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Leupold

Leupold Rifle Scopes and Mounts in South Africa

Leupold is American and occupies the serious end of hunting and precision optics. This is not a value range and does not pretend to be. What the money buys is glass, mechanical tracking that returns to zero reliably, and a warranty reputation that matters when a scope is going onto a rifle used in the field for decades. NeonSales carries 34 Leupold products, from R1,999 for a set of mounts up to R79,228 for a Mark 5HD 7-35x56.

What Leupold products does NeonSales stock?

  • VX-Freedom: 4-12x40 and 6-18x40 with CDS, the accessible entry into the range
  • VX-3HD: 1.5-5x20 through 6.5-20x50, with CDS-ZL, Duplex, FireDot and B&C reticle options
  • VX-5HD: 2-10x42 in Duplex and FireDot
  • VX-6HD: 1-6x24, 2-12x42 and 3-18x50, the premium hunting line
  • Mark 3HD: 1.5-4x20 AR-Ballistic, 6-18x50 and 8-24x50 with side focus and TMR
  • Mark 5HD: 5-25x56 and 7-35x56, first focal plane, for long range precision
  • Mounts: CZ550 and ZKK600 pattern in 1 inch

Which line suits the rifle?

Line Built for Typical use
VX-Freedom Straightforward hunting optics A first Leupold, general plains game and bush hunting
VX-3HD Wide magnification choice, light weight The versatile hunting default, from close bush to open country
VX-5HD / VX-6HD Better glass, wider zoom ratio, illumination Low light hunting and demanding conditions
Mark 3HD / Mark 5HD Exposed turrets, first focal plane, precision tracking Long range shooting where you dial rather than hold over

What CDS means and why it matters

CDS stands for Custom Dial System. Rather than counting clicks and guessing holdover, you fit a turret dial cut for your specific load and altitude, then dial the distance directly. For a hunter this removes the most error-prone part of a longer shot. CDS-ZL adds a zero lock so the turret cannot be knocked off zero in the field, which is worth having on a rifle that gets carried through bush.

First or second focal plane?

Second focal plane, as on most of the hunting lines here, keeps the reticle the same visual size at every magnification. That is easier to use and better in low light. First focal plane, as on the Mark 5HD, scales the reticle with magnification so that ranging and holdover subtensions stay correct at any power. Precision shooters want the latter. Hunters are usually better served by the former.

Common questions

Why is a Mark 5HD several times the price of a VX-3HD? Different jobs. The Mark 5HD is built for repeatable turret tracking across large elevation ranges, with the mechanical precision that demands. A hunting scope is zeroed once and rarely dialled, so it does not need it.

Do I need illumination? FireDot models help in genuinely low light and against dark backgrounds. In normal daylight conditions a plain Duplex is just as usable and costs less.

What is the difference between Duplex and TMR? Duplex is a simple hunting crosshair with thick outer bars. TMR is a marked reticle giving reference points for holdover and wind, which suits shooting at varied distances rather than a single zero.

Will my existing mounts fit? Check tube diameter first, either 1 inch or 30mm depending on the model, then the rail on your rifle. The CZ550 and ZKK600 mounts stocked here are rifle-specific rather than universal.

Related: 1 Inch Rifle Scopes · 30mm Rifle Scopes · Mount Rings · Bipods · Cleaning Equipment · Accessories