Best Leupold Scope for 308 – Top Optics for the Ultimate Rifle-Cartridge Duo

So what is the big fuss about the Leupold scope and .308 Winchester cartridge? Let’s check out some Best Leupold Scope for 308. Well, if you ask me, all I would have to say is: who doesn’t like a perfect hit?

The 308 or .308 Winchester is quite a popular cartridge within the commercial hunting market. Essentially 308 is best fit for the short to middle range, big game hunting. Then again, when paired with a perfect rifle, the cartridge becomes highly powerful and efficient. This is where the Leupold scope steps in. Leupold & Stevens is an American, family-owned manufacturing company that keeps quality as their foremost priority. What stands out in Leupold scopes when kept in comparison with other scopes in the market is that the scope falls into the category of a high-quality scope while costing only as much as a medium quality scope. Now that is what you call a clear win-win situation.

Top 5 Best Leupold Scope for 308

Furthermore, Leupold scopes have the added advantage of being the official scope for the US Army and Navy. What more do you need to trust this scope? Two frequently mentioned appreciations that have been bestowed upon the Leupold scopes are for its high-quality optics and the durable nature. So now the question comes: which model Leupold scope is better? Well, that depends on what you are looking for on a scope. Let me make it easier for you. Just breeze through this listicle on the Top Leupold Scopes for 308 and trust me, it will make your hunting outing easier and happier!

Wanna own the all-rounder scope? Want to have good optical quality, precision as well as durability in one scope? Then, tag this guy.

The Leupold VX-3i is a hunter’s favorite. Best suited for long-range, it combines with the 308 Winchester to make a rather powerful rifle tool. The 40mm lens is big enough to ensure proper light transmission. This is further gifted with a DaimondCoat 2 lens coating and Twilight Light Management System. The coating is for better light absorption, as well as improved clarity. While the Twilight features make it easier for you to hunt at low light situations as well. The 20 minutes added battery power is another plus point, making it one of the Best Leupold Scope for 308.

With a 3.5-10x magnification power, the scope is well fit for long-range shooting. The scope is very much user friendly and durable. The elevation and windage adjustments can be made by 1?4 MOA finger Custom Dial System, which gives improved precision while making it easy to use. The lightweight 1-inch tube also makes the scope well fit for outdoor shoots. Carrying around a large scope is never fun. But if you think that a heavy material shouts durability, then you are wrong. Cause this lightweight scope is made out of 6061 T6 Aluminium, which is one of the most durable alloys. Furthermore, the scope is purged with Argon, thereby making it water and fog proof. It also has military-level scratch resistance qualities.

There is very little that differs between the Leupold VX 3i and the VX Freedom, but before we go into that, let us just brief through what the scope has to offer. To start with, like any other Leupold scopes, VX Freedom is highly durable. It works well with 308, all thanks to the good quality optics and efficient performance.

With an objective lens of diameter 20mm, the scope transmits sufficient light. The Twilight light management system adds to this and makes it possible for you to shoot in even low light surroundings. Then comes the reticle features. This second focal plane reticle is best suited for accurate shots.

Other features that make the scope the hunter’s favorite is its ease to use and durability. Though made of one of the strongest alloy, 6061 T6 Aluminum, the one-inch tubed scope is lightweight and easy to carry around. It is further made waterproof, fog proof, and shockproof. It also has a scratch-resistant coating on the objective lens. Like the VX 3i, it also has easy to adjust finger click dials for windage and elevation adjustments.

Keeping all similarities aside, the VX 3i has been a tad bit more popular than VX Freedom. The first reason for this being VX 3i’s efficiency in the long-distance shooting. The VX Freedom has a magnification of 1.5-4x, which is lesser than the VX 3i. The same goes for the objective lens diameter. Though both scopes have high-quality optics, the overall winner in the field would be VX 3i. Yet, the Vx Freedom makes up for this through another feature – weight. The VX Freedom is lighter than VX 3i by almost 4oz. This makes it much easier to carry around and handle.

Huh? Isn’t that the same as the above? No. Don’t miss out on the AR feature cause that adds a lot of precision to your shot. This feature ensures that the scope is specially made for 223, 556, or 308. 308 being our choice of cartridge, how can we ignore a scope that will fit perfectly with the features we require. It works best if used with AR or Tactical Rifles.

Like the above product, This scope also has a 1.5-4x magnification range with a 20mm objective lens. The Twilight Light Management System and the scratch-resistant lens adds to the optical prowess of the scope. Though made of 6062 T6 Aluminium, the product has an ultra-lightweight design. It is also water, fog, and shock-resistant.

How much lighter can a scope get? You asked the right question cause this scope is one of the lightest in the market. Belonging to the Ultralight series of Leupold scopes, this one is the only fixed scope. Fixed at a magnification range of 2.5x, it is best suited for short-mid range shooting. It’s ultralight nature also prefers a small, lightweight, small to mid-range rifle as its ally.

With a 20mm objective lens and a fully multi-coated with DaimondCoat lens, the scope brings in a lot of light, thereby adding to better image clarity and brightness. It has a wide duplex reticle placed in the Second Focal Plane. This adds to better precision in the shot.

Another appreciable feature is good eye relief. For a scope with a smaller eyepiece, the given eye relief of 4.9 inches is too lavish a measurement. This makes it easier for you to focus without causing pain and bruises.

Made of 6061 T6 alloys and filled with Nitrogen, the score is water, fog, and shock-resistant.

So what is the deal with this scope? Well, the VX Freedom with 3-9x magnification is the most affordable scope of the lot. Being cost-effective does not mean that the scope cut down on any features.

This scope has a magnification range that is a bit higher than the other two Freedom scopes that have been mentioned in this listicle. This makes it a better suitable rifle scope for long-range shooting. The 40mm scratch-resistant lens works well with 308 to give an excellent optical scope. It is also fitted with a Twilight Light Management system, which makes a low lit hunt as favorable as any other time.

Leupold does not compromise on the structure for this model as well, and hence it is made of 6061 T6 Aluminum. The scope is fog, water, and shock resistance.

Things to Look for While Purchasing the Best 308 Leupold Scope

As already mentioned, the 308 is ideally meant for short to mid-range shooting. To exemplify these characteristics or to extend this feature further towards farther distances, you need to choose a suitable scope. Other than the specific features discussed in the listicle, here are some factors to keep in mind before purchasing your 308 scope.

Optics

The first and foremost important thing for a scope is the optics. Within optics, there are two factors that you must consider, lens diameter and lens coating. The diameter, in its increment, heights the value of the light transmission. And the lens coating ensures better light absorption and later reduction.

Magnification

Magnification changes in accordance with the distance between you and the target. If the target is around 100 yards away, then you are doing the close-range shooting. For this target distance, a magnification scale of 1-6x is sufficient. For mid-range shooting where you and the target are displaced by 150 to 300 yards, a 6-9x magnification would suffice. For long-distance shooting where the target is more than 350 yards away from you, a magnification scale of 10x and above would be most suitable.

Durability

Factors that contribute to better longevity are the material of construction and the protective layers used. Though most Leupold scopes are made of the strongest Aluminium, this will not be sufficient. This will make the scope reliable but not protected. For this, you need Nitrogen/Argon filled tubes that make the scope fog and water-resistant. A good scratch-resistant coating on your lens would also be a good option.

Affordability

Different scopes take in different materials and specifications to be made use to a specific kind of buyer. More the specifications, the higher the price. Or os it is in most cases. SO keep an eye out for affordability. Meantime, do not conclude that a better price is equal to a better product.

Fit and Finish

In some cases, one way the manufacture cuts down on product price is by using cheaper alternatives for certain fittings and finishing touches. Like for example, they may use cheaper and weaker knobs or matte finishes. Keep an eye out for those while choosing the scope of your choice.

Conclusion:

There you go! That’s your buyer’s manual now. Read again and think about what you require from a scope, what your kind of shoot or hunt will be, and then choose accordingly.

While practice does make a man perfect, it will not guarantee him success. For this, you need the perfect pair up of a cartridge, rifle, and a scope. You probably have two down. It’s the last one to go – the ideal scope. Keep in mind the 308 cartridges. Tere are tow birds in your nest now. I hope you shoot both at a go. Happy Hunting!