Leupold Tracking Issues

FOTIS

Range Officer
Staff member
Oct 30, 2004
24,030
2,491
I know we have been over this quite a bit but I do have one question and I will leave it alone.

Within the whole Leupold product line is there a particular model/models that DOES track well and is spot on?
I do know some models cost 1000's $$$$. They can't all be poop right?
 
Seems like I heard the vx6 early on had tracking issues, but I could be wrong. I have some fixed power, 2-7, and 3-9 leupold scopes. All of them are models under $500 though, and are just basic hunting scopes. Ive never done a tracking test one one though, just set and hunt. I would like to know how they stack up against some other scopes though, as far as tracking accuracy goes.

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Fotis,

I have a VX-6HD 3-18x50mm on my 338 RUM. It's mounted on a Picatinny rail with Leupold PRW rings.
Very solid mounting platform. I have not had any tracking or repeatability issues with this set up.

JD338
 
I have a V X5 On my .338 Jarrett. I don’t adjust it often but to date it has worked just fine.


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Saw that and tangent Theta....but I can not afford those
 
Vx3i, Vx5hd, vx6hd, lrp, mark 5hd all reliably dial and rtz.
Many forums arent kind to leupold and it's a shame as leupold is turning out a fine product. I have a mark 4 that just turned 10,000-
According to the Internet it's a terrible scope and I should have bought a nightforce.
Would I shoot prs with a 5hd, no, but they make a dandy hunting scope that only dials ~ 100 times a year.

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From my experience I just can’t trust a leupold with turrets. Marc Taylor is a buddy of mine and has been steering me away from leupold for the last few years. They have not faired well in his classes.

Nightforce has become my go to. The higher end vortex has done well too.


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I am pretty much sold on NF, SWFA, and Vortex razor HD line.

The tactical Bushys rocked too.
 
FOTIS":18230sru said:
I am pretty much sold on NF, SWFA, and Vortex razor HD line.

The tactical Bushys rocked too.

Yup, same here. I still use a bunch of Leupold’s fixed powers and I have an older 2.5x8 on my M7600 280 but to be honest I don’t trust them for actually moving the way they are supposed too. I believe I’ve sent back 4-6 at this point and pair of VX6’s that I didn’t ever get to work correctly.

Lotsa great options out there. I do love their VX5 and 6 glass but if it doesn’t steer correctly I can’t deal with them.
 
It seems to me that Leupold was once the king of affordable quality optics and were known to hold zero for decades. Once they started offering the CDS dial, things changed. Holding zero was no longer the priority to consumers, and I suspect that the CDS either exposed a flaw in the tracking of Leupold scopes or something in the internals changed. I have no facts to support this, only my opinion and thoughts on the subject.
 
Ive never had any tracking issues with VX3 LR or MK4 scopes. I've been dialing with them for 15 years and thousands of rounds. Only had 1 issue with a vari x 2 years ago. Cant speak for any other models, but those have been solid for me anyway.
 
In general, if dialing is on the menu...then I use something other than a Leupold. Even my cheap SWFA tracks better than any Leupold I've owned.

I do use them a lot for situations where I want to "set it and forget it". The 2.5x scope on my Steyr Scout hasn't been adjusted since it left the Steyr factory over 20 years ago and hasn't moved a bit. On other rifles, I just zero a VX3 at 200 and hunt it.
 
So who makes the SS scopes these days? I was doing a bit of research on them last night and from what I gathered Tasco built the early models, then when they went out of business, bushnell got the contract. Is bushnell still making them or somebody else? I was looking at a few of their models, but I'm not so sure about them. I'm not a fan of tasco or bushnell, or fixed power scopes. The only decent variable I see is the 3-15x and it's a FFP which I'm also not a fan of, not to mention it's like $700. I dont know if I can throw that kind of money down on one personally when you can get a Leupold MK4 4-14x for $700...I've never seen one in person, so cant comment on glass, clarity, or repeatability. If I was to get one, I was thinking of just trying one of the 10x,12x,16x, or 20x fixed power models for $300. They seem to have a decent following. What do you guys think?
 
remingtonman_25_06":35vvg5xg said:
So who makes the SS scopes these days? I was doing a bit of research on them last night and from what I gathered Tasco built the early models, then when they went out of business, bushnell got the contract. Is bushnell still making them or somebody else? I was looking at a few of their models, but I'm not so sure about them. I'm not a fan of tasco or bushnell, or fixed power scopes. The only decent variable I see is the 3-15x and it's a FFP which I'm also not a fan of, not to mention it's like $700. I dont know if I can throw that kind of money down on one personally when you can get a Leupold MK4 4-14x for $700...I've never seen one in person, so cant comment on glass, clarity, or repeatability. If I was to get one, I was thinking of just trying one of the 10x,12x,16x, or 20x fixed power models for $300. They seem to have a decent following. What do you guys think?

I’d take an SWFA over two Mk4s....

Leupolds simply can’t hang with the SWFA.... as soon as the dials start turning.

The fixed series, and the 3-15 have VX2 level glass.... which is more than adequate, even in low light. The HD series has marvelous glass.... and they're a little more refined than the standard series.

Last year, they had the SS 10x for $199 on Black Friday.... there’s no better deal in optics.

I had a 12x SS on a Rock barreled .260.... I beat the crap out of that gun, hunted it in several states, shot several matches with it, and generally mistreated the whole rig. It went 1245 rounds without a single adjustment to the zero. When I did finally adjust it.... it was .2 MILs left. Never did have to touch it again.... until I sold the rifle.
 
Songdog said it best. I bought all my swfas 3 x 15 for less than $500 used they were like new No more Leupold for me.
 
Thanks songdog and Fotis. I still am curious as to who actually makes them these days? And if I could get one of the fixed models for $200, or the 3-15x for $500, I may try one of these days. However, I dont think I'd still pick one over 2 MK4s. That's just me though. I love my MK4s. Until I have an issue with them tracking, I'll stick by them. I know they are far from the best, but within my budget, they are pretty tough to beat for all around performance, pertaining to glass/clarity, repeatability, and toughness. I am kinda looking at the either the 16x or 20x fixed models, since most of my shooting is always done from 300-1400.
 
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