Best $250-400 scope?

[300WSM]

It is true, we all see things a little differently. I can see that it might be possible for someone to compare a Revolution to an Elite 4200 and walk away saying they were pretty similar. It certainly wasn't the case for me, but I could see it happening. I think it's a real stretch saying that someone could compare a Minox/Conquest/Meopro to a Revolution and call it a draw, but maybe.

In the end you're correct, each person just needs to decide for themselves.

I just did this comparison two months ago as I needed a scope quickly. I actually went into it set in my mind that I was going to get a Zeiss Conquest. I never had a Conquest and thought for sure I would try one. Money wasn't a factor as all of them I compared were within the window I had for this application. On that evening the Zeiss was second or third place out of 5 models. Let me add that all five I compared were above average and would serve any demanding hunter well.

Would I look at a Conquest again? You better believe it!

 

[Desert Fox]

Call Doug at Cameraland. They have the Vortex Viper 6.5X20X50 for $279.00 out the door. Excellent scope for the money.

http://cameralandny1.reachlocal.net/

 

[FOTIS]

Leupold.

 

[wvchevy3]

Leupold VX-3 2.5-8x36. That is my favorite out of all of my Leupolds . Lee

 

[SJB358]

Here's a question for the VX3 owners out there. Doesn't the large swing in eye relief bother you? I was interested in a 2.5-8, but the eye relief varies by an inch across the magnification range. I don't think I'd like that.

That is why I ditched the VX3 2.5x8 on my 338 and the 4.5x14 I had on my 264. Just didn't like it, eye relief and the eye boxes just didn't seem as nice as the Minox's.. I put a 2-10 Minox on the 338 and it is EXCELLENT so far.. Really like it alot..

 

[DrMike]

Trevor,

I've never found the eye relief to be a problem on the many VXIII, VX3, VXL or VXII scopes that I've owned. Now you have me worried. I'll likely never be able to use any of my Leupolds again. :grin:

 

[SJB358]

I never had a problem with my 3.5x10's but the 2.5x8 and the 4.5x14 were pretty different animals.

 

[wvchevy3]

Scotty , Im glad u did ditch it. Its my favorite Leupold :mrgreen: Lee

 

[ROVERT]

I guess I'm going to have to give the VX3 a really good look for myself. It certainly seems as though the eye relief comes down to personal preference. The VX3 appeals to me largely because of it's weight. I'm going to try to keep the Whelen as light and low profile as possible.

 

[wvchevy3]

And that is what my VX3 2.5-8x36 is on . My 700classic 35 whelen. Its a real nice combo. Lee

 

[SJB358]

Don't get me wrong fellers, I liked the 2.5x8, good scope, I just feel the 2x10 Minox is a better scope for me. I wouldn't poo poo the Leupold VX3's. They are all excellent glass for the money and will serve well. It almost made its way on my Whelen, but I put the 3x9 Minox on the Whelen and so far, I am liking it alot.

 

[ROVERT]

Don't get me wrong fellers, I liked the 2.5x8, good scope, I just feel the 2x10 Minox is a better scope for me. I wouldn't poo poo the Leupold VX3's. They are all excellent glass for the money and will serve well. It almost made its way on my Whelen, but I put the 3x9 Minox on the Whelen and so far, I am liking it alot.

As the Minox is the other big contender here, I might take my ZA5 in to the shop and do a side by side comparison. My Minox is a 3-15 and I would be looking to get a 1.5-8 or 2-10, but it would give me a good of idea of how they compare. The Minox has generous, constant, and non critical eye relief so if the VX3 compares favorably to it for me, it might be worth saving a couple ounces.

 

[SJB358]

Don't get me wrong fellers, I liked the 2.5x8, good scope, I just feel the 2x10 Minox is a better scope for me. I wouldn't poo poo the Leupold VX3's. They are all excellent glass for the money and will serve well. It almost made its way on my Whelen, but I put the 3x9 Minox on the Whelen and so far, I am liking it alot.

As the Minox is the other big contender here, I might take my ZA5 in to the shop and do a side by side comparison. My Minox is a 3-15 and I would be looking to get a 1.5-8 or 2-10, but it would give me a good of idea of how they compare. The Minox has generous, constant, and non critical eye relief so if the VX3 compares favorably to it for me, it might be worth saving a couple ounces.

That 1.5x8 is going to get a serious look for me on my 358 Win and maybe the 45-70 as well. The eye relief and eye box with the Minox seems much less critical than the VX series. I really like the 2-10 alot. It shoots well for me and is a great hunting scope. I was impressed with the amount of shooting light I had in the timber last Fall.

 

[BK]

Don't get me wrong fellers, I liked the 2.5x8, good scope, I just feel the 2x10 Minox is a better scope for me. I wouldn't poo poo the Leupold VX3's. They are all excellent glass for the money and will serve well. It almost made its way on my Whelen, but I put the 3x9 Minox on the Whelen and so far, I am liking it alot.

As the Minox is the other big contender here, I might take my ZA5 in to the shop and do a side by side comparison. My Minox is a 3-15 and I would be looking to get a 1.5-8 or 2-10, but it would give me a good of idea of how they compare. The Minox has generous, constant, and non critical eye relief so if the VX3 compares favorably to it for me, it might be worth saving a couple ounces.

One scope I wish for from Minox is a 3-15x42 with a side focus. I start getting worried about parallax once a scope gets over about 10x.

 

[SJB358]

Don't get me wrong fellers, I liked the 2.5x8, good scope, I just feel the 2x10 Minox is a better scope for me. I wouldn't poo poo the Leupold VX3's. They are all excellent glass for the money and will serve well. It almost made its way on my Whelen, but I put the 3x9 Minox on the Whelen and so far, I am liking it alot.

As the Minox is the other big contender here, I might take my ZA5 in to the shop and do a side by side comparison. My Minox is a 3-15 and I would be looking to get a 1.5-8 or 2-10, but it would give me a good of idea of how they compare. The Minox has generous, constant, and non critical eye relief so if the VX3 compares favorably to it for me, it might be worth saving a couple ounces.

One scope I wish for from Minox is a 3-15x42 with a side focus. I start getting worried about parallax once a scope gets over about 10x.

Without a doubt Kurt. That would be "THE" scope if it had side focus. I like that scope a whole lot, but over 12X it gets a little burry on the edges.

 

[ROVERT]

I had a look at the VX3. The change in eye relief is very apparent across the range of magnification... but the eye relief at 2.5X is very non critical and would allow one to mount the scope set at 8X and maintain the same cheek weld throughout the range of magnification. It's a tough decision. I like the weight and looks of the VX3, but I think the ZA5 is more well designed optically. Decisions, decisions.

 

[JD338]

ROVERT,

Leupold has a warranty and customer service that is second to none. Turn around is 2 weeks or less should you ever need it.

JD338

 

[BK]

One scope I wish for from Minox is a 3-15x42 with a side focus. I start getting worried about parallax once a scope gets over about 10x.

Without a doubt Kurt. That would be "THE" scope if it had side focus. I like that scope a whole lot, but over 12X it gets a little burry on the edges.

I bet if Minox offered that exact model, I'd own three or four of them. Perfect on my .223 bolt guns, maybe on my 6mm and .243 also (although I do like the 6x42 on the .243). I could see that on my .204 or on a heavy barrel .22-250, too. But the 4-20x50 is more likely on the last two.

 

[35 Whelen]

Well of course there is a great following of Leupold scope guys on here. And we also used them for years . But the sad fact is that they are now slipping away as Zeiss has eaten their lunch at the VXIII level or $400 level which ever way you want to call it. My brother in law works at the gun room at LL Bean and he told me 5 years ago 90%of the customers walking in there to spend $400 on a scope left with a leupold VXIII as the years went by more and more moved over to Zeiss until now its just the other way around; with Zeiss sales dominating the $400 scope market.
Same thing with VXI-II at the $200/300 levels; they used to also own that market. Now with the Sightron BS, and Vortex Vipers, they have had to compleatly redesign both those scopes, and are really scrambling at the moment to see if they can save themselves, or loose that market to those two new comers, that just knew how to "do it better" for less money. Leupold was a great American company that made good scopes, and really almost owned the market until the last 10 years. In the last five years, they have lost a big amount of that market. Its easy to be a Ford man, or a Chevy guy, and if you have a half dozen Leupolds, then they are going to be the only show in town, as far as you are consirned. But if you look around with an open mind, the fact of the matter is, Leupold scopes have been grossly overpriced compared to the good German/Japan glass for a while now ........ simple as that . We recently got in a bottom of the line Sightron S1, for an economy minded friend, that wanted the best value he could get . My brother in law that is an optics freak; told me to order him a S1 on special with a German #4 reticule from 4scopes.com for $135 shipped. So we did, and recently compared it to a two year old VX1, with same power and same objective lens, so it was an even steven comparision.
The Leupold scope had about 3/8" more eye relief.So if it were going on a big magnum that may be a consideration. Side to side eyebox black out was very similar.
The Sightron scope had noticable more FOV at 3X than the VX1[or my Conquest!] I guess they accomlished that by giving up a little ER? At 6X the FOV was getting closer but still there,at 9X they were basically identical. The adjustments on the Sightron are like little mini turrets and extreamely positive, and very nicely done compared to the leu's old friction,coin slotted garbage on the VX1. The Ocular lens on the Sightron, is the same size as a Minox. The total radius to go from high to low power is alot shorter on the Leupold scope; but the Sightrons is much smoother across the range. The Sightron scope came with a very nice set of removeable flip up caps [that also fit the Leupold perfectly] that I really liked. If you are already firmilar with VX1 edge clarity; then just ditto it for the Sightron. In the late nite testing, we compared the smaller branches on trees here behind the house at 300yds and 100yds at 9X until both scopes ran outta gas and we could not define the fine branches with either scope against the snow behind them, and then droped down to 6X and ran the same tests until again we lost contrast with both of them; and in both cases the Sightron scope performed equally well; to the Leupold scope that cost exactly double; what the S1 did. The other tester perfered the Sightron . I called it a draw; but the point is, the Leupold just doesnt deliver; when compared dollar for dollar. At the $230 level I think the VX1 will suck wind big time; against a Sightron S2 or the Vortex Diamondback, so its probably a darn good thing Leupold has compeatly redone them this winter. As consumers we deserve the best product we can get for our money; and to be honest about it I really dont think the Leupold has been there for awhile now.
If you are looking for an inexpense scope down in that $135 range and dont want to buy a second hand Leupold scope because your neighbor told you they are "the best" you may want to take a long hard look thru a Sightron or Vortex scope and I think the answer will be right in front of you !

 

[300WSM]

I have a VXIII 2.5-8...had it for years.

It is a very nice scope but IMO there are better options in 2012 in that money window.