Leupold Scope?

Jayco

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Good for plains game?
 
It’s a great Dangerous Game scope. I have 2 of them. I think a better setup for plains game would have both a higher top end (like a 3-9x) and more importantly a larger objective (like a 40 mm).
 
Great scope, I’ve got several 1-6 VX-6 and love them. They are tough as nails and very clear glass. Besides aging eyes if you can’t kill it with 8X you don’t need to be shooting at it. I just set up a Ruger Express 338 WM with a 1.5-6x42 Swaro that will be the next rifle that I kill an elk with, I don’t feel under powered at 6x. The 42 objective does add that end of day extra light but I’d have to pass the shot and hope to find him in the morning. I had a last light shot go bad on a moose and won’t do it again. If I don’t have time to get to him in the daylight, he wins and walks nowadays.
 
Love leupolds. Clarify, toughness, warranty (and not needing it), weight. Beat the absolute crap out of several in competition and used many more normally.

For plains game only, I'd personally opt for the 2-12 or 3-15. Be very few instances when you want less than 2 or 3x, but IMO many times you would want more than 6x.

1-6 is perfect for DG or combo plains/DG if you only have one scope. The difference between 1x and 2 or 3 with DG could be big in the wrong situation, though that is rare and even more so as a client and not PH.

That being said, I shoot targets out to 600yds on the clock with a 1-6x leupold but the targets are large (probably average 4-6MOA). But I prefer the option for higher magnification when trying to make an ethical shot on game vs just hitting steel
 
Really depends where you are-some areas lots of brush and other areas very open. I would recommend a 3-9 or similar which would be fine in both.
practice practice practice with whatever you choose and be honest with your ph about your abilities
 
I literally just got a new VX-5HD in 1-5x with Firedot reticle this afternoon. FedEx just dropped it off. It’s going on my 416 Hoffman, replacing a 34 year old VX3 1.5-5 that’s been on it.

I think the Firedot will be a particularly good reticle for dangerous game. That bright red dot will be perfect in low light or high stress shooting situations.
 
If you're the type that likes to keep your scope on lower settings, its all you need. I personally like to crank mine all the way up if the animal isn't alarmed. I like my 3.5-10x50 Leupold for plains game.
 
I literally just got a new VX-5HD in 1-5x with Firedot reticle this afternoon. FedEx just dropped it off. It’s going on my 416 Hoffman, replacing a 34 year old VX3 1.5-5 that’s been on it.

I think the Firedot will be a particularly good reticle for dangerous game. That bright red dot will be perfect in low light or high stress shooting situations.
Firedot is an incredibly valuable tool for any game IMO, especially with the variations of hide color in Africa and the shadows and brush etc. But yeah, especially DG
 
I think the Firedot will be a particularly good reticle for dangerous game. That bright red dot will be perfect in low light or high stress shooting situations.
And particularly when you target animal is black, cape buffalo and black bear. Black reticle on black hide is not a good situation especially when in close quarters.
 
I recently had a VX-6hd fail to track properly or return to zero. Less than 2 weeks out from a big hunt. I called Leupold and explained the situation and guy acted like it still "could be you". I explained my testing, what it did, etc. Guy was very condescending. They shipped it back with the erectors replaced. Less than 200 rounds through it and the gun wasn't bashed around that hard either. I experienced the same issue everyone else did. Zero'ed at 100. Walked out to 700. Started missing. Dialed back down and put two in the same hole 2" high 2" right at 100.
 
I’d go with the 2x-12x.
Great scope, but at a fair bit of added cost for an extra 2x magnification compared to the VX-5 in 2-10x. I ended up putting 2-10’s on my 338 & 375. 264 wears a 3-15x. All VX-5’s with Firedot. And now adding the 1-5 on my 416.

I think the new glass technology combined with the 30mm tubes and reticle take these scopes well beyond earlier Leupold scopes.
 
Going for a top end of something between 9 or 12 would let you see the animal a little better - and it might help you see any bushes or sticks in the line of fire.
 
What rifle are you putting it on? Most of my scopes are lower powered (1.5-5, 1-6). The higher-powered scopes (3-9, 3.5-10) are seldom moved off of the lower power except on the range.

Safe shooting
 
I have a VX6HD 1-6X with No.4 reticule and illuminated dot on my 404 Jeffery. Good scope. On my .375 I have a VX3 2-7X, for other rifles I like a little more magnification. I like Leupold scopes for their toughness, warranty and I like that they are made in the USA. I do find that Swarovsky and Schmidt & Bender are SLIGHTLY better in optical quality, but not enough to make a significant difference to me in the field.
 

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