Death of the 3-9 scope

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Funny how things change. I do have a couple of high power scopes that I'll keep. But as I grow older, my preferences are changing back to simpler is better. No fancy reticles, no side focus for range.....less is more kind of thing.

I like the 3-9 range option, although I prefer 4-12. I've always resisted paying for a Swarovski. While I think they make a great scope, from what I've seen they can break just like any other. But no doubt, the glass is superb.

Then I got an email this week from Europtic, and this evening I ordered their 3-10x42. It was $150 off at $729. The true 3-9x36 was priced at $699. So for $30 I get a bigger objective and 1X more zoom. This will be my first Swarovski ever. I don't think I did too bad for the price paid.

 

[CBH Australia]

@woods0824
Are your Leupold Vx3 or Vx3i ?

I am asking as the Vx3i are supposed to be better than their predecessor on the low light capability.

I also want to look at comparison of the Vx3i against Swarovski Z3

I have a NIB Leupold Vx3i , ballistic. Turrets that was a impulse buy. I did not require the turret version and I do not own a Swarovski, but I would like to!

I also want to set up a lightweight rifle at some stage to accomodate the Leupold or sell it to go toward a Swarovski. Weight wise they are close and and the respective smaller models are barely lighter. I’m not trying to counting fractions of an ounce if I get a carbon fibre stock that is the most significant weight save . I’m not building a ultralight weight just trying to get a fair bit lighter than an average sporter, if I do it.

Can anyone give tell me mech about the Swarovski z3 vs the Leupold Vx3i ? Weights, experience, reliability, low light performance. Your own findings if you have used them anywhere.

I am mostly interested in the 3-9x40 or 2.5-8x36 or comparable in these scopes or possibly others.

 

[woods0824]

Are your Leupold Vx3 or Vx3i ?

VX3
No experience with the VX3i.

 

[Standard Velocity]

This chart is a little dated but still has good info.

I have owned Vari-x through VX-3i. The difference between the VX-3 and VX-3i is negligible if anything at all from what I could tell. The oldest Leupold that I believe to still be worth purchasing is a Vari-x III in good shape. Some guys are still asking a lot of money for them though.

None of these are as good as the VX5 though. But as I’ve said, the VX3(i) is good enough for me. YMMV

 

[Doug Hamilton]

I received an email promotion this morning for a sale on 3-9 scopes specifically. Scrolling through the models available from all the different manufacturers I realized that not only were all of the scopes listed from disposable brands or entry level models, but I haven’t seen any high end 3-9 scopes in a very long time.

I understand the pros to having a 6x zoom ratio and a 2-12 scope but, for me personally, there are more pros to the simple 3-9.

They are lightweight, provide adequate magnification for 10-300 yards on game and are simple mechanisms. My preference has shifted towards the 2-7 range but still the same idea.

It looks like the most popular scope configuration during most of my hunting experience has been relegated to receiving minimal attention from manufacturers.

Anyone else see any merit to this old configuration or am I just receding further into curmudgeondom?

After 40 years of some pretty hard use, my old 3-9 Burris scope was looking pretty bunged up. So after removing it from my Model 700, 7mm RM. I thought about what to put on it. Having taken deer from about 35 yards on 3 power, to over 400 on 9 power, I couldn't think of any reason to change the magnification. I put a new 3-9 Leupold on the rifle. That power range ain't broke and I ain't fixing it.

 

[CBH Australia]

I found a comparison relevant to my question.

https://stock.nioa.com.au/uploads/attachments/Leupold-vs-Swarovski-Review-Aus-Shooter.pdf

I believe in the image the Swarovski appears brighter. It’s a photo but all things being equal if they were taken at the same time one is a brighter image. The author does note the Swarovski is double the price.
I think Leupold have increased a bit with Leupold listed between 400-500 cheaper than Swarovski but that’s not half s Swarovski re listed t $1290 Nd I don’t think retailers are able to list them otherwise.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

Please remember that your rifle barrel should be pointed in a safe direction at all times. You only point your rifle at an animal when you are ready to shoot. Using your scope to judge animals is not a safe way to handle your rifle. Let's be careful out there.

I don't really care if someone is using a scope to judge a legal game animal if he knows what he's looking at, but he should not be using a scope to search for game, or worse checking out movement or sound in timber or brush. On public land, my buddy and I have both been "scoped" by people using their aiming optics instead of binoculars. Once I went to a gun show and saw a guy selling optics. He had a guy there and was trying to convince him that he should buy an over-sized scope so that he wouldn't have to carry binoculars to "check things out." It was rude, but I couldn't help myself. I interrupted the salesman, and told the buyer that using a scope for anything other than aiming at something he was going to shoot was dangerous and stupid. To make my point, I added that if I saw him aiming his rifle at me he could expect to see an incoming round. I then told the salesman that if he didn't know better than that, he should find a different line of work.