Scope ?
 

lookin to get a new scope for my Remington XCR in 300 WSM and lookin through the Cabelas catalog got me confused I'm lookin to get a Leupold VX-III in 4.5-14x40 and they offer 3 different models 1st is 4.5-14x40 2nd is 4.5-14x40AO and 3rd is 4.5-14x40LR so whats the difference? and whats everyone recommend?Also whats better a 30MM tube or 1" tube?

RE: Scope ?
 

THIS IS THE SPEC. ON ALL THREE FROM LEUPOLD WEB SITE. YOU CAN MAKE A COMPARISON BETWEEN ALL THREE. HOPE THIS HELPS...

VX-III 4.5-14x40mm
Product Specifications
Actual Magnification: 4.8(4.5x) 14.2(14x)
Length (in): 12.6
Eyepiece Length (in): 2.9
Objective Length (in): 3.6
Objective Diameter (in): 1.8
Eyepiece Diameter (in): 1.55
Tube Diameter: 1.0in
Weight: 13.2 oz. / 374.2 grams
Eye Relief (in): 4.4(4.5x) 3.6(14x)
Eye Relief (mm): 112(4.5x) 93(14x)
Obj. Lens Diameter: 1.6in / 40mm
Max. Adjustment @ 100 yds (in): 67
Max. Adjustment @ 100 m (cm): 186
FOV @ 100 yds (ft): 19.9(4.5x) 7.4(14x)
FOV @ 100 m (m): 6.6(4.5x) 2.5(14x)

VX-III 4.5-14x40mm Adj. Obj.
Product Specifications
Actual Magnification: 4.9(4.5x) 14.3(14x)
Length (in): 12.5
Eyepiece Length (in): 3.2
Objective Length (in): 4.0
Objective Diameter (in): 2.0
Eyepiece Diameter (in): 1.6
Tube Diameter: 1.0in
Weight: 15.0 oz. / 425.0 grams
Eye Relief (in): 5.0(4.5x) 3.7(14x)
Eye Relief (mm): 127(4.5x) 94(14x)
Obj. Lens Diameter: 1.6in / 40mm
Max. Adjustment @ 100 yds (in): 67
Max. Adjustment @ 100 m (cm): 170
FOV @ 100 yds (ft): 20.8(4.5x) 7.4(14x)
FOV @ 100 m (m): 6.9(4.5x) 2.5(14x)

VX-III 4.5-14x40mm Long Range
Product Specifications
Actual Magnification: 4.9(4.5) 14.6(14)
Length (in): 12.6
Eyepiece Length (in): 2.9
Objective Length (in): 3.6
Objective Diameter (in): 1.8
Eyepiece Diameter (in): 1.6
Tube Diameter: 30mm
Weight: 15.4 oz. / 436.6 grams
Eye Relief (in): 4.4(4.5) 3.6(14)
Eye Relief (mm): 112(4.5) 93(14)
Obj. Lens Diameter: 1.6in / 40mm
Max. Adjustment @ 100 yds (in): 70
Max. Adjustment @ 100 m (cm): 194
FOV @ 100 yds (ft): 18.7(4.5) 7.3(14)
FOV @ 100 m (m): 6.2(4.5) 2.4(14)

RE: Scope ?
 

Trailer- thanks for your help whats better a 30MM tube or a 1" tube? I still don't know which is better

RE: Scope ?
 

If I were you I would take a good look at the Zeiss Conquest 3-9xyou can get one shipped to youfor less than $400
The Conquest 3.5-14x44 is available for a little more.

RE: Scope ?
 

I have 2 scope with 30 mm tubes and don’t find much of an advantage over the 1” tube although they are not top of the line scopes. One scope is the Leupold Euro and found out the internal parts are the same as the 1” tube. I’m not sure if this applies to the VX-III series.

The scope in question with the 30 mm tube has more adjustment in elevation for long range shooting and is slightly heavier by 0.4 oz. I also find the 30 mm scope to be a little more bulky and you do need new rings if you had intentions of using existing rings. What I like about 2 of the three scopes is no Adj. Obj. lens. Just one more thing that you don’t have to worry about when hunting. Good luck in your choice and take a look at the Zeiss Conquest if you have the opportunity...

RE: Scope ?
 

Ha 300. IMO the advantages of a 30 mm are:
1, Stronger tube(because it is bigger around)
2. Can be set up with more elevation and windage adjustment. Notice I say can be, because some are not.
3. Will allow more light transmission through the scope. You have to have the quality of lenses and coatings to take advantage of the larger tube size.
4. Some of the 30 mm tubes allow the Parallax to be adjusted with an additional turret knob in the center of the scope. This is more convenient, has less working parts, and balances the weight of the scope.

My choice would depend on the use of the rifle. For strictly deer hunting I would choose the stadard scope without the AO. In a deer hunting situation the AO has no use.To take advantage of the 30 mm tube I would go with a slightly larger objective diameter, like a 50. I would not go with the fifty in a one inch tube. Tom.

RE: Scope ?
 

Well...Unless you are planning to shoot groundhogs with a .300 WSM, you don't need 14 power...On a big game rifle 9-10 power is plenty...

Stick with the 1 inch tube...The 30mm are European (where they can hunt at night)...I have to be careful with my 10 year old Leupold VX-II...Plenty bright to get a guy in trouble with the warden...

RE: Scope ?
 

This is also offered with the Zeiss Conquest 4.5-14 x 44 mm with the 1” tube...

RE: Scope ?
 

IMO the best value is a Leopold Vari-x II. They can be had for under $300.

RE: Scope ?
 

To trailer: That would be a nice feature for the Conquest. I did not know that, thanks. Do you know if any of the Conquest's now have the crosshairs like the Ballistic Plex in the Burris? I was reading some where about it. The Zeiss web site is a bit of a scrabble. With that reticle, the scope you are recommending would be a dandy. Tom.

RE: Scope ?
 

Mil Dot....we base our rifles off of MOA
Why not utilize the same system in our reticles?

RE: Scope ?
 

From what I can tell, it doesn’t look like it but they do offer the 58 ZRF reticle and I’m not sure what that’s all about. Like you say it isn’t really clear. However they do offer the Mil-Dot as previously mentioned...

RE: Scope ?
 

What is the real difference between the Leupold II"s and III's

RE: Scope ?
 

[/quote] What is the real difference between the Leupold II"s and III's
[/quote]

About $400.

RE: Scope ?
 

VXII
[ul][*]Multicoat 4® lens system for unparalleled light transmission in all light conditions (formerly available only on Vari-X III riflescopes).[*]Seven reticle styles available[*]1" maintube[/ul]
VXIII
[ul][*]Indexed Matched Lens Systems[*]finger adjustable 1/4 MOA windage and elevation dials with resettable pointer dials[*]Reticles - Thirteen styles available[*]side focus parallax adjustment.(on some models)[*]Maintube Diameter - One-inch and 30mm, manufactured from 6061-T6 aircraft aluminum alloy.[*]Estimate Range - Range estimating feature on the power selector ring.[/ul]
In summary, a better lens coating, better turrets and more available features and reticles.

RE: Scope ?
 

3 is the same as 2. Ifa maker gives you lots of adjustment, it is because the internals are 1" size or similar. If it has little adjustment, it is bigger to allow more light through.

RE: Scope ?
 

1" is OK, but obviously, since they introduced the 30mm as an UPGRADE, 30mm is BETTER than 1". It also costs more!

RE: Scope ?
 

Not necessarily. I had 2 Leupold scopes, one being the VX-II 3-9 x 50 mm with the 1” tube that I sold and the other is my Euro 3-9 x 50 mm with the 30 mm tube that I still have and to be honest couldn’t see any difference between the two...

RE: Scope ?
 

The Vari-X III's have the indexed lense system. For normal hunting purposes, a Vari-X II is plenty good enough.

RE: Scope ?
 

I do not believe the amount of light that lenses and tube size allows through, has anything to do with the amount of adjustment that is available. Different lenses allow different amounts of light through. Same as the coatings. One of the reasons Leupold calls their 30mm LR(Long Range)is due to the fact that is has more elevation adjustment than a standard 1 inch scope. But this adjustment has nothing to do with the quality of lenses, and amount of light transmission. IMO, Tom.

RE: Scope ?
 

The bigger tube size= the riser assembly has more room to travel up and down = more adjustment.

At least that is how I understand it.

I don't think the average hunter needs any more adjustment than the average scope will give so IMO it's a moot point.

RE: Scope ?
 

I have bought a couple of the new scopes from Leupold with the new reticles. I especially like the new B&C Varmint Hunting reticle. As far as adjustment is concerned I have ran out of vertical adjustment twice. Once with a Burris Signature Select scope, and once with a Leupold 6.5 X 20. The Burris was on a 12FVSS-300 WSM long distance rifle I set up for deer. I had to go to the Burris rings with the elevation inserts. Check the charts on adjustments. The Burris scopes do not have as much. The Leupold was on a 6mm varmint rig, I ran out there also. I shimmed those rings. So yes, more adjustment can be necessary. Tom.

RE: Scope ?
 

Did I say more adjustment couldn't be necessary? You said yourself that theses setups were on long distance rifles. So that isn't "Joe average hunter" is it?

Is that hard to understand or something?

RE: Scope ?
 

Can you tell us at about what range each setup ran out of adjustment? Was it 600 yards or more like 1000 yards? Thank you.

RE: Scope ?
 

Ha nksmfamip: I wish I was capable of shooting 1000 yards, unfortunately I am not. I always like to shoot heavy for caliber bullets in my rifle. I shoot 180's in the 300 WSM, and I actually shot 200's in a 300 Win Mag PSS. On the PSS I had one of the 8.5 X 25 LR Leupolds, and did not have any shims. I did not run out with this scope.

Our range is 540 yards. This is where I was close to the bottom with the other 2 scopes. The 6.5 X 20 was one of the older one inch models. It was not one of the LR's. I just bought one of the 6.5 X 20 X 40 scopes for my next Hogging project. It has side focus, and 30mm tube. It is also a VH reticle. I should be fine there.

On the Burris I was pretty sure(according to their chart)I was going to be out of adjustment, so I added the 5 minute rings before I even mounted the scope.

If you look on the web sites you can find how many MOA's of adjustment that the scope has built in. The Burris's, at the time had less than the Leupold's. even comparing one inch tube to one inch tube. A tech for Leupold once told me that you should not shoot the crosshairs when they are adjusted all the way out. He told me that it is not good to bottom out your adjustments. So I felt it prudent that when I was approaching the limit of adjustment, to shim, rather than take a chance.

So to slightly ammend my post. I did not completely bottom out my scopes officially, I would not do that to a scope. But I am 90 % sure that I was real close. I base this on the mfrs. charts of adjustment. As the Leupold tech told me on the phone when I called him. I remember his comment was "Now remember, half your adjustment is for drop down, and the other half is for rise". He said their reticles are designed to be shipped, and shot in the center of the scope, and the center of adjustment. Not at the edges, or outside limits. Tom.

RE: Scope ?
 

excellent scope