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Thread: Leupold VX-II 3-9X33 EFR used for HFT.

  1. #1
    Join Date
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    Leupold VX-II 3-9X33 EFR used for HFT.

    I have been very fortunate and have been using this little scope for HFT for a while now and can say I really love it and my shooting has improved a good deal.

    I have it mounted to my HW97k using a low single piece mount. The finish is a matte anodising to what I assume is Leupolds high standard and it looks good with no complaints there.

    The length of it is 11.3 inches or 28.7 cm. It weighs 11oz or 312 grams. You get a stretchy scope cover as well which is good as all my other scopes have been getting scratched up in my gun cabinet due to space issues!

    All the twiddly bits are smooth and precise to operate but you do need a screwdriver or coin to move the turrets for zeroing. The scope is waterproof even with the turret caps removed.

    One thing I did notice on the outside is once you set the ocular lens to your eye, there is a lock ring that needs to be tightened. If it isn't tight you can wobble the ocular housing which translates into the reticule shifting position in the view. I am unsure if a dab of thread-tite would be useful as the lock ring can work loose but this isn't a problem if you check it now and again.

    The picture is clear edge to edge and has very good light gathering for such a small objective. I have not noticed any white out at all yet but this could be due to the relatively low magnification.
    It has terrific depth of field as well with all HFT ranges clear as crystal but I do start to lose the reticule at 8 and 45 yards using a 20 yard parallax. This is a bit of a double edge sword for HFT as you have no blurriness to use for accurate range finding. This is tempered by the fact though that the 25mm tube is really low to the bore giving a flatter pellet flight curve which gives me less aim points to remember.
    I used to have all my aim points written down on the flip-covers of my other scopes but now I can remember my aim points quite well with the EFR.

    Once I have worked out my bracketing for whichever magnification I end up sticking with I think this will be the perfect scope for me. I have no problems out to 35 yards for any kill size as it is roughly cross-hairs on. Beyond this range I struggle a little due to having no blurred image for reference, not so much with 40 mm kills but with the 35mm reducers that look oh so similar but need greater accuracy.

    The aim points I use are basically top of kill and cross-hairs on which is good as the reticule is of the fine duplex type. I was wary of using this ret style as I was used to using mil-dots before. But after sussing out the very few aim points for my set-up I can report that I am more than happy with the un-cluttered view.
    The reticule is very fine which I am liking now as is obscures no targets even used at 6 or 7 times magnification which I am now using. I find I loose the ret slightly when against very dark background but this hasn't bothered me as of yet.

    I still haven't shot in anything that resembles wind yet so can't offer anything there but my time will come!

    I used to struggle a lot with the 15mm kills, all the more so when heavily splattered. With this scope I have no trouble now and can clearly make out every detail for all the 15mm kill ranges, even with black on black kill zones. Whereas I would be regularly loosing 4 points a round by plating, I now am dropping more or less all the 15mm kills (prone!) due to seeing the kill-zone far better and because I can use cross hairs bang on for 13-25 yards!

    As of yet I have not noticed any parallax error but will update this review when I have used it a bit more. This is good as I was told that Leupold's can be eye position sensitive, but maybe I am lucky and have my head in the same place every time and don't notice?

    Overall to say I am pleased is an under-statement! I was a bit scared of investing what is a lot of money for a scope, for something I had never looked through (did have offers from people on this BBS to look through one first, thanks). I guess I got lucky and found something suitable to me first time!

    Well that's all for now and if I find any other traits of this little scope I will update this post.

    ATB,

    Steve.

  2. #2
    Join Date
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    Still happy with it as I fancy one myself?
    Member, the Feinwerkbau Sport appreciation Society (over 50's chapter)
    http://www.rivington-riflemen.eu/ Andy, from the North !

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
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    Dorchester
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    If Carlsberg made scopes, this one would come with a TMR Ret.

    Nothing better for HFT (even with a duplex ret) IMO, seriously good.
    Purbeck Field Target Club.

  4. #4
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    Yes still very happy with it and it still sits on my HW97. I haven't had any issues with it so far.
    I even dropped me gun a while back scope down onto hard ground and the thing still works fine!!

    If I could improve on it a bit, maybe I would have one mill-dot below the cross-hair for the 45 yarders. As is I put the top of the thicker lower post bang on at 45 yards and it can obscure the kill a bit but other than that it's fine for me.


    Steve.

  5. #5
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    Does the little Leup still live on your 97 Steve? A lot of HFTers appear to be using the small 36mm Mk 4 Leup complete with mil dots, but this costs over £900. I am still tempted, and wonder if you still remain happy with your own as it sounds ideal for fitting onto my own Venom springer.
    Thanks, Andy
    Member, the Feinwerkbau Sport appreciation Society (over 50's chapter)
    http://www.rivington-riflemen.eu/ Andy, from the North !

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    Upminster Essex
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    My apologies for resurrecting this thread but, at this year's Newark show, I picked up a custom version of this excellent little scope: it has the Leupold target dot reticle plus target turrets. I'm very pleased with its performance.
    Essex Air Ambulance saved my life on 20/08/2010 www.essexairambulance.uk.com

  7. #7
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    Sounds like a good buy, I have one with the standard duplex on my HW100 FSB and highly rate it.

    Tone

  8. #8
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    Mar 2012
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    Northampton
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    I have one on my .22 and find it a great compact scope

  9. #9
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    May 2010
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    Dalkeith
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    Does the smaller objective give you a really deep 'depth of field' in HFT?

    Cam.
    rangetime.tumblr.com

  10. #10
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    Nov 2007
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    Depth of field does seem deeper than scopes with larger objectives and, with parallax set at 20 yards, I find most targets pretty crisp on 8x. I may get another one of these scopes for my new Verminator. I fancy the March 1-10x24 but the price is a bit steep!
    Essex Air Ambulance saved my life on 20/08/2010 www.essexairambulance.uk.com

  11. #11
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    I know this is an old thread, but are you still using the scope? My question re HFT is how do u get on with 8 and 10 yard shots with no aim points? I'm guessing at 8 yards the thick bars would cover the kill zone? Thanks

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    Upminster Essex
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    Mine is non-standard with target dot and I have no problem sighting (only hitting!) close reduced targets. It's going on a springer for this Sunday's shoot as it's been replaced by a Sightron 10x42 on my PCP.
    Essex Air Ambulance saved my life on 20/08/2010 www.essexairambulance.uk.com

  13. #13
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    How do you mean? Target dot? Like a mildot? Is that standard or a special?

  14. #14
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    Mine was a custom special bought at the last Newark show: fine crosshairs with dot in the middle plus target style turrets. I think all the standard scopes have 30/30 reticles. In fact, the target dots seem to be vanishing from the Leupold range.
    Essex Air Ambulance saved my life on 20/08/2010 www.essexairambulance.uk.com

  15. #15
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    Oh, got you. Does it still have the thick posts like the 30/30? Just can't imagin trying to work out where 2-2 1/2 Mildots would be without Mildots?!? It's this 8 yard ones that put me off from having no Mildots.

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