Best middle-priced Leupold 3x9 Scope for a Ruger American Ranch Rifle in .300 Blackout?

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Looking for a Leupold only scope for a Ruger American Ranch Rifle in .300 Blackout. Looking at something like 3-9 but a little bigger is also fine. I'm looking for something under $650.

Note: Looking something with 'traditional' turrets or turrets that have to be pushed in to move.

I currently have a Leupold Mark AR and it has these stupid turrets that have no cover and can be moved by just brushing against them. Whoever came out with these for most scopes is an idiot. I can see them for special operations like SWAT but not anyone else.

Was hunting recently and took 6 shots. Couldn't figure out why the rifle was off. Found out the scope dials had moved when I had it strapped to the top of my pack. Totally forgot this scope doesn't have turret covers.

So, what middle-priced Leupold scope in the 3x9 range is the best?
 
I'd START at the Freedom and go up from there.
I'm not a leupold guy but the Freedom impressed me enough to buy a higher end one.
 
You should be able to find the discontinued VX-2 3-9x40 new on ebay. The VX-R seems to match what you are looking for, for around $500. I recently got a VX-3i 3.5-10x40mm and it's a superb scope for the money...around $300-400.
 
Well, get the best your budget allows, which in the current lineup means the VX-3i in 3.5-10x40mm, or 3.5-10x50mm.

https://www.leupold.com/scopes/rifle-scopes/products?page=2

Yeah, uncovered and non-locking turrets are one of many things in a long line of gimmicky features that sell products but are ridiculously stupid if you actually use the product in field conditions with Murphy along..... lump it in with detachable mags and muzzle brakes on anything smaller than a .338 maggie.
 
DannyLandrum said:
Well, get the best your budget allows, which in the current lineup means the VX-3i in 3.5-10x40mm, or 3.5-10x50mm.

https://www.leupold.com/scopes/rifle-scopes/products?page=2

Yeah, uncovered and non-locking turrets are one of many things in a long line of gimmicky features that sell products but are ridiculously stupid if you actually use the product in field conditions with Murphy along..... lump it in with detachable mags and muzzle brakes on anything smaller than a .338 maggie.
Click to expand...


Completely agree.


Who needs to re-sight their rifle in while their in the field???

Talk to some SWAT guys who turrets would be made for (snipers) and they say they suck bx they can get turned just being in their gun cases.
 
There are some really good deals on VX-3i right now. I’ve got two and they are excellent. Both 4-14’s. One is on my CZ .22 and one on my .204
 
Well I just bought a vx freedom 1-4x, and my initial impression is that while the glass is ok, the turrets are not good. The adjustments suck. Very mushy. I twist it and I'm like "is that a click? Was it just play in the turret? I don't know."

I like the size of the scope, I always like the size and eye relief of Leupold, and imI'mostly aaset it and forget it guy, so I have a couple, but beyond that, Leupold has not impressed me. I'd take a Weaver grand slam over a vx1,2, or freedom any day.

So I'd say starry with a vx3 as your minimum floor with Leupold if you can afford it.
 
Leupold makes a "decent" scope. But their models with turrets that twist have a reputation for being sub-par compared to other brands. The Leupolds that you zero and forget tend to be very reilable. For hunting one off the models with multiple aiming points are a better option in my opinion. Faster and much simpler to use.

BTW, you don't have to spend $600 for a scope that will do what you want. Lots of stuff in the $200-$300 range that are just fine and not just Leupold.
 
I went Remingon vs the Ruger in the 300 BO bolt action. That said, I put a Leupold VXR 1.25x4 20mm. I figured I was going primarily sub sonic, and did not need more glass than that...
 
rabid wombat said:
I put a Leupold VXR 1.25x4 20mm. I figured I was going primarily sub sonic, and did not need more glass than that...
Click to expand...

Now that sounds like a match made to order! Even if you weren’t shooting subsonic, 4X should be all you need for typical distance and game suitable for hunting with 300.

I chose a pair of Mark ARs for PCCs with short distance in mind and I’ll add that, of the 3 Mark ARs and a Nikon P-22 I own, I have never found my turrets anywhere other than where I set them. I know this because I took the time to realign the turret caps after zeroing. 9 years trouble free in my experience with 1 AR and 3 hunting rifles that all see frequent use.
 
Id suggest the Leupold VX2 or VX3 if you can fine some around. I even have a VX1 from a few years ago on a Ruger American and it makes a fine budget hunting rifle. The rifle was $300, and scope around $200. For $500 its a quite capable hunting rifle, and you don't have to worry about dinging it up.

Jeff
 
Some food for thought: The Redfield scopes are manufactured by Leupold, in the same plant as Leupold. I've heard rumors that the Redfields may use most or all of the same components as the VX-1. Given that they are priced pretty similary (~$200), it's not all that crazy to imagine. Just something to keep an eye out for if you run across a great deal on a Redfield.

That being said, with your budget, I'd probably push it up towards a VX-2. Not sure how much farther I'd take it past that honestly - for a 3x9 and a short range caliber, I think you'd start hitting diminishing returns pretty quickly. A VX-2 is already a pretty nice hunting scope.
 
cdb1 said:
I’d go with:
VX-3i 3.5-10
VX-R 3-9
VX-3i 2.5-8
Click to expand...
VX3i 2.5-8 gets my vote. Large FOV at 2.5, all the magnification you need for longer shots. 8x will serve you well at 300 yards plus IMHO.
 
Look at nearby gun/pawn shops. I’ve picked up several used Leupolds that way. Most recently, scored a 2x7 vx3 and a 3x9 vx2 for $400 for both at the same shop.
 
After sighting in a new scope (2-10x50) on my .308 I shot these to rounds to verify it. It was shot at 100 yards at 2X.

You don't need high power to shoot small.
Sako .308 with Lieca 2-10x50 Sight in with Rem 150 Gr PSP CoreLokt.jpg
 
Walkalong said:
VX3i 2.5-8 gets my vote. Large FOV at 2.5, all the magnification you need for longer shots. 8x will serve you well at 300 yards plus IMHO.
Click to expand...

It would get my vote too based on OP’s criteria of 3-9. For a .300 BO of my own I’d want something with high end magnification no larger than 7x. I’d probably go with the now discontinued VX-3 1.75-6x32 if I could find one.
 
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