Airgunning

     Leupold Competition 35x45      

Introduction

For some time now I have been looking at the  Leupold Competition 35x45, 40x45 en 45x45, wondering whether they would be better rangefinders than the NikkoStirling Diamond 10-50x60 which I have been using for years now for Field Target (FT). Recently I could test a Leupold Competion 35x45 from a friend (thanks Berts), an opportunity I wouldn't say no to. The scope was equipped with a very nice custom sidewheel.

Optics

It's amazing how clear this scope is, the superb optic quality is obvious from the first moment you look through the scope, this is top quality glass, no doubt about that.  Also the overall build quality of the scope is above any doubt.

This Competion had the Target crosshairs, meaning the crosshairs are very thin lines. In fact this type of crosshair is not very suited for FT but designed for long range target shooting.  Especcially in a low light situation one can lose the crosshairs. The superb optics however do compensate this for the bigger part.

Crosshairs against a clear sky                                                     Crosshairs when looking at the moon ;-)

Rangefinding

The rangefinding ability of the Leupold Competition 35x45 was of course compared to that of the NikkoStirling Diamond 10-50x60. Rangefinding of short distances is no challenge at all, with neither of both scopes, so the FT targets were set to 48, 49 and 50 m (ca. 53, 54 and 55 yards). I'm used to the Nikko so I have no problem keeping 48 en 50 m apart, but I can also manage to see the difference between 49 and 50 m. The focus of the Nikko comes in and disappears very sudden which is a good thing for rangefinding.

The Competition 35x45 has a sharp image (much sharper than the Nikko !) over a much broader area. But still, there is a point where the sharpness reaches its optimum.  It does need some adapting to it after using the Nikko for years, but once you get the hang of it, the Competition 35x45 is a great rangefinder. After a while I could rangefind with it as accurately as with the Nikko, clearly distinguishing between 48 and 50 m, and also managing to see the difference between 49 and 50 m most of the time. I am sure this will improve when you get more acquainted with the Competition.

So, is the Competion 35x45 a more accurate rangefinder than the Nikko ? I doubt it, but I haste to add it's not worse either. It's just that the Nikko still does a good job in rangefinden; and so does the Competition 35x45.

Conclusion

I am really thoroughly impressed with the optics of the Leupold Competition 35x45, it's more than a 1 class difference with the Nikko. I never felt that the optics of the Nikko were bad, despite reading often that the Nikko optics were mediocre.  But now, after a few days of using the Leupold, I was shocked when looking through the Nikko again.  The image is obvious less clear, less crisp and has less contrast. You can ask yourself whether you need superb optics to hit your target or the rangefind accurately, personally I think you don't, but of course it is much more pleasing to have the astonishing optics of the Leupold. After these few days I wonder if I shouldn't consider a Leupold Competition, albeit not the 35x45 but the 45x45, hoping it would rangefind even better, and this purely for the shear pleasure of the optics ... and that odd time we'll have to shoot in dark woods. That, and the fact that I find these Leupold Competitions absolutely gorgeous looking scopes ;-).

April 11,2009 by Mario Severi