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When you open a matte black riflescope box tinged with that familiar Leupold gold, you can generally count on a few things. There will be a simple instruction manual (fold-out), finely packaged auxiliary items, usually a decal, and a high quality American-made optic.
This was the case when I received Leupold's Patrol 6HD 1-6x24 LPVO riflescope. The scope immediately emits quality construction details, yet feels simple to operate, and I swear I heard it begging to be used.
The LPVO market seems to ebb and flow with AR-15 shooters and their specific needs. While some LPVO users have gravitated back to the red dot sight or red dot + magnifier arena, others have experimented with 1-4s, 1-6s, and 1-8s, sometimes accompanied by offset or top-mounted red dots.
The 1-6 LPVO configuration seems to be where the tactical marketplace has been settling in recent times, and with optics quality at an all time high, it tends to be the "sweet spot" for CQB to mid-range targets.
Before I go on, for readers who may be unfamiliar with all the numbers and acronyms associated with riflescopes, particularly with this model, here's a quick breakdown...
1-6x24 LPVO
The Leupold Patrol 6HD 1-6x24 is a fairly compact and lightweight tactical riflescope, and Leupold clearly had the law enforcement community in mind when designing this product. The company describes it as "a hero in tight spaces", and this LPVO is designed to get you on target quickly, while still offering the ability to put you on mid-range threats. With a "true 1-6 range" at low power (1x), think of the Patrol 6HD as a red dot sight with fast target acquisition capability, through 5 different zoom ratios as the meters to target increase.
Leupold's Tactical Product Line Manager, John Snodgrass, summarized the mission of the Patrol 6HD 1-6x24 as:
"Designed for top competitors and law enforcement officers, the Patrol 6HD gives you the unrivaled durability and optical performance expected of a Leupold, plus all the features needed to win on the street or in competition."
We've covered the magnification range and the obvious quality cues from Leupold, but what sets the Patrol 6HD apart? It's a Leupold product, so it's not going to be cheap - therefore it better have some features. Not to worry. It does.
You can't cover a Leupold riflescope without mentioning optical clarity. The brand is known for this, and has been for more than a century and the Patrol 6HD is no exception. With Leupold's Professional-Grade Optical System, which promises unmatched light transmission, exceptional glare reduction, and supreme clarity/resolution, the Patrol 6HD is is clearly designed for tactical simplicity and variable lighting conditions - like the ones encountered by law enforcement officers.
Listed features explained:
Leupold offers the Patrol 6HD with two reticle choices: Illuminated Firedot Duplex and Illuminated CM-R2. Both models feature the use of push-button illumination, which works exceptionally well and has a very tactile feel. Also included is the aforementioned Motion Sensor Technology (MST), which is deployed after five minutes of inactivity, saving precious battery life.
This spartan reticle is Leupold's adaptation of a classic Duplex reticle, but integrates a clean and very crisp daylight-bright dot that is extremely responsive to the brightness control button. This configuration feels and functions very fast for 1x both-eyes-open targeting, even at speed when eye relief is not optimal.
This illuminated tactical reticle uses a bright red 7.5 MOA horseshoe pattern that blends rapid targeting acquisition, range estimations and holdovers out to 900 yards (per Leupold). This version offers Leupold's CDS-ZL2 turrets, with "CDS" indicating Leupold's Custom Dial System, which allows customers to order a laser-etched bullet drop dial matching their individual ballistics.
The riflescope that I received for review is the Leupold Patrol 6HD with the Illuminated Firedot Duplex. This is a purpose-built tactical riflescope that oozes with Leupold quality, yet offers an extremely simple experience. Mount it, zero it, learn the illumination profile and get used to this scope being on the rifle for a lifetime.
While the Illuminated Firedot doesn't speak to supreme accuracy at extended ranges, as a "patrol" type optic, I would suggest this LPVO for tactical, protective or competitive shooters without hesitation.
The Leupold Patrol 6HD 1-6x24 is designed, machined and assembled in the USA at Leupold's HQ in Beaverton, Oregon. ~GK
For complete specifications, details and how to buy the Leupold Patrol 6 HD Series, see below:
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Gary Killingsworth
Gary is the Digital Manager for Gun Talk Media and is a proud “Oregunian”. A lifelong shooter, gear hound and student of the gun, he is a staunch advocate for quality, consistent training. When not trying to perfect his trigger press, Killingsworth is an avid baseball fan, metalhead, bowhunter and salmon & steelhead angler.
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