Leica’s Amplus 6 3-18x44i is a robust scope with a sleek look and high-end features that belie its affordable price point.
When you have the opportunity to use high-end scopes and binoculars, as I’m often fortunate to do, you get spoiled—fast. There’s nothing like the razor-sharp views and light-gathering capabilities of premium optics. The problem, of course, is the sticker shock. Premium comes at a price—and while such optics are unquestionably worth what they cost, owning a scope that costs well north of $2,000 is not doable for everyone. So I was intrigued a few years ago when Leica—one of the top makers of high-end European optics—came out with a scope called the Amplus 6, which it touts as an “attractive entry into the premium class.”
The version I tested during two whitetail hunts last fall was the 3-18x44i model with the L4w BDC MOA reticle. This scope has a list price of $1,499, but a quick internet search finds it retailing for $1,199 at EuroOptic.com. Despite the price point, the Amplus 6 incorporates Leica’s proven optics technology, including top-quality lenses with 90 percent light transmission, state-of-the-art coatings, and a shock-resistant aluminum housing.
Despite its billing as a no-frills optic, the Amplus 6 is a sleek scope with the same high-end look and feel of other Leica scopes I’ve used. With a 30mm main tube, this model weighs 23 ounces—not ultra-lightweight by any means, but certainly trim enough to ride well on most hunting rifles. The glass is incredibly clear and the L4w reticle is sharp and uncluttered, with elevation and wind hold markings in MOA. It sits in the second focal plane so it stays the same size regardless of magnification. Cross hair thickness is 0.8 cm. In a word, it’s precise. The reticle also features an extra-fine (0.6 cm) illuminated dot with ten manually adjustable levels of brightness. The dot is small enough that it won’t obscure even a distant target and has no annoying glare.
I mounted this scope on a Ruger American Gen II rifle and took it to the range, and one of the first things I noticed was its exceptionally wide field of view at the lower powers. When I turned the magnification down to 3x and studied my target, I had an unusually broad view downrange. The other thing I appreciated was the generous eye relief—a big plus for a hunter who may need to take a shot from an odd angle in the field.
The 6 in Amplus 6 obviously stands for 6x zoom. The 3-18x magnification range is perfect for a wide range of hunting styles. While I kept it set on 6x during my Pennsylvania deer hunt, I cranked it up to 12x when I found myself in a tree stand in Missouri where I could see out to 400 yards—and I was glad to know there was more magnification available if I needed it. The 44mm objective lens allows for a large exit pupil while keeping the scope from being overly bulky.
This is a “no frills” scope only if you don’t consider an elevation turret, adjustable parallax, and illuminated dot to be “frills”—which I guess, these days, they aren’t.
Leica’s BDC system lets you adjust the reticle so you can quickly dial to various shooting distances. The elevation turret features very solid, audible one-quarter-MOA clicks and large, easy-to-read numbers, and it tracks with great accuracy.
The turret also has a mechanical zero stop. After a quick online search, I found a YouTube video explaining how to set it up. It’s easy. There are two knurled rings on the elevation turret. After sighting in, hold the bottom one while unscrewing the top one. Once you remove the top cap, pull straight up to expose the interior of the turret. Loosen three screws with the included Allen wrench and turn the turret clockwise until the zero stop engages. Tighten the screws, replace the turret and cap, and you’re done. It’s one of the easiest-to-adjust turrets I’ve used.
On the left side of the scope is a parallax adjustment ring with a range of twenty yards to infinity. On the same left-side turret there are ten light-level settings for the illuminated reticle dot that alternate on and off. The windage adjustment is a capped turret you can turn by hand and has the same one-quarter-MOA adjustments the elevation turret does.
There’s no doubt this scope is robust. It took a few knocks during my fall hunts, including a couple of times when I was raising and lowering the rifle on a rope from my tree stand and I cringed as it banged a little too hard against the ladder. But my zero never budged.
Leica offers an impressive transferable warranty on optics sold in the USA and Canada. Their 30-year manufacturer’s warranty guarantees against defects in the optical system and their 10-year Passport Protection Plan promises to repair or replace your scope if it is damaged or becomes defective.
With excellent light transmission, wide field of view, precise tracking, tough construction, and that fantastic warranty, there’s no doubt the Amplus 6 is a true premium scope—without the premium price.—Diana Rupp
