Bye bye Vortex, hello Leupold VX Freedom 3x9x40 CDS.

[USMCM16A2]

Folks,


I like Vortex optics, I have 3 of them. But, the purpose of my shooting habits have undergone a change. I have an AR10, an AR15, a Weatherby Vanguard .223, and a Remington 700 stainless in .308.
I am going on my first hunting trip to Wyoming, a trip for the first time where I have a real chance at dee. And pronghorn, a real chance. No California 5%, 10% chance, but a 90% of getting something. The Vortex scopes are good, but the optics are all Chinese, lack a certain amount of clarity. The reticles are busy, with a lot of features. I have decided that I wanted something simpler, better clarity and made in the US.
As we all know, as magnification increases, FOV is lost, clarity is lost, resolution is diminished. The 2 scopes I had were the Vortex Strike Eagles, 3x18x44. Past 9x the clarity decreased, the optics became milky. Brightness of the image decreased. I wanted less magnification.
After selling one of my Strike Eagle scopes, I purchased a Leupold Freedom VX 3x9x40, with CDS dial feature. The Remington 700 in .308 was treated to the Leupold. Angeles was first stop where I was checking some hunting loads. I was impressed with the clarity, FOV, and resolution of the optic. The Leupold has a simple duplex reticle. Targets out to 500-600 yards (silhouettes) the impacts could be clearly seen. Colors are bright, and the larger FOV was welcomed. Find my distance, dial in the CDS clang!. I just put one on my Weatherby, I ordered another for my AR15. These are my 3 hunting rifles. Very pleased, A2

[Divernhunter]

You got partly smart. The Leupolds are much better scopes for hunting. I would suggest the VX3i in 3.5X10X40 duplex reticle. The glass is much better and they can be bought for $300. For hunting no need for the CDS. Sight it in 2.75" high at 100 yards and hold on the animal for meat in the freezer. I have hunted Pronghorns (Ca and Wy) with 30-06/25-06/257W/7rem mag/300win mag and it has worked just fine. I only use Leupold scopes on my hunting rifles and have since the 1960's. Never had a problem and some have been beaten up pretty bad.

Good luck on your hunt. If you cannot get your pronghorn it will be because you cannot shoot. I love to hunt them and will apply next year. I have enough points that I should get my tag easy.

[USMCM16A2]

Well,


Well I am glad I got partly smart. But I like the CDS and the duplex reticle. I am bring both the .223, and .308. The .223 for yotes, the Remington in .308 for the deer, and pronghorn. A2

[Divernhunter]

If you have time shoot PD's.
You will need a lic/permit for yote/badgers unless they changed the law. It was not required if you are a resident.

Not sure what bullet you plan to use but a 125-130-150gr will do just fine in the 308win. They are not big or real hard to kill animals. No need for 180gr bullets. You can use lead core bullets for hunting and that is nice. Take a portable bench if you plan to shoot PD's. It makes it much easier. Shooting sticks have worked better than a rifle mounted bi-pod for us in the sagebrush for the pronghorns but depending where I hunt I take a Harris extra tall bi-pod also.
Pronghorns have hollow hair and it really keeps them warm in the snow. It will also cause the meat to spoil faster. Skin them out in the field and do not get the hair on the meat for best flavor meat. Take 5+ gallons of water to wash them off and get any hair off of them in the field. I have a hoist I made that fits into my trailer hitch on my truck and that does make the skinning easier but I have done plenty of them on the ground also. You will not have a parasite problem(ticks) on them like we do in Ca.
Take a big ice chest to put them in for the trip home. Maybe more than one if under 100qrts. I sometimes like to bone mine out and then they fit into less space. Take HD trash bags to put the meat in while in the ice chest and baggies if you bone it out. You can use regular ice or if you use Dry Ice take cardboard and duct tape to wrap the pieces in so it is not in direct contact with the meat

Be sure to have one piece of hunter safety orange on you when hunting. I wear a baseball style hat but a vest or whatever will work.

I never had any use for the CDS or any of the cluttered reticles on hunting rifles. Same for adjustable A-O scopes. I do have them on my 50BMG rifles which I have so far just shot at targets. To each their own. You are probably a younger hunter and like all the dials and gismos I use the KISS principle. Again whatever floats your boat. I hunt with a friend who has to make about 17 adjustments before shooting. We have to try on a number of them before we find one that wants to commit suicide and waits for him. Even he gets them. Since he is not a great shot I have to sometimes finish them off. Like when he tries to head shoot them and just blows off the lower jaw. Then we are in a several mile chase and I end up killing it.

No need to be out hunting at the crack of dawn. They will be bedded and hard to find. About 8AM is early enough then most will be up and feeding.

Good luck for a big one

[CWL]

I know Vortex are all the rage right now because of smart marketing, but Leupold has been respected for over 100 years.

I own Leupold glass and I wouldn't trade them

[Divernhunter]

CWL---and they do not break. I have at least 15-20 of them and never a problem. Some very old ones I have sent back to be refreshed. One was so old they had no parts so the sent me a new scope.
People do not seem to know that they are the ones that started the lifetime you do not need to be the 1st owner warranty program

[Divernhunter]

CWL---and they do not break. I have at least 15-20 of them and never a problem. Some very old ones I have sent back to be refreshed. One was so old they had no parts so the sent me a new scope.
People do not seem to know that they are the ones that started the lifetime you do not need to be the 1st owner warranty program

[osis32]

Over on the hide they make fun of Leupold for tracking issues. I like all my vortex stuff and Leupold stuff. My highest end is a vortex though

[FishnHunt]

I’ll take leupold over vortex. At least In that price point. I drank the vortex coolaid and wasn’t really Impressed.
And as a hunter the cds is nice when you want to reach out and be sure not just guesstimate. As Hunter we owe that to the game
I sight all my rifles in at 200 and have majority of my kills with in that range.

[RHT447]

+1 on Leupold. I have always liked Nikon too. Superb glass for the money. I have had a 6.5--20 X 44 Nikon for many years. If they still made that same scope, I would have just bought another one.

I was in the market last year, and my list of want features turned into a list of don't want's--

FFP
illuminated reticle.
Buck Rogers reticle.
need to finance a loan to purchase.

So I settled on a Vortex Viper HST Rifle Scope 30mm Tube 4-16x 44mm Side Focus VMR-1 MOA Reticle Matte. It's a decent scope and I have shot with it, but yeah, Chineseium glass. See above remarks. Then Nikon upped their game, and this deal came along--

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/10...scription-link

You really can see the difference.

[HKCandy]

This was my same issue recently. I was going back and forth between Vortex variable and Leupold optics for my HK MR. I pulled the trigger (no pun) on a Leupold Mod AR 1-4x with the SPR dot. The glass is very clear.

[crufflers]

Originally Posted by HKCandy

Leupold Mod AR 1-4x with the SPR dot. The glass is very clear.

I like my Mod AR 3-9x40 Mildot. Liked it more than P-series Nikons for sure. Nikon M-series is more on-par.

M-Tactical 1-4 Nikon is great.

[Screwloose1]

The Leupold VX-Freedom is currently $50 off ($249) at Optics planet, Cabelas, BassPro and Midway.

[RHSth4]

Cant not tag out here in Wyoming. Got deer in my yard everyday and pronghorn all over the place as well. Update us with picks when you tag out. OP what part of Wyoming you going to? Pack for cold weather and snow. Suppose to get 24" this weekend.

[elk hunter]

Leupold should work just fine I have used them for years and like them. I also use Nikon and for me they have a cleaner sharper image. Good luck on the hunt. When I hunted in WY it was in the Worland 10 Sleep areas the locals would have a wild game BBQ feed, usually a lot of it was elk. Sometimes the local women would get together and put on a Hunters meal and try to out cook each other, some good eats there. One thing about it is that it was all good.