This year Leupold introduced the VX-6HD Gen 2 series of scopes. The original VX-6, introduced in 2017, has been the pinnacle of Leupold’s Gold Ring riflescope product line. It was a premium hunting-oriented scope featuring a 6X zoom system, locking elevation and windage adjustment knobs, multiple reticle options, multiple magnification ranges, their best lenses and coatings and other features as well. So why a second generation of an already popular and proven scope line? Was there anything wrong with the first generation VX-6HD? No. Is there always room for improvement? Yes. Are the improvements game changing? No. Are they worth the price of admission? That depends. Let’s take a look at the scope in general and factor in the new features and improvements as we go along.
The VX-6HD Gen 2 is still built on a 6X zoom system, which means it has impressive magnification range options including 1-6X, 2-12X, 3-18X and an impressive 4-24X. The Gen 2 keeps its “HD” designation, which stands for “high definition.” In Leupold’s ecosystem that means these scopes use their best glass and lens coatings to help reduce glare and maximize light transmission.
One of the new, upgraded features on the VX-6HD Gen 2 is the elevation and windage adjustment’s internal guts. Leupold is calling these “Competition Grade,” meaning they are precise and repeatable. Having hunted with Gen 1 VX-6HD scopes, the adjustments worked well, but they did not have a reputation for tracking as well as their Mark 4HD or Mark 5HD scopes. The new VX-6HD Gen 2 adjustments use the same design and technology as these higher end scopes. The adjustments are operated via Leupold’s new CDS-SZL2 dials that have a push-button lock and the company’s new SpeedSet feature that does not require tools to reset them to zero and reset the zero stop. They are compatible with Leupold’s Custom Dial System (CDS), where the company will customize an elevation dial to match your rifle setup’s ballistics. Each VX-6HD Gen 2 comes with a coupon card that’ll get you two CDS dials. Scan the card with your smartphone, send them your ballistic data and they’ll ship the custom-etched CDS dials to your door. The illuminated reticle has a new battery housing to deal with that does require a tool. So, you no longer need a little Allen key for resetting the adjustment knob or switching dials, perfect, but now you need a tool to access the battery compartment. Well, if nothing else it looks good.
Our VX-6HD Gen 2 4-24x52 “CDS-SZL2 Side Focus Illum. TMOA” test sample has a 34mm main tube for greater range of windage and elevation adjustment. Rounding out the feature set includes a fast-focus eyepiece, a side parallax adjustment knob, Leupold’s aluminum objective and eyepiece flip-up caps, which are nice, and various reticle options. The illuminated reticles have a “shake awake” feature, meaning they turn off after five minutes of inactivity, but come back on at the slightest movement of the gun. More impressively, there is a built-in level indicator. If the lighted reticle is blinking, the rifle is canted by more than 1 degree. The reticles are on the second focal plane.
So far, I’ve been able to shoot it on a Savage 10 in 6.5 Creedmoor, an Aero Solus in 7mm PRC and my go-to rifle for testing optics, a Ruger Precision Rifle in 6mm Creedmoor. With all three rifles, zeroing was quick and simple. Both the elevation and windage adjustments tracked well, which means I did not waste any ammo by chasing a zero all day.
The 4-24x52mm’s magnification selector works great. It’s smooth enough that it was easy to zoom in and out without really disturbing the rifle. This made it easy to keep the target in the field of view while zooming in after zooming out to reacquire the target. It comes with a throw-lever, although, really, it’s a nice, knurled throw-knob. Regardless of semantics, it works quite well. It’s a nice upgrade over the previous VX-6HD models.
Optically the 4-24x52mm looks great. The resolution is quite good, being able to see the details, lines and sub-lines on targets at 200 yards. It was also easy to spot 6mm bullet holes in the paper targets at that distance. This isn’t surprising given that at 24X, with the quality of the glass, it’s like using a spotting scope with a reticle. The 4X-24X magnification range is impressive. Sure, it isn’t optimal in close cover, but being able to zoom out to 4X does add some versatility to an otherwise long-range oriented riflescope.
Using a Cerus Gear Scope Tracking & Load Validation Target, I shot a box test. Without using the toolless dial feature, the VX-6HD Gen 2 4-24x52mm only has 9 MOA of windage adjustment. That’s not an issue because most hunters don’t dial for a wind correction, and if you’re dialing something like a 9 MOA wind adjustment you shouldn’t be taking the shot at an animal anyway. The adjustments tracked well overall, but the elevation adjustment did have consistent over-travel of about .75 MOA after dialing a 15 MOA correction.
After letting the test rifle and scope rest against an old air compressor for a few cycles to expose it to some vibration, I checked the zero and shot the box test again. The test was also repeated after heating the scope with a heat gun. It remained zeroed and tracked during the box test like it did before the vibration from the compressor and while it was at ambient temperature.
Color me pleasantly surprised, but the upgraded SpeedSet elevation and windage adjustment knobs are a more welcomed upgrade than I thought they would be. When I first heard that one of the notable upgrades on the new VX-6HD line was that the knobs could be reset without tools, my eyes almost got stuck upward because they rolled so hard. OK, I was wrong. Having fussed with little Allen keys for hundreds of scopes, and seemingly never having the right tiny hex bit to set the dials, this toolless feature was great. Simply push a button, lift the little lever at the front of the dial then you can rotate it until the zero stop clicks, and it’s all set. Or you can remove the dial completely and set it back on zero setting, or swap it out if you have a CDS dial. Having a zero stop on an uncovered adjustment knob is a must, it’s even better if it also locks in place, and now that it can be adjusted so easily, these adjustment knobs are great.
Is the VX-6HD Gen 2 perfect? Of course not. Given its price point, I would really like to see it come with a sunshade. It would just round out the package quite nicely given this class of riflescope. The design of the battery compartment access is a bit cumbersome, fortunately that won’t be something you have to access on a regular basis.
Leupold’s VX-6HD has been a go-to option for Western hunters since its introduction, and for good reason. With a versatile 6X magnification range, optical performance and durability, they’ve been a gold standard for hunting scopes in the roughest conditions you can expect to encounter while chasing big game. The new VX-6HD Gen 2 has all the legacy ability, and then some. The adjustment knobs were a sleeper, really adding a delight factor to working with this scope. So, are they worth the price of admission as far as upgrading an existing VX-6HD? It still depends. The price range on these scopes is $1,999.99 - $2,699.99, which isn’t cheap, but it is an excellent scope and does include two CDS dials. If you already have a VX-6HD Gen 1, you might not want to rush out and spend that kind of money to replace your existing scope just for the new features. But, if you need a new scope, or want the 4-24X over a lower magnification VX-6HD you already have, then this should definitely be on your short list of scopes for your hunting rifle. Leupold Gold Ring scopes are fogproof, dust-proof, shockproof and have a lifetime performance guarantee that’s hard to beat.
VX-6HD Gen 2 Specifications
- leupold.com
- Type: variable-powered riflescope
- Magnification: 1X-6X, 2X-12X, 3X-18X, 4X-24X (tested)
- Objective Lens Diameter: 52mm
- Eye Relief: 3.7" (4X)
- Field of View @ 100 Yards: 28.1 ft. (4X), 4.8ft. (24X)
- Reticle: TMOA (tested); illuminated; electronic reticle level, second focal plane
- Adjustments: ¼ MOA; CDS-SZL2
ZeroLock elevation/windage turrets w/SpeedSet dial; side-focus parallax - Coatings: fully multi-coated; Professional Grade Optical System; Guard-ion
- Dimensions: 34mm tube diameter; length 14.5"; weight 26.2 ozs.
- Construction: aluminum tube, HD glass; matte black finish
- Battery: CR2032; 300 hours (max intensity)
- Accessories: Alumina flip-back lens covers, CDS dials (2), throw lever
- MSRP: $2,699.99
