setting has been reached, the FireDot will blink for a second or two. This simply is meant to tell the shooter that from that point on the FireDot will be either reducing or increasing in its size and intensity. In order to deactivate the FireDot, the button is pushed and held in for two seconds. In this case, the system remembers the last inten- sity setting and when the FireDot is reactivated again it will start up at that previous level. I particularly like the fact that if
you should forget to turn off the FireDot the system will move into a sleeper, or standby, mode after fi ve minutes of no scope/rifl e movement. Then, when the rifl e or scope is moved, the FireDot will be awakened automatically. This failsafe system helps to prolong the life of the battery and as such is a great benefi t for sometimes forgetful people like me. But, with any battery-operated device, I always worry about the battery going dead at the worst possible time. In this case, however, there is little need for concern … for a couple of very good reasons. Because the FireDot system essentially is a stand-alone feature, the shooter has the option of either using it or not using it, and this can be by his or her own choice, or the result of a dead battery. In either of these cases, when the FireDot is not functional it does not hinder, or detract, from the use
of the nonilluminated reticle by itself. And, to go one step further, Leupold has designed their reticle turret adjust- ment caps with enough room inside to store two spare batteries (one inside each cap). This simple but ingenious design is an example of why Leupold frequently leads their competition. Recently I had the pleasure of test-
ing a couple of the very fi rst Leupold FireDot model scopes to come from the factory. The two models I selected represented stark differences in both their physical characteristics as well as their intended shooting use. The fi rst one I would characterize as a general purpose, or do-it-all, type of scope: the VX-R 3-9x50mm FireDot Duplex. The other was a specialized scope designed specifi cally with the hugely growing sport of pig hunting in mind – the VX-R 1.25-4x20 FireDot Hog. VX-R 3-9X50MM FIREDOT™ Many hunters prefer the versatil-
ity provided by a variable powered 3-9x scope. A scope of this magnifi ca- tion works out excellently over a broad variation of ranges and usage. When close-quarters shooting is anticipated the magnifi cation can be turned down to one of the lower settings, or turned up to 9x to better accommodate long shots. Because of this fl exibility, I per- sonally own six or seven of the older Leupold Vari-X II models, which I have
mounted on some of my favorite rifl es. But, Leupold has now carried that versatility even further with their new VX-R 3-9x50mmFireDot™ scope. While some shooters may have
a tendency to place the 3-9x powered scopes in a category of big game use, I personally believe that this magnifi ca- tion can make the perfect accompani- ment for a walk-about style varmint or predator rifl e. So, when I received the Leupold VX-R 3-9x50mmFireDot™ I decided to mount it on my Coffin Gunsmithing, custom-built, 17 Mach IV rifl e. I use this rifl e a great deal for a wide variety of different varmint and predator shooting applications, where the range can vary from very close all the way out to sometimes beyond 300 yards. I was particularly pleased to fi nd that when I turned down the magnification on this scope to 3x it produced a perfectly crystal clear view through the lens as close as about four yards, and when turned up to its high- est 9x setting the same held true from 20 yards and beyond. In my way of thinking, this fl exibility made the VX-R 3-9x50mmFireDot™ a great choice for my 17 Mach IV. As I mentioned earlier, I have
been of the opinion that lighted reticle systems would provide me few to no shooting advantage. Nevertheless, the Leupold VX-R 3-9x50mmFireDot™
Above: The illuminated FireDot of the test VX-R 3-9x50mm scope proved to be a great asset in many shooting situations.
Right: The Leupold VX-R 3-9x50mm FireDot™ riflescope is an elegant work of optical art and extremely functional as a hunting scope. Photo by Leupold & Stevens.
Page 188 Winter 2012
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