Nikon Prostaff or Leupold VX-1

I had a bad experience with Nikon warranty, and only buy Leupolds now. I have had very good service and they are good quality.

Just looking through the glass the Nikon may well look at least as clear and sharp, maybe slightly better. But based on every other important factor the Leupold is better. They are lighter, shorter, have better eye relief, better reticles, better customer service. You have the ability to send them back for custom features such as different reticles or long range dials. The view looking though Nikons is like looking though a cardboard tube with a thick black ring obstructing the view around the edges. Leupold, and most others have a narrow band that is almost unnoticeable.

Five years ago it may have been closer, but Leupold upgraded all of the VX line of scopes in 2012. The current VX-1 is the same scope as a 5 year old VX-2. Great bargains.

I'd also forget the 50mm objective. They offer no usable advantage over a 40mm scope and all else being equal are about $100 more. Spend the $100 on a better quality 3-9X40 scope. For the cost of a 50mm Nikon Prostaff you can buy a VX-2 and have $50 left over. And have a FAR, FAR, better scope.

About 50mm lenses. They let in exactly the same amount of light at 10X as a 40mm scope does at 8X assuming equal quality glass. Below 7X both of them let in more light than the human eye can use. Above 10X both will perform poorly in low light. Better quality 40mm glass will let in much more light at any setting than mediocre 50mm glass

Best bargains now in scopes. These have Cabelas brand name stamped on them. Made by Meopta. The 3-9X42 is currently $300. The 3-9X40 priced at $400 is the exact scope that Zeiss sold in their Conquest line. The Nikon 50mm scope you're looking at is about $350. Both of these are WAAAY better.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/cabe...archTypeByFilter=TopRated&x=10&y=6&Ntt=scopes

forget the 50mm objective. They offer no usable advantage over a 40mm scope

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That's not true.
There are facts available.
http://opticsthoughts.com/?page_id=122
http://www.scopecalc.com/

Scope

The 50mm is nice in that it will give you a wider field of view but as I found in Optic's Thought's," A scope with a larger objective lens lets more light into the scope. However, light transmission is a ratio that is normalized with respect to the amount of light entering the scope. Hence, while a scope with a larger objective lens may very well deliver more light to your eye, light transmission ratio is not in any way effected by it."

With that said, I would consider dropping down to a 42 mm obj and looking at Nikon's MONARCH 3 3-12 SF BDC scope. Excellent glass, Side Focus for Parallax, BDC Reticle to use with Spot On for accurate long range shooting and Nikon No Fauly Policy that cover's you in case something happens to your scope. I have been doing Freelance PR/Shooting Event's for Nikon for over 5 years now, used over 500 scope's, plus my personal Nikon scopes for over 20 years and I have never had a scope go down. Not at an Event or in the field,not even when my son dropped his rifle 20 feet out of a tower blind, 2 test shots and still dead on.
Feel free to drop me a note and if possible check out tHR sponsor's to get the best price.

I like my Nikon scopes. My P223 4x12 has a very crisp image at full magnification. Nikon/Gander swapped it out when I stripped a screw on the top turret. They sent me 2 new bikini covers when I broke the bikini cover by pulling out one of the tensioners. My other 2 Nikons have not had any problems. The finish on them is very scratch resistant.

I've heard great things about the Leupold VX-1 and VX-IIs.

I'm interested in a VX-II for my hog gun. Leupold CS is excellent. I'd go with them OP.

I'd still go Leupold.

They make excellent glass for the coin.

Another vote for Leupold, great glass great company, enough said.

The 50mm is nice in that it will give you a wider field of view

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Not according to Nikon's specs.

A scope with a larger objective lens lets more light into the scope. However, light transmission is a ratio

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Right. 50% more light into the scope, same transmission ratio, 50% more light into your eye.

Sacrifice a little off the objective and go with a Vortex Viper 3-9x40. Best with staying in your price range, IMO.



Michael C.

I'd would buy Leupold I have a couple Nikon Prostaff scopes.

I also have several Leupolds and prefer them, much brighter.

OP, when you are comparing scopes side by side be sure to adjust the ocular eyepiece on each one. I have found that minor adjustments can make a huge difference. Get the VX2 3-9-40.

I work the gun counter at Cabela's and as such, sell a lot of scopes. I also mount scopes at work and have a side business mounting and bore sighting also. For me, glass trumps magnification and objective size. A 40mm objective scope is better in low light than a 50mm objective scope if it has better glass. I can also see as far on say, 9x, with a VX-3 as I can on 12x with a Vortex Crossfire. A 50mm objective does give a wider FOV but not enough to matter for me, and I would rather have the scope closer to the barrel.

As noted above the Cabela's Instinct is an excellent scope and blows the VX-1 and Prostaff out of the water in low light. I would not own any Cabela's scope other than the ones made by Meopta.

I've also found that some people see better out of Nikon and some out of Leupold. To the OP - look through the Prostaff and VX-1 and buy the one you see the best out of. If it is a tie then buy the one that costs less. It's that easy.

agdodge4x4 said:

Great information, everyone. Thanks a ton!

The only hangup here is that I need to burn up some BassPro money. the Leupold VX1 50mm is 299 at basspro. The VX2 40mm is also 299.

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Go with the VX-2. According to Leupold, the only reason they still make 50mm scopes is marketing, for the "My grandpa used a 50, my dad used a 50, so I want a 50" guys. That was a direct quote from them. With modern glass, their 40s are just as bright, especially in their better scopes.

Leupold would be my choice as well, and I own several Nikon scopes with no complaints. But the Loopy will have better value long term.

Currently Leupold is running a $100 rebate on VX-3 scopes so for the samae $$$ you can move higher up in the price range.

That Steel-Tube "El Paso" Weaver from the 60's could well add another $200-$250 to your budget. Check out the prices they are getting on eBay and GB; they are highly sought after if in good shape.

The VX-1 3x9x40 is a fantastic scope for only $200---go check one out.

50mm scopes are bad in so many ways----harder to mount----since they have to sit so high, you'll have bad check weld to the stock--and they make how the rifle handles more unwieldy in general.

agdodge4x4 said:

I don't see a VX-3 in 40mm for 300, even with the rebate.



But they all look good in the store with 1000W of overhead lighting raining down upon my field of view. LOL.

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You are so correct. I tell customers all the time that they can't tell the quality of the glass in a store, they need to see it in low light and very bright sunlight to really tell a difference.

now if you would have asked me this a couple years ago I would have said the vx1 hands down is a better scope. That may have changed or at least been leveled out. I had a buckmaster that went bad and sent it in for repair and they sent me a new prostaff 5 to replace it. this scope is hands down better opticaly then the buckmaster it replace and the buckmasters were hands down better then the old prostaffs. I haven't lined one up with one of my newer vx1s yet but I sure am impressed with it so far.