Leupold VX-3 HD 1.5 x 5 CDL not holding zero?

[cajunchefray]

I have a Leupold VX-3, 1.5-5x HD- CDL, not holding zero.

Has anyone else had this trouble with the CDL line?

I have read this on another forum, but some are just long-range shooters, not just hunters.

I've never adjusted the CDL feature, I don't twist dials, just sight in and hunt.

I just wanted a smaller Leupold, with a red dot in the reticle, mounted on a Ruger #1 .35 Whelen. ice, good eye relief, easy eye box, lightweight, reasonable glass, and the FireDot reticle works for me.

Previously, the rifle had been sighted in with a Leupold FX-II 4x and shot nice 100-yard groups with a proven handload that works in many rifles (I'm a bit of a .35 Whelen fan). Sighted dead on at 75 yards (deer hunting is close range here).

With the newly mounted VX-3 HD CDL, sighted within 4 rounds at 75 yards. Next time at the range, rifle was shooting 4 inches left and 1 inch high. Stopped shooting for the day.

Next range trip, focused on verifying sighting, again 4 inches left and now 2 inches high at 75 yards. Adjusted just windage first, 12 clicks, and still the same POI. No movement at all after 5 rounds.

I put the Ruger in the case and tested my handloads (same load for the last 12 years, 54 grains Varget , 250 grain Hornady RN, from the same lot of powder and bullets), in a custom 1912 Steyr M98, with Leupold VX-R 2-7, has grouped consistently for years. Good groups as expected.

I'm sending the scope back to Leupold for repair.

Has anyone else experienced this with Leupold's "upgraded" CDL system?

I really like everything else about the scope, but I don't trust it now.

 

[leslie hetrick]

send it back, they will take care of it. most likely replace it.

 

[Graham Hunter]

I sell a lot of Leupolds. Very rarely is there an issue. Leupold has a lifetime warranty and fast service. Just contact them for and they will assist you for a return for repair.

 

[Siennacoyote]

I just passed on this scope because I read of so many issues with this exact thing

 

[GuttormG]

Have you checked your mounts?

 

[93marlin]

Leupold is great with their warranty work. I've had to send 2 older scopes back to them over the years.
Both times they replaced the older scope with a new-in-the-box upgraded one.

 

[Wheels]

Have you checked your mounts?

+1

Before you send it back, definitely check that the mounts are tight.

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

We,I have seen two VX3 1-5 this year with holding zero issues. One was new out of box and elevation would not adjust when first mounted. Second would not hold zero and adjust correctly when sighting in.
Also had issue with new VX6 out of the box. Any thing man made can and will have flaws. These are the only 3 out of over 200 Leupolds we have sold this year that I know of.
Leupold customer service has been good at either repair or replacing.
Contact there customer service and it will get taken care of.

 

[USMA84DAB]

I had a Client's VX2 2-7x33 pop it's cross hair when we tried to crack the eye focus ring loose. They sent him a new VX-Freedom, no questions asked. My VX6 1-6x24 just had the firedog "burn out" - the scope is back in OR getting fixed now, no questions asked. Those are the only two I have run across since 1998.

 

[leslie hetrick]

to say i like and use leupold scops would be a understatement., some not on rifles right now, i think i own 30 or 31 total. i have had a few that i had problem with over 50 years of useing them and leupold took care of them with repair or replaceing at no cost to me.

 

[Mark A Ouellette]

Previously, the rifle had been sighted in with a Leupold FX-II 4x and shot nice 100-yard groups with a proven handload that works in many rifles (I'm a bit of a .35 Whelen fan). Sighted dead on at 75 yards (deer hunting is close range here).

With the newly mounted VX-3 HD CDL, sighted within 4 rounds at 75 yards. Next time at the range, rifle was shooting 4 inches left and 1 inch high. Stopped shooting for the day.

Next range trip, focused on verifying sighting, again 4 inches left and now 2 inches high at 75 yards. Adjusted just windage first, 12 clicks, and still the same POI. No movement at all after 5 rounds.

Have you checked your mounts?

Maybe your Leupold scope won't hold a zero but...

Yes, definitely check the mounts to include their alignment and screw tightness. Then check that the rings are aligned and properly fitted to the mounts. Finally, ensure the rings are tight on the scope body.

Competitive shooters use lapping tools to lap the inside of the rings to ensure a perfect fit to the scope body is possible.

Also, because of minute imperfections in scope to rings to mounts to receiver fit, yes four mating surfaces, sometimes a newly mounted scope needs recoil of a few rounds to settle in.

Then there is the human factor that I admit to having screwed up once or twice. Measure twice, cut once...

Leupold's warranty it top notch. No questions ask! Leupolds are known to sometimes have tracking problems, i.e. move crosshairs for a 3 MOA point of impact adjustment and doe the POI change accordingly? I've had this but once sighted in the scope stayed sight in. That was on a 375 H&H and the zero held all the way to Africa and back.

If you want a bulletproof scope that tracked perfectly and a gorilla cannot break, buy a Night Force. Their warranty is also top notch, if one ever has to use it. I own more than 10 Night Force scopes and more Leupolds than than. Either is great and I just ordered a Leupold VX-6 Patrol 1-6x for a dangerous game rifle.

Here are videos I found concerning Night Force design and testing.
There is also a Leupold webpage with information about their testing.

https://www.nightforceoptics.com/information/videos/?playlist=416dda1&video=63dd04b

https://www.nightforceoptics.com/information/videos/

https://www.nightforceoptics.com/technology

https://www.outdoorlife.com/gear/nightforce-atacr-scope-test/



Leupold reliability testing

https://www.leupold.com/support/lifetime-guarantee

 

[leslie hetrick]

what i also like about leupold scopes is their light weight, for my hunting rifles that i hump alot i like the weight under 7 lbs scoped. one of my favorite hunting light weight rifles for deer and other similar size game is a kimber montana .257 roberts that comes in at 6.3 lbs with a 2-7x leupold mounted in tally one piece bases-rings.

 

[Altitude sickness]

It’s surprising how many scope rings need to be lapped. Most lapping kits have two bars with pointed ends to see if your rings are also aligned

Some scopes can be thrown off and damaged from rings binding the tube

It’s a quick check to ensure the reciever is drilled straight, the bases are straight and the rings are straight without burrs or imperfections

 

[zephyr]

Is it me (probably is) or does a CDS seem silly on a VX-3, 1.5-5

 

[leslie hetrick]

depends on what caliber your shooting, if a rock thrower and at longer ranges it would help if you take the time and effort to get the right dope for the bullets and speed you will be shooting. some of the cast bullets i shoot in my sharps 74 clone drop close to 40 "at 300 yards.

 

[Altitude sickness]

I second the durability of Nightforce and US optics, etc.

I’ll buy that defective leupold from you

 

[skydiver386]

+1

Before you send it back, definitely check that the mounts are tight.

I'd also check the bedding screws, etc. I've had rifles that wouldn't hold zero, looked at the scope, rings, bases, and it turned out the bedding screws needed about 4 turns to tighten. It's happened on more than one of my rifles.