What's your thoughts on Leupold Mark 5HD Scopes?

[Rockrivr1]

I've been looking at scopes for a new precision rifle I'm getting and I was pretty sure that Nightforce would be my next purchase. Doing some searching I've run across a deal for a Leupold MK 5HD 5-25x56 FFP M5C3 scope with a TMR Reticle for a good amount below retail. (No not Optic Planet) Model M5C3 171772. It'll be going on a 6.5CM bolt gun used for plinking, some long range and an occasional PRS match.

From what I'm seeing online for pricing this is what I consider a pretty decent deal. It's been a while since I've used a Leupold scope so what is your thoughts?

 

[mav]

No practical experience with that scope, but everything I've heard is that Leupold Mk 4/5 series are top quality, America made scopes. I'm looking at the Mk 4 LR/T 4.5-14x M1 and Mk 5HD 3.6-18x. Nightforce optics are on my short list as well, but they tend to be higher priced and I'm not sure they are any better than the top flight Leupold optics. Military and Police still use both brands. I read recently that the Marines adopted the Leupold Mk 4 MR/T 2.5-8x for their M38 DMR squad rifles.

The Marines and Special Operations are using the Nightforce ATACR M571 5-25x and some variants of Nightforce NXS. Not that it necessarily matters for us civilians, but when the DM's and Snipers in the military are happy with a product, you can generally be sure it is solid. At least that has been my theory in terms of optics.

I currently have a Trijicon 3-9x that has been nothing but solid on an AR-10 platform. Plan on picking up a Trijicon VCOG 1-8x for my HK SL8/G36 build in 5.56. The Leupold/Nightforce would be as a replacement for the Trijicon 3-9x or for a new platform in .300 Win or .50BMG.

FFP is all the rage because it maintains the same size reticle for any magnification, but I find in practice I shoot at the max magnification regardless. My Trijicon is not FFP, but I'm at 9x all the time anway. Might not be the case for a 25x used for hunting where scanning with a lower magnification and range estimate using the reticle on a FFP would be useful and then dialing it up to make the shot, but that seems like a lot of money compared to non-FFP optics for an edge case for me (I'm not hunting with it). YMMV.

As an aside, opticsplanet is offering 9% off everything if you use the code FLASHPOINT, expires tomorrow some time.

 

[PappyM3]

I like mine with a couple caveats:

- Glass is clear

- low light is nice

- I found the Tremor 3 nice to use in PRS for stages with multiple targets at different ranges

- Turret clicks are good

- 35mm tube is annoying

- the 0 mark for the windage turret is more visible when you’re down on your scope, but it is awkward to check being a little bit higher and not centered

- Not relevant to you, but the Tremor 3 from 3.6x-6/8x-ish is not very usable except in very bright environments. It is too fine of a reticle. The illuminated one may be better not just because of the illumination, but because the reticle is thicker. Sadly, it was out of stock for a long time when the non-illuminated one popped up in stock.

 

[JRT]

I have a 5HD and a 6HD and they are both quality. If you find yourself struggling with eye relief the 6HD is a little better and I think its 18 vs 15 magnification. As @PappyM3 stated the 35MM tube is a little annoying, the selection of mounts is better now.