If you have been introduced to Leupold’s range of optics then you wouldn’t doubt me saying that it is definitely the best quality optics in the market. Let’s check out Leupold VX 5HD Review but before let me tell you why I love Leupold.
Leupold takes into consideration even the minutest detail before manufacturing a scope. And add to it their consistency in quality. You can rest assured that your scope is definitely the best. Being placed in America is also an added advantage to this optics manufacturing company. Being so close to the live and active market that rifles and scopes have in America and being able to deal with them in close quarters gives Lupold the added advantage of knowing what will and will not sway in the market. Hence, your needs become their priorities.
That being said, what is the deal with the Leupold VX 5HD series? Most hunters crowd around this range due to its commendable optical quality. By this I mean two things in particular – lens clarity and low light viewing. There are very few scopes that will guarantee you that perfect combination of lightweight with strength alongside clarity with the low light shooting. Incidentally, our Leupold VX 5HD series falls into this category. All set to know more? Let us jump right in.
Leupold VX 5HD Review – 3-15x44mm CDS-ZL2 Side Focus Rifle Scope
Leupold scopes have a total of 7 products within the VX 5HD range. Of this, there are two devices that are CDS-ZL2 bestowed. One is of 3-15×44 mm and the other of 4-20×52 mm. By comparing the two, you would have realized that the latter is more expensive than the former. Let us not get into the latter, as our product at hand is the first one – Leupold VX 5HD 3-15x44mm CDS-ZL2 Side Focus Rifle Scope. Read on for an in-depth dissection.
Optics:
You would have already heard an umpteen number of hunters tell you that this VX 5HD is a great scope if you are looking for good quality optics. Let us see why. To start with, the scope has a 44mm objective lens. That is undoubtedly big. And you know what a big lens means, right? Bigger the lens, better the light that is transmitted into the scope. Thus, the image of the target will be clear and bright.
What else? You would have already figured out from the name that the scope is 5HD or has an ultra-high-definition lens. There is no compromise for clarity with this one. This objective lens is fully multi-coated and hence increases the transmission of light, reduced glare, and also gives you better color retention. Blue and red colors are retained with much more intensity than others since they might be easier to be detected by the human eye and also since they dominate a hunting scenario.
The Guard-Ion Lens Coating that the lens is bestowed with is an extra layer of protection. This works specifically against water and dirt and ensures that the lens is rid of both. Hence the image will be retained as clear and crisp. Further, the blackened lens edges ensure that your field of view is not compromised in terms of vision or clarity.
I am yet to tell you the best part. This scope comes with a Twilight Max Light Adjustment System. Now, what exactly is that for? This feature is essentially meant to tackle low light conditions. It eliminated 90 percent of glare producing stray light and gives you optimum edge-to-edge lens clarity. If that isn’t enough, the Twilight Max Light Management System will give you 20 minutes of extra shooting time when under low light conditions or when your battery fails you. You can’t say no to that!
In addition to all this, the lens is technically lead-free. So what, you ask? Lead-free lens glass gives you two benefits. One, the scope becomes environment friendly since no nature damaging element is used in its production. And second thing is that it makes the scope lightweight. Instead of lead, the lens is made of carbon-fluoride which is lightweight.
Now moving on to the reticle, the scope has a Rear Focal Plane Illuminated FireDot reticle placed in the Second Focal Plane. Let us separately go into the two aspects there. An illuminated Firedot is best used for aiming well. It lets you aim in low light by providing an illuminated red dot at the center of the crosshairs. The Rear Focal Plane reticle basically means that the crosshairs are minimal as well as thin. You can change the sub-tensions with the zoom. Nevertheless, one thing is sure, even the smallest target from the farthest distance will not be missed by the reticle. And never will the crosshairs cover or hide the target.
Overall, this Leupold VX 5HD scope has the best mix of a great lens and a great reticle by keeping a common ground of low light shooting as the shared need of the hour.
Range and Magnification:
As evident, the scope has a range that is best suited for mid and long-range shooting. This means that it serves the purpose of shooting down a target within a range of 300 to 600 yards efficiently. This Leupold VX 5HD scope has a magnification range between 3-15x. This 5:1 zoom ration gives you a wider field of view and also a better power at higher magnifications.
Adjustments:
What is the use of all these amazing features if the adjustments are not of the top class? Well, we needn’t worry about that either, Leupold has it all covered.
Firstly, the windage and elevation turrets are smooth and on point. They are easy to adjust and have tactile and audible clicks. The CDS-ZL2 is included in its product description in another set of quality features. The CDS Dial system is a custom dial mechanism that lets you enter your ballistic details and therefore make a customized, clean shot. These readings will be rendered on the MOA scale.
Basically, you just have to dial in specifications like your hunting rifle and hunting scope type, hunting conditions, bullet caliber, average elevation, temperature, muzzle velocity, and so on, and then the CDS Dial System helps mark the shot for you. Customized, automatic, and perfect! The ZL2 is basically a zero lock feature. This lock feature basically gives you two rotations of adjustments. One, specifically for zeroing in and the other for the rest of the measurements. This way you will be locked-in efficiently and no accidental changes will be made to the measurements.
Beyond these, the scope has finger-tip buttons to adjust the brightness of the reticle. It is bestowed with a fast-focus eyepiece and a side focus parallax adjustment. Further, it has a generous eye box. The eye relief at the highest magnification is at 3.82 and at 3.7 in the lowest. Overall, this Leupold VX 5HD scope zeroes in perfectly, adjust efficiently, and is parallax free.
Structure:
If there is one thing that you can blindly trust Leupold on it is its durability. The scope is molded into a perfect structure that you need not worry about anything else. This Leupold VX 5HD scope is built of 6061 T6 Aluminium. that is the kinda alloy used to make boats! Need I even tell you how strong that would be! Further, the scope is sealed with Argon or Krypton. This has benefits of making the scope both waterproofed and shock proofed. This 2nd Generation Argon or Krypton proofing eliminates thermal shock.
The Leupold VX 5HD scope is small, lightweight, and compact. It weighs around 19 oz. The scope makes use of a CR3032 battery. This is fitted with a motion sensor technology. This way you need not take the extra effort of turning the scope on and off. Five minutes of inactivity will turn the scope off. Hence you will get extended battery life. And touch on the buttons or dials wakes it back up. Sweet and simple.
Leupold even gives you the best Warranty deal on this scope. This deals extend to repairs or replaces on any defects. No conditions attached. No need to provide ownership proof, no time limit. Nothing but the best quality Leupold service. Wow!
Compatibility:
Since the scope has so many features attached to its baggage, there is very little to think about in terms of compatibility. Any regular hunting rifle or any high caliber hunting rifle would fit fine. Its shock resistance and lightweight nature give you the advantage of attaching a scope of high power as well as lightweight rifles.
Since you’ve almost finished reading Leupold VX 5HD Review, why don’t you check out Best Scopes for Elk Hunting. It contains one of my favorite Leupold scope.
Pros
Cons
FAQ
Leupold VX 5HD or Leupold VX 6HD
There are many similarities between the Leupold VX 5HD and the Leupold VX 6HD. So much that it is better to just mention the differences. Firstly, the difference is in the zoom ration. The 5:1 ratio for VX 5HD is improved for VX 6HD, which becomes 6:1. The VX 6HD has extra features like an extra reticle lever and a reversible throw lever for magnification adjustments. Another factor that needs to be mentioned is that Leupold VX 6HD will undoubtedly cost you more than the other. Nevertheless, things like lens quality, illuminated reticle, precision adjustments, side focus parallax, and many other features remain the same for all Leupold VX models.
Conclusion
I hope this review on the Leupold VX 5HD was a fruitful one. I wouldn’t be surprised if you quickly opened another tab and carted a Leupold hunting scope for yourself. For how long can we resist the best! Go and get your self this wonderful Leupold scope and don’t forget to give us a shoutout. Happy Hunting to you!