Leupold Duplex bracket

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aaAlta

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Thinking about a new scope for a recently purchased rifle (a 7mm08) and I have a question about duplex area coverage that I cant seem to get clear info on. I have a couple Leupold variables, 2-7 and 3-9. Both have the finer smaller duplex. At 6x it looks to me like the whole duplex spans about 10 moa/inches at 100yds. Can anyone confirm what that duplex covers at 100yds at any particular magnification?

I have another, Redfield, with the wider duplex area, appears to be about double the area. But I don't mind the smaller leupold duplex. I've always found it about right for quick simple ranging. Like at 6x, if the deer fills the duplex or more, its 200yds or less, so dead on. If the deer body is bracketed between the cross and post, then its about 400yds; and I get about the right hold over by putting the post right on mid body.

Anyhow, I'm thinking of going a little more upscale on the scope for new gun, maybe some ranging utility in it, but not too big, as the 7mm08 is an ultralight type. Any comments in this regard could be helpful. Thanks.
 
Yes, I was hoping to avoid the email, but it might be the surest way. They have lots of such details on the LR duplex reticles, moas, in their posted ballistic aiming systems manual. But nothing on moa on the old fine duplex bracket, that I could find yet. Thanks for answering.
 
I emailed them (but asked about the wrong scopes, as luck would have it). The response was that the 2.5-8x subtends 5.3" at 100 yards and the 3.5-10x subtends 5.4" (which doesn't make a lot of sense to me). I think that it would be safe to assume that the 2-7 and 3-9 would both subtend around 5.5" between the pickets at 100 yards. Also keep in mind that the numbers on the dial might not line up exactly with the power level in real life. Best to scope it out (sorry, I couldn't resist) on the range and make note of the actual size at various zoom levels.
 
Thanks for checking. Actually the VX3, 2.5-8x36 was the preferred scope so far. So I'm definitely interested in that one. I think the subtend is the space between cross and post. Which would make sense for the smaller duplex. Double that number for post to post; and we're into the 10" range from post to post that I thought that reticle would be at 100 yds. And about double that for the wider LR Duplex. Anyhow, you're right, best to just go to the range. And check out measurements of reticle coverage, at various magnifications. I wish I had a range in the backyard, so it wasn't necessary to puzzle the question. But I still find it an interesting subject.
 
What I've found with the Leupold standard duplexs is that the subtension from post to post is very close to 6" at 100 yards at maximum magnification on all of them. That's from observation, a guy with a slide rule might push that 1/4" one way or the other. He might have a different idea of where the tapered post begins too. Anyway, its close. Plenty close enough for cowboy logic or dead reckonin'.

Its actually a fairly handy dimension. That 6" becomes 18" at 300 yards, which pretty much is the chest depth of our deer or the distance from the ground to the top of a coyotes back, minus the hair. With a cartridge that is suitable for a 300ish yard MPBR (practically everything that's at least moderately interesting and somewhere around 3000 fps) you might want to just pull the trigger on any deer that you can get the two thick lines on at the same time. If not, well a lot of people should think about not shooting at all. We're not a lot of people so we're going to push it a little farther.

Maybe things don't work out so well and you're seeing a bit of daylight top and bottom. Maybe you've found your rangefinder by now, or maybe you just happen to know that the fence marking the back fourty is 1/4 mile away and he's about 40-50 yards on this side. A cowboy would know that.Either way you've come up with 400 yards. Most of the cartridges in that 300 yard MPBR class are looking for about a foot of drop for the next hundred yards. That's where the bottom post which we like to call the "Infinity pin" lives. 'Course the guy with a STW, .300 or 7 RUM, .257 or .270 Weatherby and similar is still holding center and wondering what the fuss is about. If he's a cowboy he has snakeskin boots.

It works another way too. Maybe you inherited grampa's 30-06 and a pile of 180s, maybe the tacticool guys have convinced you that .308 is good for something. Maybe you believe that 2600 is just as good as 3600. Maybe you like a .375 but have figured out that that same bullet at 3000 fps just might kill the operator. Either way, you are packing something that a 200 yard zero is appropriate for. Chances are you are looking for 8-10 inches of further drop at 300 and that's where the infinity pin is hanging out. Its almost like someone planned it or sumpin. Coulda been a cowboy for all I know, but if it was this one is wearing rubber boots. Cowboy would have cyphered his way through it and realized that those furry coyotes fill the gap at 200 yards too.
 
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That's speaking my language. Up till recently all I had was leupolds, standard duplex. Fixed 6, 2-7 and 3-9, just VX1s, but all same standard duplex. So I've always done as you're describing, if the deer fills the duplex height or more, dead on. If they don't fill the duplex, estimate range and hold over accordingly. Out around 400yds with the 270 I'd be looking to hold cross over about 10"over back. But I think I only shot one out at that range a long time ago. More commonly the longer shot for me is maybe 300 - 350 where I put the cross either on, or just a hair over the back. I hunt alta foothills or prairie coulees. 5.5 moa - 6 as you and bigman say that duplex covers, make sense with this scenario.

Its just I got this redfield with a gun not along ago with a wider duplex, so I was trying to figure out how to do a similar ranging with the duplex; and its not as easy. And I need another scope for a new gun and was thinking about what scope to buy, with all the options out there. Some of them with ranging utility and aim points to consider. But I don't want anything fancy or complicated. Quick and intuitive is better. And no big objective or turrets, as its a lite 7mm08. So now I'm thinking sticking with either a basic VX1 2-7x33 with standard duplex, or possibly step up to the VX3 2.5-8x36, with LR duplex. Thanks.
 
I've come to favor the B&C Reticle in the VX3s, and seldom buy a scope without it or a CDS anymore.

This might be a bit off topic; but there is a $80 mail in rebate on 3.5-10 and 4.5-14 VX3s until the end of Dec. A 3.5-10 weighs an ounce more than a 2.5-10 and a 4.5-14 weighs 1 1/2 ounces more. You can earn that back by leaving one shell out of your gun.
 
That's a great tip on the rebate. I appreciate it. I am still leaning still towards the vx3 2.5-8x36, due to its slightly smaller objective. This is a ruger ultralite 20" 7mm08, so I want to keep the scope in good scale. This should do nicely, as I don't see me reaching out past 400 yds. I think I will get the B&C reticle, as the leupold website implies they don't do the LR duplex in vx3. Thanks again, this was helpful.
 
aaAlta said:
That's a great tip on the rebate. I appreciate it. I am still leaning still towards the vx3 2.5-8x36, due to its slightly smaller objective. This is a ruger ultralite 20" 7mm08, so I want to keep the scope in good scale. This should do nicely, as I don't see me reaching out past 400 yds. I think I will get the B&C reticle, as the leupold website implies they don't do the LR duplex in vx3. Thanks again, this was helpful.
Click to expand...

You could also have the reticle changed fir a fee at Korth. Look for a used scope on the EE then send it in for the reticle swap. Ev'rybody happy happy happy!
 
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