Leupold Competition Scopes

[Jeaux]

Anyone ever tried the higher powered Leupold Competition series scopes on their silhouette rifles? I'm thinking smallbore rifle here. I have a FX3 30x with a slip on booster (not sure of the power but I think it is called a 4x). My scores jumped after installing the booster. I am figuring that I am probably in the 36x range as it is configured now. I was thinking of the competition 45X. The custom shop looks like it has the option for the Leupold dot reticle, but before I decide to pull the plug on a $1000plus scope, I thought I would see if anyone here has experience with one. I know some guys that have been using them for air rifle field target and like them, but was wanting to hear something from silhouette shooters that might have tried one.

[GeoNLR]

I tried one of the early runs... didn't even make it to the line for a match with it. The 1/8 moa adjustments were (in my opinion) damn near impossible to re-set with out changing the turret. I remember Cullpepper and I spent 15 mins or so on the bench trying to figure it out and never got it right... They may have changed turret design since then... this one was set up with a torx in the center of the knob, theory was to release the set and lift off the knob... never could get it to release with out the turret 'clicking' one direction or another... I think the mindset of the design is bench rest shooting... it's a million times more important for the turret to 'click' when turned, exactly how many clicks it is turned as they are doping wind, shooting the sighter, etc. than any consideration for removing the knobs completely. May have been me, may have been a bad scope... no idea... that one went back into the box and sold to a happy BR customer... haha. Don't rem much past that. I think they are heavy at 21 ozs or so. FX-3 25X and 30X are in the 14 oz neighborhood...

Not a lot on info, but it's all I have

Chicken

[Jeaux]

Much appreciated Chicken. Several competitive air rifle field target shooters I know use the Comps. and have for several years. The first I saw on a FT rifle was in April 2005 and know a guy that just bought one last year, so it seems that if there were issues with re-zeroing or resetting the knobs, they must have figured it out. Field target will wear the elevation knob out on a scope. With targets as close as 10 yards, it takes a lot of minutes to get down to that setting if you have a rather high mount which a lot of FT guys seem to do. With my FX3 30X, I have about 14 ounces to play with right now, so weight is not an issue for me.

Anyone else out there played with one of these scopes? I like my turkeys to look like big fat butterballs through the scope.

[jjp]

My 25x's won't focus down past 40 yards. My friend at Leupold told me he couldn't get them down to 10meters. If he adjusted them for Air rifle silhouette that It wouldn't focus to 100 meters for smallbore. It would be from 18 yards to around 45 yards. So it would be air rifle only. Is this what yall are hearing. I told him I wanted one to adjust like the older BR-24 scopes that alot of people still use for air rifle. Wish they would make a higher straight power EFR. He's coming down next week for turkey season. Maybe I can keep bugging him to get something.

This is a email that he sent me.

Hi J:

We played around with an FX-3. If we adjust for 20 yards close focus, the adjustable range is 19 yards – 45 yards.

Question – will this work for air rifle? The one we have is a 3/8 MOA dot, but we could also do a ½ MOA dot. Is this enough effective range, or should it be 20 – 150 yards? This would require more engineering and would probably not make the NPI cut.

Rick Regan is doing the work here internally, please let him know if you want to try out the one he modified, and he can ship it to you for a 1 – 2 month trial.

Scott Smith
Design Engineering Manager
Leupold & Stevens, Inc.
14400 NW Greenbrier Parkway
Beaverton, OR 97006

[GeoNLR]

Jason - That is in line with the information I have as well.

[Jason]

Why is it so hard to make it usable across the wider range of distances? The Leupold EFRs and the other target scopes that I have are all usable from close to several hundred yards at least. What's the design consideration that makes the tradeoff for such a limitation worth it?

[ter]

I had a new FX3 that was set on 400 yards for the rams. I paid to have it sent back.

[jjp]

I'm hoping some 8.5-25 EFR's might be in the works. Talked with him this morning. When I go up to Pe Ell, I'm going to the factory on Wednesday and Thursday. When their next series of scopes come out we should see some high magnification scopes.

Anyone want me to ask about something just send me a PM. They are coming down to Tn next weekend for Turkey season.

[fwt1712]

I agree that a fixed series efr would be very worthwhile.

I have used 6.5-20 EFRs exclusively for the last 10 years and find the 10m plus focus range to be exactly what I want for all disciplines (and allow indoor dry practice - when time allows).

I have been using an optics booster (3x) for the past 6 months and find the boost in power (to approx. 26x) to be worthwhile.

A fixed 25 or 30 efr with it's lighter weight would have to be close to my ideal scope.

[CZforlife]

The little booster you speek of if its a bulzeyepro brings 35-40% more magnification. That is if its a 4x. A 3x brings around 30%. I may be wrong but I dont think I am, if thats a 4x booster you are shooting around 42x

[dscak1]

I have a 40X competition series. The focus is adjustable from 10 meters out to 100+ (which is all I have used it for thus far). However, there appears to be plenty of adjustment left when at 100 meters so I'm sure it will continue to focus at the longer distances. I'm really pleased with it thus far, but haven't used it very much as yet.