When riflescopes first came along well over a century ago, they were placed atop the rifle almost like an afterthought. And as riflescopes’ low-light capabilities and technology have advanced, objective lenses have grown larger and larger, resulting in higher and higher mounts and awkward cheek welds. The designs of both the rifle and riflescope seemed to be set in stone — until now. When you make the rules, you can break the rules, so get ready for something from Leupold that breaks them all.

Mount your 50mm VX-L as low as a typical 36mm riflescope, and your 56mm VX-L as low as a 40mm riflescope, while gaining a larger exit pupil and other low-light advantages! But that’s not all. The VX-L also features Leupold's Second Generation of waterproofing technology, their exclusive DiamondCoat Index Matched Lens System™ with new blackened lens edges, and more. If you’ve been waiting for the low down on low-light performance, it’s finally here.

• Light Optimization Profile™ gives you the low-light performance advantages of a large objective riflescope, without the high mount. The 50mm VX-L mounts like a 36mm riflescope, yet delivers 48.6 percent more Total Light Throughput (TLT)! Likewise, the 56mm VX-L mounts like a 40mm riflescope, and delivers 96 percent more Total Light Throughput. The lower mount also gives your rifle better balance, and the quick accurate aiming that comes with a low-mount cheekweld.

• Leupold’s Second Generation Waterproofing. While they still waterproof other optics with bone-dry nitrogen — first pioneered by Leupold in 1947 — the VX-L features Leupold's new, exclusive proprietary Argon/Krypton gas blend. The advantages are two-fold. First, it nearly eliminates the effects of thermal shock. Second, Argon/Krypton molecules are significantly larger than nitrogen molecules, reducing the diffusion of gasses sealed inside your scope even more than their proven nitrogen waterproofing technology already does. Leupold pioneered nitrogen waterproofing, and it remains the industry standard. Argon/Krypton waterproofing now exceeds the standard that Leupold themselves set.

• Index Matched Lens System with DiamondCoat on VX-L riflescopes. A Leupold exclusive, this system has nearly perfected Leupold’s already impeccable light management. Leupold optical engineers specify different coating materials for each lens surface within the riflescope, based on its index of refraction, placement, and function. They also matched the ideal coatings to each lens’ glass type and layered these substances to minimize reflections and maximize light transmission. The result is unparalleled brightness and clarity.