Side focus on a lightweight rig?

[Elite]

Hello I am currently building a lightweight mountain rifle. I am looking at getting a leupold VX3i and was wondering if the side focus would be really needed? I plan to practice out to 500 yards but wouldn’t shoot game past 400 yards.


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[TexEnv700]

For me it depends on the power of the scope. On a 6-9x maybe a 12x I don't find them necessary, but on a 16x or 20x I would definitely want the side focus. My brother has a VX3i 4.5-14x40 with side focus. It's a 30 mm tube if that matters to you. Very bright scope, excellent FOV and pretty compact. If you are going to practice at 500 and will make 400 yards shots on game I'd highly recommend one.

 

[WCB]

What magnification? Personally Anything 12x and up I would have it. It is going to add very little weight (not even on ounce I believe)...probably not needed but parallax can cause bad shots...bad/missed shots are not worth at most an ounce difference. If I was actually worried about it and you were considering a 12x or 14x at those distances I would just drop down to a 10x with a smaller objective. That should save more weight.

 

[Elite]

Thanks for the input so far guys. I was looking at the VX3I 4.5-14X 40mm


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[92xj]

I run the vx3i 4.5-14x40 with 1" tubes. Wanted the lightest as possible. No side focus. Mounted on my 300. I shot paper at 800 a few weeks ago with zero issues without having the side focus. I shoot a lot at 500 and less. Game has all been sub 200 yards, but would have zero hesitation at 650 and less. I personally don't regret not getting the side focus. If I bump up in magnification I might look at side focus, but on the current setup, I am good to go.

 

[Motown]

I had a 4-12 VX2 and a 4.5-14 VX3 a few years ago without the SF or AO. To me I didnt care for them and they went down the road. I still have a couple 4.5-14 models left with AO and they just seem clearer with the AO especially at longer ranges.

 

[tdot]

If your max is 500 yards, and trying to save weight, I'd suggest staying below 10x. Anything with a max magnification of 7x to 10x will be more then enough and will save a ton of weight. Parallax also becomes less of a concern.

 

[wind gypsy]

If your max is 500 yards, and trying to save weight, I'd suggest staying below 10x. Anything with a max magnification of 7x to 10x will be more then enough and will save a ton of weight. Parallax also becomes less of a concern.

^This.

 

[Elite]

If your max is 500 yards, and trying to save weight, I'd suggest staying below 10x. Anything with a max magnification of 7x to 10x will be more then enough and will save a ton of weight. Parallax also becomes less of a concern.

I currently have a 3-9x scope and find it hard some days to focus on my gongs I shoot at when they are at 400 yards. Some are small tho. So that was my only reasoning trying for the 4.5x14x now and weight isn’t much difference between the two VX3i models


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[tdot]

I currently have a 3-9x scope and find it hard some days to focus on my gongs I shoot at when they are at 400 yards. Some are small tho. So that was my only reasoning trying for the 4.5x14x now and weight isn’t much difference between the two VX3i models


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When you say that you're having a hard time focusing, are you saying the gong is blurry? Or just that you're having a hard time picking the gong out from the background?

Personally I've started noticing unacceptable parallax errors at 10x and above at 200+ yards. The higher the magnification and the greater the distance, I would assume that error would become greater.

 

[Elite]

When you say that you're having a hard time focusing, are you saying the gong is blurry? Or just that you're having a hard time picking the gong out from the background?

Personally I've started noticing unacceptable parallax errors at 10x and above at 200+ yards. The higher the magnification and the greater the distance, I would assume that error would become greater.

I don’t find it blurry or unfocused just the gong seems very small at that range with only a 9x


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[Wrench]

Depends on you situation. I dumped a coyote at 850 with my 2-8 zeiss in a snowy wheat field. I could see enough of him to put it where it needed to go.

There's a big difference in optical performance in scopes. A $200 3-9 will make you think you need a 700 power where a quality 6x will give you confidence to be moa to the 4th digit.