Leupold BR-36X-D

H

henrya

Guest
Without this turning into a "all current benchrest scopes are horribly flawed thread" I'd like some opinions from users of the Leupold BR-36X-D series of scopes.

I like that its not too heavy, will fit my current 1" rings, has a locking parallax adjustment and (I assume) it has 1/8" clicks.

My question: is there any reason not to buy a nice used factory stock version of the Leupold BR-36X-D for my .30 BR for score shooting?
 
There are good Leupold BR-D scopes and there are bad ones.
For the most part they are excellent scopes and don't be afraid to own one.
 
No reason at all

I'm not sure they are 1/8 clicks but they are probably as good as any other scope of that vintage. At least there is a place in the USA that will repair it if it goes wrong.

Not everyone is going to embrace frozen scopes. I was hesitant until I acquired some. Now that I have them, I wouldn't be without them. We score shooters still need an adjustable mount that will give us a click refererence but it is no problem at all to simply move the reticle to the bullet hole and very easy to make minor corrections as necessary.
 
Henrya

Either a Leupold 36x BR or a BR-D will do fine if you are not going the frozen route.
Since I have worked on both, and know them inside and out, I can say with confidence that the 'improvements" that Leupold made in the "D" model did nothing to address the basic problem with the Leupold 36x design. That being, the erector tube pivot can become "unloaded' uopn recoil, and not return to the exact same spot every time. (we are talking about tenths of a thousanth inch here). What Leupold did with the "D" model was add a forked spring to replace the arch spring in the earlier models, and decreased the erector tube diameter to accomodate that spring assy. Since the spring was never the problem, the new design is no "better" or "worse", than the previous model.
The 36X Leupolds have 1/4 clicks. They still have some of the best glass you will ever look through, are the lightest offerring available, and have that great warranty, regardless of how many times it has past hands.
In my opinion,the 36x is a better design than the Competition Series. What Leupold should have done was just upped the power on the 36, and figured out a way to stabilize the erector tube pivot so it could not shift.
There is little else in there that can go wrong under normal conditions........jackie
 
They tell me that the Leupy has far better optics but after looking through all the floaters and 1/4" of corrective lens I can't tell the difference between my Leupolds and Weavers.

Re: 1/8" clicks; My grand total improved dramatically when I quit trying to make the rifle shoot to the crosshair and just started holding off for all shots. As long as my poa is somewhere in the mothball it is acceptable. At the last match when I had all green on the flags a hold at about 4 o'clock just inside the mothball would usually get an X.
 
clicks and hold-offs

I'm shooting a 20x Leupold now - its bright and clear. And I'm pretty sure I may not be able to make the fine repeatable hold-offs I think I could with higher power. I think that 1/8 clicks would be preferable. I only click between yardages so I'm not chasing holes with the turrets.

It might be that more power lets me make the hold-offs as needed just because I can actually see them clearly. I would love to start out my day with an absolute dead zero on the X. With 1/4 clicks I'm never quite there. Comments on these thoughts are encouraged too.

I am choosing to be budget constrained and might end up with a Weaver 36X yet. But as a professional photographer I know what good glass is and what is crap. I don't think I can stand looking through crap for long. It might be I should take to heart the old adage "buy the best and only cry once" - but I'm trying not to.
 
Just sell the 20x and then the step up to a 36x is not much money. Your scores will definitely improve with the extra magnification.

At the last event in 07 I just happened to click the scope to a dead on condition at 200 and ended up with 250-13X. When we swapped over to 100 yds I wanted the same dead on poa and wasted time and focus on the first 2 targets. I then just started holding off and scored better on the last 3 targets. The low x count on the first 2 killed me on the 100 yd segment [ along with a 9 :rolleyes:]. After shooting the 13x at 200 I only got 14x at 100:confused:.

Our first score match in 08 I shot a 20x at 100 holding off every shot and not wasting focus on clicking the turrets.
 
henrya said:
Without this turning into a "all current benchrest scopes are horribly flawed thread" I'd like some opinions from users of the Leupold BR-36X-D series of scopes.

I like that its not too heavy, will fit my current 1" rings, has a locking parallax adjustment and (I assume) it has 1/8" clicks.

My question: is there any reason not to buy a nice used factory stock version of the Leupold BR-36X-D for my .30 BR for score shooting?
Click to expand...

That scope has 1/4 moa clicks at least it did when it came from factory , still a very good scope for any kind of benchrest shooting.
 
Francis

I recently "coverted" my LV 30PPC Score Rifle into a HV by filling the hollow SG&Y Millenium-X stock full of "flexane",and adding a big NXS 12-42 Nightforce..
I have no idea what Nightforce advertises the click value at on that scope to be, but when you click it once, the cross hairs go 2/3 the way accross the mothball.
I just pick an aiming point and stick with it,holding offfrom thereif the need arises.

By the way, Francis. You are really showing your age. Just as watches no longer have "hands", radios no longer have a dial with a marker moved by a knob with which you could actually fine tune in a station with, such as the one you probably had in your '53 Mercury. I think there was a thing called a variable capacitor in there that did this.
You see, Francis, there has in recent years been invented this thing called "electronics". It seems that these new fangled little Electrons have taken over just about everything.
Heck, there is a rumor floating around that soon, they will have a telephone that does not use a cable plugged into the wall.
Will wonders ever cease..........jackie
 
Nightforce NXS has 1/4 clicks.

Nightforce BR has 1/8 clicks
 
higher power and hold-offs

I can only assume that higher power is going to let me see a hold that gets the job done. I will have to say that having a basic zero is a fundamental in almost any other shooting sport I've participated in. I understand what Francis is saying and I am already a firm believer in holding off as I stated previously. But if I'm buying something new I'd have to pick 1/8 over 1/4 - why not?

Of course I was (I think) the only person holding my rifle at the match last week. And no joystick for me. Someone even commented on my old Wichita rest - told me where I could get get a good modern rest. All this new fangled stuff........... its come a long way from a stack of sandbags.

Heck, I'm going to have to go shoot with the real men in Hunter Class but I hear they use girlysticks too.

:D:D:D:D
 
Hah!!

George you had as many Xs at 200 as anyone there! And 3rd place to go with 'em. I wasn't getting Xs at 100. I shot all around 'em.
 
george in KY said:
at lest you got a 250 at 100 ! i drop't a ponit high right ...right where i was holding LOL i hate hit'n where i aim !
Click to expand...

George, back in Dec I had a 49-4x at 100 :eek: The dropped point came on the 5th shot and I was expecting another X :eek::eek:. The really funny thing is that it didn't make any difference in the overall standings. I would have still finished 3rd with a 500.
 
Not everyone is going to embrace frozen scopes. I was hesitant until I acquired some. Now that I have them, I wouldn't be without them. We score shooters still need an adjustable mount that will give us a click refererence but it is no problem at all to simply move the reticle to the bullet hole and very easy to make minor corrections as necessary.
Click to expand...

A click external would be sweet - along with a factory scope with no elevation or windage... It's late and I must be dreaming.

Tony Carpenter
 
Tony,

if I understand you correctly, you are not dreaming.

Bob Brackney's frozen scope set up has MICROMETERS for windage and elevation which are external of the mounting rings.
 
I'm not sure why...

Edwin D said:
Tony,

if I understand you correctly, you are not dreaming.

Bob Brackney's frozen scope set up has MICROMETERS for windage and elevation which are external of the mounting rings.
Click to expand...

folks get hung up on having clicks in their windage and elevation knobs with these Brackney mounts. Doesn't anyone realize that the clicks may not be true and may not allow for the fine adjustment that a simple screw thread does. I guess there must be a lot of hammer fisted shooters out there? :)
 
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