Leupold VX3i tracking

[El Jason]

This is preliminary data only, not gospel.

Rifle: Remington M700 Mountain Rifle
Caliber: 280 Remington
Bullets: 136 grain Hammer handloads
Weather: 34, sunny, light breeze
Scope: VX3i 4.5-14x40mm with CDS, Talley LW rings

Shot off a bench with front and rear sandbags. I do NOT have a bubble level on this rifle.

The holes with charge numbers were from load testing with a different rifle.

 

[theddguide]

Appears to be working.

 

[Fire_9]

Appears to be working.

Appears to be working based on what?

@JLS have you taken measurements on the groups from zero?

 

[El Jason]

Appears to be working based on what?

@JLS have you taken measurements on the groups from zero?

Other than measuring with my Sharpie, no. Based on well calibrated black Sharpie (not one used in the elections), I'm pretty close to 6MOA between shot groups. Like I said, this was very preliminary and it was more to get a baseline for expectations with this scope. A few thoughts:

1) This isn't a bench gun, so in order to achieve separation at 100 yards I went big in the adjustments.
2) Groups of two doesn't tell you shit in a statistical sense
3) This was meant to look at trends

When I get time, I'll stretch it out to 3-400 yards. When I do so, I'll use 5 shot groups so I can more accurately measure center to center on these. At this point, I'll sacrifice a sharpie for a tape measure. At this time, I'll also shoot a 100 yard target, spin out to 400 or so, shoot a group, then spin back to 100 and check the return to zero. I did this today using the scientific method of one shot.

 

[Fire_9]

You’re going to do a tracking test at 3-400 yards?

 

[El Jason]

You’re going to do a tracking test at 3-400 yards?

That was my plan.

 

[Fire_9]

That was my plan.

If that is going to give you a warm fuzzy feeling, go for it but I think it’s going to be a waste of components. You are going to stack variable on top of variable on top of variable at that distance. You’d be better off to shoot it at 50 yards than 300. If you want to do a true tracking test, you need to clamp your rifle or scope down and just measure your adjustments without shooting. You the shooter are the biggest variable in your test

 

[BAKPAKR]

Your two shot groups look consistently tight. I am impressed, and elk are in trouble.

 

[Doublecluck]

Pretty sure my vx3ilrp on my 28 went to crap this past weekend. Tracked perfect for the last two years since I built the gun. went out to the range, dialed her up to 56, put 5 on one of the 1k IPSC targets, dialed her to 98, took a few shots at the 1400 gong, back to 56 and I was a minute high. Went back to zero and then back to 56 and was completely over the target, probably 2 moa high. Pulled it off, all my base,ring,action screws were still tight. Remounted it and gonna double check tomorrow. But if it’s bad it will be the second one I personally know of that had tracking issues. Other one was mounted on a 6.5x284 a buddy of mine had and started having tracking issues after a thousand rounds or so, same deal after dialing a couple full revolutions and then it just went wacky. Hopefully it turns out to not be screwed up as I got a couple other guns with that scope and switched to Leupold after I got tired of sending vortex scopes back for tracking issues. Never had a tracking issue with nightforce.. ever..

 

[mtmuley]

Never had a tracking issue with nightforce.. ever..

Then never buy anything other than NF, ever. mtmuley

 

[Dougfirtree]

Pretty sure my vx3ilrp on my 28 went to crap this past weekend. Tracked perfect for the last two years since I built the gun. went out to the range, dialed her up to 56, put 5 on one of the 1k IPSC targets, dialed her to 98, took a few shots at the 1400 gong, back to 56 and I was a minute high. Went back to zero and then back to 56 and was completely over the target, probably 2 moa high. Pulled it off, all my base,ring,action screws were still tight. Remounted it and gonna double check tomorrow. But if it’s bad it will be the second one I personally know of that had tracking issues. Other one was mounted on a 6.5x284 a buddy of mine had and started having tracking issues after a thousand rounds or so, same deal after dialing a couple full revolutions and then it just went wacky. Hopefully it turns out to not be screwed up as I got a couple other guns with that scope and switched to Leupold after I got tired of sending vortex scopes back for tracking issues. Never had a tracking issue with nightforce.. ever..

Yeah, I think that's what you pay $3000.00 for.

JLS, I think the scope performed pretty darn well. I've done the same test with my VX-3 and it was pretty good, but not as good as yours.

 

[Doublecluck]

Then never buy anything other than NF, ever. mtmuley

Maybe, uncle talked me in to the line after he read the “reviews”. Honestly I was impressed with them so far.I’ve been happy so far. I have others that I don’t dial much and they are great. But if this one turns out bad I’ll tell ya what, I sell you or anyone on this forum a vx3ilrp 6.5x20, a 8.5x25 as well as the 8.5x25 they warranty for a great price.

 

[Doublecluck]

Yeah, I think that's what you pay $3000.00 for.

JLS, I think the scope performed pretty darn well. I've done the same test with my VX-3 and it was pretty good, but not as good as yours.

I wasn’t trying to hijack the thread in to a x vs x brand, just stating a recent personal experience from this past weekend with one of these scopes on the subject of tracking.

And just a FYI, NF makes a 1k,2k, and 3k+ line and they all track in my experience. I really want to be a loyal Leupold customer, I would rather give my money to them, I’ve gone back to them over the years, first with the mark4, now with the vx3ilrp line.. But I want 100% confidence when I spin the dial my bullets gonna hit where it should.

I apologize, carry on...

 

[noharleyyet]

I wasn’t trying to hijack the thread in to a x vs x brand, just stating a recent personal experience from this past weekend with one of these scopes on the subject of tracking.

And just a FYI, NF makes a 1k,2k, and 3k+ line and they all track in my experience. I really want to be a loyal Leupold customer, I would rather give my money to them, I’ve gone back to them over the years, first with the mark4, now with the vx3ilrp line.. But I want 100% confidence when I spin the dial my bullets gonna hit where it should.

I apologize, carry on...

Good post and I totally get what you’re saying. I don’t shoot those distances, don’t even have a place to, but if I did I would use the best tool for the job.

 

[ida homer]

Looks good to me.

I need to quit screwing around with my $450 vortex’s and get serious with a true alpha. Have sent 2 vortex’s back for tracking issues.

 

[theddguide]

Appears to be working based on what?

@JLS have you taken measurements on the groups from zero?

His picture..?? Clearly shows that it tracked one direction and back the other in what appears to be equal amounts.

 

[theddguide]

I've found that using a bore sighter with the grid you can physically look through the scope and while twisting turrets, count clicks and verify how much the crosshairs move in relation to the lines on the grid. I do it every now and then and it proves the scope is working or not working properly.

 

[El Jason]

If that is going to give you a warm fuzzy feeling, go for it but I think it’s going to be a waste of components.

Thanks.

 

[El Jason]

@Doublecluck i hope you get it figured out. That’s a bummer. It’ll take me a long time to run a thousand rounds through this gun.

 

[Dougfirtree]

I wasn’t trying to hijack the thread in to a x vs x brand, just stating a recent personal experience from this past weekend with one of these scopes on the subject of tracking.

And just a FYI, NF makes a 1k,2k, and 3k+ line and they all track in my experience. I really want to be a loyal Leupold customer, I would rather give my money to them, I’ve gone back to them over the years, first with the mark4, now with the vx3ilrp line.. But I want 100% confidence when I spin the dial my bullets gonna hit where it should.

I apologize, carry on...

I wasn't bothered at all, or trying to chastise you. Just pointing out that Night Force has made a name for themselves by creating heavy, bomb-proof scopes that track exceptionally well and cost a small fortune. Their focus has been longrange competition and tactical applications.
Most Leupolds have been designed to be lightweight hunting scopes that work well and are affordable to a large group of hunters. A VX 3i is an apple and a NF is an orange.