Hey, sports fans.
Todd Helms here to bring you a gear review today.
On the Leupold VX-6 HD 3-18x44
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So after I'm finished with this review, you're going to understand all the ins
and outs of the VX-6 HD 3-18x44 and
why it may be the perfect scope for your next purchase.
All right. Starting out with the
specs on this particular model, it is a
6 to 1 zoom ratio, which means on my throw lever here, I can start at three power.
And go all the way to 18.
Thus the 3-18 and then it's a 44 mm.
objective. It's going to come in about 21.3 ounces.
It's like 13 inches in change.
That's less than 14 inches.
This is a little more compact, a little more streamlined
than it's 50 mm brother. What I like
about the 44 is that on a
general purpose hunting rifle like
this, it's sleek. This rifle goes in and out of
Scabbard, whether it's in my backpack,
or whether it's in a horse. All the time.
And so I need a scope that's sleek and trim.
The 44 is the perfect fit for me. On
my general purpose hunting rifle.
As you can see with this scope, I have
three control knobs right here on the top.
I have an elevation adjustment.
I have a windage adjustment and I have a side focused parallax adjustment
that also has my button to hit my illuminated
fire dot that is inside the scope in the retical.
One of the great things
that Leupold did in the last couple of years
is they put this CDS-ZL2 you have a zero lock button here.
There's one on the elevation turret and one on the windage turret.
What that does is it
prevents me from turning this turret or it turning
on its own, say coming out of a backpack
Scabbard or a horse scabbard or
Just getting bumped in the field.
This is locked. I have to if I want to make an elevation adjustment
or a windage correction, I have to push that button
and then I can turn goes back to zero and it locks out. This thing does not turn.
One of the cool things about the CDS-ZL2 on the VX-6 and VX-
5 model scopes is that this CDS dial is
MOA milled, it is set up for ammo, a.
Correction right from the factory.
It's going to give you 75 MOAs.
At quarter MOA per click.
Adjustments. For both. Elevation and windage.
I like it that way, but.
The great. Thing about CDS-ZL2 is that you get.
One free turret from Leupold.
You buy the scope, you send them your ballistic information.
I could get a laser etched dial that is specific
to my ballistics, and then all I have to do, if I have a.
300 yard shot, I turn it to three.
That's my elevation adjustment.
It's a. Little more.
Complex with MOA, but out here in Wyoming, I may hunt one day at.
4500 feet and I may be at 7500 feet the next week or the next. Day or later.
In the same. Day, I was hunting antelope.
With this rifle early in October with this very same rig that I'm holding now.
And I was hunting at a little bit lower elevation than I was.
Where I actually sight it in.
I was hunting about 4000 3500.
To 4000 feet. Of elevation, and I sighted in it almost 5000 feet.
So my. Trajectories were a little different once.
I was. Out there.
Once I was stretching shots a little bit if I needed to, but I was able to
tweak that dope chart
and the MOA dial allowed me that flexibility.
So that's something to think about
because when I had that antelope buck out there,
I didn't have to think, Jeez, my velocity is going to be a little bit different .
I might need to hold a little different.
I'd already adjusted my dope chart because I changed elevations
in the area I was in.
I made the dial correction, Sent it, had a dead buck.
So that's something to think about.
The VX-6 HD 3-18x44m
As with all of your VX-6s, comes with a flip up scope.
Covers, straight from the factory, front and rear.
These are the aluminum scope caps that Leupold.
Offers for all their. Scopes.
They come with the VX-6 HD.
I really like them.
They've proven themselves in the field by keeping dust out of my optics and.
Being rugged and reliable. They haven't failed me yet.
And I've been really happy with them.
Another thing you're going to see is on this dial.
I've got a throw lever.
I can take. That throw lever off.
I can also reverse it if I.
Want it to be the other way that comes in the box
with the scope, and it's just one more little feature.
That Leupold has really thought.
Out with the VX-6 line up
then I have been. Really impressed with.
It. Makes my adjustment so quick and thoughtless.
I just grab it, turn it and
My magnification adjustment is done.
I love a side parallax adjustment on a scope versus.
The objective parallax adjustment.
So it's quicker for me to use.
It's easier once I'm on the rifle.
I can see that and I can make adjustments with it on the fly.
Say I'm a little fuzzy and I've
got a target between 300 and 400.
I just turn that until my focus is crisp and clear.
My parallax has been adjusted.
The VX-6 HD comes with two available reticals.
The one that's in this is the straight up duplex with.
The fire dot that I can turn on and off.
By simply pushing the
Leupold insignia here on the side of the scope.
It's just a button and I can make. It brighter or less bright.
It's also motion activated.
If I turn it on and the gun sits for 5 minutes without moving, it turns off to.
Conserve battery life.
I pick the rifle up.
After 5 minutes, it automatically turns back on Leupold calls that motion.
Sensor technology or MST.
In there in their.
Abbreviation. It's a. Very, very cool feature of the. Scope.
If you're running low.
Light conditions and you want that illumination turned on so you can.
Really get. Precise with your aiming.
That's a great feature to have.
That is the duplex with the fire dot.
Well, the other retical that's available is Leupold TMOA a retical
and I actually own a VX-6 HD 3-18x50
it sits on a different rifle that has the TMOA reticle in it.
It's illuminated just like the fire dot
duplex is same thing got that MST technology that you.
Turn it. On and it'll set it there and it'll sit shut off.
Turn back on after a little bit.
That's a really cool feature to have.
This also has an electronic, reticule leveler.
If I push and hold this button down for 15 seconds.
The fire dot will blink.
When the recital is not level.
So if I wanted to make this.
Perfectly. Level, which.
For stretching your. Shots out there.
A perfectly. Leveled scope is vital.
Your accuracy. Is going to be affected if.
Your rig isn't set up perfectly level.
What I like to do is put a level on my barrel.
Make sure I've got a couple different.
Level points on the rifle so I know my rifles level
and then I will adjust and level the retical.
I don't level the scope.
I level the retical.
And with that blinking. Leveler in there.
it'll tell me exactly when that reticle is level.
Then if I need to make an adjustment to the gun,
I can do that and I can keep tweaking
until everything is set up perfectly. Level and in line.
There's no more. Eyeballing your reticle to see.
Oh is it level? Does it look okay? Stop blinking.
Your level. Tighten or down go sight it in.
Really really cool electronic feature that.
Is that comes standard. In. These VX-6 illuminated reticle scopes.
Another feature on the VX-6 line up 3-18x
44 included. Is the fast focus eyepiece.
there's a dial right here.
It's not small, it's not stiff.
It's not hard to get. A hold of. It's the perfect tension.
It's not going to get bumped on its own.
But you also. Aren't going to really struggle
to turn it like I've experienced, I'm sure all of us have experienced on other.
Models of scopes.
As with all of Leupold scopes, the VX
6 line up, this 3-18x44 included.
Has to go through the Punisher.
That is. Leupolds, proprietary recoil.
Simulation machine spits out.
Three times the recoil of a 308
Winchester load.
Three times a 308.
Winchester's recoil at 5000 repetitions.
I'd say these scopes are pretty tough.
You could probably rely on. Them just fine. I know they've been.
Perfect for. Me.
No point of impact changes whatsoever. Tough as nails.
So the VX-6 HD 3-18x44.
Also has the Twilight Max HD Light Management system,
which is going to give you increased edge to.
Edge clarity up to 90% light transfer.
This bad boy is going to keep you hunting right to the last legal
second of shooting light. And I, for one,
love that option.
I love having the ability to push to the very last second because
sometimes you need to be able to do that doesn't always happen.
At noon on opening day,
the VX-6 HD lineup of Scopes, including the 3-18x.
44, is a rear focal. Plane. Scope or.
A second focal plane scope.
What that means is that as I change magnification, my reticle stays
the same, it stays fine, stays the same size.
I really like a rear focal plane.
Scope as a hunting rig competition.
Different story that's first focal plane.
We're not going. To get into that.
But one of the things
you have to keep in mind, especially with that TMOA reticle.
In a rear focal.
plane scope is your sub tensions in that reticle are going to change at.
Different power settings.
I don't worry about it.
With the with the duplex reticle so much
because I don't have sub tensions in that scope.
In the TMOA reticle, you do like all of Leupold scopes,
the VX-6 HD 3-18x44.
Completely waterproof and. Completely fog. Proof.
It also. Has a great warranty.
If and this is a big if something.
Were to happen and.
You got something inside this thing, send it back to Leupold.
They're going to make it right.
The scope also. Features Leupold's guard-ion. Lens coating.
Dirt water just beads up.
You get a little dirt on this thing, squirt some water on it.
It'll bead up, soak it up with an optics cloth, clean it off.
You can even use your tongue if you have to. guys.
That is my full review on the Leupold VX-6 HD.
I've run down through all the. Features for you.
You can check out more on Leupold's website, but I got to tell you,
I've used this scope and it's bigger, brother.
The 50 millimeter.
In. The field for a couple of years now.
But this 44, I've used it already this year to take a great.
Antelope buck and I couldn't be. Happier with the way.
This scope. Has performed for a high end. Hunting scope.
You need to be looking at the Leupold VX-6 HD 3-18x44.
Till next time we'll see you in the field.