Here are a few photos of the new FireDot I received this afternoon. This is Leupold’s “tactical” version of the battery-powered fiber optic.
Size-wise, the scope is about 9.5" long and is nice and light. I don’t have a scale accurate enough to give me a weight but Leupold lists the weight for the non-tactical FireDot at 11.5oz.
I’m afraid illumination will be a disappointment to some. The “fire dot” is right at the intersection of the crosshairs so it’s small. It’s also not going to be visible in very bright sunlight or against a light background.
I like the SPR reticle well enough and think it’s a nice set-up for tracking moving targets, etc. But I’m really liking the new Leupold CMR2 reticle and am hoping that will be an option at a later date.
Anyway, enjoy!
Mounted on a Ruger SR-556CLA with a Larue LT-104 mount:
I like the magnification adjustment. The 10:00 to 2:00 position makes for a quick and easy throw:
Target turrets:
Illumination switch and battery cap. Press in on the “L” to turn on and off and to adjust brightness:
The illumination is probably OK for most uses but I don’t think the 3gunners are going to be too happy. The FireDot isn’t “Aimpoint” bright. The aiming point seems to compare pretty well to the illuminated reticle in the Viper PST in terms of brightness if you’ve seen one of those.
I used an MR/T with the CMR2 reticle in a VTAC Streetfighter class last fall. I ran it on a 6.8 and really liked the reticle. The 1.5x magnification was a little tough getting used to when shooting weak shoulder and weak eye but it didn’t really bother me when using my right eye.
I’ve got the same Leopold VX-R 1-4X scope except it is the “Hog” model with the Pig-Plex reticule for my hog hunting rifles.
It replaced my more expensive Burris XTR 1-4X.
The Leopold is about two inches shorter than the Burris and much lighter too, the Burris does have a true Ballistic Reticule for the 5.56mm 62 grain NATO round though. The glass on both is superb.
I use this optic for both day and night hunting. I have very bad astigmatism so I like the 1MOA red dot for night hunts and have already taken many hogs out to 225 yards with it.
This is interesting and I really like the compact size and lighter weight. It’s now added to the list as a possible to replace the 3x9 Leupold compact (no turrets or BDC) on my scoped FAL. Just wish it had a little more power on the high end.
What does the hash mark halfway down the circle represent? Hopefully not 10 mils like on the Mk4 MR/T.
I did a couple 50yd headshot drills and some multiple target drills at 15 and 7yds this morning. The 1.25x magnification feels a little slower than an Aimpoint at these distances but I’d have to run a timer for verification.
As far as preferences, I think I prefer the CMR2 reticle as used in the MR/T and now the CQ/T. That’s a pretty good design. I like that it’s not cluttered up with a stadia line extending from the center horseshoe up to 12:00.
I’ll see if I can’t get some bench work done tomorrow from the 100yd line…
I used the scope this morning to shoot a few groups at 100 yards using 69, 75 and 55gr ammo.
The adjustments are positive, accurate and repeatable and the glass is clear with good color rendition and contrast.
The illumination isn’t daytime bright. It’ll turn the center of the crosshairs red but it’s not bright enough to draw the eye to the center of the scope. I also find the SPR reticle to be sort of blocky and obstructive. It’s almost like the reticle’s too big for the interior of the scope and I’d prefer something like a “circle dot” or even an SPR without the stadia lines extending all the way to the outside edges of the glass. I’ve become rather fond of the CMR2 reticle and hope it’s offered in this scope in the future.
I didn’t have any troubles with the target turrets but don’t really see the value of quick adjustments on a scope that’s probably going to be primarily used on a .223 carbine. I don’t see the need to be cranking on my elevation turret to make a 300yd shot. I guess I can take them or leave them. But, given the option, I’d prefer capped turrets.
The price sure is right as it is several hundred dollars below the price of the Mark 4 MR/T illuminated reticule model.
The VX-R scopes do use Leupold’s Indexed Matched Lens optics system for exceptional optical clarity. The exterior surfaces of the objective and ocular lenses are also coated with Leupold’s DiamondCoat for scratch resistance.
Here are some accuracy results from today’s outing. The day was overcast and generally calm with an occasional gust. I used an old metal sign to help stabilize my target stand. All groups were fired off a sandbagged rest from 100 yards. All groups were fired using the Leupold 1.25-4x scope.
Ten rounds of 75gr Hornady BTHP loaded with H335:
Eight rounds of 56gr Golden Tiger FMJ:
Ten rounds of 52gr BTHP loaded with AA2230C:
Eight rounds of Speer 45gr spitzer loaded with a max load of H335:
I have a VX-R 1.25-4x Patrol in for an article I’m working on. Not being any kind of expert on variable optics, does anyone know if the adjustment ring is standard to other Leupolds and/or who might make a cat-tail adjustment ring lever for this scope?
We really like this series of optics from L&S. They are super bright and the illuminated dot ONLY is perfect for limited light/dusk where you actually need illumination. We have tried just about all of the VX-R series and for the money they are impressive pieces of gear. The motion sensor switch is likewise appreciated.
