Leupold Vari X III

JMUPT · Feb 2, 2010

I was at cabelas this weekend and picked up a tang safety ruger 77 in 6mm with a 6.5X20X40 leupold Vari X III. The gun is in great condition and the scope is too. When I got the gun home and looked through the scope more extensively a darker circle appears around the outside edge as I turn the power from 6.5 to 20, as the magnification increases so does the darker circle. The circle extends about a 1/4 of the way in from outside edge when the power is turned up to 20. This doesn't seem normal to me but I have never had a vari X III. I'm just looking to see if this is something that is normal with these scopes or if I should go ahead and send it back to leupold. Thanks for any help you can give.

REDDOG · Feb 2, 2010

not the scope..move your head and see what happens.

You will want to loosen the rings to find the proper spot for yourself.Nothing is perfect when dealing with high mag variables,just find a happy medium in the eye relief throughout the mag changes and clamp it down.

MuddyBoots · Feb 3, 2010

Yup thats one of the draw backs of high power, small objective scopes. You practically have to crawl right up to the scope to get the full sight picture. To slide the scope back enough you may need the rings that are angled backwards so the bell of the scope doesn't hinder the position.

JMUPT · Feb 3, 2010

I think the scope is fine where it is at . When I put my cheek on the stock I get a full and clear sight picture. Keeping my head in the same place as I turn up the magnification a darker ring appears from the outside edge in toward the center. As the magnification increases so does the size of the darker ring. I can still see through the darker ring but it's not a bright as the center of the scope. I have a newer VX3 as well as several burris scopes and other name brand and have never seen this. I hope this may help to understand what I'm talking about, it not the black that you see when the scope in not adjusted properly or when you move your head and it get's black, it's just a dimmer sight picture around the outside edge and it extends in about 1/4 of the way and then it's bright in the center. Whewww sorry for the long post.

Boskee · Feb 5, 2010

LAST EDITED ON Feb-05-10 AT 01:49PM (MST)[p]Try adjusting the eye relief with the scope cranked up all the way. Then unscrew (loosen) the occular housing (eyepiece end) to adjust for your eyes by moving in and out to until you get a clear crosshair looking at the sky or a light background at a distance. That can make a difference because on lower setting it won't matter as much. The ring may be an indicator of a few other issues with the scope. Reddog and the other poster are right on the money. If you still have the ring call leupold and explain the issue. They'll have you try a couple of things or just tell you to ship it back to them for repair. good luck

JMUPT · Feb 10, 2010

Ok so I feel really stupid. I went and took the scope off to send back to leupold, once it was off I was looking at the eye piece and I could see a ring around glass that I couldn't see when it was on the gun, so a minute or so with my optics cleaning kit and the ring was gone and the scope was as good as new. I had wiped the lens's off with a optics cloth once i got it home but never did see the ring until the scope was off the gun. Thanks for the responses.