Need input..it's alot of money

[summitsitter]

From what I've seen on here alot of yall shoot with a Nightforce. I was kinda set on the leupold VX-L 6.5-20x56. 900-1000$ But I have recently taken an intrest in these Nightforce scope. A local dealer just started carrying them. But he said he didn't know anything about them. Are these Nightforce scopes 500-600$ better than the leupold. It'll take me 7-8 months to save up for them, so I don't want to buy one and then wish I wouldn't have. What's the diffence. I need a scope that meets all the long range critia and also gathers alot of light for late shooting..

 

[ss7mm]

Are these Nightforce scopes 500-600$ better than the leupold.

I've got several Leupolds and a couple of Nightforce scopes. To my eye, the Nightforce is worth every penny of the difference. I'm sure you will find people that say ,for them, the Leupold is the best buy for the money but remember.........every time you look through your scope, every time you dial the knobs etc. etc. you will be glad you bought the Nightforce.

However, if it was to keep you from shooting, and if money was really an issue, you could find several Leupolds that would fill the bill and do it for you nicely.

I've never bought a NF scope and then wished I hadn't payed the extra money. They are good.

$500.00 may seem like a lot of money now but in the long run it will be money well spent. Quality costs and you usually get what you pay for.

If your dealer has the NF scopes and the Leupolds in stock then compare them side by side and see what you think. Maybe for you the Leupolds would be fine. I'm not saying in any way that the Leupold is not a good scope, it's just the I believe the NF is a far better scope.

 

[summitsitter]

ss7mm In your opinion what actually makes one better than the other

 

[ss7mm]

For me the biggest differences are the quality and clarity of the glass, the design of the turrets and the overall ruggedness of the scope.

At any time, and under any conditions, side by side I see far better through the NF than I do through the Leupold. I also like the availability of the R1 and R2 reticles.

For me, dialing a NF as compared to the Leupold VX series scopes is night and day. Again, this is all personal preference and you can take it for what it's worth.

 

[royinidaho]

Summitsitter,

Short answer is ..........yes!

 

[ss7mm]

Oh sure.....make it easy on him by giving a short easy answer.

 

[AJ Peacock]

Yes, the NF is worth the added $'s

In my opinion,

pros:

1) Better options for Reticles
2) Better clarity
3) Better turrets
4) Brighter
5) They seem more heavily built.

Cons:
1) Heavier
2) More expensive
3) ----------------------------edited for correctness, Idaho now allows lighted reticles.
4) If you like Butler Creek style scope caps, the rear cap will rotate as you adjust when you change magnifications.

HTH,

AJ

 

[royinidaho]

Hey AJ,

The illuminated reticle is now legal. I'm about to order an IOR w/Illum ret.

Also inline smoke polls are back in.

 

[AJ Peacock]

Hey AJ,

The illuminated reticle is now legal. I'm about to order an IOR w/Illum ret.

Also inline smoke polls are back in.

Thats great, thanks for the info. I corrected the other post.

AJ

 

[summitsitter]

Thank you guys alot. I am going to do some serious researching in the next couple of months. IS there any other scope that matchs the quality-for-the -price of the Nightforce?

 

[Stormrider]

You might look at IOR. They're built like a brick and have very good glass and the mp8 reticle. Also a bit cheaper but heavy.

 

[wildcat]

Nightforce, hands down!

 

[michael A.]

hi i have a leupold mark 4 6.5x20x50 very nice scope! i hade 2 ziess before that and broke bolth of them any way i have had the leupold for about 5 years and it has worked great for me untill now. i just got it back from leupold. the crosshairs where broken, and it would not focus very good anymore. they fixed it for free and it only was gone for 3 weeks. but i wounder if and when will it happen again and (like the ziess) will it be 2 weeks before hunting season? this last hunting season i was working on getting a custom rifle built so i used my dads 300 win with a NF 5.5x22 i
really liked the scope. and told my dad that i think it was a very nice scope, and if i was to buy a new scope right now it would be that one hands down. and as soon as i get the money my wifes 308 is going to get a very nice mark 4 put on it and my 338 edge will be topped with a NF 5.5x22 if you can come up with the money get the NF. and if you dont like it ill trade you let us know what you do

 

[screech]

Ill put it this way, you will not find me in the woods chasing big bucks and bulls with anything other than a night force. Take it for what you want but the NXS is a tough mo fo and has extremely reliable adjustments.

I started off at age 12 with one and it has taken some falls that it should have never had to take yet still works fine just dosent look the best. It took 300lbs smashing it into the rocks and I was able to take a deer out at over 300 yrds the same day. First deer now 7years ago and has been faithfull since.

Oh, in the last 7 years all my big game has been taken with an NXS with the exception of one leupold, and two with burris's.

6bears, 4elk, and 11deer. So, between my 5.5-22NXS and my 3.5-15 they have taken 18 big game animals.