luepold vx 3 issues??

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oldspice

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I have a luepold vx3 4.5-14 50mm scope..

I bought it 10 years ago to put on my main hunting rifle tikka t3 lite 30-06. Scope was bang on MOA for about 5 years. .Then I just couldn't get it to stay sited in. I'd site it in, then 3 months later it was way off. Then I'd site it in, then it would be way off after a truck ride. Sometimes way off was 5-8 inches at 100 yards.

I put the scope on another hunting rifle, this one had a bit more recoil. 7mm x bolt laminate stock. As soon as I tried to site it in, the cross hairs would drop 5 inches after each shot.

Sent it in for warranty.. The card that came with the scope when it wass returned was very difficult to read (hand written), but I Did make out that the horizontal adjustment was maxed out and had to be fixed along with other stuff I couldn't read. This was about 3-4 years ago

Anyways, put the scope back on the 7mm right away and it seemed fine.. Then 2 years ago it seemed to not hold zero again. Not as bad before in terms of how many inches it would be off each time it was checked. I checked to see if it would hold zero after multiple shots on the bench and it seemed too.

But again, each time the gun goes for a truck ride or quad ride it seems to be a bit off.. I treat my gun very well. Truck ride means it sits on the back seat on the cushions.. on the atv, its on a sling on my shoulder.

I rememebr when this happened the first time, it started with just needing a bit of fine adjustments between site checks, but then over time it would be off by more distance more and more as the gun was used.

What gives? What could explain this? You'd think it would have been fixed the first time, but maybe its the tube itself? I'm not upset, but I just can't figure out how it could happen again unless there is somethin in the scope that wasn't fixed the first go around??

They are going to replace the scope free of charge.. I said I wasn't wanting it fixed again because I have no confidence in it anymore.. So I'm happy with how its being handled.. I spent way more money in ammo siting it in over the last 10 years than what the scope cost me new lol.
 
I have a bushnell that was doing that.
It was the fricking turret caps that was causing the issue.
When I was screwing them back on ,after sight in, they would move the turret a couple of clicks.
So 2 or 3 each time.
 
45C said:
I have a bushnell that was doing that.
It was the fricking turret caps that was causing the issue.
When I was screwing them back on ,after sight in, they would move the turret a couple of clicks.
So 2 or 3 each time.
Click to expand...

That's interesting.... but I don;t think its my issue.
 
1000% not the scopes fault
Scopes don't just "lose zero" and the VX-3 has very solid internals
My money is on ring/base issue (ESPECIALLY if you have maxed out windage), then a gun issue (action screws/harmonics/receiver) and finally if none of that is the issue then a shooter issue.
People underestimate the amount of shift caused by even a slightly loose base. 1 thousandth of movement equals 1 MOA of shift.
 
oldspice said:
That's interesting.... but I don;t think its my issue.
Click to expand...

I didnt notice at first,as it would only move a couple of clicks each time I put the cap back on.
But after removing and putting the cap on a few times ,it started to add up..haha.
Easy to check though, just screw the cap on until its tight a d see if it turns the turret right at the end.
Hard to notice, but it's what happened to mine.
 
Recce21 said:
1000% not the scopes fault
Scopes don't just "lose zero" and the VX-3 has very solid internals
My money is on ring/base issue (ESPECIALLY if you have maxed out windage), then a gun issue (action screws/harmonics/receiver) and finally if none of that is the issue then a shooter issue.
People underestimate the amount of shift caused by even a slightly loose base. 1 thousandth of movement equals 1 MOA of shift.
Click to expand...



I've been through both guns multiple times.

Scopes do loose zero when the internals break.

I tried several rings/bases. I use a wheeler fat wrench to torque everything.

I had a savage 223 that had loose bases before, its not that.

It's not a shooter issue. I've shot it, friends have shot it. We used a bench rest that holds the entire gun etc.. Tried everything on BOTH guns the scope was put on.

When the scope came back from warranty, it shot great for awhile (a year and a bit).. nothing was changed on the gun/scope or ammo..

When I emailed Korth group (warranty place) I was told the scope very likely has the same issues it had when it was sent in before and they will just replace it with the new model. Can't see luepold just writing it off so easily.. I wasn't even told "we will look at it and if it has the same damages as it had before we will send you a new scope"
 
45C said:
I didnt notice at first,as it would only move a couple of clicks each time I put the cap back on.
But after removing and putting the cap on a few times ,it started to add up..haha.
Easy to check though, just screw the cap on until its tight a d see if it turns the turret right at the end.
Hard to notice, but it's what happened to mine.
Click to expand...

I'll check this today, but I don't think its the issue.. Very interesting though.

Was the caps orginal to the scope? Where you cranking them down super tight?
 
oldspice said:
I'll check this today, but I don't think its the issue.. Very interesting though.

Was the caps orginal to the scope? Where you cranking them down super tight?
Click to expand...
I think the caps are original,it only happens on the wind age turret, and it happens when I use either cap.
No ,I only snug them up ,it don't take much force to move the wind age turret,once it gets snug.

I'm thinking it's not the caps,but something to do with the wind age turret.
Either the turret is loose?? Or the threads are screwed.
 
He already arranged for a replacement with Korth.

I read the OP as a guy who found a solution to the problem and is pleased with the customer service he received.

I'm guessing he's frustrated and wondering how many others have gone through the similar tribulations.

I have. I've chased my tail on enough rifles that when something goes funny, if after torquing everything (mounts, rings, action) the problem doesnt go away, I'll remove the scope and mount a known working scope. Like anything mechanical, they can fail.

It happens, it's happened to me. Some manufacturers do a better job of QC and testing, and the price typically reflects that. Nightforce has a very good reputation, but ask around and you'll find people who have had them fail too.

Some guys have made 'scope checkers', which is basically a special mount that holds 2 scopes and a special scope that has been 'frozen' - internals literally epoxied together so the lenses can't move. This way they can mount the whole thing to a rifle, fire it, and see if the crosshairs on the test scope move from shot to shot relative to the frozen one. Apparently to the guys who have conducted testing, very few scopes actually hold zero.

This was the reason many of us were brought up to baby a scope, check it's still sighted in if it gets bumped, and maybe even tap the tube with a screwdriver after you adjust it to 'settle it in'.

There are scopes that reliably hold zero, that you can bump and the internals don't move.

Once I got tuned into this, well, my average scope weight jumped about 10oz and I no longer own any VX3's.
 
Recce21 said:
1000% not the scopes fault
Scopes don't just "lose zero" and the VX-3 has very solid internals
My money is on ring/base issue (ESPECIALLY if you have maxed out windage), then a gun issue (action screws/harmonics/receiver) and finally if none of that is the issue then a shooter issue.
People underestimate the amount of shift caused by even a slightly loose base. 1 thousandth of movement equals 1 MOA of shift.
Click to expand...

I agree. I suspect the Wheeler Fat Wrench and their torque specs are the main reasons scopes lose zero. Tighten them tight. Base screws and ring screws. You'll know when it's tight. But not overtight. Throw that fat wrench in the garbage imo.
 
Buckmastr said:
I agree. I suspect the Wheeler Fat Wrench and their torque specs are the main reasons scopes lose zero. Tighten them tight. Base screws and ring screws. You'll know when it's tight. But not overtight. Throw that fat wrench in the garbage imo.
Click to expand...

I just bought and returned this,last night.It had the rings on it when I picked it up.
I think a fat wrench would've come in handy,for the owner, lol
Oh, it's a VX3IView attachment 424462
 
45C said:
I just bought and returned this,last night.It had the rings on it when I picked it up.
I think a fat wrench would've come in handy,for the owner, lol
Oh, it's a VX3IView attachment 424462
Click to expand...

That's ugly. To me that's not a vx3i. Are you sure it's not a fake Leupold? The finish and the turret cap...
Often the tubes on counterfit scopes are slightly larger then they should be. And tightening rings down gives you that mess.
 
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