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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.Quote:
Originally Posted by sheikss
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
the sIII has as good/better glass than a nightforce...........so yeah, it's a LOT better than any luey
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.
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 ;)
Amen, another wise fella who realizes everyones eyes are different. ;DQuote:
Originally Posted by jhelmuth
Looks like I will stick with the s3.
Good decision, you won't be disappointed.
Either would have been a good decision. I'm positive of that...
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.
The newer VX3 are much more sensitive to eye relief than the older VariXIII's were, There is no doubt about it 8)
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
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.
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.)Quote:
Originally Posted by jhelmuth
What models of each are you comparing? Same magnification? Same objective lens size? Also, bright isn't everything.Quote:
Originally Posted by 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.
I'm sure you end up loving that Leupy (I know I love mine...)Quote:
Originally Posted by sheikss
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by k80skeet
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
I would hold on to those words.Quote:
Originally Posted by jhelmuth
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.Quote:
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.
Check your facts.Quote:
These are facts - not speculation.
I did. We were talking about their rifle scopes - not spotting scopes (which I do not know about and was not part of this thread).
If you have facts regarding Leupold using Chinese glass why do you not reveal them? Even if we assume you are correct, Leupold does have exacting specifications and tests their optics for meeting those standards and specifications (I've seen it). We can mince words on locations of factories (a Japanese company say manufacturing in Korea as an example - Korean, or Japanese?), but at the core these are very high standards for their glass in Mark 4s, VX-IIIs, etc. Obviously their lower line scopes will not use glass that has the same specifications as the high lines will - DUH.
I'm a very reasonable man. If you show me where I'm wrong, I'm very happy to correct it. Unitl then, it's all just talk.
Just like you stating that they don't use Chinese glass is all just talk. May come from a Japanese company outsourcing to China, but it's still Chinese. How is that any different than a US company doing the same. It's still a Chinese plant with Chinese workers. I don't personally have a problem with it, but some do. I think that Leupold in particular is intentionally vague with regard to the source of their glass. This is what they say: "Some of these sources are located domestically, some are European, and some are Asian." You assume that it comes from Japan. They never state that or really even imply it. If the Asian sources were all from Japan, why wouldn't they simply state that? Probably becaues they aren't.
They state that their lenses are "procured from outside vendors who must meet stringent quality standards". What does that really mean? Are they going to come out and say that their glass is crap? Everyone says they have the best quality glass, but for the money, IMHO, Leupold just doesn't deliver. The lenses are produced to their specs and according to their designs. From what I've seen there are better designs out there coming from companies that are charging a premium for their name. Those companies also flat out state where their optics are produced.
It's no secret that there really is no US optics industry and there really never has been. As such I don't have an issue with optics produced abroad, but I do have an issue with companies that aren't completely forthright about where their products come from.
For the peop;le looking for who makes whose lenses...
if the lenses come from Japan, most likely they are made by a company call LIGHT OPTIC WORKS..
If is not, it made in the pacific RIM... other words.. JUNK....
thailand, etc.
Europe is as good as Japan..
But remember they make to the owners spec..
FYI... Meotra makes alot of stuff for ALOT OF COMPANIES... all of cabelas gear comes from them...
just fyi
It's not my job to defned Leupold or any other company. I'm OK with folks who want to use forums like this to drag whomever they want into the mud. Nevermind the fact that Leupold has terrific Optical Engineers and a Labortory to support them in the design and testing of some really great Optics so the shooting community can perform their best. Much less a long history of a family business that has built and maintained a terrific reputation for great optics (which they have never manufactured) Not that Leupold is the best - far from it. There are some really fine optics out there and I don't think Leupold can class themselves into say Nightforce, or USO, S&B, etc. But - then again - that was not what Leupold was trying to achieve either. My take away is that Leupold wants to provide great optics and a wide range of them at various price points so that alot of folks who enjoy shooting sports can have a scope that fits their needs. I am one of those people (as I can't afford the Nightforce quite yet - nor some of the very best in optics that are available). As my folks once taught me when I was a kid, people can say what they want to - but saying it doesn't change the truth (and yes... that works both ways). You can see it how you want to. I think there are more than enough people - consumers and professionals - who have a rather fine opinion on Leupold. I think their product speaks for itself and so does their service and warranty. They are not for everyone (aparently).
Anyway... no big deal. Go ahead and move on with your campagin. I'm certainly going to move on and go enjoy my time better with some shootin'
All the best,
Jim
Well got my scope tonight, everything looks good. It was dark by the time I got it, tomorrow I will mess with it. The burris extreme rings in medium are to high so I got some lows on the way. I really like the tmr reticle, it isn't cluttered like the mildot seemed.