Valdada 36X - To-date summary

[Dave Short]

I'd appreciate hearing input on the Valdada now that it's been out there a while longer. Issues of concern like POI shift, number of rounds fired without issues/before issues arose, sensitivity to rings used, warranty/service experiences, and overall impression of the scope would be a great help to anyone considering one.
TIA all,
Dave

 

[JDMock]

I have shot the Valdada 36X on a 6 PPC,30 BR, & 6mm Dasher switch barrel BAT for the last 7 seasons. I have it mounted in Kelbly rings. It is one of the best, if not the best, scope that I have ever used. I have never experienced a POI shift and the adjustments are spot on. Mine is the older model and is a little heavier than the current ones. I can endorse this scope without reservation. James Mock

 

[Dave Short]

James, I've read your review on it, but I didn't realize it was seven years ago. Roughly how many rounds would you say you've put under it since it was new? How many of them were the BR-based cartridges?
Thanks,
Dave

 

[JDMock]

I have put thousands of rounds through the rifle with the Valdada attached. Most in 2010 were with a 6 PPC, but since I have cut way back in group shooting in the last couple years, I shoot the 6mm Dasher. We have a monthly 600 yard match and I fire about 40 rounds per match. Good shooting...James

 

[jackie schmidt]

Dave, I have been shooting 36x Valdada's on both my 6PPC and 30BR for two seasons. Not that many matches with the 6, but the 30BR a lot.

No issues.

 

[Dave Short]

Thanks guys. I like the fact that you haven't had any issues with them while shooting what sounds like quite a few rounds. The only one in my circle that has one likes his, but has only fired a few hundred rounds of PPC under it. The only remaining concerns I have are that you don't see very many in match reports and that I haven't been able to find anything regarding experiences with warranty/service. I guess the latter is a good thing though, lol.

Jackie, was there one on your 30 when you shot your recent 25X match?

Thanks,
Dave

 

[glp]

Hi Dave,

I'm wondering if the 36X max magnification is a deal breaker with lots of folks. If you look at the March and NightForce scopes in match reports many are 50X or variables that go to 55 or 60X. Seems most are looking for more magnification on the theory that it helps them refine an aiming point. I'm considering a new internal adjust scope and am in a quandary over 1) magnification and 2) reliability in holding POI and a good warranty given their cost. My 67 year old eyes seem to be begging for more X. --Greg

 

[jackie schmidt]

Yes. I have shot around fifteen 100 yard aggs this year in VFS with my 30BR, and my average is running 21 X's. I would think that would require a rock solid scope.

The one complaint I have is the reticle is a little thick. But you get used to it.

 

[Dave Short]

GLP, I know what you're going through in determining which of the current scopes is going to hold POI reliably for a reasonable number of rounds and have rock-solid warranty service if (more like when) it goes away on you. As you probably know, I've shot Weavers almost exclusively since I got one out of the first shipment in 1995. They've been remarkably reliable over the years, but i have had two give up. Even though they were aging, I'm concerned that they both failed on 30BR's.....seems that they might not be up to handling the 30BR recoil in relatively large quantities. Even as my eyes have aged I'm still happy with the 36X, although I fully acknowledge the vast majority have gone to at least 42X.
Jackie, your experience with the Valdada that you've shared is a pretty convincing testimony to their quality, as is the fact that a shooter of your stature would keep it on a rifle and put your confidence in it.
Fortunately, my friend who has a Valdada saw this thread and offered to allow me to mount his and shoot it to see how I like it. It turns out that he had pulled it off a few days ago to experiment with another scope. I'd still like to hear from someone who has had to send one in for warranty service......could it be that none have developed a problem yet?
Thanks all,
Dave

 

[skeetlee]

I have one on a ppc. I wish mine had a little better glass. I get a lot of refection while looking through the glass. I also wish they had a little more magnification.
I haven't been shooting mine long so I cant really add anything else. Lee

 

[R.G. Robinett]

I'm wondering if the 36X max magnification is a deal breaker with lots of folks. If you look at the March and NightForce scopes in match reports many are 50X or variables that go to 55 or 60X. Seems most are looking for more magnification on the theory that it helps them refine an aiming point. I'm considering a new internal adjust scope and am in a quandary over 1) magnification and 2) reliability in holding POI and a good warranty given their cost. My 67 year old eyes seem to be begging for more X. --Greg

Greg, I'm the opposite - I was holding out, hoping that NF would see the light and make a 30-35x fixed - as soon as they announced the 42X, I purchased a pair of Valdada 36, and have been very pleased with them. That 6x difference adds up to almost a 25% smaller field of view for the 42x. RG

 

[Wilbur]

Doesn't matter much how clear or how sharp a scope is if it wanders. The ability to hold point of aim/impact trumps all other factors. The Valdata seems to do that pretty good based on match results.

While I'm writing this I need to add a little something...50 power is simply not necessary for 100/200/300 Benchrest shooting. I would say for any Benchrest shooting but I don't know much about the longer ranges. "Not necessary" is a bit inconclusive so I'll add that I think anything greater than...say...40 power...is more harm than good. There's wind blowing out there that kills any need to see "closer". I'll also mention that if you think you really need 50X...you ain't doing it right.

 

[CMaier]

The 15-55x nf is very common in 600-1000 br.
Short range i have little exper,
but i did put a 12-42nf on my 30br.
My problem is that because of my eye issues,
1in tubes do not work well at 100.

Doesn't matter much how clear or how sharp a scope is if it wanders. The ability to hold point of aim/impact trumps all other factors. The Valdata seems to do that pretty good based on match results.

While I'm writing this I need to add a little something...50 power is simply not necessary for 100/200/300 Benchrest shooting. I would say for any Benchrest shooting but I don't know much about the longer ranges. "Not necessary" is a bit inconclusive so I'll add that I think anything greater than...say...40 power...is more harm than good. There's wind blowing out there that kills any need to see "closer". I'll also mention that if you think you really need 50X...you ain't doing it right.

 

[mks]

... if you think you really need 50X...you ain't doing it right.

You are probably right. All I know is that when I got a new (to me) variable capable of more than 45X, I initially set it to no higher than 45 just because that it what I was accustomed to. Then one match I set it to 55X by mistake and shot a 24X at 100 yards. Now, the only reason it gets set below 55X is mirage. Aim small, miss small.

 

[Dave Short]

This evening I mounted the Valdada and fired about 15 "leftover" rounds just before dark. My intentions were to get it clicked in and get a basic feel for it. The first thing to stand out was the ocular focus. It is coarse enough that I could see the reticle come into focus and go back out all in the same twist.......no winding it around and around; just a quick adjustment that resulted in a razor sharp reticle. The parallax adjustment was just as sure. I was able to null out the parallax completely while ending up with a perfect focus. The adjustments are crisp and stop sure without any tendency to pass up the intended stopping point. The amount of reticle movement is true, and I didn't see any tendency to "settle in" upon firing. POI seemed rock solid.....2 clicks in each direction produced about a bullet hole of movement on the first shot after the adjustment. In a nutshell, I'm impressed. I'm anxious to sit down and really wring this thing out.

Dave

 

[R.G. Robinett]

This evening I mounted the Valdada and fired about 15 "leftover" rounds just before dark. My intentions were to get it clicked in and get a basic feel for it. The first thing to stand out was the ocular focus. It is coarse enough that I could see the reticle come into focus and go back out all in the same twist.......no winding it around and around; just a quick adjustment that resulted in a razor sharp reticle. The parallax adjustment was just as sure. I was able to null out the parallax completely while ending up with a perfect focus. The adjustments are crisp and stop sure without any tendency to pass up the intended stopping point. The amount of reticle movement is true, and I didn't see any tendency to "settle in" upon firing. POI seemed rock solid.....2 clicks in each direction produced about a bullet hole of movement on the first shot after the adjustment. In a nutshell, I'm impressed. I'm anxious to sit down and really wring this thing out.

Dave

Mirrors my limited experience (one season). I did correct my previous post, to 30-35X, not a 3-35 variable, as may have been supposed via my typo. I cannot argue with what works for others - I desire nothing in excess of 36x, which works quite well for me. RG

 

[Steve Lee]

I have two Valdada crosshair reticule scopes and they are absolutely solid on holding POI. When flags get crazy I occasionally have to shoot a sighter and click over to get POI close so I can hold off to save a group. I absolutely trust the Valdada to do this without POI shift.

My newest Valdada suffered a "loose nut behind the trigger" accident when I forgot to tighten the rings on the bases. Brand new scope slid off the bases and hit concrete at my feet. The eyepiece has a nasty dent on the edge, but the scope works just fine...try doing that with any other scope on the market.

I bought a March 36-55 variable and although it holds POI just fine it is always just a tad fuzzy.

I've heard rumors that Valdada may be working on a 42 or 45 power model...hope that rumor is true because I do like having a bit more power.

Steve

 

[Boyd Allen]

Addressing the 36X issue... some time back, wanting to try an auxiliary lens on my 36X B&L but not enough to pay the rate, I discovered that I could use NOS closeup lenses (Tiffen) that cost about $20 (Ebay) for a set, to achieve the same effect. The one that I use is a +2 diopter, that I estimate increases magnification by 20%. It magnifies the entire field of view and the reticle. Other shooters have told me that the view with the lens closely resembles that of their 45X Leupolds. A couple of my friends, and one of their friends use this same setup and report that it is working well for them. The size that we have used is 37mm which has required making a slip on adapter for 36X Leupolds, but which screws directly onto my B&Ls, as well as some models of March scopes. The lenses shorten the focal length of the eyepiece, requiring that it be screwed forward on the scope to bring the reticle into focus, and shortening eye relief slightly. Because of the normal position of my eyepieces, a function of my nearsightedness and glasses, the strongest of the set that I could use was +2. I gave a friend the +3 from my set to use on his scope because he had more room to focus his eyepiece forward. My B&Ls have excellent optics, that actually improve with the addition of the lenses (for my vision). My purpose in mentioning all of this is to offer a possible solution for those who would like to have the advantages of the IOR scope but would also like to have more magnification.

 

[Stilesville204]

Is the Valdada better at holding POI than the Weaver Micro-Track, or just better optically ?

Robert

 

[Jim Pag]

Is the Valdada better at holding POI than the Weaver Micro-Track, or just better optically ?

Robert

Both. The Valdada uses it own 7 layer coating with Schott glasswerks glass from Germany. As for as holding POI, the Valdada is rock solid. A Weaver just doesn't compare.