Leupold VX Freedom (I gather this is a lower-end model), 3-9X40, came with a rifle/scope package. Designed and assembled in the US, but parts origin is not specified.



The elevation adjustment is fine, turning with normal effort and clicks that can be both heard and felt. But the windage adjustment is weird. Besides the odd marking, it turns hard and feels like against a clock spring no matter which direction. To get the adjustment where I want it, it actually has to be turned slightly past the desired position so it springs back. Is this normal? It caused no serious problem with getting a zero.

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Originally posted by egregore:
But the windage adjustment is weird... To get the adjustment where I want it, it actually has to be turned slightly past the desired position so it springs back. Is this normal? It caused no serious problem with getting a zero.

It's known as turret lash, and was common with Leupold scopes for years. I had two Mark IVs with this design/manufacturing problem -- and was one of the reasons I got rid of Leupold. Leaving the turrets dialed to one setting is the best way with scopes such as this.

Otherwise, just get used to dialing past the desired setting a couple of clicks, then come back to the desired setting.

It's okay for a hunting scope that is set once and left forever. I had one on one of my Vintage Sniper rifles and quickly sold it due to the difficulty and mushy feeling of the Leupold knobs. I went with the Trijicon Huron scope instead.

That being said, if I needed one for a hunting rifle, it would have stayed. As it is, I have plenty of better scopes.

Tony.

These are the kind of real people, real experience answers you can't get from AI. There are still things one must try for oneself, however.

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Trijicon Huron scope

Surprisingly for Trijicon, relatively affordable for my budget. Might happen some day.

Partly because of this issue and based on prior experience with the brand, I replaced it with a Sightron 4-12x40, with an external parallax adjustment, even. (I don't really need this capability under current circumstances, but they may change, and besides, why not?) In the same roughly mid-$200s price range, it also has a clearer image than this or a Vortex Diamondback (no longer have, long story).

I'd send it to Leupold.. They have a lifetime warranty that transfers with the scope regardless if you bought it new or 2nd hand. You never know they might just send you a brand new, current model scope as a replacement. At the very least, I'm sure they'll fix or upgrade the turret.

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I don't think Leupold will fix the turret lash problem, as it has existed for many models for many years. You might get it replaced with a newer model, however that would depends on Leupold's decision that years of turret lash was a problem.

I agree, send it back to Leupold. They'll go over it.