Leupold VX-2 3-9×40 mm Scope Review

By Joe

When it comes to choosing a scope for a gun, we enter a very big world of optics. Today, there are so many choices and variables to consider, it can often make your head spin. It’s a blessing in the fact that we can get whatever we want, and it’s also a curse because it’s a lot to think about.

In this article, I’m going to give a detailed review of the infamous Leupold VX-2 3-9×40 mm scope. It is a fantastic performer, and one of my favorite all around scopes.

Here’s the thing:

Because there are so many scope choices, when we go to buy, most of us take shortcuts based on what we think we already know. However, things in the industry often change faster than we can keep up.

Let me explain…

Most of us simply resort to past brand names that we are familiar with, just because it helps narrow down the selection quite a bit. That works a lot of the time. For example, Leupold has been around for a long time, and they typically make great scopes.

Another thing is we have to decide what sort of shooting we plan on doing with the scope, which can determine many of the specifications. We often go with familiar magnifications that are comfortable to us.

For people coming in new to shooting, it’s wise to ask around and read a lot of reviews like this one to try to piece all of the information together.  There are many guides out there.

I happen to love keeping up with the industry and helping people find the right scope, which is why I put together a really great guide over at Trek Warrior  to help experienced people refresh their knowledge or also help folks that are newer to get their bearings. The guide has a great glossary of scope terms and lingo to help explain what is what.

With that guide in mind, I won’t waste much time explaining any of the normal scope terms I use in this review. If you see a term that is new to you, please check out the guide for reference.

Let’s get right into our Leupold VX-2 review.

Specifications

Here are the specifications of the Leupold VX-2 3-9×40 mm scope.

Length: 12.6″
Zoom Range: 3-9x
Objective Lens: 40 mm

Tube Diameter: 1 inch

Adjustment Range: 52 MOA windage and elevation

Adjustments: 1/4 MOA windage and elevation

Reticle: Long Range (LR) Duplex
Weight: 11.2 oz
MSRP: $455 (For LR Duplex + Matte)

The adjustment turrets for elevation and windage are screw cap covered and coin turn operated. You can typically use a small coin or flat screwdriver to adjust these type of turrets.

A great pro tip is to take a dime and place it on top of the upper turret before putting the screw cap back on. For most scopes, a dime will fit in there fine and then you will always have an adjustment tool handy.

The style of turrets on this scope is ideally used for sighting in at your desired distance, and then using the reticle to adjust your shots. It’s a good idea to think through your shooting and hunting preferences to decide which distance you need to sight your rifle in at and which reticle is appropriate for you.

For me, 200 yards was perfect for my long term needs, and I opted for the LR Duplex reticle to give me more extended range since it has tick marks for 300, 400, and 500 yards. Your situation might be different. For a complete explanation about Leupold reticles and what they are designed for, check out Leupold’s ballistic aiming system document.

Installation

The installation for the VX-2 was very easy. I bought this scope for my Remington 700, chambered in .308, which is a very popular choice. From a review on this site as well as article research I did at Trek Warrior, it turns out this scope is one of the most popular choices for the .308 from many sources. What most people do for this rifle is go for a picatinny rail system, which is what I got too.

You always want to get the right high quality rings in order to avoid trouble. Leupold makes some decent rings for their scopes. The key is you want to match the rings with your tube diameter, and try to get the least height rings as possible for your lens diameters so that you will be able to use as much of the adjustment in the scope as possible.

I went with decent quality medium rings on mine to make sure I had enough clearance for the 40 mm objective lens.

I did a standard basic boresight at home by removing the bolt and aligning an object a certain distance away with what I could view through the scope. Then it was time to visit the range to zero it in.

At The Range

I had a lot of fun at the range. I started with a 50 yard paper target and the first few shots were on paper so I only had to make a little adjustment to center everything up.

I then moved the paper target out to 100 yards and within 6 shots got the scope zero’ed in perfectly. The rest of the time was spent practicing and having a blast.

One thing I noticed with this scope is the excellent optical clarity. The weather was mostly sunny with a little overcast, but everything looked really bright and crisp through the glass.

The long range duplex reticle has very sharp lines and really works well. While I didn’t sight in at 200 yards in order to take advantage of the elevation markings, the LR Duplex reticle has that capability for me to shoot longer distances in the future when I want to.

The eye box is pretty awesome with the eye relief at around 4 inches.

Overall, the scope was a breeze to setup and sight in. It is a lot of fun shooting it as well and has held its zero over the past year just fine. It is a great scope for deer hunting.

Recommendation

Based on my experience with the Leupold VX-2 3-9×40 mm scope, I would highly recommend it. You get a high quality scope at a low to mid range price.

The key selling feature is the high quality optics and the great durability of the design. You can pick many different types of reticles depending on your needs, and there are cheaper versions of this scope with more basic reticles.

Another selling point is this scope is water and fog proof, so no worrying about not being able to take the shot when you need to due to annoying environmental problems.

The scope also comes in matte, gloss, or silver options, if you want something a little more snazzy looking. Mine of course is matte black.

About the Author

Mark Wright is an avid shooting enthusiast. His day trade is in the optics industry and he spends his fun time playing around with awesome gear. He is passionate about being outdoors and often writes articles and guides at Trek Warrior.

Leupold VX-2 3-9×40 mm Scope Review is a post from: The Smoking Barrel

The post Leupold VX-2 3-9×40 mm Scope Review appeared first on The Smoking Barrel.

Source: The Smoking Barrel