Two Leupold Questions, CDS, Freedom vs. VX3i

Hi NZHS community,

Firstly, I’m curious about the Leupold CDS system. However, I have also seen articles and reviews saying the CDS system in the Freedom, and VX3i models is questionable, so I thought I would approach the forum of truth for some user feedback.

Secondly, I understand the main difference between the Freedom and VX3i is the lens coatings, with the VX3i having better low light performance. Has anyone compared them side by side? I have been weighing up purchasing a VX3i, but if I can save myself a few bucks if the Freedom stacks up, I’ll consider it against the other contenders.

Cheers in advance.

I haven't used a freedom but a mate got one and he told me he was impressed for the money.
I have a vx3i and had a vx3 before that, while I haven't dialed any real range with the i yet the previous vx3 was totally reliable and repeatable in its dialing....providing you remembered which revolution you were on;) so cant see why the improved version would be worse.
My 2 vx6s both dial fine too.

The VX3i is discontinued and has been replaced by VX3hd so if you buy 3i its left over stock. I recently replaced my VX3i 1.5-5x20 with a VX3HD 2.5-8x36 and absolutely love it. While most the performance gains will be down to size its definitely a sharper picture. The HD also has the the zero lock CDS turret which I haven't had a good play with yet as pointy things a scarce. Sorry no comparison with freedom but can recomend the VX3HD.

The VX-Freedom are a very good scope for money the glass quality at dusk and daylight
is very good. The adjuster on windage and elevation are the let down. Not the glass quality

If you require good low light performance for your type of hunting / eye sight then Leupolds are not the right scope. They are very clear in full daylight but fall over and fail very quickly at dusk with the colour definition washing out.
I would take several scopes for a trial at dusk and compare them until full darkness. Leupold has been the first to fail in the trials I have done. A side by side comparison is the only way to tell

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Moa Hunter

If you require good low light performance for your type of hunting / eye sight then Leupolds are not the right scope. They are very clear in full daylight but fall over and fail very quickly at dusk with the colour definition washing out.
I would take several scopes for a trial at dusk and compare them until full darkness. Leupold has been the first to fail in the trials I have done. A side by side comparison is the only way to tell

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@Moa Hunter next time we catch up I have a small story that sort of corroborates that

I've had nothing but success with the VX3i line of scopes, owned the 3.5-10 and 4.5-14. Both dialled well and have better glass than the freedom.

I've got a Freedom 2x7 on one rifle, Bergara .308, and a VX3 4.5 x 14 on my other, 7x57 Ruger. Impressed with both of them. Used for different hunting situations but both do the job very well. Both value for money in my opinion. Low light? Both worked for me, haven't compared with more expensive options though. I guess it depends on budget and how much use the scopes going to get.

Vx3i are great scopes for the money diall well and lifetime warranty.
Prefer the vx 5hd to the swaro z5 bit its horses for courses.
My z6 leaves them all for dead but i shoot most with the vx3i

Keep an eye out for 2nd hand VX-R patrols, these are no longer offered new by Leupold but were the precursor to the VX6/VX5 models. The patrol models come with firedot reticle and moa exposed turrets w zero stop.

Get a Leupold Mk4 :cool:

Have had both, replaced the Freedom with a VX3i
Better glass, in my opinion
Anyone want to buy a VX Freedom 4-12 ? ��

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Moa Hunter

If you require good low light performance for your type of hunting / eye sight then Leupolds are not the right scope. They are very clear in full daylight but fall over and fail very quickly at dusk with the colour definition washing out.
I would take several scopes for a trial at dusk and compare them until full darkness. Leupold has been the first to fail in the trials I have done. A side by side comparison is the only way to tell

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What were the other brands you were making a comparison with?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Moa Hunter

If you require good low light performance for your type of hunting / eye sight then Leupolds are not the right scope. They are very clear in full daylight but fall over and fail very quickly at dusk with the colour definition washing out.
I would take several scopes for a trial at dusk and compare them until full darkness. Leupold has been the first to fail in the trials I have done. A side by side comparison is the only way to tell

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My experience has been the opposite?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by veitnamcam

My experience has been the opposite?

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Same, they've been great.

flame coming but I feel that for the money the entry level freedom, vx2 and even into the VX3 ranges they are over priced. You are paying for the name and the lifetime warranty.

What power range and lense size are you looking at? Gives us an idea of budget for alternatives.
my go to alternative is out of production now but there are a number of alteratives bands etc.

https://www.chuckhawks.com/scopes_index_reviews.htm

manufactures always bring out new updates but the basics stay, glass, coatings and mechanics.
Z

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ZQLewis

flame coming but I feel that for the money the entry level freedom, vx2 and even into the VX3 ranges they are over priced. You are paying for the name and the lifetime warranty.

What power range and lense size are you looking at? Gives us an idea of budget for alternatives.
my go to alternative is out of production now but there are a number of alteratives bands etc.

https://www.chuckhawks.com/scopes_index_reviews.htm

manufactures always bring out new updates but the basics stay, glass, coatings and mechanics.
Z

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A very important point on price, they are a USA made brand, not coming out of some slave labour sweatshop in Asia.

Any company that exports production to take advantage of somewhere with cheap labour should be taxed back whatever surplus they made from not employing locals.

Was very happy that when my second-hand MK4 got send in for repair they overhauled the internals and illumination, but kept the parts that were fine like turrets and scope body, recycle instead of replacement, much more sustainable buisness model!

Vx3i are said to have better low light performance than previous models.
Saying that they are superseded and I had one new one sitting in the cupboard for sometime.
I just mounted it on a lightweight rifle.

I doubt it will have the low light performance of my European scopes but different glass, coating s and objectives.
In low light there will be very noticeable differences in various models.

I have found the Bushnel scopes are consistently better than Leupolds dollar for dollar in low light. Well worth looking through (at).

I have a VX3i. The shop which must not be named was knocking them out crazy cheap a little while ago. The main criticisms they seem to get is that the FOV is small and the eye relief is limited. Definitely noticed the latter, but as an occasional weekend warrior, I can live with it.

I have a freedom 3-9x40 and a 3i 2.5-8x36, both non-cds but the 3i has a S1 dial added (dial won’t fit the freedom).
I prefer the 3i, nice and compact, the dial works spot on. The freedom looks more budget, but I have no complaints about performance, I’ve even hit steel at 860m first shot by manually dialing what Strelok told me to (23 moa up from memory, so nearly twice around). The freedoms cost a lot more now than what I paid, but most stuff does, if you can get it!

Thanks for all the replies.
Putting a bit more context behind my original post, and in doing so, most likely opening a can of worms.
I have a 22 in my cabinet that is currently unscoped, which I want to remedy and contemplating a scope shuffle. I currently have a Nikkon 3-9, SWFA x10 and Diamondback 4-12, and owned and passed on much older Leupolds in the past.
My rifles are a 270, which has the SWFA fitted (and also considering re-stocking), a 6.5CM has the Diamondback (my current go-to combination as it's a nice lightweight set-up), with two 22's one of which has the Nikkon. My thoughts were to put something new on the 6.5CM, put the Diamondback on the 270, and SWFA on the 22, which is a very accurate rifle and would create a great training platform for my young critter.
I rate the Diamondback glass for the price and also own a pair of Diamondback binos.
Bush hunting is a rarity. Typically shots are between 50m, and I am only confident in taking shots out ~300m. However, I like having more magnification than less, e.g. up to x12 or x14 max.
I like the notion of being able to dial a solution using the CDS function by simply taking a range, rather than having to determine a solution and apply a holdover, which I currently do.
I like the look of the fixed turret 3-12 magnification range that Vixen offers but know little of Vixen. Bushnell offers the same magnification, but it has exposed windage and elevation turrets and is heavy.
I am only interested in objective lens sizes, around 40mm.
I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but the Freedom series look and feel cheap, especially for the price. Ideally, my budget would be around $1k.
I've looked through a lot of scopes during daylight hours outside retailers. However, using this method to compare change of light characteristics becomes problematic, particularly around this time of the year due to retail vs. sunrise and sunset hours.
I've bound to have missed something or not conveyed my rationale fully.
Just considering and weighing up my options.
Again thanks in advance.

P.S. I haven't listed all the options I have been looking at, as otherwise, my previous post would have turned into War and Peace.

Cheers.

@steadwah - check out the VXR patrol just listed for sale on here

Cheers, but am after a 25mm tubed scope, don’t want to have to fork out another set of rings too.

@steadwah I think you would be well served by a vx3hd cds-zl (3.5-10 or 4.5-14)

With all the options out there it’s easy to over think things, but Leupolds are always a safe bet in terms of reliability, glass quality, a good warranty, and decent value for money. I had a vx2 with cds and currently have a vx6 cds-zl and I can’t fault the dialling. I’ve also found Leupold glass at low light to be more than adequate, my vx6 is exceptional and my older vx3 is also very good.

Apart from comparing a bunch of scopes at last light, a good test of a scope’s low light ability is to spot game at dusk with a pair of binos with alpha-level glass, and then see if the animal is still shootable through the scope. The vx6 has no problem in this department, and the vx3 is pretty good too

as someone else noted have a look at the Vixen line of scope. Japanese made by a telescope company. When Nikon stopped manufacturing scopes I got a cheap Vixen V1 series 4-16x44 for my son's 223. About the price of a Freedom but feels much better. They also have a V11 and V111 series but they are heading over the $1000 mark.
NB I have 2 Nikon Monarch 3's, Burris Euro Diamond, Vixen V1 and a 1980's Nikko Sterling so I'm guess I'm not a high end scope connoisseur.
Z

I've got a VX3 1.5-5x20 on a .308 and a Freedom 1.5-4x20 on a .22WMR. The VX3 certainly has better image definition, not only in low light, but overall IMO.