Leupold ''Freedom'' scopes

[Ithaca Gunner]

I read these are a combination/replacement for the VX I and VX II series of scopes and are as tough as any Leopold makes at a reasonable price. I'm looking for a good, but reasonable priced scope, ($500.00 or under) for my Ruger Hawkeye .338 Winchester Magnum and these caught my eye. I don't need a fancy lighted reticle with a bunch of hash marks, a simple duplex will do nicely and I don't even need or want adjustable parallax or fancy turrets. Just a simple scope with great glass, positive adjustments, a 1'' tube 40mm max objective lens that I can trust not to fall apart on a moderately heavy recoiling rifle with long eye relief.

Anybody here have experience with the Leupold Freedom scopes and what is your opinion of them? (clarity, brightness, contrast, and rugged reliability)

[ATCDoktor]

I recently purchased this one (VX Freedom 3X9X40 CDS with 1" tube):

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1020316114?pid=859800

Only reason I bought that specific model was that Midway had "blemished" models in stock and it was priced $50.00 off the regular price of $299.

I mounted it on a Henry Long Ranger chambered in .223 so I can't speak to its ruggedness with respect to recoil, but I can share that the glass is clear, bright, doesn't "fisheye" near the edge and the adjustments are tactile, responsive and repeatable.

Presently Midway is out of stock reference the blemished models (which hurts my feelings) because I should have bought two when they had them, but I was unfamiliar with their Freedom line, so caution got the better of me.

If you ask me, Leupold Freedom line is way better than the “lower end” Vortex models Diamondback/Crossfire/Vanquish (and I have several of all those models).

Granted, you pay more for the Leupold Freedom but I feel the quality (from my sample of one) is better.

Gratuitous pics of scope and rifle:

[cwlongshot]

I have a freedom dot that I really like.

https://youtube.com/shorts/kCMuBw3haI0?feature=share

[imashooter2]

I have 1.5-4x20s on 2 ARs. Both have the MOA ring reticles. Cross hairs are a little thick for pure target work, but easy to pick up otherwise. One has the fire dot with shake awake. It’s nice. Glass is clear. Light transmission is decent. Controls are easy. I like them.

[Milky Duck]

Ive got a 3x9x40 and yip its a goodun....as good as if not better than the old vx1

[BK7saum]

I have 2 or 3. For the money, i consider them a very good scope.

[hoodat]

I've recently been swapping and mounting scopes for both myself and some friends, and something I've noticed is how lightweight the old VariX II's are compared to the newer and more accessorized Vortex's we've been upgrading to.

For my standard carry rifle, a 270 Ruger M77, I'm gonna stick with the old Leupold 3x9 that it's had for years. I'mma have to look at these new ones y'all are talking about. jd

[stubshaft]

I put a 1.5-4X20 with MOA reticle on one of my mountain rifles (custom .270 IHMSA built on a Remington model 7 by Pac-Nor) and find it clear, bright and the adjustments are precise. Pretty much all I coould ask for in a scope.

[Ithaca Gunner]

Thanks for the reviews and opinions so far. When these first caught my eye, I thought maybe they were a second class line made who knows where, but the more I get to know, I think they're simply Leupold's old line of no frills scopes work scopes with a new name at a good price. My opinion anyway.

[yovinny]

I have a few, they've been excellent,, just like every other Leupold I've bought since the 70's.. In all those years and dozens of scopes, I've had to send exactly 2 in for free repair..
Leupold = USA made & warranted forever.. 5th generation 100+yr old family owned USA company.
Vortex = China made,, ( I've no idea of their warranty,, as I cant get past the china made for a few $$ less..)

[Jeff Michel]

Not impressed, I've used one, adjustments felt muddy with a variation in tension (tight/loose) in the turret knobs. Buddy of mine has one, turret fell off while doing initial sight in. I'd rather go the used market and pick up a VX-2 for the same or a bit more money. All Leupold products carry a lifetime guarantee so even if it doesn't function, they fix it.

[Tripplebeards]

I had a couple in a row new out of the box that wouldn’t adjust and then would make a magical leap way off and direction. If you don’t mind sending a unreliable scope back in for repair or replacement nonstop by one. Imo there are better brands then leupold out there. Leupold does have a top-notch customer service though I have to say. After having a couple in a row that failed out of the box they sent me 3 vx3i’s in a row with crosshair defects and the third one would not adjust and then magically do a 12” adjustment to the left or right without adjusting it out. Right out of the box again. They replaced it with a vx7! I finally went out and cited that scope in about a month ago and it went right to zero. Hopefully it doesn’t magically come out of adjustment like the other ones I lost all faith in Leupold after this. It was completely awesome they sent me a $900 scope to replace one that was in the mid twos… but from what I read the $900 scopes have the same adjustment lock up issues and coming out of adjustment. I have a lot of the older 2-7 VX1’s, 4.5-14 vx3’s, and vx1X’s 4.5-14’s, and a 4.5-14 target optic that I’ve never had an issue with. IMO the new ones aren’t reliable. Do some googling and you’ll find out a lot of them have a magical “ leupold leap” like the ones I kept sending him nonstop last year. Of course it’s not all of them but it sounds like quite a few had defects with quite a few models. Nothing I’d trust in the woods on a buck of a lifetime. I had an old VXII sent in twice because it kept coming out of adjustment and the coating came off the lens. The first time Leopold told me there was nothing wrong with the skull and I mounted it up took it out in the woods and shot a deer the day after I zeroed in at 100 yards and it shot 8 inches to the right. I ended up gut shooting the deer and finding it a few days later. I ended up gut shooting the deer and finding it a few days later. I hunted the rest of the week with a different gun and then took the one that shot 8 inches to the right to the range to confirm it. Sure enough the scope shifted. I took that scope off and it sat in my safe for a couple of seasons until I decided to send it back in last year and raise hell with it. They found a defect in it the second time in of course besides telling me that the lens coating was coming off like I told them to begin with the first time around. I think their customer service ethics have changed after Nikon and Vortex jumped ahead in sales. Hopefully their quality gets better. The glass on their optics are not as bright or crisp than my cheap Nikons. My economy pro staff and Monarchs are brighter and clearer than the VX7.

[imashooter2]

What incredible bad luck to get 5 Leupold scopes in a row that were junk. Almost unbelievable.

[doghawg]

My last three scope purchases were a VX Freedom 2X7 rimfire, an Ultralight FX-2.5X and an FX-3 6X. All have been outstanding. In around a half century of Leupold scopes I've only had to send one back and that was due to much use in several heavy recoiling rifles from back in my younger days. If there is any way to avoid sending more money to China that's the route I'll take.

[Walks]

Leopold screwed Me on a warranty replacement some years back. And on one of their cheap chinese spotting scopes that didn't show to be NOT MADE IN U.S.A. until I unpacked it at home.
They have become Dishonest.

[Tripplebeards]

What incredible bad luck to get 5 Leupold scopes in a row that were junk. Almost unbelievable.

That’s why they sent me a VX7 to replace a vx11. Think I paid $249/269 or or a little more for it back around 90’ for it. I set the original receipt in with it. It was equivalent to $564.00…or more, in todays value of the dollar. So the closest “dollar amount” was equivalent to a current vx3i. I also only wanted a plain old cross hair recital which was the “oddball” in their opinion. They cheaper freedoms, a 2-10 vx3i at the time. After 3 vx3i’s in a row being defective they upgraded me to the vx7. You would think a $550 retail optic would be checked over before leaving the factory. They have great customer service it’s just current product quality imo has gone WAY down the toilet. Imo they just coasting along on their long established name like “Harley Davidson” and “Cadillac” but hasn’t done anything as far as upgrading accept for saying they keep saying their “glass” keeps getting better coatings. I can tell you my prof staffs are brighter and clearer than my VX7 and leupold mark 4’s that cost 4 times more. I’m guessing their customer service is getting better because they’ve lost a lot of the market share to Nikon and Vortex over the past several years.

[TXCOONDOG]

I have many Leupold's, Nikon's and Vortex' (many other manufactures of high-end scopes and thermals). Sent a Nikon P22 back under warranty as the dial calibration was off and they fixed the problem, returned it and gave me a Prostaff 7 Bino's for the trouble. It's too bad Nikon no longer makes scopes.

I own a Vortex Viper HST, Viper PST and Razor HD and sent the HST in as the magnification adjustment ring was hard to turn in cold weather. Vortex fixed it and returned it under the warranty.

I own the Leupold Delta Point Pro, VX3, VXR, VX3HD, and many from the FREEDOM line. Never had to send a Leupold back and they all ride on a rack in my ATV. They've never lost zero and I also like dialing in my shots for 600 plus yds (steel targets) with no issues.

They have all worked in low light conditions (first and last light).

Good luck on whatever you decide!

[Ithaca Gunner]

After a lot of reading, digging through old and new reviews and first account reports of scopes, I found any brand can send out a faulty product from time to time, but that's to be expected. I like most people have my likes and dislikes, I like simple and rugged, but recent shooting brought to light that something not a sale point before that is now with failing vision is well marked and easy to read turrets. Through my poking around I found Nikon very well rated, way above their price point in fact, so Nikon Monarch is on my list, along with a Weaver Grand Slam, (I forgot how good Weaver was, I have one of their Japanese scopes and like it) and Leupold. For years I bought Burris, but their capped turrets are miserable to read, and they're not U.S.A. made anymore, so they're off my list. Those three, Nikon, Weaver, and Leupold are the ones who make what I want in a scope. There could be others, but they're priced above what I can pay, or they don't make a scope with a 1'' tube and features I want. Many are just too cluttered. It's a dog-gone shame Nikon and Weaver quit the game.

[Elpatoloco]

I think they are junk. I like a positive click on my scope adjustments. I'll take the older leupold scopes 8 days a week

[Shawlerbrook]

I agree with most of the above, my experience with the Leupold freedom/vx1,etc. has been very good.