If you are a proud owner of a .308 rifle, optimizing its capabilities is likely a priority. To enhance its precision and versatility, selecting the best Leupold scopes for .308 is crucial.
The .308 cartridge is highly esteemed for its exceptional performance, enduring as a favorite among many gun enthusiasts despite the rise of the AR-15.
What do you need to know about .308?
For those new to the world of .308 rifles, it’s important to grasp the fundamentals. The .308 is a versatile and reliable firearm suitable for various applications. It shines in hunting scenarios and excels in target shooting.
Recoil concerns are a common consideration for potential buyers. Fortunately, the recoil experienced with a .308 is quite manageable, particularly when using a semi-automatic variant. New shooters may find the recoil slightly surprising.
Remember that recoil can vary from firearm to firearm, and perceived recoil is somewhat subjective.
Before delving into the world of .308 rifle scopes, it’s helpful to understand the role of objective lenses. In essence, a larger objective lens excels at gathering light, but the paramount factor is the quality of the glass used.
In practical terms, even a slightly larger objective lens may not make a significant difference if the lens coating is subpar. Additionally, it’s worth noting that larger objective lenses tend to be heavier, potentially adding unwanted weight to your rifle.
Therefore, if you prefer a lighter setup, a more modest objective lens may be a more fitting choice.
Why Leupold?
Situated in Beaverton, Oregon, Leupold is a well-established, family-owned business with a long history. Leupold gained recognition during World War II when they supplied scopes for the U.S. military.
Over the years, the company’s commitment to innovation and quality has led to numerous advancements in scope technology.
Leupold scopes are renowned for their exceptional quality and precision in the world of optics. These scopes have earned a well-deserved reputation for their reliability and performance, making them a top choice for hunters, sports shooters, and outdoor enthusiasts.
Whether you’re tracking game in the wilderness or honing your target-shooting skills, Leupold scopes are designed to deliver clear, crisp optics and rugged durability, helping you achieve your shooting goals with confidence.
What are the Best Leupold Scopes for .308?
Let’s now explore a selection of Leupold rifle scopes tailored for the .308. Examining the particulars of each scope will offer valuable insights into their capabilities, ultimately assisting you in selecting the optimal choice that aligns with your specific requirements.
Leupold VX-3i 3.5-10x40mm Riflescope (Best Leupold Scope for .308)
Leupold VX-3i 3.5-10x40mm is widely acclaimed for its versatility. It has consistently earned the favor of hunters. Its reputation as an award-winning optic can be attributed to its ability to provide shooters with precision and clarity across diverse hunting terrains.
Versatility is a hallmark of the VX-3i, as it seamlessly adapts to various scenarios, whether it’s close-quarters shooting in thick bush or taking critical long-range shots.
This scope has a twin-bias erector spring to reduce backlash on high-tech components.
These Leupold rifle scopes come equipped with the updated Twilight Max light management system, ensuring excellent visibility even during low-light conditions such as dusk or deep shadows.
Leupold enhances the scope with their DiamondCoat 2 Ion-assist lens coating, guaranteeing improved light transmission and outstanding abrasion resistance.
Despite its lightweight profile, the VX-3i maintains impressive durability. Crafted from 6061-T6 aircraft-grade aluminum, this scope ensures longevity and resilience. It is 100% water, fog, and shockproof.
The VX-3i is characterized by its user-friendly adjustability, which is crucial for hunters. Windage and elevation adjustments are precise, thanks to the 1/4 MOA finger click adjustments, ensuring consistency and repeatability in every shot.
Pros
Lightweight.
Excellent lens coating.
Precise windage and elevation adjustments.
Impressive durability
Variable power range
Cons
You may sometimes struggle to adjust the turrets.
Leupold VX-Freedom 3-9x40mm Rifle Scope
This is a high-quality hunting scope with relentless performance on the field.
The glass is bright and clear. Its Twilight Light Management System ensures you get perfect clarity at dusk and dawn. It has a duplex second focal plane reticle thus the reticle size remains the same even if you dial the magnification down or up.
Leupold VX-Freedom has an eye relief of 4.2-3.7 inches and with its large eye box, you won’t have to be perfectly lined up to get a good field of view.
It is highly durable due to its aircraft-grade aluminum and O-ring-sealed construction.
The Leupold VX-Freedom is fully shockproof, fog-proof, and waterproof, giving you nothing but amazing performance on the field under any conditions.
This riflescope has a newly redesigned ergonomic power selector which makes it easier to manipulate it in wet rain, and cold snow regardless of having gloves on.
The elevation and windage turrets are pretty durable. The clicks are not as audible as other scopes. Some shooters may miss that satisfying sound though most are satisfied with its overall performance and do not mind the silent adjustments.
Pros
Crystal Clear glass
Fairly priced
Waterproof, fog-proof, and shockproof build
Good at close and mid-distance ranges.
Acceptable eye-relief.
Cons
Clicks may not be as audible as other Leupold scopes
Leupold MARK 5HD 3.6-18×44 Riflescope
The Leupold Mark 5HD 3.6-18×44 Rifle Scope combines a lightweight design with several advanced features aimed at enhancing your shooting accuracy and overall performance.
This scope boasts a fast-focusing eyepiece that enables rapid target acquisition in the field.
It utilizes the Twilight Max HD Light Management System, ensuring a remarkably bright and clear sight picture. Furthermore, these rugged scopes are engineered to be waterproof and fogproof, making them suitable for use in a wide range of weather conditions.
Here are other great features of the Leupold Mark 5HD 3.6-18×44 Rifle Scope;
Scratch-Resistant Lenses: These lenses are built to withstand extreme military-standard scratching levels, offering an additional layer of protection to ensure the scope’s longevity.
5:1 Zoom Ratio: The scope’s versatile magnification range provides a broad field of view at low power while maintaining the ability to precisely identify targets at high power settings.
M1C3 Adjustment: The scope’s 1/4 MOA dial offers precise adjustments, with three revolutions of travel, a convenient push-button ZeroLock feature, and a revolution indicator for added accuracy.
Throw Lever: This feature permits rapid changes in magnification, allowing for near-instant adjustments to suit your shooting needs.
Front Focal Plane: The reticle magnifies in tandem with the image, enabling accurate range estimation at all magnification settings. This feature is advantageous for both tactical situations and enhances range estimation accuracy for hunters and target shooters.
35mm Main tube: It allows for unparalleled windage and elevation adjustment travel, ensuring precise and extensive adjustments.
Mark 4 Dial Illumination Control: Positive clicks and clear numerical intensity level indicators make controlling the scope’s illumination easy and precise.
Pros
Durable
Lightweight.
Twilight Max HD Light Management System
5:1 Zoom feature.
Wide range of adjustments
Positive click adjustments
Cons
The mounts are limited for the 35mm tube
Leupold VX-5HD 3-15x44mm CDS-ZL2 Side Focus Riflescope
The Leupold VX-5HD 3-15×44 is purposefully designed for hunters.
This top-tier optic features an illuminated CDS-ZL2 side focus reticle, purposefully designed for hunting, especially during the crucial low-light hours of dawn and dusk.
The above-mentioned Custom Dial System ZeroLock 2 (CDS-ZL2) is an outstanding feature of this scope. This feature allows Leupold to create a customized elevation adjustment dial tailored to your specific rifle, scope, ammunition, and typical hunting conditions.
Once installed, adjusting for the correct range is as simple as turning the custom elevation dial to the desired yardage and maintaining precise crosshair placement, eliminating the need for bullet drop charts or holdover calculations.
The illuminated SFP (Second Focal Plane) FireDot reticle delivers a sharp, red-dot-like performance, with one-button intensity adjustment for easy daytime use.
This scope combines a high-definition optical system with the Twilight Max Light Management system, giving hunters a noticeable edge during the critical dawn and dusk hours.
This advantage arises from improved clarity and outstanding low-light performance, enhancing your hunting experience.
With seven brightness settings and a 5:1 zoom ratio, shooters can adapt to various environmental conditions. Adjustments are made in MOA, with a click value of 1/4 MOA. The linear field of view ranges from 38.2 to 7.9 feet at 100 yards.
Wind and elevation travel extends to 75 MOA at 100 yards and the eye relief falls between 3.7 to 3.82 inches.
The VX-5HD 3-15x44mm riflescope is engineered to excel in any weather. It’s shockproof and guaranteed 100% waterproof and fogproof, with second-generation Argon/Krypton waterproofing, which minimizes thermal shock effects and ensures reliable performance in any environment.
Enhanced clarity is delivered through the Guard-Ion Rain Shedding optical coating, repelling water, dirt, and fingerprints. Blackened lens edges reduce glare and diffusion, resulting in clear resolution, improved contrast, and superior optical performance.
Pros
Lightweight
Illuminated SFP side-focus reticle.
Close to Long-range flexibility.
Lifetime warranty
Great clarity.
CDS Dial Options
Easy-to-use turrets
Cons
Costly
Leupold Mark VI 1-6×20 Rifle Scope
This optic is purposefully crafted to meet the precision and performance requirements of tactical, law enforcement, and sports shooters.
It features a 34mm tube diameter, a 20mm objective lens, and a versatile 1x to 6x variable magnification range, offering a wide field of view for close-range shooting and exceptional accuracy at extended distances.
Designed as a tactical scope, it’s equipped with professional-grade lenses and Leupold’s Xtended Twilight Lens System, ensuring edge-to-edge clarity.
The DiamondCoat2 lens coating provides scratch resistance and excellent light transmission.
For precise adjustments, the ZeroLock locking elevation and windage turrets offer 2/10th Mil-per-click movement, both audible and tactile.
The Mark VI 1-6×20 scope includes an illuminated FFP (Front Focal Plane) LED Red reticle with seven brightness settings, adaptable to various lighting conditions.
Built to endure, like all Leupold scopes, the Mark VI 1-6×20 is water, shock, and fogproof. Constructed from quality 6061-T6 aircraft-grade aluminum, it measures 10.3 inches in length and weighs 17 ounces. Eye relief is 3.7 inches.
This optic is compact, lightweight, and quick to use, making it a versatile tool for a variety of shooting applications.
Pros
Compact and lightweight
Crystal clear glass.
True 1X
Great reticle.
Highly versatile scope.
Cons
Expensive scope
Magnification limited to 6X max