Is there a difference in a Nightforce and a Schmidt & Bender???

[extreme]

I own neither, either and I'm not about to spend 4 grand on any scope. I have other priorities in life.

S&B IMO, is a status symbol, like wearing a Rolex or driving a Bugatti. Sure you'd love to have one, if, you had the disposable income, most don't. I will say I have a Rolex but it's used. Can't afford or don't want to pay 15 grand for a watch. Even a non working watch is right twice a day....lol

This my sope is better than your scope or my rifle is better than your rifle crap is actually amusing. Even the least inexpensive rifle or scope is actually better thaan 90% of the owners who own them.

Kind of reminds me of the clown who buys a 20 grand diesel utility tractor to mow his 1/2 acre with. Pure ego, nothing else.

I hope that the guys like myself that have worked 20 hours a day for 45 years
are exempt from being in the elite 5 %...Grew up on a dairy farm ,,,worked
in the woods logging and stone quarry and excavating...Love hunting ,,shooting,,and own-- S&B--Nightforce--swaro--zeiss--leupold bushnell...
and I use them a lot..
I think I found out long ago in my case only if I bought cheap I never had one
bit of luck..I know the other side of the coin also and that's why I put in the hours
I did so I could buy what I figure is the best ...Just my friendly thought on this.
OH I mow 5 acres of lawn and I do it with a diesel tractor that also helps me in
my 2 acre garden.

 

[SidecarFlip]

No issue. One upmanship has always been the credo of the American male (and female) Sometimes it gets tedious.

I mow 7 acres with a ZTR. I farm so tractors are farm tools. My reference was the the subdivision owner with a postage stamp lawn, mowing it with a 4wd sub compact...just because, or the city dweller with a 4wd pickup that never puts anything other than groceries in the bed...just because.

I find that humorous, arcanely humorous.

So long as you are happy, thats all that matters, well relatively happy.......

 

[extreme]

No issue. One upmanship has always been the credo of the American male (and female) Sometimes it gets tedious.

I mow 7 acres with a ZTR. I farm so tractors are farm tools. My reference was the the subdivision owner with a postage stamp lawn, mowing it with a 4wd sub compact...just because, or the city dweller with a 4wd pickup that never puts anything other than groceries in the bed...just because.

I find that humorous, arcanely humorous.

So long as you are happy, thats all that matters, well relatively happy.......

Other than some health issues I fall into the relatively happy category,but I
do get your point.

 

[SidecarFlip]

At my age (over 60 but not 70), health issues are a given. Wish the lord provided grease fittings in my joints because the lubricant is about gone, replaced with a Motrin regimen, I can't see as good as I used to and it takes longer to go and it's more frequent.

I still like girls (and my wife) but lecherous thoughts are less, replaced by 'is it bed time yet?'

Finally, I have to conciously put things where they belong or forget where they are and thats a big issue because I own a machine shop and there is always stuff sitting around. I misplaced a toolmakers square a few days ago, for the life of me, I could not remember where I sat it, it bugged me until I saw it sitting right where I left it, on the arbor housing of the surface grinder. I bet I looked at it a hundred times..... oh well.

I keep a pad in my pocket to write down things that I might forget, that I should not forget.

Getting old is tough.

 

[etisll40]

Our military is dumping the Barska's for S&B under the Obama healthcare plan, we should sign up too.

GO S&B...

lol

 

[Hunter2678]

Our military is dumping the Barska's for S&B under the Obama healthcare plan, we should sign up too.

GO S&B...

lol

Boy, our country really is goin to hell in a handbasket... Barskas got a new laser line out now too!! Whats uncle sam thinkin?!

 

[SidecarFlip]

Boy, our country really is goin to hell in a handbasket... Barskas got a new laser line out now too!! Whats uncle sam thinkin?!

'Thinkin it aint their money......

Considering the 'buy domestic only policy', I'm suprised. but then, is any optic domestic made?

 

[X-man]

I get the same service from Vortex, I actually returned a scope with issues, got a newer one and a couple hats and a discount coupon to boot, plus a phone call from them asking me if I was satisified with the service. For thousands less.

My hunting partner returned a Nikon Camo Muzzleloader scope because the ocular mag ring was very hard to rotate and got a new one in a week.

All manufacturers with the exception of the very cheapest offer a no questions asked, lifetime, transferable warranty, thats the industry standard. Good for the consumer I might add.

Nothing unique to S&B. For the price of the S&B, I'd want a scantily clad redhead of just barely legal age, dressed in skimpy attire to personally deliver my optic and mount it, excuse me, mount the scope, not me.......

Couple years back I ruined a turret on my Leupold LR Benchrest Fine duplex. It was entirely my fault and Leupold replaced not only the turret but the entire elevation mechanism, resealed the scope and sent it back and they paid the ship cost and sent me an extra knob to boot and that was before everyone offering the no frills money back guarantees.

I realize that S&B is not for everyone, yet if you attend a tactical shoot you will see a surprising amount of them.

That said, I couldn't agree more about Leupold's customer service. I once had them air freight a replacement scope to my bush pilot's house!
That said I don't think even Leupold would give me a new scope after I ordered and then mounted a scope I didn't want. The top Leupold scopes are now MORE expensive than S&B...Go figure?

From my limited experience with Vortex (2 scopes) they will make very good use of there customer relations and warranty department. The Vortex HD is no Nightforce...yet it costs the same.

 

[MudRunner2005]

I will agree. Looked through a Razor HD today, side by side with an NXS, and there was a clear difference which glass was better....NXS hands-down. Even my buddy who is a Vortex fan had to admit it.

They are excellent scopes, and I wouldn't mind having the MOA reticle Viper HD LR 6-24x50, but if i had the scratch, I would have NF's on every gun I own.

 

[Full Auto]

I to have worked in sporting stores here and in Germany. I have shot with many Germans who had to shoot good as their revier depended upon it. Seems like the Hertel & Reuss, S&B and Zeiss were the top picks for serious work. I think if the S&B you looked thru had a big ole thumb print on it. But, hey get what you can afford, looks good to you and does the job you are asking it to do..lightbulb

 

[MontanaRifleman]

I have 2 NXS's. One (5.5x22) bought new and one (3.5x15) used. I haven't looked through any other "high end" scopes, so I can't give a comparison.

As far as optical quality, they are "more than I need" for what I am using them for which is long range hunting to over 1K. I have heard nothing but good of S&B optical quality and if it is better than NF, which it probably it is, I don't need it.

Can't speak for other scopes ruggedness but I can for NF. Fell hard on my 5.5x22 twice. Once while elk hunting in zero degree weather in about a foot of fresh snow. Tripped over a submerged sage trunk which threw me down right on top of the rifle and scope with a large rock underneath, HARD. A year later I was walking down a FS road with some patchy ice spots. Carelessly stepped on one of those icy spots, feet went up, the rest of me went down with rifle slung on my back... full weight slammed on the rifle scope on the frozen road surface which was hard as concrete. The scope still works perfectly.

I don't know if my scopes are better than the others, but IMO they are well worth the $$$$. I'll be buying more as budget allows. And I don't own a watch either

 

[Full Auto]

Boy don't ya hate those sage trunks? Please don't think I was saying anything bad about the NX my partner shoots 3 gun with one and it looks great to me. I was just voicing my experience of the German and Austrian glass, which is also great. I think when one gets to that price point sometimes it is just what reputation you have experienced or the first to come to your eye.
Sounds as if your NX has taken its licks and came out on top.
On my rifle/shotgun combo I shoot an old Wetzer my German gunsmith virtually gave to me, 100 yards the 7x57R shoots clover leafs.. Go figure.
Thanks for the reply, I enjoyed it.. Waidsmansheil. Take care of the NX. ElDeegun)

 

[MontanaRifleman]

Boy don't ya hate those sage trunks? Please don't think I was saying anything bad about the NX my partner shoots 3 gun with one and it looks great to me. I was just voicing my experience of the German and Austrian glass, which is also great. I think when one gets to that price point sometimes it is just what reputation you have experienced or the first to come to your eye.
Sounds as if your NX has taken its licks and came out on top.
On my rifle/shotgun combo I shoot an old Wetzer my German gunsmith virtually gave to me, 100 yards the 7x57R shoots clover leafs.. Go figure.
Thanks for the reply, I enjoyed it.. Waidsmansheil. Take care of the NX. ElDeegun)

No, I did not take your post as derogatory to the NXS... nor was mine meant to be derogatory to the S&B and other great scopes. I was just sayin that for the LR hunting niche, the NXS is an extremely good scope for the cost. And IMO the value is greater than the cost. The other scope that competes with the NXS in that niche, IMO, is a USO. However, they do wear a bigger price tag. Whether the extra $$$$ is worth it I dunno. I guess that is up to the individual. What I do know is I am more than happy with what I have and think it's well worth the $$$$

 

[Full Auto]

What's is your LR rifle and caliber? Your farthest shot at target, at game? I have been wanting to give it a go but don't have a range with that great a distance. I have always wondered if a T/C Encore HB could be used, other than the inconvenience of the break open, I have a couple HB's. One is 260 the other is 300 Win Mag. Both have Leupold 50mm scopes on them. Also have 3 FN FAL's, a PSL and a couple WWII sniper rifles..
Thanks for the response, good shooting. ElDee