Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Leupold adjustments - really four to the inch? Is that, well, "optomisti

Since posting about my difficulties concerning my dissapointment with the out-of-the-box accuracy of my new Remington Ti, I'm suprised at how many Leupold owners who have told me their stated "1/4 inch at one hundred yard" isn't really the case when they've tested them, themselves.

Many have told me Leupold's estimates are, shall we say, "optomistic".

I think my new UltraLight 3 X 9 is a great scope. But in shooting it - the adjustments really do appear to be closer to 1/2 an inch at one hundred yards than they are to 1/4 of an inch at one hundred.

How does my own single "Leupold experience" compare with the rest of shooters out there who own or have more experience with Leupold scopes than I do - with my one example of their product.

Thanks,

G'day Brian,
Interesting question.Some thing that I find hard to come to grips with ,is that most rifles are not capable of consistant accuracy to check this.Unless you really do have a rifle that will shoot .250 inch groups or smaller and you have the facaliities and ability to make it shoot like that,group after group how will anyone ever know?????
Regards,
Charlie

{I have had over 40 Leupolds}

I DO see your point Charlie.

But if I may ask, if you go out and crank most of your Leupolds 40 clicks left - will your group average 10 inches to the left?

That is the case with my other scopes.

That is NOT the case with my new Leupold.

Brian - my scope experience is nothing compared to many who post, but I have been around a number of different makes, both my own and those of friends. It seems to me that the adjustments really have little to do with any established system of measurement being instead just a set of reference numbers pertinent only to that scope. As such, the user must learn through trial and error exactly what one click does with that particular instrument. Many is the time that we have made the "proper" number of clicks to bring the crosshairs to center from say, three inches right only to have the next shots group three inches left instead of at center. Best, John

FWIW:

My VX-III 2.5-8 does not match exactly 1/4 MOA clicks. It does seem to "over-correct."

BMT

Every and I mean Every Leupold I've ever had "overcorrects" to use BMT's phrase... probably had twenty or so. You learn to deal with it. A competitve shooter on the US Olympic team told me the current Weaver's Micro Trac has the best, most repeatable turret system he'd ever used... go figure.

Twenty years ago and more when sillywetting was sweeping the country, the Weaver T-10 and IIRC the T-15 were THE scopes to have simply because of the highly repeatable adjustments.

I've noted this on a few Leupolds, but have to say that I have an M8 12X with target turrets that tracks well. At least I used it on a Hunter's Pistol silhouette gun (see, I do know how to spell silhouette) which was constantly being adjusted from 40 to 100 yards and back, and the bullets kept going where they were supposed to.

Quick question from a new guy:

Is each little adjustment mark on the scope considered 'one click'?

I have a leupold M8 6X40 (or 42, whatever)

Not necessarily. "Clicks" are caused by a detent arrangement built into the adjustment mechanism that lets you feel (and sometimes hear) distinct "steps" or "stops" as you turn the adjustment dial. Much like the digital tuner on a modern car radio, only much finer.

The graduations on the dial often correspond with the clicks, but in many instances they will represent larger units. Thus, the scope might have "quarter-minute" clicks, with the graduations denoting full minutes of angle. With that arrangement, there would be four clicks for each graduation.

my new VX3 3.5X10 is closer to 3/8" clicks at 100 yds. then the advertized 1/4" clicks.

I have an older VX2 that I sent in and had target turrets installed on by Leupold and it is a true 1/4" click at 100 yds. and returns to zero perfectly.

2Seventy

Yesterday I shot my 4.5-14x40 LR Leupold scoped 223AI to verify the POI for a new load. This rifle shoots loads it likes under a 1/2" very easily at 100 yards as it should for the money put in it. I say that just to verify that even minor shifts in POI are easily decernable.
The previous load(40 gr. NBT's) was sited in 3/4" high at 100 yards. The new load(40 gr. Combined Technologies BT's or NBT's with moly and necesary powder to bring them up to speed) printed dead on for height but 1/2" left needing 1/2" adjustment right and and 3/4" up.
I dialed in the necesary dope all at once, gave the butt of the stock a couple whacks with the palm of my hand in case there is anything to adjustments taking a shot to settle in, and proceeded to shoot a very tiny cluster dead center, 3/4" high.
Back to whacking vermin.

Are you guys for real? The adjustments of a scope are stated for the movement of the aiming point of the reticle not the point of impact. This is particularly true for vertical movements (just the difference in possible loads should give you a clue about that, ie: a 405 grain .458" bullet at 1100 fps vs. a 55 grain .224" inch bullet at 4100 fps). The question is not "if you go out and crank most of your Leupolds 40 clicks left - will your group average 10 inches to the left?" but should be "if you go out and crank most of your Leupolds 40 clicks left - will the reticle center be 10 inches to the left from where it was previously?"

Thanks for pointing out that the reticle is being moved to the POI and not the otherway around Jackfish. Now if only I can find my clip for CZ 452(grin)

Darn it Jackfish . . .

KNock it off . . . .

We wwuz havin' us a good time complainin' 'bout nuthin.'

BMT

jackfish is all wet. Given the fact your scope truly has 1/4" clicks, if you crank it 40 clicks to the left your crosshairs will move 10" to the right from where they were causing your point of impact to go left 10". At 100 yards the adjustments whether verticle or horizontal will be consistant. It does not matter what caliber or velocity of your load is as long as the load velocity is fairly consistant shot to shot.

BCB

I've had more Leupolds than Remingtons...if that's possible and I've had very few Leupolds that actually would calibrate at exactly 1/4" per click. As they say, your mileage may vary...but they are usually pretty close to that.

I think JF is right-on.

WN

I have several Leupold scopes in various models, and they do not all move as advertised, but they are all dependably repeatable/predictable so I am a happy camper.......

I have a fairly new 6x42 which I purchased through Rick Bin which moves 1.25 inches at 100 yds in 4 clicks, and some 3x9 Vari XII which move .5 inches at 100 yds in 4 clicks (they do click because they have had target knob added).

It is a simple matter to find out exactly how your scope moves, and you don't need an accurate rifle, nor even fire a shot... It is handy if the scope is mounted on a rifle, but you could figure a way to do it without a rifle too....

Sandbag the rifle solid aimed at a big target at exactly 100yds, without moving the rifle, adjust scope knobs and observe...............


If you use target knobs just just convert the real minutes into what your scope gives you when you ask for a minute and make the chart accordingly...............it's easier to do it than to explain it.............
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Don't get me wrong - I love the scope, it's the brightest compact I own, or have looked through. On the light gun, I appreciate the big eyebox too. I think the Leupold Ultralight scope line is the perfect scope for an ultralight gun - and my Remington - is that.

It's just that most of my other scopes actually moved the point of impact the amount they said they would. It sure doesn't matter much to me - once I get my best load figured out - the scope isn't moved any more, for the life of the gun - except for knocks and bumps that I might inflict on it. If I know it's moving 2 inches per four clicks - instead of 1 - I'll just make a mental note of that for the future.

I got a chance last month to listen to a Leupold rep put on a lecture on scopes.

One of the "myths" he mentioned was that the "click" adjustment does not control the adjustment, rather the pitch of the adjustment screw controls the motion of the erector tube to move bullet impact.

jim

Surely the "click" is earned by a representative amount of turning said screw, which is gonna move the guts a certain amount also.............It seems to me like the Leupold guy used up several words without saying anything !