2-10x vs 3-15x Hunting Scope

[JFK]

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.

9-10x is good till about 600 yards for me. The argument that a guy could, one day, need more than 10x is valid to a point, but what are you guys doing for wind holds on these SFP scopes?? The holds are only accurate at max mag. Buying big mag range with the thought of one day maybe “needing” it, but probably never needing it, at the expense being able to hold wind at the most useful mag setting does not make sense to me.

Honest question, what are guys using these big magnification ranges for cause I see these conversations and think to myself I must be missing something. 6x gets me to 400 yds comfortably and I couldn’t imagine needing three times that for anything other than punching paper or steel at 1000 yds.

 

[Keener22]

9-10x is good till about 600 yards for me. The argument that a guy could, one day, need more than 10x is valid to a point, but what are you guys doing for wind holds on these SFP scopes?? The holds are only accurate at max mag. Buying big mag range with the thought of one day maybe “needing” it, but probably never needing it, at the expense being able to hold wind at the most useful mag setting does not make sense to me.

Honest question, what are guys using these big magnification ranges for cause I see these conversations and think to myself I must be missing something. 6x gets me to 400 yds comfortably and I couldn’t imagine needing three times that for anything other than punching paper or steel at 1000 yds.

I don’t disagree with you on needing less magnification for hunting ranges. My point was merely that for the few ounces you pay, 3-15 is theoretically much more useful than 3.5-10. It can depend on where you are. I picture a New Mexico hillside 500 yards away, that is covered in oak brush with a Coues buck on it. That’s different than the plains of Wyoming hunting an orange and cream Antelope. A bedded mule deer buck in a rocky cut takes more than an elk feeding in a meadow at the same distance.

As for the wind, both of my Leupold VX5s have duplex reticles. I haven’t tested holds at various ranges but obviously it’s marked on 15 power. I generally don’t shoot when it’s windy enough to need that much adjustment, but you can always just dial the windage turret. That changes your point of sim so no need to consider subtensions. The VX6 line of scopes has a zero stop windage turret.

 

[JFK]

I don’t disagree with you on needing less magnification for hunting ranges. My point was merely that for the few ounces you pay, 3-15 is theoretically much more useful than 3.5-10. It can depend on where you are. I picture a New Mexico hillside 500 yards away, that is covered in oak brush with a Coues buck on it. That’s different than the plains of Wyoming hunting an orange and cream Antelope. A bedded mule deer buck in a rocky cut takes more than an elk feeding in a meadow at the same distance.

As for the wind, both of my Leupold VX5s have duplex reticles. I haven’t tested holds at various ranges but obviously it’s marked on 15 power. I generally don’t shoot when it’s windy enough to need that much adjustment, but you can always just dial the windage turret. That changes your point of sim so no need to consider subtensions. The VX6 line of scopes has a zero stop windage turret.

Fair enough. You make some good points.

 

[Keener22]

Fair enough. You make some good points.

But, all the things you brought up are good reasons to go FFP if you’re concerned about it.

 

[COGuy99]

I looked through them both a lot more. In low light, the difference (improvement) in the VX5 became more apparent the longer I tested them. Particularly noticeable was the better eyebox and how it was easier and quicker it was to get the target sighted and in focus. So I think I’ve come full circle back to the VX5.

Still tossing around whether I want the 2-10x or 3-15x VX5HD, but 3 seems fine on the low end for up close shots so don’t see much downside to the 3-15x. Side focus and slightly bigger objective are also pluses

I added up everything for the build. With the VX5, 6 rounds, sling, scope mount, I’d end up just about 9 lbs on the dot. If I add a lightweight bipod, 9.5lbs. Heavier than I hoped :/ but for an all around hunting rifle, not bad. If I ever truly get into backcountry hunting, I’ll probably just buy a dedicated lightweight hunting rifle that ends up being closer to 7.5 lbs scoped and loaded

 

[COGuy99]

It is interesting how a few decisions can really affect the weight of the rifle. If I switched to:

16” barrel instead of 18” (-3.5 oz)
No flash hider (- 2 Oz)
VX3HD instead of VX5HD (-5 oz)
No Bipod (- 8 oz)

That’s 1lb 2.5 oz difference in weight right there. Or 10.5 oz not including the bipod

 

[Keener22]

It is interesting how a few decisions can really affect the weight of the rifle. If I switched to:

16” barrel instead of 18” (-3.5 oz)
No flash hider (- 2 Oz)
VX3HD instead of VX5HD (-5 oz)
No Bipod (- 8 oz)

That’s 1lb 2.5 oz difference in weight right there. Or 10.5 oz not including the bipod

Don’t get caught in the weeds too much. Bipods are the same weight for any gun you put them on. You will want a muzzle brake or can on every short barrel rifle minus .24 cal and down.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

VX5 and VX3 aren’t even remotely in the same category, VX5 blows it out of the water. Better eye box, no change in eye relief, better glass, euro style focus, and overall better built quality. It’s easily worth the few more bucks and ounces. VX3’s were decent scopes 10+ years ago but they don’t begin to compete with current offerings whereas the VX5 is an excellent optic at its price point.

 

[Alg22]

if weight is what you are after, look at the older Leupold scopes.
Vari-x III 3.5-10x40 is 13.5 oz
Vari-x III 2.5-8x36 is about 10 oz
Vari-x III 2-7x28 is 8 oz
VX3 4.5-14 is 13.4

The glass is all of them is more than good enough. It worked well for my father-in-law who used them to hunt every type of animal all over the world on his achieving sheep grand slam, all dangerous game in Africa, North America... Leupold's were his go to scopes. And he had Schmidt & Bender and Swarovski too.

 

[COGuy99]

Don’t get caught in the weeds too much. Bipods are the same weight for any gun you put them on. You will want a muzzle brake or can on every short barrel rifle minus .24 cal and down.

No cans allowed in commiefornia sadly. Brake will just make the short barrel even louder. Recoil shouldn’t be too bad on the AR with the JP SCS, LMOS BCG, and adjustable gas block.

 

[COGuy99]

After looking through the scopes in low light, I definitely want an illuminated reticle (Firedot) so that rules out any older scopes.

 

[Keener22]

No cans allowed in commiefornia sadly. Brake will just make the short barrel even louder. Recoil shouldn’t be too bad on the AR with the JP SCS, LMOS BCG, and adjustable gas block.

Sorry, completely missed the fact we are talking about an ar. I have my VX5 3-15 on an 18” .223 Wylde rifle with a Proof Research barrel. I love it, and feel that 3 power is still very similar to 2 power in regards to close range and shooting moving targets.

 

[Keener22]

VX5 and VX3 aren’t even remotely in the same category, VX5 blows it out of the water. Better eye box, no change in eye relief, better glass, euro style focus, and overall better built quality. It’s easily worth the few more bucks and ounces. VX3’s were decent scopes 10+ years ago but they don’t begin to compete with current offerings whereas the VX5 is an excellent optic at its price point.

For what it’s worth, Leupold just redid the VX3s to be VX3HDs. It made a small jump in the glass quality over the old VX3i’s, but not much.

 

[Pootyng]

I thought they were two different levels of scopes when I looked through the vx3 and vx5. what I saw justified the price point of the vx5. A more forgiving eyebox, clarity and the vx5 didn't have the tunneling like the vx3.

 

[HighlandsHunter]

For an AR I'd use only use something approaching mil-spec reliability. Far too much hassle to risk rolling the dice and having a scope fail. NF NX8 1-8 or 2.5-20 or something similar. I ran a VX5 on a 6.5G AR for a while until it fell apart. Replaced it with an Element Optics for a while which was like a cheapo NXS, great. Now it runs a Kahles K4i military scope which is excellent out to 300m. Depends on how much time and effort you put into your hunting I suppose, whether you can risk a scope losing zero.

 

[Keener22]

For an AR I'd use only use something approaching mil-spec reliability. Far too much hassle to risk rolling the dice and having a scope fail. NF NX8 1-8 or 2.5-20 or something similar. I ran a VX5 on a 6.5G AR for a while until it fell apart. Replaced it with an Element Optics for a while which was like a cheapo NXS, great. Now it runs a Kahles K4i military scope which is excellent out to 300m. Depends on how much time and effort you put into your hunting I suppose, whether you can risk a scope losing zero.

There’s obviously mixed reviews on Leupold around this forum but my results have been great. One VX5 is on my varmint AR which is pretty much my truck gun at this point. Bounces all around and gets drug through brush. My other VX5 is on my 6.5CM. Last fall I was sliding down a slope and fell onto the hand my rifle was in. Scope took the brunt of my weight, has some slight scratches to it. Never lost zero either.

Not trying to create a brand debate, just pointing out that everyone has different experiences with stuff. Everything will break.

 

[HighlandsHunter]

There’s obviously mixed reviews on Leupold around this forum but my results have been great. One VX5 is on my varmint AR which is pretty much my truck gun at this point. Bounces all around and gets drug through brush. My other VX5 is on my 6.5CM. Last fall I was sliding down a slope and fell onto the hand my rifle was in. Scope took the brunt of my weight, has some slight scratches to it. Never lost zero either.

Not trying to create a brand debate, just pointing out that everyone has different experiences with stuff. Everything will break.

good to hear, if it can handle bouncing around in a truck driving off road chances are you have a good one. To be fair, when I say 'break' I usually mean won't hold a perfect zero. Most times it will still take a deer within 200m but hit percentage will be reduced especially with anything requiring precision. Off the top of my head I've had to use warranty on Leupold, S&B, Vortex, Kahles, Weaver, Vixen, SigSauer, ZeroTech, Trijicon, in the last few years. Only two brands have not required warranty. NF and Element Optics. I might give S&B another chance as I really like their designs for hunting.

 

[fulton13]

If you have the option always go with the high magnification. There isn't a noticeable difference from 2 to 3 power on the low end. But a big difference in 10 to 15 on the high end.

 

[COGuy99]

Pretty settled on 3-15 VX5HD.

Looking at the NF NXS and Swarovski Z5i as well, still in the price range. Seems like NXS is more reliable but might be finicky getting it to focus and setting parallax. Swaro might have a bit better glass, but about same reliability as the Leupold?

Any other ~20oz illuminated hunting scopes to look at (max $1600 MSRP)?

 

[Formidilosus]

Pretty settled on 3-15 VX5HD.

Looking at the NF NXS and Swarovski Z5i as well, still in the price range. Seems like NXS is more reliable but might be finicky getting it to focus and setting parallax. Swaro might have a bit better glass, but about same reliability as the Leupold?

Any other ~20oz illuminated hunting scopes to look at (max $1600 MSRP)?

There is no comparison to reliability between an NXS and every other option you’ve listed, especially when seen in large numbers.

Based on Leupold VX3 HD and VX5’s consistent loss of zero across multiple samples of each, I’d shoot a 1960’s Weaver K4 before them or and Swarovski save the x5.