I have been struggling in my head for a month on how to review something in a way that didn’t come across as harsh as it should, and be objective as I could at the same time. Kind of like trying to say something nice about a doctor who cut your leg off when you went in the hospital for a colonoscopy. But here goes my feeble attempt.
A little background is need first.
I bought my first Leupold VXIII 1.5x 5 w/lighted reticle last year for a pre gift/tip for my PH that was taking me on my first Cape Buffalo hunt in Mozambique in March of 2009. I bought it through one of the large sporting supply companies that had a big display at the Harrisburg Pa, Sports show in January so that my PH could take it back with him and do all the mounting and zeroing in needed before I arrived.
I wanted to do this for a few reasons. First I had done a lot of reading about Buffalo and the time of the day you get your chance, which is often in the darkened thick areas during mid day where they lay up out of the mid day sun.
Second – the 375cal I was going to use for this trip had open sights. I was ok with that but also intrigued by my research on this Leupold lighted reticle. After talking at length with the PH he agreed and was delighted that I purchased it, along with the rings and things needed to mount it.
Let’s put it this way, if it wasn’t for that scope I wouldn’t have gotten my Big Ol Dugger Boy.
It was exactly what I needed in that situation. Side note: if you’re interested is reading about it see my Tag #1 article in Huntinglife.com.
So… I rate that scope A+.
Back to the review. I again researched Leupold to buy a new updated scope for my wife’s rifle. She lucked out by winning the New Brunswick Canada lottery for a Moose tag, and after many years of searching I had found the guide I wanted in N.B. Canada.,
I had asked him about the shots that may or may not happen. How close, how long, time of day, light, etc. With all this important information I started looking for the “perfect scope’ from Leupold for this trip (and of course future trips to Africa). Through the help of an Optic Professional (given all my information) I bought the perfect scope – the Leupold VX-3L 4.5-14x50mm Illuminated Reticle rifle scope.
Fitting the scope for my wife and for her rifle took some effort. We first drove a 125 mile round trip up to his shop so he could measure her optic length to her rifle and to the scope for the perfect fit and order different rings and things to mount it. We were on a time line and things went very smooth. I had to make another trip during the week to pick up the rifle with mounted scope. All looked great.
I got the most comprehensive explanation ever on how to focus the recital and how I should have her sight it in at the range after he had bore sighted it. While we were measuring the scope my wife remarked on how hard it was to turn the zoom on the scope. My optic guy and I tried it and, yes it was tight. But we said all the other features of the scope should supersede this and that remember it was new.
We sighted in the scope at the range and my wife was great with it. But still complaining how hard the zoom was. And I should have listened, because THIS IS HER SCOPE – not a hand me down.
While sighting it in we discovered another flaw. We couldn’t see if the scope light was on or off one of the many numbered settings around the dial. It was not well marked on the scope as to where ‘off’ was. So I fixed that – I took white paint and a thin brush and made a V over the small dot that was on the scope tube and a heavy white dot over the O that showed it was off. When they dried I coated them with my wife’s clear nail polish. Worked like a charm. SIDE NOTE: NO one over 50 can see the light gold numbers on the black back ground without putting on your dollar store glasses. ( and I ask you, how many 18 year olds can afford a scope like this )
We arrived at True North Outfitters in New Brunswick Ca. On the first day I sighted my bow in to be sure if my big bear hunt happened I couldn’t blame the bow. Good thing, because I am now a Bear getter, at 15 yards on the ground. Now that was a thrill.
My wife shot her rifle and all was well. Outfitter and owner Kory was impressed with her shooting and had never seen this new scope from Leupold. We put the rifle away in its case for the next 5 days as I would be Bear hunting. It was time for Moose scouting, not hunting – yet.
Opening morning of Moose season, we were up at 3;30am. The guide wanted to be standing on top of the ridge we had been scouting a ½ hour before light. And in that part of Canada that’s early.
While my wife was checking her rifle, still in the lodge, Panic struck ! Somehow the light dial had turned and the light on the scope was dead. She almost cried. Of course I blamed her for not turning it off after sighting in the rifle. I came to the rescue! I learned the lesson of hunting in remote areas of the world – bring extra batteries! I had purchased the last 2 batteries at $20.00 each at Radio shack before leaving. We were back on track, ready to go. All is well with the opening morning jitters. Now all we had to do was find a Moose for my wife. No moose that day. Even road hunters didn’t see any Moose. But we were with two wonderful guides in one of those pristine areas of Canada where there is only the sound of nature. Wonderful. Two more days to hunt (Moose season in NB Canada is only 3 days long).
We were in and out of blinds during the day, and the gun was in and out of the soft case. Guess what – every time we looked, the 2 white thingems I painted on were not lined up. Why? We were so careful. We both talked about it and we were sure no one turned it on. We started getting paranoid and constantly checking, but not before another battery ran down. How did it get fixed this time? Scotch tape! How embarrassing – we had to tape down the dial so it wouldn’t turn on. Again, we fixed it, but still didn’t trust it.
It seems the dial turns so easily and because it is on an angle on the side of the scope tube, it can be turned on by carrying it and taking it in and out of your gun case. Needless to say, we were not pleased by this design flaw. After returning home I called my optics guy and explained everything that happened. I wrote it all up and sent him pictures. He followed up by writing to his contact at Leupold who to this day has never contacted him back. So, on my end I did some calling for two days and finally got some one to transfer me to a PERSON.
After telling my story and sending pictures and writing all the problems I was told on my 3rd call back to send it in for repair – at my expense. I had to call five times to get a response – we were already booked for a deer hunt out of state and needed the scope for the hunt. Finally – I got a person again. Mr. Smith (I’ll call him ) said he went downstairs himself and pushed the repair along and to his knowledge it has been repaired. OK – great – so I asked ” Mr. smith ” to send the scope directly to my optics guy and he could pre mount it using the same measurements he had saved.
Well two days later, the scope shows up at my house with my optics guys name all over the paper work inside the box. I got, for all my trouble, 2 new batteries and a Leupold lens cleaning brush. No reimbursement for my 400 miles of driving and out of pocket expenses, and paying to have the scope mounted the first time and postage.
Was it better – let’s give it the cold test. I put the scope in the refrigerator for an hour and my wife could not turn the zoom dial when it was still cold. Imagine deer hunting in below zero temperatures. You’d would need vice grips to turn it.
Bottom line: I traded it in on another brand that some SMART engineers designed for hunting and got it sighted in perfectly.
My opinion:
1. The scope is way too complicated to use as a hunting scope.
2. The zoom ring is way too tight and cumbersome to use.
3. The dial for the lighted reticle is on a 30 deg. angle on the left side and turns too easy – even as you are taking the gun in and out of your gun case.
4. The numbers on the outside dial are so light in color that you can not read if it is off or on a number that is on.
5. And the dial rotates non stop so you just never know when it’s off unless you look.
Not only was the product inferior, I was not reimbursed for my time, energy, and out of pocket expenses to replace it with something that works.
I loved my first Leupold scope, but can’t recommend this scope to anyone
From Don Rickards, Pro Staffer
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