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Pros - Super-fast focusing under any conditions - Blackened lens edges reduce glare and diffusion through the lens edges - Great eyebox and eye relief Cons - No illuminated reticle - No side parallax adjustment - No zero reset on windage and elevation controls

Good day, and welcome to my review of the Leupold VX–2 3–9x40mm Riflescope. Leupold makes some of the finest scopes available, so I was anxious to take the VX–2 lineup for a spin to see how well it performed in the field. As you’ll quickly read, I am very happy with this series, although it does have a few drawbacks. Let’s see how well the VX–2 3–9x40mm scope fares under my scrutiny.

What Are the Scope’s Dimensions?

The VX–2 I picked up has a 40mm objective lens, which is nearly perfect for most hunting conditions. The scope measures 12.6 inches long, and weighs in at just 11.2 ounces. The objective lens is a total of 1.8 inches in diameter, allowing it to fit easily on almost any rifle with the right set of rings.

Eye relief on this model is quite generous and forgiving, ranging from 3.7 inches to 4.2 inches.

How Much Power Does The Scope Pack?

Advertised as a 3X to 9X scope, you’ll get an actual magnification here of 3.2X to 8.8X. The image quality is outstanding, with plenty of contrast, clarity, and crispness throughout the entire range of magnification. The scope includes a tactile power selector that makes it a beautiful thing to precisely zoom in on your target without having to look at the dial.

How is the Optics Quality on the Riflescope?

You’ll love the index matched lens coatings, since every layer is perfectly configured to precise paramaters based on the individual characteristics of the lens glass. The optics are fully multicoated, giving you outstanding light transmission.

The scope’s reticle is a standard duplex configuration, without any ballistic compensation markers. The lens edges are blackened, a very nice feature that reduces unwanted glare and light diffusion. It might seem like a minor thing, but the difference is actually pretty huge.

Focus is fast and easy, with an externally threaded fast focus eyepiece. There’s no focus lock, unfortunately, and no side parallax controls. I especially wish the scope had parallax adjustment, but that’s not something Leupold thought was important for this scope.

What’s the Light Gathering Capability Like on the Scope?

Since the scope has a large 40mm objective lens and fully multicoated optics, the transmittance here is fantastic. I was able to nail an eight-point buck in the minutes just after dawn one day, and the brightness was surprising. I wish the reticle was illuminated, but you don’t fully need that luxury with this scope.

How Wide is the Field of View?

Some scopes suffer from a rather limited field of view, but that’s not the case with this model. You’ll be able to see from 14.6 to 34.6 feet of terrain at 100 yards, depending on how far in you zoom to find your target.

How Easy is the Scope to Mount?

With the right set of rings, mounting the VX–2 scope is quick and easy. Unfortunately, you don’t get a set of rings with your purchase, so make sure you get a pair. With most rifles, standard rings will work perfectly, although the 40mm objective lens does require a set of medium scope rings for some applications.

Any Tricks or Tips About Mounting the Scope?

Nothing unusual to report here, friends and neighbors. Just make sure you get the correct set of rings, and set the scope as far forward as you can while still allowing for a full view through the eyebox.

How Easy is the Leupold Rifleman 3–9x50mm Riflescope to Sight In?

Now that you’ve got your scope mounted, it’s about time to sighting it in. This is a simple prospect, since Leupold has engineered this scope with finger-turn elevation and windage controls that change your spot of impact by 1/4 MOA with every click. I always recommend starting off with a laser bore-sighting tool, since that cuts down on the time and ammunition needed to finish the process.

Once sighted in, the scope holds zero like a dream. I just wish there were zero reset controls on the windage and elevation adjustment dials, but sometimes you just can’t have everything.

How Durable is the Scope?

In most cases, a scope is made waterproof and fogproof by sealing the lenses with O-rings and making sure the optics chamber is nitrogen-purged. With the VX–2, Leupold has taken this process a step even further, refining it to use argon and krypton gases instead of nitrogen. This nearly eliminates the effects of thermal shock, and you also benefit from less diffusion of gases sealed inside the scope, since the argon and krypton molecules are significantly larger than nitrogen molecules.

Of course, all of that weatherproofing is for naught if the scope’s body isn’t durable. Fortunately, the VX–2 is constructed from 6061-T6 aircraft-quality aluminum, so you don’t have to worry about that. Finally, the scope is protected by Leupold’s Golden Ring lifetime warranty.