2-10x vs 3-15x Hunting Scope

[COGuy99]

Trying to decide on a scope. Will be going on a lightweight AR10 18” hunting rifle in 308 (about 7lbs without a scope or ammo). Max range probably 350 yards, for deer, elk, pronghorn in the west. Currently live in NorCal, but hunting Colorado, WY, SD, and Nevada are all on the table. Probably will hunt Colorado the most, moving back there soon.

Stuck between the Leupold VX5HD 2-10x42mm Firedot and the VX5HD 3-15x44mm Side Focus Firedot. 2-10x seems like all I’ll really need, and the lower end is nicer for up close shots. However, for only an ounce more, I get a lot more on the top end, plus side focus, with the 3-15x, and 3x is still plenty wide FOV on the low end. Seems like the 15x could be nice for taking a closer look once I’m sighted in on some animals at long ranges. I have a weird astigmatism so being able to adjust and focus as much as I can is nice.

I also have a Delta Stryker HD 1-6X scope coming, that will be shared with my AR-15 (also have a red dot for the AR-15) - so I’m wondering if the 3-15x might be a better compliment, as I could always throw on the 1-6x for hunts that are more in timber and wooded areas and closer ranges. Even though I am not planning on shooting out that far with the AR10, I’d hope to keep this scope 10+ years so it may go on a longer range rifle one day too.

Anyone have any experience with both? Is the eye box on one noticeably better than the other (let’s say at 10x magnification)? I’ve also been looking through a VX3-HD 3.5-10x40mm, which is pretty nice, but at 10x the eye box seems a little tight to me, and the variable eye relief (4.4-3.6” from low to high mag) seems like it’d be annoying when setting a good cheek weld. At 3.5x the FOV is decent and eye box seems fine. Can anyone compare the eyebox between the VX3HD and the VX5HD?

Also still open to any other good optics that are 20 Oz or under and in the $1k price range. I like the simple duplex Firedot reticle, but wind holdovers would be nice.

 

[gr8fuldoug]

Have you looked at the Steiner Predator 4 E3 Series of scopes?

 

[wyosteve]

I’ll throw in my .02. I have a 2-10 on a .223, a 3-15 on a 6.5 and a 3.5-10 on my AR10. I don’t notice any difference between the 2-10 and 3-15. But for your use a 3.5-10 would work just fine I think. You really don’t get full use of the higher magnification until you get over 400 yards in my opinion. Good luck whatever you go with.

 

[COGuy99]

I’ll throw in my .02. I have a 2-10 on a .223, a 3-15 on a 6.5 and a 3.5-10 on my AR10. I don’t notice any difference between the 2-10 and 3-15. But for your use a 3.5-10 would work just fine I think. You really don’t get full use of the higher magnification until you get over 400 yards in my opinion. Good luck whatever you go with.

Thanks for the input! Are the 2-10 and 3-15x VX5s? And the 3.5-10 and VX3HD?

How do you feel the eyrboxes compare? Would you say the VX5 is worth the extra $300 and 5 oz of weight?

 

[ChrisAU]

I’d strongly suggest looking into the Trijicon Credo 2.5-15x42. You won’t find any optical compromises vs a VX5, but you will find a lower minimum mag/wider FOV and more importantly, more durability.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

I'd go with a 2-10x variable rifle scope. But, I'm kind of a minimalist type guy and I don't like packing more weight than is absolutely necessary. Plus, I never have need for a rifle scope that's over 7x, anyway.

 

[COGuy99]

2-10x VX5 weighs 18.9 oz, 3-15x weighs 19.7 oz, so very little difference.

2.5-15x Trijicon weighs 22.9 oz, which is starting to get too high for me. Almost 9 oz more than the VX3HD

 

[keystone112]

I have the 2-10 and 3-15 both in the VX-5HD. You can't go wrong with either, you just need to decide what you want. If you are only going to 350 yards, I'd go 2-10 all day.

For context, I run a Trijicon Credo HX 1-6x24 on my 308. If I need more glass than that, I'll reach for my 270 with the 3-15.

 

[Mlutz]

I have a VX5 3-15 on a rifle I use for predator hunting and have never had an issue finding the target at close range.

 

[wyosteve]

The 2-10 and 3-15 are Leupold VX5-HD's. The 3.5-10 is a VX3, non HD. The VX5's are visibly better, but not by a huge amount and some of it could be due to the 30mm tube vs. 1 inch.

 

[Kimber7man]

Nightforce NXS 2.5-10x42 would be perfect for your purposes.

 

[Darryle]

You can always decrease magnification, but you can't increase it. 3 - 15/18 is about perfect for the majority of hunters, it won't leave you wanting that extra 5 or 8x in the field like a max 10x will.

 

[HighlandsHunter]

I have used the VX3HDs and VX5HDs. For 500 yards in I prefer the 2-10 VX-5HD as I don't use parallax adjust and don't use more than 10X. They are great to look through on 10x. Unfortunately it broke after a few hundred rounds so I don't trust that brand anymore (also broke a VX-3HD 3.5-10). On my 18" .308 AR10 I use a NX8 1-8 and find it gets the job done, with a nice dial. I use 1x red dot on it but that feature might not be relevant for you. On my bolt action I'm giving a Minox AllRounder 2-10 with dial elevation turret a go and it seems nice and robust.

 

[gr8fuldoug]

FWIW, we just added the Steiner GS3 2-10x42 - 4A Riflescope to our new Year End / Black Friday Specials Section for only $569.99

 

[COGuy99]

I have used the VX3HDs and VX5HDs. For 500 yards in I prefer the 2-10 VX-5HD as I don't use parallax adjust and don't use more than 10X. They are great to look through on 10x. Unfortunately it broke after a few hundred rounds so I don't trust that brand anymore (also broke a VX-3HD 3.5-10). On my 18" .308 AR10 I use a NX8 1-8 and find it gets the job done, with a nice dial. I use 1x red dot on it but that feature might not be relevant for you. On my bolt action I'm giving a Minox AllRounder 2-10 with dial elevation turret a go and it seems nice and robust.

How did they break exactly?

Obviously you’re not recommending them, but from Emory how did the eyebox compare on the VX3HD 3.5-10 vs the VX5HD 2-10? Was the 5HD noticeably/usably clearer?

I’ll look into the Nightforce

 

[bullseye717]

I like 2-10 because even numbers > odd numbers.

 

[bullseye717]

FWIW, we just added the Steiner GS3 2-10x42 - 4A Riflescope to our new Year End / Black Friday Specials Section for only $569.99

That Steiner is awfully temping.

 

[HighlandsHunter]

How did they break exactly?

Obviously you’re not recommending them, but from Emory how did the eyebox compare on the VX3HD 3.5-10 vs the VX5HD 2-10? Was the 5HD noticeably/usably clearer?

I’ll look into the Nightforce

I think the VX5 feels like a bigger picture and easier on the eye. I think the elevation dial also felt stiffer and more clicky. More likely to last I feeel. I don't know why the VX3 broke, zero just started wandering for no reason, maybe after 100 .308 rounds on a bolt action. If you were only an occasional hunter you might not notice for years. The VX5 also started wandering on my 6.5 Grendel AR, maybe after 500 rounds. Not sure why. I suspect they couldn't handle constant bumps offroad in the truck, even inside padded pelican cases. Again, an occasional hunter may not have noticed and you could still kill animals at close ranges, just not long range. No abuse on the scopes just regular use. I warrantied and sold them after they got rebuilt.

 

[COGuy99]

So I bought both the VX3HD 3.5-10x, and the VX5HD 3-15x. Deciding on which one to return. I’ve been able to look through them a decent amount.

VX5 has a more forgiving eye-box it seems. Little less picky about exact eye placement to get a sharp image. Not a ton better than the VX3, but a little.

Honestly, the glass clarity seems pretty much identical on each. Yes, in low light/end of shooting hours, you can tell a difference and there is a very tiny improvement with the VX5, but I don’t think it’d ever provide a functional difference hunting during legal hours. However, the 15X magnification does seem to help compared to 10x at distances 350 yards or so in low light. Not sure I’d ever want to take a shot that far when it’s that dark though.

Thicker cross hairs on the VX5 are nice too, but in true low light and dark timber scenarios, you need/want the Firedot on anyways which makes the cross hairs unnecessary, so doesn’t matter much. During the day the VX3’s thinner reticle is fine.

Still kind of back in the same place to begin with. VX3HD 3.5-10x seems more than capable, and saves 5.2 Oz (and has a smaller overall size).

Upgrading to the vX5 gives me a little bit better/easier eyebox and the extra magnification on the top end. Having consistent eye relief from min to max magnification is nice, vs the VX3 changes .8” from low to high

Leaning VX3HD honestly.

 

[Keener22]

So I bought both the VX3HD 3.5-10x, and the VX5HD 3-15x. Deciding on which one to return. I’ve been able to look through them a decent amount.

VX5 has a more forgiving eye-box it seems. Little less picky about exact eye placement to get a sharp image. Not a ton better than the VX3, but a little.

Honestly, the glass clarity seems pretty much identical on each. Yes, in low light/end of shooting hours, you can tell a difference and there is a very tiny improvement with the VX5, but I don’t think it’d ever provide a functional difference hunting during legal hours. However, the 15X magnification does seem to help compared to 10x at distances 350 yards or so in low light. Not sure I’d ever want to take a shot that far when it’s that dark though.

Thicker cross hairs on the VX5 are nice too, but in true low light and dark timber scenarios, you need/want the Firedot on anyways which makes the cross hairs unnecessary, so doesn’t matter much. During the day the VX3’s thinner reticle is fine.

Still kind of back in the same place to begin with. VX3HD 3.5-10x seems more than capable, and saves 5.2 Oz (and has a smaller overall size).

Upgrading to the vX5 gives me a little bit better/easier eyebox and the extra magnification on the top end. Having consistent eye relief from min to max magnification is nice, vs the VX3 changes .8” from low to high

Leaning VX3HD honestly.

I’m surprised you think the difference is negligible, to me going from the VX3 to VX5 is the best “quality” jump in the Leupold line. I used to work at a gun store so I looked through all sorts of optics from multiple manufacturers. The VX5s always were easy to sell when people would spend the money because of what you get at the price point.

Eye relief, image quality, magnification ratios, tube size (in some instances), etc. In crunch time on big, mature game animals- these things do matter.

Personally, I would take the 3-15 even if all those other variables were equal. What happens when you want more magnification but you can’t get it? With a 10 power, that is far more likely to happen. With a 15, unless you’re shooting very far on smaller game, it is far less likely.