Thread: Mid range scope

OK, here's one that I've got, a model which you see for sale second hand from time to time. It's the smallest lightest scope with parallax.

Vx3i 4.5-14x40 30mm tube Side Focus
Footprint and weight are identical to the VX3i 3.5-10x40 at 320mm (12 1/2 ")

Weight is its best point at 428g compared to the VX5 at 544 and Z5 at 450g. It's a lot shorter than the Z5 and has no plastic parts.
Mechanical
Ruggedness = VX3 (adequate) but perhaps not up to "hammering nails".
Adjustment during sighting in was spot on. I haven't done a formal dial/redial test yet.
Clicks are a bit soft compared to a S&B and the exposed dials can move while carrying, which is its worst feature.
Field of view is adequate but as you'd expect with this power range and objective, not the best on the market.
Eyebox and exit pupil, consequently, are a bit finicky so you do need to get your stock setup just right and practice. The 3.5-10x would be easier to use.
Leupold offer good customisation options if you want to pay the money and I got 1cm clicks and the heavy duplex reticle, both of which I really like. Those did bring the price up close to an off the shelf VX5 but now it's just the way I want it, which can be hard to achieve with other brands.
Glass is good. Light transmission is good enough and I can do dry fire practice at night using a candle to light the target. Resolution in daylight is as good as my fairly average right eye needs. At low power in the bush the image has good "pop" as they say.
Top mag at 14x is good, better than the 3.5-10 for fine shooting at longer range. The low end 4.5x sounds high but actually is just fine for snap shots. Back in the day we used fixed 4x and it was never too much then. It's only second focal plane, but then this is a mid range price/quality scope not a high end tactical model and you just have to accept you'll have to dial, not use reticle holdover.
The parallax focuses up nice and close and, for me, it can be made perfectly sharp at 14x at 20m
Accuracy is adequate and I can shoot MOA 5 shot groups at 100m. I haven't done extensive testing whether it hold zero, but I'm sure it does.

So, if you really want the smallest lightest dialable focusable scope and are prepared to compromise a little on other aspects, I think this is the best.