TESTED: Leupold Mark 5HD 5-25x56 Scope

[@mikeyvega9898]

I just purchased the Leupold Mark 5hd 5-25x56 yesterday, and picked up my M200 Intervention. I am watching videos to learn as much as I can.

[@ecleveland1]

Still running my Mark 4, it’s just a great scope and I haven’t seen a need to replace it.

[@allenspark1080]

Been my go-to scope for years. Loved your review, just solidified my opinion on it!

[@JosephBliss]

I have a 5-25 PR2 in MOA, and I actually swapped it out for something else on my hunting rifle . The reticle is practically invisible below about 10x, even moreso in low light or against dark backgrounds (such as tree branches and brush). If it were illuminated that would compensate for it, but it’s not available with an illuminated PR2. It’s perfectly suited for long range target shooting though which is what I use it for now.

[@whyismyusernametaken...]

I bought it as my first scope for my first rifle for my first deer hunt. It performs great and I have no complaints, money well spent and I got the buck!

[@truthteller5539]

Running the Mk V, 5-25x, Tremor Reticle - love it!

[@jcprecisionrifle]

I've just bought a Mark 5HD FDE 5-25x56mm for my PRS Match Rifle.. AI Action, Proof Barrel, Vision Chassis 👌

[@KootertheShooter]

Thank you for investing in a truely measurable system to test optics. Your attention to detail is appreciated. Have you ever tested the Vortex Razor Gen 3 ?

[@bearpaw9204]

Love your content, been watching for years. HUGE Leupold fan, customer service is amazing, great glass, I just wish they would offer better reticles. Their 6HD and 5HD lineups have horrible reticles I used back in the 80's, like the Boone and Crocket and their Firedot suck, it's 2023 for goodness sake. The Mark 5HD seems to have better offerings, they're just never in stock. As soon as I can find one with the reticle I like, I'm picking that 5-25 as well as the 3.6-18.

[@justinwood3054]

I have one and it’s amazing. The only problem is it makes all my other scopes look bad. The image really is far superior to any of my other scopes, even ones that cost a thousand dollars.

[@Isaacmantx]

Well, since this one costs $2,200... it better look way better than a $1,000 scope!

[@EthanFoster-zq7fo]

Well I do have to agree, my 2k Leupold's out perform my 3k-5k; trijicon, niteforce, & vortex scopes lol. Leupold glass clarity, color, and eye relief is almost impossible to beat. I've tried hard to find a better scope. But only bc I see a very few people say that they "don't like Leupold and they don't keep zero" so far all of mine have been beyond amazing.

[@FullSendPrecision]

A really important test you're missing is mirage, and shift based on light conditions. This is a huge deal in F-Class. "good" scopes will shift less from overcast to full sun, for example. A cheap scope, you're going to be moving your point of aim up and down based on light/shade.

[@trikelife4960]

Got one on my 30hate recently but haven't shot with it yet. I went with the 5-25 and medium Mk4 rings as well. It replaced a Bushnell DMR2i 3.5-21X50 and shaved half a pound off the rifle. Been a Leupold fan for years and have rarely been disappointed.

[@jeffb.3052]

Yep 3.6-18, love it.

[@tiputipu777]

When testing parallax, the meter/yard marks are reference marks and not absolutes. Also the parallax is there to eliminate parallax, the image focus is a side effect of doing so.

[@ufhkbikes]

I got my mk5 7-35 after watching your review a while back and love it but now I’m torn between oldie and razor gen 3 that my coworker is selling 🤪

[@SEOKLADUCKIN]

Ordered a 3-18 Leupold VX6HD firedot today to top a Cooper 300 win mag . Leupold rings as well

[@williamsweet7511]

I've had one for 5 or 6 years now, I pre ordered it when they first came out. I loved it so much a years or so later I built a second rifle and put another mark 5 on it. I shoot f and for and am looking at the new march scopes and run a kahles 1050 on my f class and a Nightforce competition on my ftr. So many great optics on the market these days.

[@heirvon_558]

Love the scope. I have it on a 6mm Dasher Norma. I shoot the long range here in Northern California.

[@iancurrie8844]

No mark V but plenty of Leupold scopes and always satisfied.

[@madoskocil]

Would love to see the B14 Crest in 6.5 prc in action!

[@benparry5318]

I used a Mark 5 HD last season on my cousin's Christensen Ridgeline 28 Nosler and I was very happy with the results I had with it. I would like to compare it side by side with my 5.5-22 NXS to see how different they really are for double the money.

[@pietergrobler2181]

Love the scope and it's clarity. Would however prefer the windage mark @ 3 o'clock and more clicks on elevation I have the PR-1 MOA FFP model

[@paulfix8081]

Getting ready to purchase this scope. Is illumination recommended for hunting use?

[@twofast1234]

You can determine that the turret is on the 3rd rotation by the small silver peg on top of the turret will protrude.

[@ja0298]

Any chance you could take a look at the howa mini action in 6mm arc? It’s the only entry level 6mm ARC bolt gun on the market that has my interest and there are very few videos on it.

[@Triggertarzan]

I run a 7x35 pr2 reticle on my mpr and I love that optic. Even their mark 3hd for the price has been a great optic on my 308 700 setup. Having multiple leupold rigs on different guns I shoot and I have yet to run into an issue with any of them.

[@RedEyesBadDragon]

Thank you

[@mikemilgiore4917]

You should check out a Burris xtr iii. I’ve gotten to shoot both the xtr iii and mark 5 extensively in and out of competition. For the money I much prefer the xtr iii. It is 5oz heavier but has better glass and illumination

[@pillingthemsoftly4738]

I can't decide between this or a NightForce ATACR 7-35x56 F1. Are any of these MK5s illuminated?

[@ThatGuy3714]

If you stared to reviews on a lot of scopes that would be really cool. I'm not sure if you have a way to determine lens/glass clarity? A lot of people say it depends on the person for which glass their eye likes the most. Reviews especially for expensive scopes like ZCO and TT. It's a lot of money to drop on a scope and seeing how the lens quality or turret clicks compare on a measurable scale is really nice.

[@JGoodZX6R]

I recently bought one of these in 3.6-18x with Tremor 3 to upgrade a Vortex Viper PST Gen II 3-15x. I wasn't impressed. It's now sold. I expected it to blow the PST out of the water, but to my surprise the clarity wasn't great, image was milky/dull/flat, couldn't get it focused well to my eye at all, not as much brightness or contrast, reticle subtensions were too fine and unusable below 12x or so and 3.6x was unusable bc the reticle was hard to pick up and easily lost in even a slightly dark background. I think some of the focusing part of the issue may have been bc of the busy reticle, but for the price of these, there's no other reticles I'm interested in. Sent it in to Leupold to see if something was off with it and they sent it back saying it was all good.

[@NiteQwill_]

The #1 most common scope I see go down at matches...

[@DanielReyes-hz1qk]

In what way?

[@bearpaw9204]

That sounds like a Vortex not a Leupold, but I guess every manufacture can have issues. I'd like to know what you're seeing, I haven't experienced or seen that, and I'm around guys that are hard on their equipment.

[@NiteQwill_]

@@DanielReyes-hz1qk failed tracking, poor seals, etc.

[@NiteQwill_]

@@bearpaw9204 Same. I shoot several 2 day matches all over the country, and I live in Leupold country... In fact, one went down at a match last weekend in my squad. The shooter ended up using a backup rifle.

[@airenthusiast2000]

​@NiteQwill_ I believe the Failed tracking because that is the no 1 issue with the MK5HD. But the seals? Have never personally seen it.

[@zebacake4683]

make a long range 30-06!

[@ChadCooper03]

Thinking of getting one down the road

[@johnalexander2349]

Would you consider a video on setting parallax correctly. I run a Nightforce 7-35x on a Ruger Precision Rifle, but I'm not happy with my groups, and I think it's because my parallax is wrong because my dioptre setting is wrong. I guess the more important question is, how do I test that I've set it correctly without any fancy equipment?

[@dvskane1808]

It’s a expensive option. I haven’t had the opportunity to use one, but I hear they are amazing. I’m happy with my Arkens and primary arms glx. It’s just crazy for me to spend that much on a scope when I can do two rifle builds for the same price with optics that I’m fine with. I don’t need an 8k tv when my 4k is perfectly fine.

[@tonydevich7937]

I am on my 300prc, need to get to the range

[@Dave-cf2ng]

7x35x56 on my 223ai. It’s pretty overkill but it’s a decent scope. Not as nice as a kahles or ZCO but it works

[@jamessammann9183]

Wished that crest had a 24 inch barell on.7.prc

[@bearpaw9204]

They offer them in 24 I believe, but many folks are saying you still get really good speeds out of the 22. I think Jim from youtube Backfire Channel did a good job of showing how short you can go on that 7PRC and still have effective energy down range.

[@Noone765]

I’ll look at this scope. I’m looking to replace 3 scopes this year.

[@rossauce12]

For the price why not put a zero stop or locking turrets on the windage?

[@postchal8642]

Gavin, are you related to the author Chuck Palahniuk? You guys kinda look similar to one another, and seem to be from the same part of Washington.

[@davesiefert1257]

Exactly what I was looking for 🎉I’ll buy that set up 7prc ? Want to sell?

[@AFpaleoCon]

It’s odd you’re pointing people to your website for custom rifles but the website says “Spring 2022” is our goal. Isn’t this out of date or are you saying those who signed up in spring 22 are now being made or what?

[@lonnieduran7315]

Can you yes the Fire dot?

[@rossauce12]

Only leupold wold make a capped 5-25 prob non illuminated as well... yhat would cost $600 more... once the old people that buy up leupold are gone I think the company will as well. Unless they get up to date with a modern gun market. U can't get a scope with windage and illumination for under 3k

[@bengolby-mw6ee]

What is the best Leupold scope you can get for long distance shooting thank you from ben

[@caseycook680]

I think you need to machine or layout a target with a mill for you optics test rig. I can't imagine printed targets have the accuracy you required for this style testing.

[@Ultimatereloader]

Actually, we measured the target intervals, and each mill interval is accurate within a couple thousands of an inch.

[@iMakos101]

I'm not sure 3 mils is enough up and down to confirm tracking.

[@chrisfisher3900]

These scopes are noticeably lighter than the NF and Zeiss s3 for sure. Almost felt like a toy when I first picked it up

[@lycheeznuts]

Bc it will break like a toy if you do anything but leave it in your safe

[@chrisfisher3900]

@@lycheeznuts I have only heard of one person having trouble but it does not instill confidence for me. I know I can beat the hell out of nightforce though

[@TheIamfrustrated]

You know, I’d I was in the market for another Schmidt and Bender I’d probably do a Mk V or a Razor HD instead as I can’t see any reason why someone would go wrong with them.

[@johnalexander2349]

Are you still able to get the good Schmidt and Bender scopes? Ze Germans have decided that they won't export the good ones to South Africa, but Leupold is more than happy to supply us.

[@TheIamfrustrated]

@@johnalexander2349 There are dealers that apparently can get them in Canada but the only ones I have ever seen on sale or second hand which I did grab for my Remington build. The scope in question is a 3-20x50 PMII with MTC Turrets which lock. It's a nice scope but I definitely wouldn't be buying another one as the PMII has a dated optical design which in my opinion lags behind the best of Leupold and Vortex.

[@ljolik2000]

This is original chines Discovery Optics 5-25x56!

[@mountainman9973]

A couple weeks ago at the PRS windbreaker Match I won a Bad Rock, South Fork rifle chambered in 6 Creed topped with the Leupold Mark5 5×25 PR2 Scope and a couple hundred rounds of nosler 115 gr RDF ammo. I won this rifle off of a raffle ticket!!!. Phenomenal rifle shoots little tiny bug hole groups. I have a couple of the Leupold Mark 5 Scopes my only complaint is the zero line for the windage knob that is absolutely ridiculous and I find it to be confusing .It comes across almost being diagonal to the knob when there is no reason it should not be directly in line with the knob. Other than that it is a great scope. I do recommend checking out the Bad Rock rifle line pretty decent for the prices.

[@bob4003]

How did you mount that bipod ??

[@raymondjohnson6496]

I miss Nikon rifle scopes

[@Isaacmantx]

click to see a scope review.... realize it costs more than the $2K bergara it is mounted on.... NEVER MIND! lmao

[@dogbone1358]

How do you square up/level the scope to the rifle.

[@trikelife4960]

Looks like he is using the Wheeler scope leveling system. I use the same one and it works well.

[@dogbone1358]

@@trikelife4960 Didn’t notice any leveling going on. I’ll have to check later. Doesn’t he ever personally answer comments?

[@trikelife4960]

@@dogbone1358 at one point during mounting you can see the Wheeler level sitting on top of the elevation turret. That specific level comes with their "Professional Reticle Leveling System". The other level in the kit is mounted to the barrel and zero'd out while the first level is on the scope base. That gives you a level reference to your base while the scope is being mounted. Gavin would have adjusted the scope level to that reference level on the barrel, it was just out of frame.

[@njgrplr2007]

Big myth: You can rely on hold over reticle marks with First focal plane scopes.

[@jesse5167]

What?

[@johnabbott3896]

$2500+ for a scope is a little bit on the pricey side....most of us would rather stay married tha have the wife find out we spent THAT kind of $$ on a scope......no matter how good it might be...

[@tikka300wsm5]

Yet women can spend money on hair, shoes, clothes, nails, toes.... no questions asked. You work hard for your money, grow a pair and spoil yourself from time to time.

[@johnm.515]

Just spent $2,200 on a Henry x and Henry 6.5 without permission cause I make the honey do list in my house.

[@RockinRack]

They can always be found for 1800 demo models or blemished. I have 4 at that price one has illumination, one came with rings, one came with aluminum flip caps

[@ronaldraygun2639]

@@tikka300wsm5lmao that’s right !

[@Stonewareclay]

$2,500 is a lot, but the lifetime warranty is really worth a lot when you consider that the $5,500 Schmidt & Bender scopes don’t have a lifetime warranty.

[@shamfrod]

First!