Unleash Precision: The Leupold Mark 5HD 3.6-18x44mm Riflescope (Model 173301) for Elite Performance

For serious shooters, hunters, and competitive marksmen who demand unwavering performance, absolute precision, and an undeniable edge in the field, the Leupold Mark 5HD 3.6-18x44mm riflescope (Model 173301) stands as a beacon of optical and mechanical excellence. This isn't just another riflescope; it's a meticulously engineered tool designed to empower you to put accurate fire on target, faster and more consistently, across diverse challenging scenarios.

Whether you're engaging distant steel targets in a precision rifle series (PRS) competition, ranging for a trophy elk in fading light, or executing critical shots in tactical operations, the Mark 5HD is purpose-built to eliminate variables and maximize your potential. Its profound impact is felt by anyone looking to minimize rifle weight without sacrificing robust durability or compromising on world-class optical clarity.

What Problems Does the Leupold Mark 5HD Solve for Shooters?

The modern shooter faces numerous challenges, from the sheer physical burden of heavy gear to the complex calculations required for long-range engagements. The Leupold Mark 5HD addresses these pain points directly:

• Excessive Gear Weight: Traditional high-magnification scopes can be cumbersome. The Mark 5HD shaves off critical ounces, making your rifle setup lighter, more agile, and less fatiguing during long treks or extended shooting sessions. This is a game-changer for hunters traversing rugged terrain or competitors who value every ounce in their pack.
• Slow Target Acquisition & Adjustment: Fumbling with stiff turrets or struggling to read small numbers costs precious seconds. The Mark 5HD's ergonomic design, featuring tactile and audible click adjustments, larger numbers, and a high-speed throw lever, ensures rapid and intuitive manipulation, allowing you to react quickly to dynamic situations.
• Compromised Clarity in Challenging Conditions: Low light, glare, and poor atmospheric conditions can obscure targets. Leupold's Professional-Grade Optical System is specifically engineered to provide exceptional light transmission, vivid color rendition, and razor-sharp resolution, ensuring a bright, clear image from dawn till dusk.
• Inaccurate Holdovers & Range Estimation: Relying on guesswork for complex shots is not an option for precision. The First Focal Plane (FFP) TRM reticle scales with magnification, providing true subtensions at all power settings, allowing for precise holdovers, windage corrections, and range estimation regardless of your zoom level.
• Loss of Zero Due to Recoil or Bumps: A scope that loses zero is useless. The M5C3 ZeroLock adjustments and Zero Stop feature provide robust, repeatable, and locked-in zero, giving you absolute confidence that your adjustments are precise and your zero is maintained, even under harsh recoil or accidental impacts.

Key Features and Their Impact on Your Shooting Experience

The Leupold Mark 5HD 3.6-18x44mm is a masterclass in combining advanced technology with practical, shooter-focused design. Let's delve into the features that make it an indispensable tool:

Lightweight Design: The Advantage of Agility

One of the most striking features of the Mark 5HD is its astonishingly low weight. At just 26 ounces, it is significantly lighter – up to 20 ounces lighter – than many other riflescopes in its class. This isn't just a number; it translates directly into tangible benefits for the user:

• Reduced Fatigue: Less weight on your rifle means less strain on your body during long hunts, extended training sessions, or competitive events.
• Improved Handling: A lighter rifle is easier to maneuver, whether you're transitioning between targets, tracking moving game, or stabilizing your position for a precision shot.
• Enhanced Portability: For those who carry their gear deep into the backcountry, every ounce saved is a blessing. The Mark 5HD helps build a lightweight, high-performance rifle system.

Professional-Grade Optical System: Unparalleled Clarity

Leupold's reputation for optical excellence is legendary, and the Mark 5HD exemplifies this heritage. Its Professional-Grade Optical System is designed to deliver superior light transmission, clarity, and glare reduction, providing a crisp, bright, and high-contrast image.

• Exceptional Brightness: Optimized for peak performance in challenging light conditions, the system ensures that targets remain visible even at dawn, dusk, or under heavy canopy.
• Edge-to-Edge Sharpness: Experience a clear, distortion-free image across the entire field of view, allowing for more precise target identification and shot placement.
• Superior Glare Management: Minimizes distracting glare, especially when shooting into the sun or in bright, reflective environments, preserving image quality and reducing eye strain.

M5C3 ZeroLock Adjustments with Zero Stop: Precision and Confidence

The heart of a precision riflescope lies in its adjustments. The Mark 5HD's M5C3 ZeroLock adjustments and Zero Stop are engineered for reliability and user confidence.

• Tactile and Audible Clicks: Each click provides a distinct, positive feel and sound, allowing for precise adjustments without taking your eyes off the target. This is critical in high-pressure situations.
• Large, Legible Numbers: Turret numbers are generously sized and clearly marked, ensuring quick and accurate dial-ups, even under stress or in dim light.
• ZeroLock Dial: This innovative feature physically locks the elevation dial in place at your zero setting, preventing accidental adjustments in the field. To adjust elevation, simply depress the button and dial.
• Zero Stop: Once you've set your zero, the Zero Stop feature prevents you from dialing below it. This allows for rapid return to your established zero, a vital capability for multi-distance shooting or when making large elevation adjustments. The 3-turn, 1/10th Mil elevation adjustment offers ample travel for extreme long-range engagements.

First Focal Plane (FFP) Illuminated TRM Reticle: Dynamic Versatility

The Illuminated First Focal Plane (FFP) TRM (Tactical Milling Reticle) is a sophisticated tool that enhances versatility and precision across all magnification settings.

• FFP Advantage: In a First Focal Plane scope, the reticle physically grows and shrinks as you adjust the magnification. This means the subtensions (the spacing of the hash marks on the reticle) remain true at every power setting. This is invaluable for:
  • Accurate Holdovers: Whether you're at 3.6x or 18x, a 1-Mil holdover is always a 1-Mil holdover.
  • Precise Range Estimation: Use the reticle for milling targets regardless of magnification.
  • Consistent Windage Holds: Maintain accurate windage corrections at any zoom level.
• TRM Reticle Design: The TRM is a versatile Christmas tree-style reticle designed for rapid and accurate holdovers for both elevation and windage. Its intuitive layout allows for quick corrections without constantly manipulating the turrets, which is crucial in dynamic shooting scenarios.
• Illumination: The illuminated center dot or portion of the reticle provides enhanced visibility in low-light conditions or against dark backgrounds, ensuring you can always see your aiming point clearly. Multiple brightness settings allow you to fine-tune the illumination for optimal performance.

Rugged Construction and Durability: Built for the Unforgiving

Like all Leupold optics, the Mark 5HD is engineered to withstand the harshest conditions imaginable.

• Aircraft-Grade Aluminum: Constructed from premium, aircraft-grade 6061-T6 aluminum, the 35mm main tube offers exceptional strength and rigidity, ensuring the scope can endure significant recoil and impact.
• Waterproof and Fog Proof: Nitrogen-purged and sealed, the Mark 5HD is guaranteed to be waterproof and fog proof, performing reliably in rain, snow, or extreme temperature fluctuations.
• Shockproof: Tested to extreme shock resistance standards, it can handle the concussive forces of powerful magnum cartridges without losing zero or experiencing internal damage.
• Scratch-Resistant Lenses: Exterior lenses are coated for superior scratch resistance, protecting them from abrasions during rigorous field use.

Ergonomics and User Experience: Intuitive Control

Beyond its technical specifications, the Mark 5HD is designed for the shooter.

• High-Speed Throw Lever: Integrated into the magnification ring, this lever allows for rapid and precise changes in magnification, enabling quick adaptation to changing distances or target sizes.
• Side Focus Parallax Adjustment: Easily accessible on the side of the scope, the parallax adjustment ranges from 50 yards to infinity, ensuring a crisp, parallax-free image at various distances.
• Generous Eye Relief: A comfortable eye relief range of 3.54" - 3.82" provides a forgiving eye box, reducing eye strain and allowing for a consistent sight picture, even with heavy recoiling rifles.
• Wide Field of View: A field of view ranging from 5.80 ft to 28.40 ft at 100 yards provides excellent situational awareness, allowing you to quickly spot and track targets.

Who is the Leupold Mark 5HD (Model 173301) For?

This riflescope is ideal for a specific cohort of demanding users:

• Precision Rifle Series (PRS) and National Rifle League (NRL) Competitors: Its FFP TRM reticle, precise adjustments, ZeroLock, Zero Stop, and lightweight design make it a formidable choice for competitive long-range shooting where speed and accuracy are paramount.
• Long-Range Hunters: For hunters pursuing game at extended distances who need maximum clarity, reliable adjustments, and a lighter rifle system for challenging terrain. This scope excels for deer, elk, antelope, and varmint hunting.
• Tactical Shooters and Law Enforcement: Professionals requiring robust, reliable optics for critical engagements, offering rapid target acquisition and precision in varied environments.
• Dedicated Enthusiasts and Reloaders: Shooters who meticulously craft their loads and seek to push the boundaries of their rifle's accuracy potential will find the Mark 5HD to be an invaluable partner.
• Anyone Seeking to Reduce Rifle Weight: For those building a lightweight precision rifle or looking to shed ounces from an existing setup without compromising optical quality or features.

Why Choose the Leupold Mark 5HD Over Other Options?

When evaluating high-end riflescopes, several factors set the Leupold Mark 5HD apart:

• Unmatched Weight-to-Performance Ratio: No other scope in its class offers such a profound reduction in weight without sacrificing optical quality, mechanical robustness, or advanced features. This unique value proposition is a significant differentiator.
• Leupold's Legendary Durability: Backed by generations of proven performance in the harshest conditions and Leupold's full lifetime guarantee, the Mark 5HD offers peace of mind that your investment is protected for life.
• Intuitive and Ergonomic Design: Every control, from the throw lever to the tactile turrets, is designed for rapid, intuitive use under pressure, allowing you to focus on the shot, not the equipment.
• Made in the USA: Proudly designed, machined, and assembled in Oregon, USA, ensuring stringent quality control and a commitment to American craftsmanship.
• Optimized for Modern Shooting: From its FFP reticle to its ample elevation travel, the Mark 5HD is perfectly suited for the demands of modern long-range shooting techniques and bullet trajectories.

Understanding Core Riflescope Terminology (FAQ Style)

To help users understand the technical aspects of the Mark 5HD, here are explanations of key terms:

• What does "First Focal Plane (FFP)" mean?
  In an FFP riflescope, the reticle is positioned in front of the magnification erector system. This means that as you increase or decrease the scope's magnification, the reticle itself appears to grow larger or smaller proportionally with the target image. The key benefit is that the subtensions (the measured distances between hash marks on the reticle) remain true at all magnification settings. This allows for accurate holdovers, windage corrections, and range estimation without needing to remember a specific magnification setting for your reticle values.
• What are "Mil" adjustments (0.1 Mil)?
  "Mil" refers to a Milliradian, a unit of angular measurement commonly used in shooting. 0.1 Mil means that each click of the adjustment turret moves the point of impact by 0.1 Milliradians at 100 yards. For practical purposes, 0.1 Mil is roughly equivalent to 0.36 inches at 100 yards, or 1 cm at 100 meters. This fine adjustment provides precise control over bullet placement.
• What is "ZeroLock" and "Zero Stop"?
  
  • ZeroLock: This is a mechanism that physically locks your elevation turret at your chosen zero setting. To make elevation adjustments, you depress a button or collar to unlock the turret, preventing accidental movement when carrying your rifle or moving through brush.
  • Zero Stop: After you zero your rifle, you set the Zero Stop. This feature prevents the elevation turret from being dialed below your established zero point. This is crucial for rapid return to zero after dialing for long shots and ensures you don't get "lost" on your turrets by dialing too far down.
• Why is a 35mm tube diameter important?
  A larger main tube diameter (like 35mm compared to 30mm or 1 inch) offers several advantages:
  • Increased Elevation/Windage Travel: A larger tube provides more internal space for the erector system, allowing for greater maximum elevation and windage adjustment travel. This is essential for extreme long-range shooting where significant bullet drop compensation is required.
  • Improved Light Transmission (Potentially): While not solely dependent on tube size, a larger tube can contribute to better light gathering capabilities, though lens quality and coatings are more critical.
  • Enhanced Durability: A larger diameter tube can be inherently stronger and more rigid, contributing to the scope's overall ruggedness and resistance to flexing.

The Leupold Mark 5HD 3.6-18x44mm (UPC: 030317016395) is more than just an optic; it's a testament to Leupold's unwavering commitment to performance, reliability, and shooter-centric design. It's the choice for those who refuse to compromise on their equipment and demand the best to achieve their goals, whether on the range, in the field, or in competition.

This exceptional riflescope, alongside a full range of Leupold products and shooting accessories, is available for purchase at DEGuns. Elevate your shooting precision and experience the Leupold difference.

Leupold Mark 5HD 3.6-18x44mm (Model 173301) Specifications

Feature	Detail
Brand	Leupold
Model	Mark 5HD
UPC	030317016395
MPN	173301
SKU	47243
Magnification	3.6-18x
Objective Lens	44mm
Tube Diameter	35mm
Focal Plane	First Focal Plane (FFP)
Reticle	Illuminated FFP TRM
Finish	Matte Black
Firearm Type	Rifle
Material	Aircraft-Grade Aluminum
Eye Relief	3.54" - 3.82"
Field of View	5.80 - 28.40 ft @ 100 yds
Adjustment Size	0.10 Mil
Windage Adjustment	80 MOA
Elevation Adjustment	100 MOA
Focus Type	Side Focus
Parallax Adjustment	50 yds - Infinity
Length	12.06"
Weight	26 oz
Exit Pupil Diameter	2.40mm
Turret Features	M5C3 ZeroLock, Zero Stop