anyone have experience with both and know why theres such a big price difference if i get the same mag and reticle?

i want to get the mark ar to save money but what am i missing?

The Mark AR has a 1" tube vice 30mm on the VX-R.

Mark AR = 1" main tube, VX-1 glass, green dot, lighter weight.  Decent, but "so so" glass.  Firedot is an option.

VX-R Patrol = 30mm main tube, much better optical performance in VX-3 range, red dot,  about two ounces heavier due to thicker, stronger tube.  Firedot standard.

If saving weight in a lighter duty scope that will be used in good light is your objective, get the Mark AR.

If amazing optical performance, especially in low light, combined with more robust construction appeals to you, get the VX-R Patrol.

I went with the VX-R Patrol.  I think it, at about $600, has the best glass in an illuminated MRAD scope under $800, and can rival some in the $1000 range.

Even if you get the Mark AR get the Firedot version.  It is quite effective and the motion activation gives it Aimpoint like battery life - years.

I have both.

I recently bought the Mark AR for a lightweight build I was doing.  I have had the VXr Patrol for awhile.  I have the same Firedot SPR reticle in both.

To my eyes I would say the glass in the Mark AR is close to Leupold's VX ii and the the VXr is close to the VX iii.  They both are clear.

The Mark AR is lighter than the Patrol but then the Patrol is lighter than most  comparable scopes out there.

The field of view is of course better on the Patrol because it is 30 mm.  The Mark AR is 1 inch.

The Mark AR has a 1.5 - 4 X.  The Patrol has 1.25 - 4 X.  Quite honestly I can tell that much difference in the magnification at the range.

The eye relief is about the same. They both seem to be well made and robust.  

In my opinion you are getting about a 90% as good a scope with the Mark AR for about $200 less.  However, ff you can afford the extra money for the Patrol get it.  It is a very nice scope.  If you are like me and looking for a nice very lightweight scope then the Mark AR is a good one.

If you are looking for the Mark AR I found the best deal from Primary Arms.  It was $399.  Every place else it was about $450.

Do the patrol turrets lock?

Better glass, and due to the 30mm tube, more elevation adjustment.  

I got the Mark AR Mod 1 3-9x40 with Firedot SPR reticle for my new 6.8 hunting/DMR rifle.  I haven't had it out in the field in any low light yet, so I can't comment too much on its capability under the kind of conditions where you could tell the difference between it and the VX-R.  I heard the Mark AR glass is in the VXII range, and that seems accurate from what I've seen of it.  If that is the case, its low light performance is still nothing to be ashamed of.  Not that it couldnt be better, but it is still pretty damn good.  I love the reticle and the illumination.  It is a very nice weight for this size scope.  It goes well on my lightweight hunting rig.  Basically it fit the bill perfectly for what I was wanting... a good hunting scope that can also do 2A purpose duty with the 6.8 throughout its effective range.  I don't think I'll regret not going higher end.  The only complaint I have is that the exit pupil seems pretty small.  I wish Leupold published the numbers on this so you could compare it with the VXR.

FYI, I bought mine from SWFA.  They offered it in a package deal with their SSALT scope mount and 2 Pmags that made them the best deal out there.  I don't like the mount, and didn't use it on my rifle, but I figure I can sell it for $50 or so to recoup some of the cost.  It is basically an improved Burris PEPR, and comes with ring inserts to convert 30mm to 1" (I'm keeping those!)

Here is the scope on my rifle.

Nope. If Leupold ever updates the VX-R Patrols I would wish for capped turrets on the 1.25-4x.

I have the mark ar.. hate the turrets. i spin them all the time by accident

Need to search the web more.  I got the Mark AR 1-4 Firedot for a good deal less than $399.   Posted the link on another post here.

I like my vxr patrol

While I strongly prefer the VX-R Patrol over the Mark AR, if you can afford it, I must correct some inadvertent misinformation in a couple of the above posts.

1.  A 30mm main tube does not increase field of view.  That is determined by lens size and certain design features including magnification, but not tube diameter.  Both versions use the same diameter objective and occular lens sizes and are the same length and configuration.  The primary factors are construction of the eyepiece, its lens diameter and shape, and the magnification setting.  The lens are not the same quality, but are the same size, and eyepiece construction.  Field of view is the same in both versions.

2. A 30mm main tube does not increase elevation or windage adjustment, unless the 30mm scope uses larger matching 30mm internal erector system.  In this case, Leupold elected to use the higher grade VX-3 erector system in the VX-R because its tracking is better than the VX-1 system used in the Mark AR.  But it is still a one inch erector system, so it has no more elevation or adjustment range than the Mark AR.

3.  The glass in the Mark AR is VX-1.  It is a VX-1 with tactical turrets and a Firedot reticle as an option.  While not at all a bad thing, it is not VX-2 glass.  You can compare it side by side with a VX-2 scope set for the same magnification  in any store and tell the difference.

4.  Despite marketing labeling the true low end on both 20mm objective scopes is the same, about 1.5x.  The Patrol's claimed 1.25x is not realized when actually measured.

5.  For those who do want capped turrets in the VX-R, besides the Patrol model, there is an entire line of other VX-R scopes with capped turrets and several different Firedot reticle choices.

The main benefit of the VX-R Patrol is glass that is about two full grades better, and a thicker, stonger main tube.  This is signficant and fully justifies the extra cost for me, as I use my scopes alot in low light.

My VX-R 3-9x40mm Patrol in LaRue SPR 1.5 QD mount (LT-104), with Leupold Alumina metal fold flat lens caps.

I love my patrol 3-9 on my 308.

I made this same decision a few months back, and chose to spend a little more for the 3-9 VX-R Patrol based on the points MS556 made above.

The VX-R (Non Patrol) and the VX-R Hog have capped turrets, firedots reticles and 30mm tubes.

I went that route specifically because I use a 50 yard point blank zero and don't envision tweaking the adjustments enough to justify exposed turrets.
The vast majority of shots I would take with a 1-4 can be adjusted for using the reticle alone.

What is the source of your info on the glass used in these scopes, MS?

Leupold vaguely confirmed this in an email exchange I had with one of their tech reps.  They will not outright flat confirm, but do not deny my assessment.  The use qualifiers like "ish" when comparing both the Mark AR and the VX-R to their other product lines,, stating in particular that the glass in the VX-R is unique to that line, but is VX-3 ish".  That could mean a little better or a little less.  To me they are identical.  My other "source" is personal observation and comparison, since I have VX series hunting scopes that I can compare the VX-R to and cannot see any difference in critical comparison to VX-3 at the same power setting..  I  have done side by side comparison in the stores between a Mark AR 3-9x40 and a VX-2 3-9x40.  It is not up to VX-2 grade.  Looks identical to VX-1 but for the different reticle.  You can also clearly see that the eyepiece of the Mark AR is identical to the VX-1 - no fast focus.

I looked through both and bought the Mark AR 3x9.

The VXR wasn't worth the extra money to me.

If your on a budget, you may also want to look at the Redfield Revolution TAC MOA 3x9.   Very similar scope and reticle.

http://www.redfield.com/_media/downloads/Revolution-TAC_3-9x40_scope.pdf

The TAC is MOA turrets and reticle  The Mark AR is MRAD turrets and reticle and with optional Firedot.  Not similar at all.

LOL... So all these posts you make about Leupold "glass quality" & how one line compares to the other is just "your assessment" & "personal observations" that have never & cant really be confirmed...? I have most of the Leupy line & could never figure out how you collected your info. I could never get Leupold to give me decisive answers like you spew...  Now, I know why. Its just your personal opinion.

Don't shoot the messenger because you might not like the message.  Not "just."  Please reread my posts.  I am no expert, but have over two dozen scopes in many different price ranges from many manufacturers at any given time, sometimes closer to three dozen and have been shooting magnified optics and using spotting scopes and binoculars since I was a teen.  I am 65 years old.  I humbly submit I have learned to make subtle distinctions in optical clarity, fine detail resolving power, the more common types of lens aberrations, and can accurately compare low light performance.  Indeed, Leupold will not give you proprietary detail on how their lens systems compare across product lines.  No one else will either.  My opinion is just that, an opinion, like everyone else.  But, it may be perhaps a bit more objective and well-informed than some here.

I don't know how these comparisons could be confirmed to your satisfaction.   Even attempting to take camera photos through the eyepiece of an optic degrades the image and adds any distortion or other artifacts of the camera to the image.  There are USAF and NBS resolution charts I use.  There are also charts with vertical and horizontal line spacing I use for checking for barrel or pincushion shaped or other straight line distortion.  I check how long between sunset and "blink out" (unable to identify features on a chart) a scope can last, as a measure of low light performance.   These seem to be the same general optical comparison means most knowedgeable "optics junkies" use for those of us perhaps a bit obsessed with the subject.

In the end, if you find my posts of no value simply ignore them.. I hope some people might find them of some use.  I do try to be onjective and find that my views tend to match a number of other members here who carefully study and report on optics, here and elsewhere.

https://www.thorlabs.com/newgrouppage9.cfm?objectgroup_id=4338

Here is one useful version you can have for free:

http://jimdoty.com/learn/lenses/usaf_test/usaf_chart/usaf_chart.html


You can print this chart on photographic paper in high resolution and paste it on a small hard board and take it shopping with you and set it up against a wall at the opposite end of the store from the optics counter and do side by side comparisons.  Might get some strange looks but it helps enormously. Some clerks don't like it because it reveals flaws they don't want to admit in whatever optic they are pushing, usually because of the highest profit margin.