questions about a new scope

[Cat power]

I have an XB30pro on one of my set ups. Everything else I own has leupold crossbones on them . To be brutally honest the hawke scope leaves a lot to be desired in a high priced scope. Optics quality is like looking through a fishbowl with crosshairs. The reticle is way too busy with more hash marks then is ever needed for a crossbow scope. I really hope zeiss and leupold enter the crossbow scope market again.

I also have the XB30 pro on a Ravin R9. Hunted with it this year, but it won't be in my possession next year. Total dislike of the scope.

I will have a Leupold VXR 2-7 next year

[SEW]

To me, the answer is an Optimizer with a good rifle scope. I have and have had XB75s and the XB30 and neither have both good optics and a usable low light reticle.

[Bcxbow]

I love my optimizer and if the Nikon Bolt was illuminated with lines instead of circles my quest would be over.

[L. E. Carroll]

For those who have posted here who are unhappy with their XB 30's and would prefer a Leupold Crossbones I have a very nice one I'll trade you for that "crappy old Hawke XB30 PRO."

I live very close to the Leupold plant in Beaverton Ore . I have 2 Leupold spotting scopes, a set of Gold Ring 8x42 binos. and 8 rifles set up with VX II & lll scopes from 1.5x5 thats on my M600 350 Rem Mag. two a couple 6x24's mounted on my HB 223 and 22-250 varmint rifles.

I love them , but as I age I prefer the illumination the Hawke XB-30's provides for use on my Excals.

Gene

[elkaholic]

My close hunting buddy just bought a new 355 , it came with a tac zone scope.

I got a chance to check out the scope today and was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the scope. crossbow looked great too. lol

I take a little credit cuz he was really impressed with my Exomax and the way Excalibur's look and feel, so he bought one.

Plus the newer micros are so small and light

Anyway the scope -if I decide to go with a scope, would be in the top 3-4 that i'm looking at!

If you wanted illuminated scope-

I'd give it a thumbs up!

[artifact]

For those who have posted here who are unhappy with their XB 30's and would prefer a Leupold Crossbones I have a very nice one I'll trade you for that "crappy old Hawke XB30 PRO."
I have 2 Leupold spotting scopes, a set of Gold Ring 8x42 binos. and 8 rifles set up with VX II & lll scopes from 1.5x5 thats on my M600 350 Rem Mag.
Gene

I'll trade you a brand new XB30 PRO for that M600!
I have a few of them in both .350 and 6.5 Rem. Mag., and a good supply of new brass for both calibers.
Remember when they called the 600 and 660's crappy guns, I'm glad I bought those crappy guns!

[L. E. Carroll]

For those who have posted here who are unhappy with their XB 30's and would prefer a Leupold Crossbones I have a very nice one I'll trade you for that "crappy old Hawke XB30 PRO."
I have 2 Leupold spotting scopes, a set of Gold Ring 8x42 binos. and 8 rifles set up with VX II & lll scopes from 1.5x5 thats on my M600 350 Rem Mag.
Gene

I'll trade you a brand new XB30 PRO for that M600!
I have a few of them in both .350 and 6.5 Rem. Mag., and a good supply of new brass for both calibers.
Remember when they called the 600 and 660's crappy guns, I'm glad I bought those crappy guns!

I saw a really rough 6.5 in the used gun rack at Cabellas few months ago for over $450 had it been a bit nicer I too would have two rare 600's in the gun safe. Mine is in really nice shape but not original... The raised rib was rough ( beyond repair ) so I had a gun smith remove it, fill the mounting holes, and re-blue it while adding a Harris Ultra Brake.... the result is about the finest brush rifle for the elk on the WA coast that you can emagine. ( and with 28% less recoil. (which was never that bad in the first place ) BTW, I'd buy any spare brass you don't need I love loading and using Nosler 250's for it when I can find them...( Elk wish I had never found them or that rifle) she looks really nice sitting in there next to her "Big Brother" my 700 300 Ultra .... a "Got to Have" for those long, cross canyon elk.

[Cat power]

For those who have posted here who are unhappy with their XB 30's and would prefer a Leupold Crossbones I have a very nice one I'll trade you for that "crappy old Hawke XB30 PRO."

I live very close to the Leupold plant in Beaverton Ore . I have 2 Leupold spotting scopes, a set of Gold Ring 8x42 binos. and 8 rifles set up with VX II & lll scopes from 1.5x5 thats on my M600 350 Rem Mag. two a couple 6x24's mounted on my HB 223 and 22-250 varmint rifles.

I love them , but as I age I prefer the illumination the Hawke XB-30's provides for use on my Excals.

Gene

Why would you not get the Leupold VXR? Way better scope than the Hawke, not even close

[SEW]

For those who have posted here who are unhappy with their XB 30's and would prefer a Leupold Crossbones I have a very nice one I'll trade you for that "crappy old Hawke XB30 PRO."

I live very close to the Leupold plant in Beaverton Ore . I have 2 Leupold spotting scopes, a set of Gold Ring 8x42 binos. and 8 rifles set up with VX II & lll scopes from 1.5x5 thats on my M600 350 Rem Mag. two a couple 6x24's mounted on my HB 223 and 22-250 varmint rifles.

I love them , but as I age I prefer the illumination the Hawke XB-30's provides for use on my Excals.

Gene

Why would you not get the Leupold VXR? Way better scope than the Hawke, not even close

My question also.

[michigan man]

I had a XB30 and thought the glass was good until I compared it to a Leupold at low light one morning. I sold the Hawke and put a Leupold VX111 with a heavy duplex on my 335. I sight in at 25 yards and don't really worry about the range. Most of my shots are 30 and under. Also, I can still see the heavy duplex reticle past legal shooting hours.

[L. E. Carroll]

For those who have posted here who are unhappy with their XB 30's and would prefer a Leupold Crossbones I have a very nice one I'll trade you for that "crappy old Hawke XB30 PRO."

I live very close to the Leupold plant in Beaverton Ore . I have 2 Leupold spotting scopes, a set of Gold Ring 8x42 binos. and 8 rifles set up with VX II & lll scopes from 1.5x5 thats on my M600 350 Rem Mag. two a couple 6x24's mounted on my HB 223 and 22-250 varmint rifles.

I love them , but as I age I prefer the illumination the Hawke XB-30's provides for use on my Excals.

Gene

Why would you not get the Leupold VXR? Way better scope than the Hawke, not even close

I have nothing at all against Leupolds... In fact I own more of their products than I would guess many other forum members here do. That being said, for the wet, dark, very dense, shadowed areas I hunt Elk in on the Coast of WA.. I find the ability to allow a slight amount of illumination when sighting with my continously failing eyesight to be very helpfull.

So I would simply say it's all about choices and I have decided that after trying several scopes allowing Illumination, that the XB30 fills my needs the best.

I have in fact on more than one occassion, stood at the front dest at Leupolds main corporate office's asking their techs. and product reps. to bring out some type of illuminated crossbow specific scope based around their fine 1x4 and 1.5x5 series of scopes...

So far I'm having no luck in getting them to consider this, as they consider crossbow scopes and their owners as a very small part of their overall customer base. In talking with them I get the idea they feel producing an illuminated crossbow specific scope would not support the cost of R&D and tooling that it would take to produce one.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it !
Gene

[Cat power]

Leupold VXR scopes are illuminated.

My Hawke was new this year. I don't know what it is worth, but I will sell it to you. I'm tagged out on bucks and done for the season.

[L. E. Carroll]

I was wrong when I said they did not provide an illuminated, scope but correct when I said they did not have a "" crossbow specific "illuminated model where the lower crosshairs could be dialed in for specific distances taking the speed and weight of my arrows and overall set up into the equation.

The XB30 does that way beyond the distances available with a scope with fewer adjustable ( for speed and distance ) Crosshairs below the main one.... I don't shoot out to 100 yards but that capability is built into the XB30.

Taking my age and limited fixed income into effect, I find the XB a good affordable alternative to the much higher priced "Quality" illuminated crossbow scopes available to those still havinfg a good job.

@ crossbow hunting distances I have no problems with the optics supplied in the Hawke. Should I go back to Montana for P-dogs and Gophers again I would for sure take my heavy barrell 223 and 22-250 both wearing their VXlll 6.5 x 20 Leupolds as well as my higher power Leupold spotting scope. However we're talking shooting ranges way beyond what I shoot with a crissbow.

Let me know when it goes up for sale and perhaps we can strike a deal.

thanks,
Gene

[Phillyarcher]

I upgraded to a Hawke XB Pro SR and I have had no problem with it at all. It's clear and the illumination is a blessing for low light conditions. So far this year I have taken 5 Deer from 20-45 yards. The scope a bit expensive compared to some others out there. I can not say anything bad about the scope so far using it. But the best advise is go to a store and look thru the different scopes and see which one you like, that's what I did and it did make my decision on the Hawke XB Pro SR. Good luck with your decision.