Leupold VX-5HD Gen 2 review: the 4-20x52 and 3-15x44, and which one to buy
Our verdict: 4.0/5. The Leupold VX-5HD Gen 2 is a second focal plane hunting scope with Leupold's tool-free SpeedSet elevation dial, and on Leupold's own figures the 4-20x52 we review here is the long-reach size: a 34mm tube with 100 MOA of elevation, side focus down to 50 yards and 23.8 oz. The 3-15x44 is the lighter, cheaper size at 19.9 oz, and Outdoor Life named it an Editor's Choice. It loses a point for what to know first: Leupold lists a 38 MOA elevation dial travel limit on both sizes, the Duplex rows we price use the classic Duplex reticle, which Outdoor Life lists as limiting versatility, and each listing has exactly one owner review. If you want a first focal plane hunting scope, see our Vortex Razor HD LHT review; for another premium second focal plane option, our Zeiss Conquest V4 review.
The 4-20x52 Duplex (part 183857) sells for around $1,600 and the 3-15x44 Duplex (part 183848) for around $1,100. OpticsPlanet shows 5.0/5 from 1 review on each listing. Check price and availability on OpticsPlanet; confirm the current price on the retailer page.
How we reviewed it: a research-based review built from the retailer's listings for the 4-20x52 and the 3-15x44 (one owner review on each), checked against Leupold's part pages, its VX-5HD Gen 2 series page, its blog post and press release on the Gen 2, and Outdoor Life's hunting-scope roundup. Where the retailer and Leupold disagree, we print Leupold's figure. Research leads we could not confirm on a primary source, including test results, competitor comparisons and production details, were left out. We have not bench-tested this scope; the score is our editorial opinion and owner ratings are shown attributed to their source. See how we evaluate.
What changed in the Gen 2
Leupold's blog post on the scope, dated July 29, 2025, names three changes. The SpeedSet elevation dial ("Just press, lift, reset, and go"), a new integrated throw lever for fast magnification changes, and "upgraded competition-grade adjustments and a new maintube that delivers more elevation travel". Leupold pairs the dial with its ZeroLock system, which its part pages describe as locking the dial in place against accidental movement. The optics carry over: Leupold says that, like the original VX-5HD, the Gen 2 is built around its Professional-Grade Optical System, and the part pages add a Guard-Ion lens coating that sheds dirt and water.
Leupold sells the Gen 2 in six sizes: 1-5x24, 2-10x42, 3-15x44, 3-15x50, 3-15x56 and 4-20x52. This page covers the 4-20x52 and the 3-15x44. The 1-5x24 is a different scope, covered on our best Leupold LPVO page, and the original VX-5HD is a separate line; nothing on this page is borrowed from either.
The 4-20x52 Duplex (183857): the long-reach size
Leupold describes the 4-20x52 as the scope for "When long shots are on the table," and its spec table backs the claim with travel: 100 MOA of elevation and 80 MOA of windage in 1/4 MOA clicks, 20 MOA per revolution. Leupold says the 34mm maintube allows for more travel. Parallax is set with a side focus knob down to 50 yards. Field of view runs from 27.7 ft at 4x to 5.8 ft at 20x at 100 yards, and eye relief is 3.8 in at both ends of the zoom. Divide the 52 mm objective by the magnification and the exit pupil runs from 13 mm at 4x to 2.6 mm at 20x (our arithmetic). Leupold lists 23.8 oz, 14.5 in long and 6.2 in of mounting space.
The only owner review on the listing comes from a reviewer who put it on a Savage 110 Trail Blazer ("22 arc", in the reviewer's words) and tags it as best used for varmint hunting. One review is not a pattern, so the case for this scope rests on Leupold's specification, not on owner sentiment.
“This scope is just what I needed for my Savage 110 Trail Blazer in 22 arc.”
Meatford (CA), Verified Owner, five-star review, via OpticsPlanet
The three 4-20x52 rows
| Part | Reticle | Illumination and weight (Leupold) |
|---|---|---|
| 183857 (we price) | Duplex | None; 23.8 oz |
| 183859 | TMOA | None; 23.8 oz |
| 183858 | FireDot Duplex | Red FireDot, CR2032 battery, 8 settings, daylight bright; 24 oz |
Part numbers and reticle names are from the OpticsPlanet listing; illumination and weight are from Leupold's part pages. The TMOA and FireDot Duplex rows cost more than the Duplex row. The owner review is shared by all three rows and does not say which one the reviewer bought.
The 3-15x44 (183848): lighter, cheaper, and the award winner
The 3-15x44 trades reach for weight. Leupold lists the Duplex row at 19.9 oz on a 30mm tube, 13.5 in long with 5.4 in of mounting space, and 85 MOA of both elevation and windage in 1/4 MOA clicks, 20 MOA per revolution. Field of view is wider at the bottom of the zoom: 37.8 ft at 3x down to 8 ft at 15x at 100 yards. Eye relief is 3.8 in at low power and 3.9 in at high power, parallax focuses down to 50 yards, and the exit pupil runs from 14.7 mm to 2.9 mm (44 divided by the magnification, which matches the retailer's figure).
This is the size Outdoor Life picked. Its hunting-scope roundup names the VX-5HD Gen 2 3-15x44 its Editor's Choice. Leupold's press release of September 30, 2025 announces the Editor's Choice for the VX-5HD Gen 2 without naming a size; the Outdoor Life entry names the 3-15x44, and we claim the award for that size only. Outdoor Life's write-up gives 20.1 ounces and mentions push-button illumination; on our comparison, those two details match Leupold's FireDot Duplex row (183850) rather than the non-illuminated Duplex row we price. It lists "Duplex reticle limits versatility" among its cons.
The four 3-15x44 rows are not identical. Leupold lists 1/4 MOA clicks on the Duplex (183848), FireDot Duplex (183850, 20.1 oz, CR2032 battery, 8 settings) and Wind-Plex (183851) rows, and 0.1 MIL clicks with 8 MIL per revolution on the HTMR row (183849). The retailer's specification table prints 0.1 Mil Rad for the whole listing; that is only true of the HTMR row. If you want to dial in mils, HTMR is the row to order; the other three rows cost more than the Duplex row as well.
The one owner review on this listing is a five-star note under the title "CDS dials work". It does not name a model, a size or a reticle row, so we do not read it as evidence about the 3-15x44 in particular.
“if you do your homework right and submit the right data, they work very good”
Dingo (UT), Verified Owner, five-star review, via OpticsPlanet
Separately, Leupold lists both Duplex rows as custom dial compatible, and its part pages describe its Custom Dial System as a way to customize your turret to your exact ballistics and environmental conditions.
The honest catches
A 38 MOA dial limit on a 100 MOA scope. Leupold's part pages list an "Elevation Dial Travel Limit" of 38 MOA on both the 4-20x52 and the 3-15x44, next to elevation ranges of 100 and 85 MOA. At 20 MOA per revolution, 38 MOA is just under two turns of the dial (our arithmetic). The Leupold part pages we read do not explain how the two figures relate, so if you plan to dial far past your zero, ask Leupold how much of the elevation the turret will reach before you buy.
Second focal plane, classic Duplex. Every row on both listings is second focal plane. The rows we price carry what Leupold calls a classic Duplex reticle, and Outdoor Life names the Duplex as a con for versatility. If you hold for wind or drop instead of dialing, compare Leupold's reticle pages for the TMOA row of the 4-20x52 and the HTMR and Wind-Plex rows of the 3-15x44 before you order. Our FFP vs SFP guide explains why second focal plane holds are calibrated at one magnification.
No illumination on the rows we price. Leupold lists the Duplex rows as non-illuminated with Motion Sensor Technology "No". The retailer's feature list, shared across the rows, still mentions motion-sensor battery saving; that does not apply to the Duplex rows. Leupold's page for the 4-20x52 FireDot Duplex row (183858) does list Motion Sensor Technology.
The 4-20x52 is the heavy one. 23.8 oz is almost four ounces more than the 3-15x44, and the 34mm tube needs 34mm rings. The retailer's package contents list only the scope, so budget for rings; see our scope rings guide.
Almost no owner record. Each listing has one review, both five stars, both recent (June and September 2026), and neither says which reticle row it is about. That is too little to judge tracking or durability from owner reviews.
Trade-offs, plainly
- Leupold lists a 38 MOA elevation dial travel limit on both sizes, well under the 100 and 85 MOA ranges.
- Second focal plane on every row; Outdoor Life lists the Duplex reticle as a limit on versatility.
- Illumination only on the FireDot rows, which cost more.
- The 4-20x52 weighs 23.8 oz and needs 34mm rings; the 3-15x44 needs 30mm rings.
- One owner review per listing, so the case rests on Leupold's specification.
- A premium price for a second focal plane hunting scope.
Key specifications: 4-20x52 vs 3-15x44 (Duplex rows)
| Spec | 4-20x52 | 3-15x44 |
|---|---|---|
| Part number (row we price) | 183857 (4-20x52) | 183848 (3-15x44) |
| Reticle | Duplex, non-illuminated | Duplex, non-illuminated |
| Focal plane | Second | Second |
| Maintube | 34 mm | 30 mm |
| Elevation / windage range | 100 MOA / 80 MOA | 85 MOA / 85 MOA |
| Click value | 1/4 MOA | 1/4 MOA |
| Per revolution | 20 MOA | 20 MOA |
| Elevation dial travel limit | 38 MOA | 38 MOA |
| Turret | CDS-SZL2, SpeedSet rezero, locking dial | CDS-SZL2, SpeedSet rezero, locking dial |
| Parallax | Side focus, 50 yd minimum | Side focus, 50 yd minimum |
| Field of view at 100 yds | 27.7 ft to 5.8 ft | 37.8 ft to 8 ft |
| Angular field of view | 5.3 to 1.1 degrees | 7.2 to 1.5 degrees |
| Eye relief | 3.8 in (low and high) | 3.8 in low, 3.9 in high |
| Exit pupil (objective / magnification) | 13 mm to 2.6 mm | 14.7 mm to 2.9 mm |
| Length | 14.5 in | 13.5 in |
| Mounting space | 6.2 in | 5.4 in |
| Weight | 23.8 oz | 19.9 oz |
| Warranty | Leupold Lifetime Guarantee | Leupold Lifetime Guarantee |
Figures are from Leupold's part pages for 183857 and 183848; exit pupil is our arithmetic (objective divided by magnification). The retailer's listings also show "W/E Travel at 100 Yds" figures that match neither Leupold's ranges nor the retailer's own "Adjustment Range" field, so we do not print them. The retailer's feature list names Leupold's Punisher testing; Leupold's pages we read for this review do not, so we do not rely on it. We claim no award for the 4-20x52; the Outdoor Life Editor's Choice is for the 3-15x44.
Should you buy one?
- Buy the 4-20x52 for open-country hunting and longer shots where 20x and 100 MOA of elevation matter more than weight, and you plan to dial with a CDS dial or the standard MOA dial.
- Buy the 3-15x44 for an all-round big-game rifle you carry far: 19.9 oz, a wider field of view at 3x and the lower price of the two rows we price.
- Pick a different row if you want a reticle other than Duplex (TMOA, HTMR or Wind-Plex; check Leupold's reticle pages), want mil clicks (HTMR, 3-15x44 only) or want a lit center dot (FireDot Duplex).
- Skip it if you want a first focal plane reticle or plan to dial far beyond the 38 MOA dial limit Leupold lists.
- What else to consider: the Vortex Razor HD LHT for a 21.7 oz 4.5-22x50 first focal plane hunting scope; the Zeiss Conquest V4 for a 6-24x50 second focal plane hunting scope; or, for much less money and weight, the US-made 12.6 oz Leupold VX-3HD 3.5-10x40 from the tier below. Leupold's tactical line is in our Mark 4HD review.
FAQ
Is the Leupold VX-5HD Gen 2 first or second focal plane?
Second focal plane. Leupold lists both the 4-20x52 and the 3-15x44 rows reviewed here as second focal plane, so the reticle stays the same size as you change magnification.
What is new in the VX-5HD Gen 2?
Leupold names three changes in its July 29, 2025 blog post on the Gen 2: the tool-free SpeedSet elevation dial, a new integrated throw lever for magnification changes, and upgraded competition-grade adjustments with a new maintube that delivers more elevation travel. It also says the Gen 2, like the original VX-5HD, is built around its Professional-Grade Optical System.
How much elevation adjustment does the VX-5HD Gen 2 have?
On Leupold's part pages, the 4-20x52 Duplex (183857) has 100 MOA of elevation and 80 MOA of windage, and the 3-15x44 Duplex (183848) has 85 MOA of each, both in 1/4 MOA clicks with 20 MOA per revolution. Both pages also list an elevation dial travel limit of 38 MOA, so check with Leupold how much of the elevation you can dial on the turret before you plan long shots.
Should I buy the VX-5HD Gen 2 4-20x52 or the 3-15x44?
Buy the 4-20x52 if you want more magnification and more elevation travel and can carry the weight: Leupold lists it at 23.8 oz on a 34mm tube. Buy the 3-15x44 for a lighter rifle: 19.9 oz on a 30mm tube with a wider field of view at low power. The 3-15x44 Duplex is also the cheaper of the two rows we price.
What is the click value of the VX-5HD Gen 2 3-15x44?
It depends on the reticle row. Leupold lists 1/4 MOA clicks for the Duplex, FireDot Duplex and Wind-Plex rows and 0.1 MIL clicks for the HTMR row (183849). The retailer's specification table gives 0.1 Mil Rad for the whole listing, which is only true of the HTMR row.
Where is the VX-5HD Gen 2 made, and what is the warranty?
Leupold says the VX-5HD Gen 2, like all of its riflescopes, is designed, machined, assembled and tested at its factory in Oregon. It is covered by the Leupold Lifetime Guarantee, which Leupold says needs no receipt and follows the optic to later owners.
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