Description
Rifle Scope Product Details
Leupold VX-5HD 4-20x52mm Side Focus Riflescope
Rifle Scope Product Features
Model #171700 – VX-5HD 4-20x52mm with T-MOA reticle and Matte finish
100% Waterproof, fogproof, and shockproof.
ZeroLock CDS-ZL2 (Custom Dial System) – Simplifies longer shots by eliminating the need for holdovers or ballistic calculations by using a dial that is customized to your rifle and ammo
Twilight Max HD Light Management system – Adds up to 30 minutes of shooting light, best in class glare reduction, and edge to edge HD lens clarity
A powerful 5:1 zoom ratio delivers a wide magnification range for excellent versatility in multiple environments
VX-5HD 4-20x52mm
Magnification Range: 4x-20x
Weight: 23.5 oz.
Length: 14.7 in.
Maintube Diameter: 34mm
Eye Relief (in) – Low: 3.7
Eye Relief (in) – High: 3.8
Linear FOV (ft/100 yd) – Low: 28.4
Linear FOV (ft/100 yd) – High: 7.7
Leupold VX-5HD
Relentless Performance
The VX-5HD 4-20×52 may just be that sweet spot you’ve been looking for in magnification ranges. Low enough magnification to get the job done in densely wooded areas but with the horse power at the top-end to make accurate shots at long range distances. Plus the low-profile CDS-ZL2 provides precise adjustments with the security of a push-button lock, and 2 revolutions of adjustment.
Lightweight, rugged performance
Unparalleled low light performance
Designed, machined, & assembled in the USA
Twilight Max HD Light Management System
Representing the pinnacle of our in-house lens design, the Twilight Max HD systemis built to deliver unbelieveable image quality in the harshest of lighting conditions.
Twilight Max HD Light Management System
Free CDS Elevation Dial
Designed, Machined, & Assembled in the USA
Rugged Reliability
Proprietary gas blend and seals are tested by us to a 33-foot depth and a multitude of pressure changes.
Every Leupold riflescope is designed to survive a minimum of 5,000 impacts on the Punisher, Leupold’s recoil simulation machine. The force of each impact is 3x the recoil of a .308 rifle.
All Leupold riflescopes are tested by us to perform from -40F to 160F.
VX-Freedom VX-R VX-3i VX-5HD VX-6HD
Light Management System Twilight Twilight Twilight Max Twilight Max HD Twilight Max HD
Maintube Size 1 inch 30mm 1 inch, 30mm 30mm, 34mm 30mm, 34mm
Zoom Ratio 3:1 3:1 3:1 5:1 6:1
HD Glass No No No Yes Yes
About the Leupold Scope Maker
Leupold is a premium maker for weapon scopes, optics, mounting solutions, and other components used for guns like rifles and long guns. They design and make their products by making the most of elements which are long lasting and durable. This includes the Leupold VX-5HD 4-20x52mm Side Focus Riflescope by Leupold. For additional shooting goods, visit their website.
What You Need to Know About Rifle Optics
Rifle scopes permit you to precisely aim a rifle at different targets by lining up your eye with the target over a range. They accomplish this through zoom by using a set of lenses within the scope. The scope’s alignment can be adapted for the consideration of separate natural factors like wind speed and elevation decreases to account for bullet drop.
The scope’s purpose is to help the shooter understand precisely where the bullet will land based upon the sight picture you are viewing via the optic as you line up the scope’s crosshair or reticle with the target. Most modern rifle scopes and optics have around 11 parts which are arranged internally and externally on the scope body. These parts include the rifle scope’s body, lenses, windage and elevation turrets, objective focus rings, and other components. Learn about the eleven parts of rifle scopes.
Rifle Glass Types
Rifle scopes can be either “first focal plane” or “second focal plane” type of scopes. Finding the optimal type of rifle glass is based on what type of shooting you plan to do.
First Focal Plane Glass
Focal plane scopes (FFP) feature the reticle in front of the magnification lens. These types of scopes are helpful for:
- Quick acquisition, long distance types of shooting
- Shooting situations where computations are low
- Experienced shooters who understand their target “hold over” plus “lead” equations for their firearms
- Shooters who don’t mind the reticle is bigger and uses up more visual sight area than a SFP reticle
Second Focal Plane Optic Info
Second focal plane glass (SFP) come with the reticle to the rear of the magnification lens. This triggers the reticle to stay at the exact same dimensions in connection with the amount of magnification being used. The effect is that the reticle dimensions shift based on the zoom applied to shoot over greater distances considering the reticle measurements present distinct increments which fluctuate with the magnification level. In the FFP example with the SFP glass, the 5x “zoom” one hundred yard tick measurement would be 1/5th of the non “zoom” tick. These particular styles of glass work for:
- Far away kinds of shooting where shooters have extra time to make ballistic estimations
- Shooting where most shots happen within shorter spaces and ranges
- Shooters who choose a clearer optic sight picture without room used up by the larger size FFP reticle
Rifle Glass Magnification
The amount of zoom a scope supplies is figured out by the diameter, density, and curvatures of the lenses inside of the rifle scope. The magnification of the scope is the “power” of the scope.
About Fixed Power Lens Glass
A single power rifle optic and scope will have a magnification number designator like 4×32. This means the zoom power of the scope is 4x power while the objective lens is 32mm. The zoom of this type of scope can not change since it is a fixed power scope.
Adjustable Power Lens Glass
Variable power rifle scopes can be changed between magnification power levels. These types of scopes will list the magnification degree in a format such as 2-10×32. These numbers mean the zoom of the scope can be set between 2x and 10x power. This always incorporates the power levels in-between 2 and 10. The power shift is achieved by applying the power ring component of the scope near the rear of the scope by the eye bell piece.
Rifle Optic Power Level and Ranges
Here are some suggested scope power levels and the ranges where they may be efficiently used. Remember that high magnification scopes will not be as effective as lower powered optics since too much magnification can be a negative thing in certain situations. The same idea applies to extended distances where the shooter needs sufficient power to see where to properly aim the rifle at the target.
Details on Lens Coverings
All contemporary rifle scope lenses are covered in special coatings. There are different types and qualities of glass lens coatings. Lens finish is an important aspect of a rifle when thinking of high-end rifle optics and targeting equipment. The glass lenses are among the most essential pieces of the scope considering that they are what your eye looks through while sighting a rifle in on the target. The coating on the lenses offers protection to the lens surface and also improves anti glare from refracted light and color discernibility.
HD Versus ED Glass Lens Coatings
Some rifle glass makers even use “HD” or high-definition lense coverings which apply various processes, polarizations, rare earth compounds, and elements to draw out separate colors and viewable target visibility through lenses. This high-definition finishing is normally used with greater density glass which decreases light’s ability to refract by means of the lens glass. Some scope corporations use “HD” to describe “ED” suggesting extra-low dispersion glass. ED handles how certain colors are represented on the chroma spectrum and the chromatic aberration or deviance which is similarly called color distortion or fringing. Chromatic aberration can be obvious over things with hard shapes as light hits the object from various angles.
Single Rifle Optic Lens Covering Versus Multi-Coating
Different optic lenses can also have different finishes applied to them. All lenses generally have at least some type of treatment or covering applied to them prior to being used in a rifle scope or optic.
This lens treatment can offer protection to the lens from scratches while minimizing glare and other less useful things experienced in the shooting environment while sighting in with the scope. The quality of a single covered lens depends on the scope producer and how much you paid for it.
Some scope manufacturers also make it a point to specify if their optic lenses are covered or “multi” coated. Being “much better” depends on the manufacturer’s lens treatment technology and the quality of materials used in developing the rifle scope.
About Anti-water Finishing
Water on a lens doesn’t assist with keeping a clear sight picture through a scope at all. Lots of top of the line and military grade optic companies will coat their lenses with a hydrophilic or hydrophobic finish.
Scope Mounting Choices
Installing solutions for scopes come in a couple of choices. There are the basic scope rings which are individually installed to the optic and one-piece scope mounts which cradle the scope. These various types of mounts also generally can be found in quick release variations which use toss levers which allow rifle shooters to quickly mount and dismount the glass.
Hex Key Glass Rings
Standard, clamp-on type mounting scope rings use hex head screws to fix to the flattop style Picatinny scope mount rails on the tops of rifles. These kinds of scope mounts use a pair of separate rings to support the scope, and are normally constructed from 7075 T6 billet aluminum which are manufactured for long distance accuracy shooting. This form of scope mount is excellent for rifle systems which require a resilient, hard use mount which will not shift regardless of how much the scope is moved about or abuse the rifle takes. These are the design of mounts you should have for a specialized optics system on a far away hunting or competitors long gun that will hardly ever need to be modified or recalibrated. Blue 242 Loctite threadlocker can also be used to protect against the hex screw threads from backing out after they are mounted tightly in place. An example of these mounting rings are the 30mm type from Vortex Optics. The set generally costs around $200 USD
Optic Mounts with Quick-Release Cantilever Rings
These types of quick-release rifle scope mounts can be used to rapidly take off a scope and attach it to a different rifle. Multiple scopes can also be switched out if they all use a similar style mount. These types of mounts are convenient for rifle platforms which are transported a lot, to remove the optic from the rifle for protection, or for scopes which are used in between several rifles.
Optic Tube Sealing and Gas Purging
Wetness inside your rifle scope can ruin a day on the range and your costly optic by resulting in fogging and making residue within the scope tube. Most scopes protect against wetness from getting in the optical tube with a system of sealing O-rings which are waterproof. Typically, these water-resistant scopes can be immersed underneath 20 or 30 feet of water before the water pressure can force moisture past the O-rings. This should be plenty of humidity prevention for basic use rifles for hunting and sporting purposes, unless you intend on taking your rifle on a boat and are worried about the scope still performing if it goes overboard and you can still find the rifle.
Scope Gas Purging
Another part of avoiding the buildup of moisture inside of the rifle optic tube is filling the tube with a gas like nitrogen. Considering that this area is already occupied by the gas, the glass is less altered by condition changes and pressure differences from the outdoor environment which may potentially enable water vapor to seep in around the seals to fill the void which would otherwise exist. These are good qualities of a good rifle scope to seek out.
