Leupold scopes

pjm099

Active Member

I’ve been offered a new Leupold VX-5HD 3-15x56 (30mm) CDS-ZL2 at a good price.


I don’t know much about Leupold and would welcome any views from members based on actual experience.

Thanks
 
They are a good scope, lower than a zeiss and swaro, but, to my mind, I would class them as above average.
The only thing to check is that it is an original. There were a lot of fake ones doing the rounds about 10 years ago.
 
Very good warranty back up as well.

I had an issue with one once and sent it back (took a while due to US export issues) and it was returned fully serviced with all the lenses replaced - none of which were the problem. No charge for it at all and no issue with me not being the original owner or even knowing when it was first bought.
 
Before becoming a ‘glass tart’ after getting my first Zeiss Diavari, I had Leupold scopes on all my rifles. They are excellent value for money & delivered great images with a few exceptions - namely the 8.5-25x50 LR VX-3 that I had which had a very short eye box & poor light transmission at higher mag.

As others have said, their lifetime warranty is no quibble & if you don’t like it then the scope should be easy to move on.
 
I have a VX 1, 3 - 9x50. Bought new circa 30 yrs ago. It's been excellent....up until a couple of weeks back. It is now on it's way to Leopold (via Viking Arms Ltd) under their 'lifetime warranty'. I await the outcome.
Not withstanding this issue the scope has been faultless and has seen extensive use throughout its life.
 
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My first full bore rifle was topped with one, heaps of difference to an air rifle scope at that time until I gained more experience with equipment and bought even better.

BC.
 
Leupold’s are good tough scopes. There are very good reasons why most American hunters swear by them. But they tend have quite a small eye box compared to Swarovski or Schmidt. This is not an issue if you have the scope set up properly with a stock that fits so your eye position is repeatable. Frankly this is how a scope should be set up.

Where it becomes an issue is when you at high magnifications, in an awkward position (get yourself properly comfortable as shooting uncomfortably leads to poor results) or you are borrowing the rifle and its not set up for you.
 
Been using Leupold for years and can’t fault them . From scopes to Binos excellent glass and quality. At the moment I have 2 vx3 and a vx5 , the vx5 has seen all corners of the uk ,in rain,snow mud and blood . Tried other brands but my eyes love the Leupold glass 👍🏻
 
I've had a couple and they were good and robust, if you do a lot of first and last light stalking you'll find them a shade behind German or Austrian glass though (excuse the pun)
Just curious do most European countries also follow the whole one hour before sunrise one hour after sunset? I wonder if Leopold has skimped slightly on light retention since the US and Canadian scene Is 30 minutes before and after, perhaps a thought? and obviously people shooting on range arent really doing it on the edge of darkness (usually)

A roe buck on a stubble field at relatively close range can be shot with a good glass scope before those 30 minutes If your eyes settle in well enough.
 
I really like them, to my eyes they are better than Sightronand and Nightforce, the warranty is really good as well, I had a issue with a basic M8 6x42 (oddly enough the scope that switched me to Leupold), as it couldn't be fixed, it was replaced with a much better model. I have a VX3 LRT 6.5-20x50 on my .22-250, the same but 8.5-25x50 on my .280, a 4-14x40 on my .17hmr and a spare rimfire scope which I need to find a rifle for
 
Be cautious, Leupold used to produce a single line of premium products, now, like Zeiss and a few others they have a number of different lines of varying quality.
My personal view is also that no scope with light transmission in the upper 80 % range, decent glass and coatings needs a 56mm objective.
As always, your money, have it your way.
 
Just curious do most European countries also follow the whole one hour before sunrise one hour after sunset? I wonder if Leopold has skimped slightly on light retention since the US and Canadian scene Is 30 minutes before and after, perhaps a thought? and obviously people shooting on range arent really doing it on the edge of darkness (usually)

A roe buck on a stubble field at relatively close range can be shot with a good glass scope before those 30 minutes If your eyes settle in well enough.
In many European countries, in particular I know Germany, boar hunting is often carried out from high seats at night under the light of the moon. Until very recently any form of electronic or artificial light was prohibited. Hence the very good light transmission of Zeiss and similar scopes, with thick reticles. Many many boar are and were shot under the light of the moon with such scopes. I have shot a large male boar with my Zeiss 6x42 made in 1974 at 3am in the morning.
 
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I use Leupold VX2 scopes on three of my rifles. Two are 1-4x20 models and one is a 3-9x50. The former are small and light and have a tiny 17mm objective lens but despite that have great field of view and brightness, plus huge amounts of dialing range. I used one of them on my low budget homage to an L42A1, described in a previous thread. The 3-9x50 scope is not quite as good optically and doesn't have as much dialing range as its little brothers but I like it for some reason. All three Leupolds have retro-fitted Kenton turrets which massively improves ease of dialing.
 
Just curious do most European countries also follow the whole one hour before sunrise one hour after sunset? I wonder if Leopold has skimped slightly on light retention since the US and Canadian scene Is 30 minutes before and after, perhaps a thought? and obviously people shooting on range arent really doing it on the edge of darkness (usually)

A roe buck on a stubble field at relatively close range can be shot with a good glass scope before those 30 minutes If your eyes settle in well enough.
I didn't know that in the US but it tallies. I don't know the law on it in the rest of Europe. The Yanks I know tend to buy cheaper rifles and cheaper scopes as they have lots of them and swap them the whole time!!
 
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Very good reliable scopes which are also weigh a lot less than others, can be picked up amazingly cheap at times.
I have returned a scope via the lifetime warranty via Viking Arms and although it took a while to came back looking like new, it had been virtually rebuilt, details of work on a job sheet in with the scope.
As has already been said, check it is genuine, you will not be disappointed.
 
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