Replacement for 2.5-8×36 Leupold?

[Marshfly]

Euro optic has them again, price jumped $700 from last year.

Damn. Just look up my last order. I paid $1373 from Euro last August.

 

[C Bow]

I will go 155.00 for it since it may not hold zero

 

[fshaw]

Is there a 2-7ish scope that has no illumination, and a clean duplex style reticle with no range marks, weighs less than a pound, that's a solid set and forget scope? I hunt the northeastern forest where dialing isn't really a thing at all and most shots are 70 yards and in. Even the extremely rare shot of 300 yards across a beaver flow or logging cut can be done easily knowing trajectory and basic holdover. I know Trijicon's current lineup and have an Accupoint 1-4 that I bought for a .308 Montana this year. Great scope but I don't love the eye relief. I've shot a clean duplex reticle long enough that I don't want to have to look past range marks that I'll never need. Though some love the center dot illumination, I guess I'm old school enough that I'd prefer a scope without it.

I love Leupolds for image clarity, eye relief, weight and reticle but am leary of buying a new 2.5-8x36 which would be a nearly ideal scope for the 60's vintage Bofors Sako Forester .243 that I want to put it on. Leupold's current reputation of wandering point of impact is disappointing. I have quite a few of their older scopes that have given good service, but it seems the current VX3s are a crap shoot from what I read. Anyone that's had great service while hunting hard with a current gen VX3 please respond, I really do want to love them based on past experience with older models. Even saying that, I've sent 3 of them back for repair though. I just mailed out a Varix-2C back to Leupold for the second go round this morning after receiving it from their repair department 2 days ago. Adjusts OK now, but fogged internally while sighting in at the range at 35 degrees F. To say that I was dissappointed would be a significant understatement. I called Leupold from the range to explain the problem and was civil. They did email me a 2 day UPS label so it should be a much shorter turn around than the approximately 4 weeks the first servicing took. By the way, the current replacement for a VariX-2C is a VX Freedom.

Are there any reliable scopes, under a pound, with no illumination or range marks that will reliably hold point of impact? $1,000 is about the limit of what I want to spend. I'd buy an Accupoint 3-9x40 but would like more eye relief, even on a light recoiling rifle, and I'd prefer no center illumination. The 3-9x40 Huron is heavier than the Accupoint, even though it doesn't have center illumination (makes on sense to me), and though it's supposed to share the internals with the Accupoint, I've read a couple of reviews where guys feel it's a lesser scope. From what I can find from the searching, the answer to my question is no. I would truly love to see Leupold turn things around and regain the reputation they once enjoyed.

Thanks.

Frank

 

[wapitispokes]

Can't help with your specific question (I'm guessing a fixed power SWFA
is going to come up in responses).

I'm mostly writing to give you some company I "love" my vintage Leupy 2.5-8 VXIII. It hits a sweet spot for power range, form factor and weight for lots of hunting situations. I feel the same way about using that scope on an "important" hunt, but I have not had any known issues with it. My 2.5-8 VXIII has been mostly retired for a long time. I also have an even older vintage Leupy 2-7 VXII. The optical quality on that is shall we say "not up to current standard". The L2-7VXII Might be a good choice for some youngsters first .22 rimfire or something.....I guess I need some grandkids.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

Is there a 2-7ish scope that has no illumination, and a clean duplex style reticle with no range marks, weighs less than a pound, that's a solid set and forget scope? I hunt the northeastern forest where dialing isn't really a thing at all and most shots are 70 yards and in. Even the extremely rare shot of 300 yards across a beaver flow or logging cut can be done easily knowing trajectory and basic holdover. I know Trijicon's current lineup and have an Accupoint 1-4 that I bought for a .308 Montana this year. Great scope but I don't love the eye relief. I've shot a clean duplex reticle long enough that I don't want to have to look past range marks that I'll never need. Though some love the center dot illumination, I guess I'm old school enough that I'd prefer a scope without it.

I love Leupolds for image clarity, eye relief, weight and reticle but am leary of buying a new 2.5-8x36 which would be a nearly ideal scope for the 60's vintage Bofors Sako Forester .243 that I want to put it on. Leupold's current reputation of wandering point of impact is disappointing. I have quite a few of their older scopes that have given good service, but it seems the current VX3s are a crap shoot from what I read. Anyone that's had great service while hunting hard with a current gen VX3 please respond, I really do want to love them based on past experience with older models. Even saying that, I've sent 3 of them back for repair though. I just mailed out a Varix-2C back to Leupold for the second go round this morning after receiving it from their repair department 2 days ago. Adjusts OK now, but fogged internally while sighting in at the range at 35 degrees F. To say that I was dissappointed would be a significant understatement. I called Leupold from the range to explain the problem and was civil. They did email me a 2 day UPS label so it should be a much shorter turn around than the approximately 4 weeks the first servicing took. By the way, the current replacement for a VariX-2C is a VX Freedom.

Are there any reliable scopes, under a pound, with no illumination or range marks that will reliably hold point of impact? $1,000 is about the limit of what I want to spend. I'd buy an Accupoint 3-9x40 but would like more eye relief, even on a light recoiling rifle, and I'd prefer no center illumination. The 3-9x40 Huron is heavier than the Accupoint, even though it doesn't have center illumination (makes on sense to me), and though it's supposed to share the internals with the Accupoint, I've read a couple of reviews where guys feel it's a lesser scope. From what I can find from the searching, the answer to my question is no. I would truly love to see Leupold turn things around and regain the reputation they once enjoyed.

Thanks.

Frank

If you don’t like the Trijicon or SWFA 3-9x40s,
I would - and did - put an older Bausch and Lomb 3-9x40 (1990-2010 era) on a 1960s Sako L579 in .243. You can see how it looks on it in my ad in the classifieds. I probably have another in a box around here if you are interested. They are usually less than $200 used.

Before that, I had an older Leupold fixed 6x on that rifle.

You could also consider the SWFA 2.5-10 Ultralight. I have that on a couple of CZ rifles and it’s been reliable for me. It doesn’t have the tall turrets that their other scopes have, which so many people complain about. And it has the simple duplex reticle.

 

[wapitispokes]

View attachment 868813

In conversations with Leupold over the last year or so they have told me that they don't change reticles any more...but it is possible that my question and their answer was more narrowly interpreted to something specific. So, I guess it still pays to double check.

 

[Macintosh]

Is there a 2-7ish scope that has no illumination, and a clean duplex style reticle with no range marks, weighs less than a pound, that's a solid set and forget scope? I hunt the northeastern forest where dialing isn't really a thing at all and most shots are 70 yards and in. Even the extremely rare shot of 300 yards across a beaver flow or logging cut can be done easily knowing trajectory and basic holdover. I know Trijicon's current lineup and have an Accupoint 1-4 that I bought for a .308 Montana this year. Great scope but I don't love the eye relief. I've shot a clean duplex reticle long enough that I don't want to have to look past range marks that I'll never need. Though some love the center dot illumination, I guess I'm old school enough that I'd prefer a scope without it.

I love Leupolds for image clarity, eye relief, weight and reticle but am leary of buying a new 2.5-8x36 which would be a nearly ideal scope for the 60's vintage Bofors Sako Forester .243 that I want to put it on. Leupold's current reputation of wandering point of impact is disappointing. I have quite a few of their older scopes that have given good service, but it seems the current VX3s are a crap shoot from what I read. Anyone that's had great service while hunting hard with a current gen VX3 please respond, I really do want to love them based on past experience with older models. Even saying that, I've sent 3 of them back for repair though. I just mailed out a Varix-2C back to Leupold for the second go round this morning after receiving it from their repair department 2 days ago. Adjusts OK now, but fogged internally while sighting in at the range at 35 degrees F. To say that I was dissappointed would be a significant understatement. I called Leupold from the range to explain the problem and was civil. They did email me a 2 day UPS label so it should be a much shorter turn around than the approximately 4 weeks the first servicing took. By the way, the current replacement for a VariX-2C is a VX Freedom.

Are there any reliable scopes, under a pound, with no illumination or range marks that will reliably hold point of impact? $1,000 is about the limit of what I want to spend. I'd buy an Accupoint 3-9x40 but would like more eye relief, even on a light recoiling rifle, and I'd prefer no center illumination. The 3-9x40 Huron is heavier than the Accupoint, even though it doesn't have center illumination (makes on sense to me), and though it's supposed to share the internals with the Accupoint, I've read a couple of reviews where guys feel it's a lesser scope. From what I can find from the searching, the answer to my question is no. I would truly love to see Leupold turn things around and regain the reputation they once enjoyed.

Thanks.

Frank

The 1-6 accupoint has very noticeably better eyebox than the 1-4. Its a little more than a pound, but thats where Ive landed for the purpose described, and Ive been very happy with it. My wife is using a 3-9 credo. Eyebox is slightly tighter than a leupold, but very useable, I didnt personally find the difference noticeable unless I was looking for a difference.

 

[fshaw]

The 1-6 accupoint has very noticeably better eyebox than the 1-4. Its a little more than a pound, but thats where Ive landed for the purpose described, and Ive been very happy with it. My wife is using a 3-9 credo. Eyebox is slightly tighter than a leupold, but very useable, I didnt personally find the difference noticeable unless I was looking for a difference.

Thanks for the reply. Now if they’d just get rid of the illumination without adding weight.

 

[Easternwoods99]

If price isn’t an option, the Nightforce is probably your best choice. Next would be the new Leupold VX5 HD Gen 2 2.5-10x42. All my scopes are Leupold. This will be my next one. As cafemike said, Leupold should repair it.

 

[Formidilosus]

Thanks for the reply. Now if they’d just get rid of the illumination without adding weight.

Accupoints aren’t electronic illumination. The fiber optic doesn’t add weight.

 

[fshaw]

Accupoints aren’t electronic illumination. The fiber optic doesn’t add weight.

My point on the weight thing is that the Huron 3-9 without illumination weighs more than the Accupoint 3-9 with illumination.

 

[Formidilosus]

My point on the weight thing is that the Huron 3-9 without illumination weighs more than the Accupoint 3-9 with illumination.

Very, very different scopes. Illumination has nothing to do with the difference.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

Very, very different scopes. Illumination has nothing to do with the difference.

He just wants a scope that doesn’t weigh much (like the Accupoint 3-9x40, which is only 13.4 ounces) and that has no illumination.

I would suggest the SWFA 2.5-10 Ultralight, but you may have a better suggestion.

 

[KenLee]

If you absolutely don't want illuminated reticle, a used Nikon Monarch 3 2.5-10x42.
Spectacular scope used for a couple hundred bucks. 16.6 oz.
I'd buy the Accupoint. The eye relief #s are BS. We have three on 300wsm and one on 6.5 creed. Never a scrape

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

Looking for some advice replacing the VX3 HD 2.5-8x36 Leupold on a rifle that I use for hunting big game up to 500m.
I appreciate the OK clarity of the scope, the brownish reticle that stands a bit better against a black background and I like the turret's clear dial, locking and zero stop. It is compact and light weight...
Gripes? - the reticle is a simple duplex and ... the scope may fail to hold zero.
Any suggestions?

You say "may fail to hold zero". Has it ever done this? I have VXIII's that I have NEVER had any problems with. I have not had any problems with Leupold standing behind ANY of their Gold Ring products. Reticles are pretty simple to change.