RE: Leupold Scope concerns
I'd take a regular old vx-iii 4.5-14x50 is cheaper too than the VX-L version...
The whole VX-L gimmic is to give you 50mm performance on a 40mm height.....so ya comparing 50mm to 50mm vxL doesn't work but 50mm VXL vs 40mm VX-III is how they marketed it, even with the cutout the 50mm has more area than a 40mm, but of course not a 50mm, and the 56mm will give you a 50mm height mount I believe, that's the whole concept.
I don't think I'd own a scope over 50mm, such as a 56mm, so up to 50mm I'd just use the standard vx-iii.