Leupold Problem..Maybe

[4huntrs]

Had a VX3 4.5x14 30mm side focus mounted on a Vanguard 300wm. Sight in 1 MOA high at 100yds, dialed up CDS 10 MOA for 600yd target. All good. Put CDS back to zero and shot target at 100yds. Stays 4 MOA high. Dialed back up 10 MOA for 600 yds and then shot high. 
After checking rings and base re-sight scope, same thing. Sent it to Leupold and scope got a clean Bill of health. Remounted on a Ruger 300wm and exact same result. Scope on way back to Leupold. Any ideas. And I’ll tell you what Leupold says.

[5guyshunting]

40 minutes ago, 4huntrs said:

Had a VX3 4.5x14 30mm side focus mounted on a Vanguard 300wm. Sight in 1 MOA high at 100yds, dialed up CDS 10 MOA for 600yd target. All good. Put CDS back to zero and shot target at 100yds. Stays 4 MOA high. Dialed back up 10 MOA for 600 yds and then shot high. 
After checking rings and base re-sight scope, same thing. Sent it to Leupold and scope got a clean Bill of health. Remounted on a Ruger 300wm and exact same result. Scope on way back to Leupold. Any ideas. And I’ll tell you what Leupold says.

Did you use the same rings and mount on the Ruger?

[SHOOTER]

I’ve seen it before. Scope came back from leupold and was supposed to be good. it was the scope rings almost like they put the scope is some sort of a bind. Talleys did it. Went back to the rail and leupold rings problem went away. 
 

also seen plenty of vx3s that wouldn’t track worth a poo or return to zero. I love them for a non dial rig but wouldn’t trust them if I planned on dialing.

[azelkhunter2]

So over the past several yrs I have owned several VX series scopes. After numerous return to zero issues on all of them and After leupold customer service gave them a clean bill of health.....I missed the buck of a lifetime after one of them was shooting several feet high and right....I sold them all and will never own another leupold scope...

[GreyGhost85]

I’ve switched to leupolds on all of my rifles and have not had many issues at all. Had one vx3i cds that lost zero but it was probably rings or rifle. Re-zeroed and no issues since. Could be the scope, the rifle or the trigger man. I personally trust mine more than any other scopes i’ve had. 

[MMACFIVE]

I have lots of Leupold scopes. 

My Turret scopes are a couple of VX3's, many VX6's, several VX5's, and a Mark 5. I guess I've been lucky but I've never had a tracking problem. 

I like them for their cost and weight.

[HuntHarder]

I too have a leupold I dial consistently with.  knock on wood, I have never had an issue.  A few other buddies have them as well with 0 issues.  I do think they are sensitive to improper mounting tho.  If your scope is in any kind of slight bind, the tracking will be compromised. 

[4huntrs]

The Vanguard was a leupold base and PRW rings not lapped. The Ruger are 30mm rings that have been lapped. I too own 1 VX2, 1 basic VX3, 3 of this model and 3 VX5. Never had a issue with any. Customer service said 2 things I thought odd. Said lapping rings is a guaranteed problem and 300wm won’t put any more stress on a scope than 22lr.

[4huntrs]

32 minutes ago, GreyGhost85 said:

I’ve switched to leupolds on all of my rifles and have not had many issues at all. Had one vx3i cds that lost zero but it was probably rings or rifle. Re-zeroed and no issues since. Could be the scope, the rifle or the trigger man. I personally trust mine more than any other scopes i’ve had. 

Thought the same until it repeated on second rifle with different mounts and almost exact same amount of vertical shift. 4moa. Holds perfect horizontal.

[GreyGhost85]

Sounds like you have your mind made up that your scope is bad….send it back. If you own that many and this is the first issue, that is a pretty good track record for scopes in that price range. You could own 100 vortex and will send back 97 of them. You do NOT need to lap modern, precision scope rings, it only hurts them. Lapping rings was something we did before modern manufacturing figured out how to make them more precise. 

[4huntrs]

On its way back now. Leupold says they will mount it on a test rifle and try to duplicate. I’ve heard that about modern rings. A buddy had a set of Rugers so far off that it actually took metal off the tube when it slipped. I have never lapped rings until this issue. Just don’t know what else to check. 

[yotebuster]

I’ve had several VX6, 3 and old 2’s.  Wouldn’t trust any one of them to dial over and over.  Had two Vx6’s that were the worst.   For what they get for them now they sure don’t have my faith in them.   If I was to hunt with a leupold it would be hold over only personally.  

[Big or Bust]

When I dumped all my high end Leupolds about 10 years ago it was a lightbulb moment. 

Every aspect of shooting got easier. Zeroing, dialing, ballistics, etc. All of a sudden everything worked like it should. Never, ever again, no chance....

[257 STW]

I have never had an issue with mine i have a few HD5 and HD6 but have recently bought a few Zeiss V4s and V6s and like them better the turret is smooth and glass is brighter and clearer through my eyes . There also a little lighter. 

[Ernesto C]

That happened to my and it was the rings. I couldn't move or rotate the scope with my hands but the recoil of the rifle was strong enough to slide the scope.