Best Leupold scope for long range.
For the best Long-range shooting experience, you are going to need a capable rifle, matching ammo, and a decent riflescope. Long-range rifle scopes aren’t cheap and investing in one requires you to make the best selection.
Leupold long-range scopes are here to help you shoot long-range. With Leupold brand manufacturing multiple long-range scopes, each ranging differently in specs, features, and price, choosing the best one turns out to be challenging. If you find yourself unhinged, you are in the right place.
In this guide, we have everything you need to know about the best Leupold scope for long range. Read On!
Best Leupold Scope for Long Range – Our Top Picks
1) Leupold VX-3i 3.5-10x40mm
Check Price on Opticsplanet
This Leupold VX-3i 3.5-10 is a high-quality scope suitable for both long-range and short-range shooting. It has a versatile magnification and its SFP reticle is very useful at all magnifications. Its lenses are scratch proof offering the greatest level of abrasion resistance and are fully coated to enhance light transmission. Its Twilight Light Management system provides the best brightness and image clarity by balancing transmission of light, reduction of glare and image contrast. This scope is made with 6061-T6 aircraft grade aluminum which makes it very durable and when it comes to weather reliability, it is argon purged for total waterproof properties and nitrogen sealed to avoid moisture damage, fogging as well as clouding. Its long and generous eye relief offers protection against high recoil rifles and it also features ¼ MOA tactical style turrets that are pretty large for simple windage and elevation. Durability, exceptional light transmission, and weatherproof performance are some of the aspects that make the VX-3i scope one of the best Leupold scopes for long range shooting and hunting. Features
|
Leupold VX-3i 3.5-10x50mm Riflescope
Check Price on Opticsplanet
Expect relentless performance from this Leupold scope that continues to be one of the most popular models for long-range hunting and tactical shooting It features an extremely versatile magnification range whose performance is outstanding even under low light conditions. It has an incredibly tough and lightweight design which makes hunting simpler while the Twilight Max Light Management system enables you to see fine details other scopes can’t see under similar light situations. This scope is completely waterproof and fog proof and it is crafted with 6061-T6 aircraft grade aluminum which enhances its durability and ensures a lifetime performance even under the harshest recoil possible. Its lenses are coated for better light transmission to provide you with a bright and clear target image. Lenses are also coated to offer the greatest level of abrasion resistance. It also has a long and consistent eye relief. Features
|
Leupold Mark 5HD 5-25x56mm Riflescope
Check Price on Opticsplanet
This Leupold scope is designed to max out the performance of the best long-range rifles and ammo. It weighs up to 20 ounces less than other scopes and its superior edge-to-edge clarity makes it outshine the rest. This lightweight design and construction disperse recoil energy for great performance and unrivaled durability. It has a versatile magnification that ranges between 5-25x making it one of the best long-range. When it comes to weather reliability, this scope is completely waterproof and fog proof and its extreme military grade scratch-proof lenses ensure added protection against the greatest levels of abrasion. Its generous and consistent eye relief also offers eyebrow protection from high-recoil rifles. Its Twilight Max Light Management system adds up to at least 30 minutes of shooting light and offers the best glare reduction even under broad daylight. The low-profile M5C3 zero lock adjustments provide visual and tactile revolution indicators that ensure that you don’t get lost in the travel. Features
|
Leupold VX-5HD 2-10x42mm Riflescope
Check Price on Opticsplanet
No matter where you take this riflescope, rest assured that it is capable of providing you with great performance. It features an extremely versatile magnification that provides you with a wide field of view, while still allowing for clear and accurate long-range shots. An illuminated reticle makes this scope suitable for lowlight shooting conditions while a motion sensor technology deactivates automatically after every 5 minutes of inactivity. A guard ion hydrophobic lens coating makes the lens extremely durable, scratch and dirt-proof. This lens coating also enhances light transmission to provide the user with bright and crisp clear target images. The scope is also fully waterproof and fog proof with a Twilight Max Light Management system that adds up to at least 30 minutes of shooting light and offers the best glare reduction even under broad daylight. It also features a Pop-Up resettable zero windage adjustment and free CDS-ZeroLock2 elevation dial that simplifies longer shots by doing away with the need for holdover or ballistic calculations. Features
|
Leupold VX-3i LRP 4.5-14x50mm Side Focus Riflescope
Check Price on Opticsplanet
This long-range precision (LRP) rifle scope has a versatile 4.5-14x magnification and a large 50mm objective lens that gathers optimum light needed in the scope. It is purpose-crafted with match-grade accuracy and repeatability. It features a throw level that allows for near-instant magnification changes and a front focal plane reticle that magnifies along with the image. Its ultra-lightweight design and construction disperse high recoil to provide great performance and enhance its durability. Its long and consistent eye relief will also save your eyebrow from heavy recoil rifles. This scope is crafted from 6061-T6 aircraft grade aluminum which enhances its durability and its lenses are coated to provide military standard scratch resistance. When it comes to weather reliability, this scope is completely waterproof and fog proof. Features
|
See Also
- 5 Best Leupold Scopes for Remington 700
- 6 Best Leupold Scopes for 223
- 5 Best Leupold Scopes for Air Rifles
- Best Leupold Scope for 22-250 Varmint and Small Game Hunting
Criteria for Choosing the Best Leupold Scope for Long Range
All Leupold scopes are designed to withstand the harshest impacts. However, when choosing the best Leupold scope for long range, it is important to put into consideration these factors that should help you make the best selection.
Magnification Power
Many riflescope users focus on this more than anything else and many believe that the power the magnification the better. This is partially true however, it depends on your situation and overall shooting goals. To determine how much magnification you will require, consider your normal shooting range and the size of your targets. The farther your target is the smaller it will be and the more magnification you will require.
In general, a magnification power of at least 10x is used for long-range shooting. In competition shooting 20x+ power is usually used. You may be tempted to use the highest magnification scopes. Remember that the higher the magnification, the costlier the scope will be. Scopes with higher magnification are also heavier than those with smaller magnification power. If you never shoot beyond 400 yards and your targets are not too small, a scope with a magnification power of more than 15x will be good.
Lens Coating
Riflescopes optics are prone to image distortions caused by glare and mirages. To assist reduce a majority of these effects, Leupold scopes feature multi-coated lenses. Nevertheless, the cost of the lens also increases along with these coatings and it is wise to consider your overall budget and the intended use of the scope before going for the fully multi-coated lens. Leupold scopes also feature military-grade scratch-proof lenses that ensure additional protection against the greatest levels of abrasion. Some also feature a guard ion hydrophobic lens coating that makes the lens extremely durable, scratch and dirt proof.
Objective Lens Size
The size of the objective lens in any riflescope is important because it gathers light which creates the image you see when you look through it. The larger the objective lens, the more light it collects, which makes it useful in dimly lit conditions. Nevertheless, you should never select an objective lens that is too big. Even if it gives you a better view, it might negatively affect your shooting performance by altering the balance point of your rifle and adding unnecessary weight.
This large diameter also means that you will need to use a higher scope mount. When you begin using high rings, or high single-piece mounts you start reducing the overall precision of your rifle by mounting the optic higher than the barrel. The general rule of the mounting height is the closest to the barrel the better. The optimum objective lenses size should range between 42mm-50mm.
Reticle
Reticle choice is also very crucial when it comes to long-range shooting. There are tons of specialty reticles out there that work well, however, all you require is a reticle with hash marks or single dots spread vertically and horizontally. These could be MIL or MOA measurements which should be separated evenly. These reticles allow the use of handovers for both windage and elevation. It is also important to go for a front focal plane reticle that magnifies along with the image.
Scope’s Body
This goes a bit into the durability aspect of firearms but can affect the optics precision. The best Leupold scopes are crafted from high-quality aircraft-grade aluminum which enhances its durability and ensures great performance. The scope body should be a single-piece design because single-piece bodies are the standard on many long-range scopes. This means that the actual scope tube should be made from a single piece of aluminum. This helps in overall durability and in the optics overall precision.
Adjustment Ranges
The ability to adjust your turrets on the fly is one that is invaluable. This has more to do with elevation adjustments rather than windage, but turrets regularly adjust equally for both windage and elevation. Long-range shooting may demand some serious elevation adjustments. Most long-range Leupold scopes feature ¼ MOA finger click adjustments for windage and elevation which provide perfect repeatability and dependability over many years of use.
Advantages of Long-Range Leupold Scopes
- Enhanced shooting accuracy.
- Better scoreboard.
- Quality scopes that are very durable.
- Wide magnification range suitable for both short and long-range hunting.
- All-Weather reliability. These scopes are O-ring sealed and nitrogen purged to make them fully waterproof and fog proof.
Related
- 6 Best Leupold Scopes for Deer Hunting
- 5 Best Leupold Scopes for Hunting
- 6 Best Leupold Scopes for Elk Hunting
FFP Reticle vs SFP Reticle
The type of reticle is an important consideration, particularly when dealing with long-range shooting. Scopes are designed with reticles either on the first focal plane or the second focal plane. The main difference between the two types is that on SFP, the reticle does change size as the magnification is changed. However, with FFP, the reticle changes size as you switch through different magnification powers.
Most hunters who engage in long-range shooting have been using SFP reticles for generations. Until the recent past, scopes with FFP reticles have garnered momentum and entered the long-range shooting category. Since the FFP reticle grows larger as the magnification is increased, its downside is that at low power, it is hard to see. For serious hunters, the low power setting is as important as the high-power setting.
When it comes to choosing a long-range scope, the choice is more of a personal preference. Your style of shooting and where you shoot are key determinants of the type of reticle that will cater to your needs.
A hunter who shoots in a field with trees and uses a dial-up for holdover estimations needs SFP scope. On the other hand, if you shoot in open fields and you prefer to use holdover marks on the etched reticle, then a good suit will be an FFP scope.
MIL vs MOA
Long-range scopes incorporate advanced reticle patterns for increased shooting accuracy. Two systems are used by scope makers when designing reticles and turrets; mils and MOA. Mils represents milliradians which is a measurement of an angle within a circle. In Mil scope, you see series of dots on both the vertical and horizontal crosshairs.
MOA on the other hand means the minute of an angle which is also a measurement of an angle within a circle. The two measurements differ in that mil is larger than MOA. In an MOA scope. Crosshairs are seen along with the lines on the vertical and horizontal axis.
Now beg the question, which is better? An honest answer is neither or both. It boils down to personal preference. If you aren’t sure of which to go with, it’s good to test both. We aren’t saying you buy two scopes as there are ways to test them such as joining a local shooting club or taking lessons from a certified instructor.
Fixed or Variable Power
Long-range scopes can either have fixed magnification settings or variable power. A long-range scope only has one magnification setting but a long-range scope allows zooming through different levels. Like with the reticle designs, deciding whether to choose a fixed scope or variable scope is a personal preference.
The type of power affects the price of a scope. You can find a long-range scope with fixed power at a reasonable price tag. On the other hand, powerful scopes with variable power are more expensive. We highly recommend variable power because of the versatility it accord hunters.
What Kind of Magnification is Best for Long-Range Shooting?
The magnification power that you should choose depends greatly on the shooting activity you will be engaging in. Shooting still targets at a long distance is done best with a high magnification power.
Which is the Best, Fixed or Variable Scope?
This depends on a person’s taste and preference. If the shooting activity you intend to engage in involves shooting at a constant distance all the time, a fixed zoom scope will be ideal. On the other hand, if you are going to be shooting at different distances, a variable zoom scope will be better. Fixed zoom scope is ideal for shooting long-range which most high-end riflescopes do
Conclusion
Long-range Leupold scopes look and feel great. However, there is no Leupold scope, no matter how perfect it is designed and built that will suit all customers’ needs. Therefore depending on particular specifications, you need in a riflescope, the multiple Leupold scopes reviewed above will have you sorted. It’s our hope that this review helps you find the best long-range scope for your next shooting adventure.