hunting scope: vx-5hd 3-15x44 vs vx-5hd 2-10x42 vs vx-6hd 3-18x44 with duplex firedot

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cdndfs

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Trying to decide between these three scopes. All are the duplex firedot versions. My understanding is the 5 and 6HD use the same glass and have the same coatings. There's no difference in quality.

I'm probably looking at a .270win or .308win rifle like the Sako 85.

I know that I don't really "need" more than 10x for most of the hunting I'm likely to do in the immediate future. That said, there's almost no price difference between the 5HD 2-10 and 3-15. The jump to the 6hd 3-18 is a bit more but there's a nice sale on right now that reduces the difference.

Are there any downsides to having a larger magnification range assuming I'm not moving down to lower quality glass to afford the larger magnification range? My instinct is to just grab the 2-10 and save the money for other things. All have the firedot and CDS-ZL2...

Thanks
 
With the 3 scopes you are considering for a general hunting scope you can't go too wrong with the 2-10x. It gives you a good range of magnification that will cover all the hunting situations you will realistically see. Unless you have a real important need for the extra power I would go with the 2-10x and it is likely smaller and lighter which is nice for a hunting scope.
 
They are all good scopes; but light they aren't. The optics are superb. Which one fits your needs, if any of them will depend on what your specific needs and conditions are. I've got a 3-15 x 44 fitted with a Korth fitted windage ZL that I like a lot. I can find all sorts of reasons to like 15 power; but struggle to think of something that I can do at 2 that I can't do at 3 X.

My views are warped by long range shooting. If your use is more like what people swear to me is "normal" its hard to beat a simple VX3 3.5-10 and save 1/2 pound in the process. On the other hand if you like/need features like side AO, fast focus, locking CDS and near infinite reticle choices the VX 5 kicks butt.
 
IMO the VX6 HD is priced too high. If that scope is within your budget then consider a Swarovski Z6 with BRH reticle - maybe a 1.7-10x42 or a 2.5-15x44.
 
If it's for hunting only and you don't plan on getting into long range shooting you really don't need the added features that come with the vx6hd. I have it in 3-18, but use it for hunting and longer range shooting. Fantastic optic. Always been a zeiss guy, but I compared it to the v6 and found it has more features and shockingly the glass to my eyes was better. And a fair amount cheaper!
As for the 5hd, it really is a good value optic with glass that appeared equal to the 6hd. Like others have said, I doubt you will miss the field of view difference between 2 and 3 unless you hunt in the bush. However the 15 power is a bit nicer for sighting in and possibly judging deer and antler size at longer distances if you dont have a spotting scope. Plus the resell value is likely to be a bit better in the long run on the 3 to 15, as people may find it more desirable.
I have gotten a 2 to 10 optic before over the 3 to 15 and can't say I regret it. If I had to do it over again, I likely would have gone with the latter.
Where are you finding a sale on the vx6hd?
 
I have 2x VX-6HD 3-18x44 scopes on two different rifles now. I've been selling my Nightforce NXS scopes to get into the VX-6HD line. I love everything about those scopes. They're definitely a home run for Leupold. The daylight visible fire dot and in reticle level are really neat features. I found them to be optically superior to the NXS line, although not by much. In the end that would be a personal preference. The Zero Lock turrets are great too. VX6 has ZL windage which the VX5 doesn't.
 
You find the tracking on these scopes to be that reliable? I havent done too much turret turning yet. Definitely agree with you that it's a tough to beat scope with the features, weight and glass quality.
I assumed if he isnt shooting longer ranges, he likely won't need the windage dial.
 
As much as I love the scopes, they're not perfect either. The elevation turret has 38 MOA of travel, that's it. That's 2 full turns. The Zero Lock prevents any further movement. The scope has 75 MOA of internal adjustment, so with a 20 MOA rail there's a bunch of wasted travel. Definitely a hunting feature, not for the long range nut. 38 MOA is enough for 1000 yards with my .308 though. The Zero Lock windage is capped at 8 MOA left or right. That's it. I don't know many hunters who would need more windage than that. Some target shooters maybe. Again a feature that might not please everyone.

That being said this scope's purpose is quite clear. With properly done CDS turrets, they're meant to use with a range finder and wind meter. Get your yardage and wind, dial, shoot. Put everything back to zero for the next shot. No range cards, no reticle milling, no reticle ranging.
 
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