leopold or bushnell scope

[killerbren]

Hey guys and gals,

Looking for a scope to put onto a sako 85 finnlight in 300 win mag. Basically im using the rifle to hunt everything from coyotes to deer to sheep to moose.

Ive got it narrowed down to a bushnell 6500 or a leopold vxIII.

I havent heard a whole lot about the 6500 but i'm liking the zoom, but leopold has a great name as well. Also ive heard the bushnells are better in bad weather can someone back that?

any opinions are appreciated.

[Jamie Black R/T]

grab the vx-III and dont look back in my opinion

i have never seen a Bushnell scope that was on par with a Leupold

im sure someone will disagree with me..and thats fine

but you have got a nice rifle there that seems as though it will see a LOT of field time

Leupold FTW

[Rackmastr]

Personal choice...but it would be a choice for me....VXIII for me....

[7 REM MAG]

i have a elite 3200 on my 22-250 but i wouldnt want to put it on something that can buck like a 300 the leupy costs more for a reason and even tho there is little chance that something is gonna happen with the bushnell when that 200 inch white tail walks out of the trees i want to have confidence in my scope

For the same price as a vxIII,you can buy a zeiss conquest 3x9x40 which offers superior optics,and a constant eye relief at all magnifications.

[sickfast]

Go with the VX-111 in a 4.5x14x40 LR (30 mm tube) with the B&C...Its about $800 but worth the cash...I have looked at the 6500 and it looks great but its the same kind of money as the Leupold...Dont waste your money on a Ziess!!! I have had one and would take a Bushnell 3200 over it any day!!!

[243 Killer]

VXIII 3-9x40

[MountainTi]

Originally Posted by stubblejumper

For the same price as a vxIII,you can buy a zeiss conquest 3x9x40 which offers superior optics,and a constant eye relief at all magnifications.

X2

[Rust]

Originally Posted by sickfast

Go with the VX-111 in a 4.5x14x40 LR (30 mm tube) with the B&C...Its about $800 but worth the cash...

X2 to this. I have this scope and it is awesome!!! It has lots of eye relief too! VERY good quality scope!

[Ice Fishing Maniac]

Originally Posted by 243 Killer

VXIII 3-9x40

Sorry Killer, no such thing in the VX3, its a VX2 line model.

My vote is for a Leupold. As Rackmastr said, I personally go for the VX3 3.5-10x40 or 4.5-14x40 with BC reticle would be a great scope. I have these on my 2 Tikka T3 LS 270WSM's.

I have a Sako m75SS 300WM that I bought 10 years ago with a Leupold Vari-X III 3.5-10x40 - Still a great shooter, never lost its zero setting until I started to reload in 2005. I will suggest the Optilok rings & bases.

If you want to save a bit of cash, a VX2 in the 3-9x40 or 4-12x40AO with the LR duplex is another good choice. I have the later on my Sako m75SS 243.

The Leupold Alumina accessories for the scope are a great too. I use the lense filter kit and have the Flipups on all my VX2 & VX3 scopes.


A nice thing about Leupolds, especially in Alberta is the warranty/service depot is located in Okotoks. I never had a warranty issue with any of my scopes but I have had the reticles replaced on one for a duplex to a BC reticle in 2004 when you could not get a silver VX3 with the BC reticle.

[harv3589]

Originally Posted by stubblejumper

For the same price as a vxIII,you can buy a zeiss conquest 3x9x40 which offers superior optics,and a constant eye relief at all magnifications.

I agree with this as well...stay away from Bushnell, their service is a joke...Leupolds is outstanding and I can't comment on Ziess but I have heard they are good.

On my Sako 85 30-06 I went with a FXIII 6x42 and love it....of course optilok bases and rings in the extra lows.

Another suggestion since it looks like you are trying to keep some weight off is going with the FXII 6x36 as it is a little more compact.

I had a VXIII 3.5-10x40mm and traded it for the FXIII 6x42 and don't regret it...I found that I never switched the power and it was always on 6. But that was just me.

[JohninAB]

Go a Bushnell 4200. Have one on my 300 WBY and have had no issues with it what so ever. And I would put it up against any Leupold VXII or III anyday and have a good chunk of change left in my pocket.

[deerassassin]

the guy at wholesale sports gun counter told me to take a bushnell over the leoupold. he said it was just about as good but it is also a little cheaper.

[bigD1979]

I don't think that bushnell or leopold even come close to the quality that you get out of a zeiss,swarovski or meopta.I bought a 3-12x45 vx3 and a leopold range finder and never been more dsapointed in a premium product in my life.Mabey there warranty center is closer but when you are spending that kind of money on a product i would never buy one again if it had to go for waranty work.that is just my veiw.

[MountainTi]

I own a couple of leopuld's and have never had any complaints about them, but I picked up my first zeiss conquest a couple years ago and now just picked up another one. For the money they are definately the best bang for your buck. $708 for a 3.5x10x44 at P&D's in Edmonton, and $22 to have it shipped within 3 days. Side by side in low light conditions they are head and shoulders above the leupold and they are also tough. Never had one go off zero, and the one is on a .300 wby., even slid down a couple hills while bouncing off rocks, and many miles in a saddle scabbard also.

[Rust]

Originally Posted by bigD1979

I don't think that bushnell or leopold even come close to the quality that you get out of a zeiss,swarovski or meopta.I bought a 3-12x45 vx3 and a leopold range finder and never been more dsapointed in a premium product in my life.Mabey there warranty center is closer but when you are spending that kind of money on a product i would never buy one again if it had to go for waranty work.that is just my veiw.

I will second your disapointment with the Leupold range finder. Last spring I bought the Best on they had (RX IV I think) Way way to many settings on it and it never even came close to ranging what they said it would. I like their glass but not the rangefinder. They sent me a new one and it was a little better but not much, So now I have a LEICA

[bigD1979]

lica is what i was looking for, they never had any so i went with the leopold rx3. I think I am going to get those new lica bino-range finder.Any one want to buy my leopold range finder make me an offer.

[07icanam]

I would go with the Leupold, I have Leuplod glass on every rifle I own from 300 RUM down to my 10/22 as well as the Golden Ring binos and have not had one problem with any and the count is at 8 scopes and 2 sets of binos. Off topic but the best in rangefinders is Lieca, I have the 1200 and it is superb. Works good on the golf course as well.

[killerbren]

I ended up going with the leopold VxIII 4.5-14x40 LR. Its pretty cool, thanks for your imput everyone it really helped alot. Now im excited because i finally get to shoot my new gun!

[shekaree]

Good choice!

I have a Leupold VX-7 B&C 4.5-14x50 on my Sako 85 300WM and last year, I dropped the deer on its track at 349 yards. It is an awesome combination. You can't go wrong with Leupold.

This week, I bought a bushnell elite 6500 4.5-30x50 mildot for my Tikka 22-250. Now I am a very very happy shooter and I am getting the best out of 22-250. Just Crank it up to 30 power and the target feels like about 25 or so yards away. I still need to take both guns to range and test them together. But I am very happy with my bushnell 6500. I will update again once I use both at same time at range.

[altahunter]

I only skimmed through this post but will add my .02. I don't own any Leupold scopes but will defnitely recommend them over Bushnell. My reason is because of warranty. Bushnell does the warranty work for Tasco, Bushnell, B&L, and others. I shipped a scope to them for warrany repair work and after receiving it, it took 6 weeks for them just to enter it into the system at the repair center and has been 9 weeks now and it still has not been fixed. This is 15 weeks they have had it. Their excuse is that this is their busiest time of the year. I've heard Leupold turnaround is much much faster.

I saw something posted about rangefinders and all I can say is that I bought a Leica CRF1200 from Cameraland in New York. Their prices and service are excellent and they'll ship everything except riflescopes to Canada.

[Unregistered user]

Leupold are serviced in Okotoks,Service is excellent and very quick.

[.30cal]

Generally speaking the leopolds are a bit more compact at comparable power settings. I own both and I went with the leopold on my latest, just because it was a bit smaller & lighter. Performance wise I doubt you'd be able to tell much difference either way. I guess sometimes size does matter.

[BUD]

Any fool can put a $800 scope on a gun , but it takes a real man ta shoot with plain ole open sites , and they dont fog up ,or give ya a black eye either , haaaaaaaa.