Hey guys and gals,

I am checking to see if I am losing my mind....I went pig hunting with a new rifle and scope combination tonight. I was hunting after dark using only the moon light. The new combination is 280 AI wearing a Leupold VX-3I 4.5-14X40AO with side focus and CDS. It also has a 30 mm tube. For what ever reason the scope didn't seem as bright as my other VX3 and VX2. I turned the power all the way down and it still seemed pretty dark. I have witnessed this same issue with a VX2 4-12X40AO that I have on my .25-06. Has anyone else noticed this and if so can you explain it? I asked the Leupold product technician when I ordered the scope and he told me that the AO had no bearing on light gathering ability. Please let me know if you have seen or noticed this.

Let me add....that I have about 15 Leupold's from 1-4x20 VX1's to VX2's and VX3's. I have had great luck hunting this way with my other Leupy's. I have only had this issue with scopes with AO's. My go to scope is a 2-7X33 VX 2 and I am positive that I would have seen more light with it tonight.

It has adjustable objective and side parallax? Should be one or the other.

That being said had an old varix 3 tactical a few years back that had ao and pretty darn good glass.

Adjustable Objective

or

Side Focus

Not both

Side focus. Does it not accomplish the same task?

They accomplish the same but are different in design. Your post makes it appear as your scope has both which they don't.

I apologize. Lighten up guys...so does anyone have an answer? Or are we all going to stress out about my poor choice of nomenclature?

Answer: Leupold's quality control is inconsistent and unreliable.

The scope will have more light transmission with a 2 power and 33 obj over 4.5 power and 40 obj. Do you usually use 2 power when night hunting?

No need to get offended. There's several guys trying to clear up things for you, so you know. That's all.

And I bet jeffbird is right.

No I am familiar with the exit pupil calculations. I typically run it on about 5x. It was my first night with the new scope and I was curious so I turned the power all the way down to 4.5 and slowly worked it up in power. Just didn't seem quite as bright.

As far as The Leupold bashing goes....they are pretty darn good and I can afford them...barely. I ask a lot of my optics. I run Swarovski Binos but there is no way I could afford a 900.00 scope on every rifle.

I know that feeling well. I've got one scope per two rifles, and keep lots of notes on what is needed moving from rifle A to rifle B. A few medium to high end scopes is what I'd rather have than a whole herd of so-so scopes. Just the way I do it, it's not for everyone.

When did Leupold become a So-So scope? I guess everything is relative...I may invest in one without the side focus or AO to see that is the issue.

No worries. I was just trying to clarify things. A lot of leupy knock offs out there and I was worried if it had both you got one.

I'd have to say it might just be qc or the others you got are exceptional examples. If you have the same scope and one is noticeably better I would contact Leopold. That being said they have fell way behind on scope performance per dollar spent. Lots of equal or better options for similar entry fee.

I believe Leupold still makes excellent scopes. Send the scope to them, the only money you are out is postage.

I have had just the opposite experiences. The newer 3i seem to do better at night for me than the old variX3 scopes which were pretty poor as far as night hunting went.