Leupold VX3i adjustments WAY off

[IDHUNTER]

I have a new VX3i 3-10 x40 on a 7MM Wby Mag on Talley Lightweight mounts and when I went to sight it in I was about 1" left and 2" low of the target. So I adjusted 4 clicks to the right and 8 clicks up, well it moved me way too far right (3") and high (6"). Each click equated to about 3/4". I had to come back in 1 click increments to get where i needed to be. I'm not the worlds greatest shot but i can easily hold a 1" group or better at 100 yards so i dont think I was the problem.

Has anyone else experienced this? Is there a solution?

 

[TxxAgg]

Seems like most folks here treat Leupolds as a set it and forget it scope b/c the dialing isn't always true. Maybe this is a good example. Tuned in for some real world experience.

 

[slowelk]

I'm going to try to stay objective here. How many shots were you taking before making an adjustment? It takes a lot of ammo, but I shoot three to confirm placement before I will make an adjustment. If you shoot one, adjust, shoot another, adjust, I think you are sort of chasing your tail.

 

[IDHUNTER]

Seems like most folks here treat Leupolds as a set it and forget it scope b/c the dialing isn't always true. Maybe this is a good example. Tuned in for some real world experience.

This isn't a dial/turret type scope.

 

[IDHUNTER]

I'm going to try to stay objective here. How many shots were you taking before making an adjustment? It takes a lot of ammo, but I shoot three to confirm placement before I will make an adjustment. If you shoot one, adjust, shoot another, adjust, I think you are sort of chasing your tail.

3 shots in my initial group, 3 more shots after moving 4 clicks right and 8 clicks up. After that, i was shooting single shots to make sure i was tracking back to where i need to be. Once i got where i wanted to be moving 1 click at a time, i shot a final group of 3. In the end, I had moved 1 click right and 4 clicks up to move my group 1" right and 3" up.

 

[Stray Horse]

Their tracking is horrible, and Leupold has known this for a long time.

 

[TxxAgg]

This isn't a dial/turret type scope.

I know what you mean but you were still twisting the turrets.

 

[slowelk]

3 shots in my initial group, 3 more shots after moving 4 clicks right and 8 clicks up. After that, i was shooting single shots to make sure i was tracking back to where i need to be. Once i got where i wanted to be moving 1 click at a time, i shot a final group of 3. In the end, I had moved 1 click right and 4 clicks up to move my group 1" right and 3" up.

If you left that day with a solid zero, I'd validate it on a couple more trips to ensure it hasn't moved, then you should be set if it's a set and leave it scope.

 

[MidGAHunter]

Not uncommon at all for this brand of scope. As long as you don't intend to dial it...ever...then verify it with a bigger group (5-10) shots to confirm it is holding zero. Then, make sure not to love tap it on anything...ever...as this brand of scope doesn't tolerate love taps well. Then you should be good...maybe. But they do have a good warranty for when you have to send it back to have the erector reworked, and odds are you will have to use that warranty based on the original post. If you want your scope to hold zero and track properly then, well, you bought the wrong scope.

 

[Fartrell Cluggins]

Leupold's Achilles Heel. It's a damn shame they refuse to acknowledge it, let alone correct it.

 

[IDHUNTER]

Not uncommon at all for this brand of scope. As long as you don't intend to dial it...ever...then verify it with a bigger group (5-10) shots to confirm it is holding zero. Then, make sure not to love tap it on anything...ever...as this brand of scope doesn't tolerate love taps well. Then you should be good...maybe. But they do have a good warranty for when you have to send it back to have the erector reworked, and odds are you will have to use that warranty based on the original post. If you want your scope to hold zero and track properly then, well, you bought the wrong scope.

Interesting, I didn't know this about Leupolds. I'm not opposed to trying something else. Which manufacturer has the best reputation for good tracking and holding zero?

 

[Hsprouls]

Seems like most folks here treat Leupolds as a set it and forget it scope b/c the dialing isn't always true. Maybe this is a good example. Tuned in for some real world experience.

Just buy a Nightforce and stop worrying about tracking issues. I’ve gone down the rabbit hole with my Leupold vx3 and I don’t dare dial that turret and then shoot at an animal.

 

[Fartrell Cluggins]

Interesting, I didn't know this about Leupolds. I'm not opposed to trying something else. Which manufacturer has the best reputation for good tracking and holding zero?

If you don't anticipate dialing in the field, just keep the Leupold. A member here has tested a lot of scopes and subjected them to tens of thousands of rounds. IIRC he is most fond of SWFA and Night Force for dialing, reliability and durability.

 

[Hsprouls]

If you don't anticipate dialing in the field, just keep the Leupold. A member here has tested a lot of scopes and subjected them to tens of thousands of rounds. IIRC he is most fond of SWFA and Night Force for dialing, reliability and durability.

Nightforce SHV is a great scope

 

[Blockcaver]

My brother "exercises" a Leupold scope adjustment prior to sighting in whenever he mounts a scope. He runs it all the way up, all the way down, then sets it back to center. Same with left and right. He claims to rarely have issues with a Leupold when he follows this procedure, and he has many, shoots a lot, and switches them around a fair bit. I have NOT tried the technique, but likely will next time a Leupold gets moved to a different rifle. I did have a VXII 6-18 that was cranky like the original poster's VX3i. I ended up selling it to the brother, and apparently it squared away after he exercised it. Good luck!

 

[Patton]

I recently mounted a Leupold VX5 3-15 and sighted it in about 2 hours ago. From my first shot on paper, I was able to count the inches up and over I needed to go, 32 clicks up and 9 clicks right. It tracked perfectly and the next shot hit right where I wanted it to. Just another point of reference.

 

[Hsprouls]

I recently mounted a Leupold VX5 3-15 and sighted it in about 2 hours ago. From my first shot on paper, I was able to count the inches up and over I needed to go, 32 clicks up and 9 clicks right. It tracked perfectly and the next shot hit right where I wanted it to. Just another point of reference.

The vx5 and vx6 probably track better then the vx3’s

 

[swampthing]

Yes this is common. Make sure you have lots of ammo when sighting in the VX3 and lessor models!