Sightron sIII vs. Leupold VX3, mark 4 here I come.

[sheikss]

Was set on the sightron 6.5x20 but saw a vx3 in my price range and wondered what your guys thoughts were on the vx3. I am willing to save for a mark 4 if it is really worth it. 95% of my shooting will be inside 200 yards. One thing that I like about the vx3 is that I can get a fine crosshair.

[earl39]

Was set on the sightron 6.5x20 but saw a vx3 in my price range and wondered what your guys thoughts were on the vx3. I am willing to save for a mark 4 if it is really worth it. 95% of my shooting will be inside 200 yards. One thing that I like about the vx3 is that I can get a fine crosshair.


I gave my 8.5-25x50 vx3 to my daughter to hunt with after getting a sightron. The difference to me was more than enough to change to sightron. My SIL has a vortex and claims it to be as clear as the vx3 but i have never compared them side by side.
My advice would be if you can get them outside then compare them side by side and get what suits your eye best but if not i would suggest the Sightron.

edited to add that i went with the 8-32x56 Slll

[GSRswapandslow]

the sIII has as good/better glass than a nightforce...........so yeah, it's a LOT better than any luey

[03mossy]

Flip a coin...

I have a VX3 6.5-20x40 LR on my 22-250 and my father has the SIII 6-24x50 on his AR and the both are excellent scopes. I think mine is better he thinks his is! Everybodys eyes are different and to me the Leuplold is sharper.

[jhelmuth]

Would you all be shocked if nearly ALL shooters said that their scope was the best? Reality is, MOST scopes are of decent quality and optics (obviously some really are better than others). Within a price point, I doubt many can discern the fine points between any given 2 - particularly where the optics is concerned.

Having said that, there are objective tests that can reveal the "details" (isn't that where the devil ALWAYS is? ;D). Some of us are not so concerned with the tracking performance (but I'd say there is where you might find more quality differences), while othes of us are quite critical of tracking abilities. (Consistency - IE: the reticle alway keeping the same POA - is ALWAYS a critical concern and factor for all shooters)

I happen to have a Leupy (VX-III 8.5-25x 50mm LRT in fine duplex). It's a fantastic scope (and the most expensive I've owned). I aslo have (up for sale BTW) a Pentax Lightseeker30 (6-24x 50mm with a Balistic-plex reticle - and twin brother to the Burris Black Diamond). I've shot both 300-500 yards. They are both outstanding scopes and while I optically like the Leupy a tad better, the Pentax really gives the Leupy a run for the money (and is a better value in my opinion). If I were critical on the tracking, I would call them a draw and comment that they both were very good to excllent in thier price and design category (so they would not compare as favorably against say a Nightforce, S/B, or other top-of-the-line $$$$$ variable powered scope in that same range of magnificaion).

My beilef and experience has tought me that while you get what you pay for, do not expect radical performance differences within a couple of hundred dollars. Nor should you expect op-of the line performance without spending significant $$$ (nothing in life is free).

OK... that was my 2 cents - sorry if that offended anyone.

To the OP... I do believe you'd be very happy with either scope.

PS - I hapen to have a Sightron on order. So I have some dogs in this hunt ;)

[BradB]

Would you all be shocked if nearly ALL shooters said that their scope was the best? Reality is, MOST scopes are of decent quality and optics (obviously some really are better than others). Within a price point, I doubt many can discern the fine points between any given 2 - particularly where the optics is concerned.

Having said that, there are objective tests that can reveal the "details" (isn't that where the devil ALWAYS is? ;D). Some of us are not so concerned with the tracking performance (but I'd say there is where you might find more quality differences), while othes of us are quite critical of tracking abilities. (Consistency - the reticle alway keeping the same POA - is ALWAYS a critical concern and factor for all shooters)

I happen to have a Leupy (VX-III 8.5-25x 50mm LRT in fine duplex). It's a fantastic scope (and the most expensive I've owned). I aslo have (up for sale BTW) a Pentax Lightseeker30 (6-24x 50mm with a Balistic-plex reticle - and twin brother to the Burris Black Diamond). I've shot both 300-500 yards. They are both outstanding scopes and while I optically like the Leupy a tad better, the Pentax really gives the Leupy a run for the money (and is a better value in my opinion). If I were critical on the racking, I would call them a draw and comment that they both were very good to excllent in thier price and design category (so they would not compare as favorably against say a Nightforce, S/B, or other top-of-the-line $$$$$ variable powered scope in that same range of magnificaion).

My beilef and experience has tought me that while you get what you pay for, do not expect radical performance differences within a couple of hundred dollars. Nor should you expect op-of the line performance without spending significant $$$ (nothing in life is free).

OK... that was my 2 cents - sorry if that offended anyone.

To the OP... I do believe you'd be very happy with either scope.

PS - I hapen to have a Sightron on order. So I have some dogs in this hunt ;)


Amen, another wise fella who realizes everyones eyes are different. ;D

[sheikss]

Looks like I will stick with the s3.

[Prodigy808]

Good decision, you won't be disappointed.

[jhelmuth]

Either would have been a good decision. I'm positive of that...

[sheikss]

I did look through a vx3 and it seemed very unforgiving in regards to eye relief. This was looking through a 4x14 with a 40mm obj.

[sniper15545]

The newer VX3 are much more sensitive to eye relief than the older VariXIII's were, There is no doubt about it 8)

[SMK Shoe]

I've got a SIII in 10-50 X 60mm. great scope. I think this summer 50 power with mirage will be a bit much but can always turn it down. Only thing on the scope to mention is the parallax is a bit stiff. Should loosen up with use. good thing is I can't accidentally bump the settings. ;D ;D

[sheikss]

Well, I ordered a leupold mark 4 6x20 today. After I use reward points and gift cards I will end up paying about $600 for the scope. It's the most expensive scope I have ever bought so I hope I am not disappointed. Thanks to everyone who recommended the egw base. Got it today along with the rings and am very pleased with it. I went with the hd steel base and burris tactical rings.

[jhelmuth]

Would you all be shocked if nearly ALL shooters said that their scope was the best? Reality is, MOST scopes are of decent quality and optics (obviously some really are better than others). Within a price point, I doubt many can discern the fine points between any given 2 - particularly where the optics is concerned.

...

To the OP... I do believe you'd be very happy with either scope.

PS - I hapen to have a Sightron on order. So I have some dogs in this hunt ;)


Hmmm.... got the Sightron, and I'd have to say it is not even close to beng as bright as my Leupy. Given all the Sightron fans, I expected much better (but guess I shouldn't have considering the $ diff.)

[helotaxi]

Hmmm.... got the Sightron, and I'd have to say it is not even close to beng as bright as my Leupy. Given all the Sightron fans, I expected much better (but guess I shouldn't have considering the $ diff.)
What models of each are you comparing? Same magnification? Same objective lens size? Also, bright isn't everything.

[jhelmuth]

Hey.... don't take it the wrong way. It certainly meets my earlier comments about price points, etc. No... it's not nearly as bright as the Leupy (and I disagree - brightness IS at least a secondary factor in a scope). I was just commenting because all of the Sightron fans/owners seem to beat the band on them and I was expecting more from it due to their own personal reviews.

There is no attack here on Sightron. I do believe it performs well for it's price point. I'm not saying Sightron is a BAD scope.

[jhelmuth]

Well, I ordered a leupold mark 4 6x20 today. After I use reward points and gift cards I will end up paying about $600 for the scope. It's the most expensive scope I have ever bought so I hope I am not disappointed. Thanks to everyone who recommended the egw base. Got it today along with the rings and am very pleased with it. I went with the hd steel base and burris tactical rings.


I'm sure you end up loving that Leupy (I know I love mine...)

[k80skeet]

I own 25 Leupolds and for the money they are a pretty good mid-priced scope. I own 1 Sightron a 8X32X56 it is a pretty good scope the adjustments clicks are a little mushy compared to Leupold target knobs. I don't own any VX3's or any VX series and never intend to. I only buy the Veri-X-lll's It is my humble opinion that the glass is far better in the Veri-X-lll when they were buy their glass from some place other than China like all the VX series and all other Leupolds today. So If I buy any Leupolds they will be used and the older Veri-X-lll's

[jhelmuth]

I own 25 Leupolds and for the money they are a pretty good mid-priced scope. I own 1 Sightron a 8X32X56 it is a pretty good scope the adjustments clicks are a little mushy compared to Leupold target knobs. I don't own any VX3's or any VX series and never intend to. I only buy the Veri-X-lll's It is my humble opinion that the glass is far better in the Veri-X-lll when they were buy their glass from some place other than China like all the VX series and all other Leupolds today. So If I buy any Leupolds they will be used and the older Veri-X-lll's


k80skeet... with all due respect, I believe you are very wrong.

First of all, for ALL Leupold glass... Like most manufacturers in the consumer optical business (Photography, Astonomical, Sporting, etc.), Leupold outsources its optical glass. They are made to their exacting specifications and are tested in their Portland, Oregon facility for metting their exacting requirements and high standards. There are actually only a few optical glass suppliers in the world. Leupol purchases from companies in Europe, Japan, and the U.S. - none are purchased from any Asian company outside of Japan (particularly China). Leupold uses the same suppliers as many of the best Europen scope makers.

Regarding the Vari-X line... These lines were discontinued and rebranded into more logical (for the consumer) branding/lines. The Vari-X II line became the Rifleman line (I believe that was in 2000 or 2001). The Vari-X III line became the VX-II (which is older technology). This opened up the new line of VX-III (or VX-3 if you will) which came out in 2004 and included better technology including better optics which are fully multicoated and Index Matched to ensure that each lens has the best possible coatings, producing total light transmission values higher than ever seen before.

These are facts - not speculation. I felt it important to point this out so as to not misdirect or otherwise lay false claims on products.

I certainly welcome any factual data you have to the contrary to disprove these statements.

All the best,

Jim

[helotaxi]

k80skeet... with all due respect, I believe you are very wrong.

I would hold on to those words.


First of all, for ALL Leupold glass... Like most manufacturers in the consumer optical business (Photography, Astonomical, Sporting, etc.), Leupold outsources its optical glass. They are made to their exacting specifications and are tested in their Portland, Oregon facility for metting their exacting requirements and high standards. There are actually only a few optical glass suppliers in the world. Leupol purchases from companies in Europe, Japan, and the U.S. - none are purchased from any Asian company outside of Japan (particularly China). Leupold uses the same suppliers as many of the best Europen scope makers.

Different lines source their glass from different places and those DO include Asian sources other than Japan whether you want to believe it or not. Some of their other optics are entirely produced elsewhere and the Kenai spotting scope in particular is MADE IN CHINA.


These are facts - not speculation.

Check your facts.