 inch) CDS-ZL Duplex

VX-3HD 3.5-10x50 (30 mm) CDS-ZL Illum. FireDot Twilight Hunter

VX-3HD 4.5-14x40 (1 inch) CDS-ZL Duplex

VX-3HD 4.5-14x40 (1 inch) CDS-ZL Boone & Crockett

VX-3HD 4.5-14x40 (30 mm) Side Focus CDS-ZL Wind-Plex

VX-3HD 4.5-14x40 (1 inch) CDS-ZL Wind-Plex Burnt Bronze

VX-3HD 4.5-14x50 (1 inch) CDS-ZL Duplex

VX-3HD 4.5-14x50 (30 mm) CDS-ZL Illum. FireDot Twilight Hunter

VX-3HD 6.5-20x40 (1 inch) EFR CDS-TZL2 Fine Duplex

VX-3HD 6.5-20x50 (30 mm) Side Focus CDS-TZL2 Fine Duplex

VX-Freedom 1.5-4x20 (1 inch) MOA-Ring

VX-Freedom 2-7x33 (1 inch) Hunt-Plex

VX-Freedom 3-9x40 (1 inch) Hunt-Plex

VX-Freedom 3-9x40 (1 inch) CDS Tri-MOA

VX-Freedom 3-9x50 (1 inch) CDS Duplex

VX-Freedom 4-12x40 (1 inch) CDS Duplex

VX-Freedom 4-12x40 (1 inch) CDS Tri-MOA

VX-Freedom 4-12x50 (1 inch) CDS Duplex

Mark 3HD 1.5-4x20 (30mm) AR-Ballistic

Mark 3HD 1.5-4x20 (30mm) Illum. FireDot SPR

Mark 3HD 1.5-4x20 (30mm) Illum. FireDot BDC

Mark 3HD 1.5-4x20 (30mm) P5 Illum. FireDot TMR

Mark 3HD 3-9x40 (30mm) P5 MilDot

Mark 3HD 3-9x40 (30mm) P5 Illum. FireDot TMR

Mark 3HD 4-12x40 (30mm) P5 Illum. FireDot TMR

Mark 3HD 4-12x40 (30mm) P5 Side Focus TMR

Mark 3HD 6-18x50 (30mm) P5 Side Focus TMR

Mark 3HD 8-24x50 (30mm) P5 Side Focus TMR

I've owned more Leupold's than all other brands combined since I saved for six months to buy my first 3.5-10x50 many moons ago. I really got to see them put through their paces when I was in the service and It's been hard for me to even look at other brands.

For me the VX-6's are "where it's at" today although I still have a slew of Mark 4's and VX3 Tactical scopes.

I'm glad to see they are still really busting it to stay competitive in an ever growing and tougher sporting optics market.