Working so hard nailing boards on the homestead that you don't have the scope nailed down yet ? I can understand, I live in a ranch, so I am a rancher, all hat and no cattle, but chores are still rough on an Old Lady Ranch, even running only two head, Wife and Mother.
This scope selection thing is another one of those deja vu all over again things. I have been through 127 scopes of 23 different makes/brands but cannot answer specifics except from my small experience. The scope world is vast.
M-8 and gloss black seem to be gone from Leupold, out of style, sadly, Progress ? Obesity is epidemic among scopes.
I would trust no illuminated reticle other than the Trijicon tritium. Glass versus etched reticle: Always have the backup scope along, both scopes in QD mounts for switcheroo.
Adequate eye relief is important: Learn to live with some tunnel vision and shoulder the rifle properly for Weatherby eyebrow prevention.
Smaller ocular bell allows lower mounting with bolt handle clearance to allow basic function.
Smaller objective lens also allows lower mounting and less recoil stress on the biggest piece of glass wanting to extrude the O-ring/rubber gasket in front of it.
If you like the Vortex Crossfire II 1-4x24mm then go for it, and get two of them. I have two of them, always good to have a backup for a .458 WinMag. Any can fail, knock wood.
Of about 40 Leupolds and 20 Nikons, both had same failure rates for me, 5%, 2 Leupolds, 1 Nikon. "It happens" as Forest Gump coined the phrase.
Never had "It" happen to any of these: Leupold 2.5x20mm. My first was as an M-8, gloss black, now an FX-II "Ultralight" matte black on the seventh of those I bought. Leupold 1.5-5x20mm. My first two were VX-III gloss black, third was matte black but still a VX-III. Leupold 2.5-8x36mm VX-III gloss and matte black seven of those too, and last time I looked I could not find one to order. I trust those on .458 WinMags.
Leupold has moved deeply into obesity, high prices, and model names that read like LGBTQ+ alphabet soup.
But I do like the FX-Freedom line, best substitute for the defunct Nikon shotgun and muzzle loader scopes. The Leupold FX-Freedom 3-9x40mm "Muzzle Loader" scope with "Ultimate Slam" reticle, has 4.7" ER on 3X. The Leupold FX-Freedom 1.5-4x20mm with "MOA-Ring" reticle is very nice on a .458 WinMag. I have two of those ready to go as backup for each other.
I have one scope with 50mm objective and 34mm tube that weighs about 2.5 pounds without rings. Rat rifle scope. And there are scopes even more morbidly obese than that out there in the vastness, but none I need.
Ron aka "Rip" for Riflecrank Internationale Permanente NRA Life Benefactor and Beneficiary .458 Winchester Magnum, Magnanimous in Victory THE WALKING DEAD does so remind me of Democrap voters. Donkeypox.
