Leupold VX-L Long Range Rifle Scope Hunting Field Test

Leupold VX-L 4.5-14x56mm Long Range Rifle Scope Field Test

For the longest time no matter who the manufacturer, scopes, binoculars and range finders have looked and functioned much the same. That is until just a couple of years ago when Leupold broke out of the mold and away from the pack (to use a few clichés).

The first major innovation that caught my eye was Leupold's RX Range Finders, far and away the most significant advancement in rangefinder technology since their invention. Currently no other manufacturers' range finders come close, but that's covered in another of our field tests. I'm supposed to be talking about the VX-L rifle scope, so let's get started.

The first thing you notice about the VX-L scope is the strange looking objective lens, which is the big lens on the muzzle end of the scope. Instead of being round, like other scopes, it has a crescent shape removed from the lower radius which certainly gives it a unique look. The art critic would ask "is this for form or function"?

Leupold would answer "it is for function". But one has to ask where did this idea come from? Here is how I imagine it happened.

The design team at Leupold love to hunt. But by the time they get out of the office it's already getting dark. So they like to hang the biggest objective lens scope on their rifles that they can, to get best low light performance possible. Of course the larger than normal objective lens means the traditional scope has to be mounted higher above the rifle barrel, which means it's harder to get a good "cheek weld" on the stock and still be able to see thru the scope. In addition the rifle no longer fits in the soft case, and the traditional, large scope catches on all kinds of limbs as the guys stalk through the brush. Then one day, while on a hunt, one of the Leupold guys caught a limb with his over-sized traditional scope, which caused a loss of balance, which caused him to trip, fall and hit his head on a rock. As he lay there with stars swirling around he witnessed a partial solar eclipse where the moon obscured a small portion of the bottom of the sun - a crescent shape. And the idea for the VX-L scope was born.

Of course it might not have happened like this. There may have been beer involved, or perhaps alien abduction. Who knows for sure. Certainly there is some type conspiracy at the highest level, Leupold certainly isn't talking.

I suppose by now I should get to the actual field test. The first decision I had to make was which VX-L to get from the following models:

• 3.5-10x50mm
• 3.5-10x56mm
• 4.5-14x50mm
• 4.5-14x56mm Long Range
• 6.5-20x56mm Long Range
• 6.5-20x56mm Long Range Target
• 6.5-20x56mm Long Range Extreme Varminter

I chose the 4.5-14x56mm Long Range because it gave me the maximum light performance with a magnification range I normally use while hunting. I also ordered up a new set of scope rings to take full advantage of being able to mount the VX-L as low to the barrel as possible. The scope I was replacing was a Leupold VX-III 4.5-14x50mm Long Range. I really wasn't expecting much of a difference in look except for the objective lens.

When the VX-L arrived I was a little surprised at how much larger a 56mm objective lens looks then the 50mm I was used to. I wondered how I would like it once mounted on my rifle.

I pulled my old scope and rings and installed the VX-L with the new rings. Once mounted the 56mm VX-L was about the same height as previous 40mm scopes I had used, and certainly lower then the 50mm I had just removed. Leupold told me that the 56mm VX-L provided 96% more total light throughput then the original 40mm I had on the rifle.

And it looked great. The low profile of the scope helped maintain the "sports car" look of my rifle, which is a Fite Custom Rifle in .300 Weatherby. I had it specifically built for long range hunting. It has a 27 inch barrel and a sleek, lightweight stock without a raised cheek piece (to keep the weight down).

Once I had sighted in the new scope the next test was to take it afield and hunt with it. The first opportunity was in November in Saskatchewan on a whitetail hunt - but I never pulled the trigger. The next chance was in Mexico in January on a Mule Deer hunt - where I did shoot a coyote at 250 yards. Then in May, in England, finally I had an opportunity to really get to use it under various light conditions, and on two animals - a cull fallow deer in the middle of the day and a Reeves Muntjac which I took very late in the evening under low light conditions, and this is a very small deer - with fangs and antlers.

I've grown to expect the best from Leupold, and once again with the VX-L they have delivered. Even with the huge 56mm objective end, because it mounts so much lower I can still get it in my soft gun case. Low light performance is outstanding, clarity is superb and the sight in holds true even with the airline baggage handlers throwing my gun case around as I travel. Never once have I had to adjust my scope before a hunt. The bullet always flies where expected.

An interesting note is that is no other hunter or outfitter has commented about the scope's "different" look, in fact they haven't even noticed until I mention it - which is a great testament to Leupold's design staff.

In short, Leupold's VX-L Rifle Scope gets two thumbs up from me, and should be on your short list if you are considering a new rifle scope.

Visit Leupold's Web Site for more information.

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