Sightron vs. Nightforce vs. Leupold

[Pdvdh]

I really don't care if Leupolds are made in the USA or not. Any more than I care if Toyota is made in the USA. How does purchasing a product solely because it's made in the USA result in healthy competition between the various scope manufacturers? When Leupold produces a quality product at a competitive price compared to the other quality products available on the market then I and many other consumers will spend money on Leupold products. I think that's the way it eventually pans out amongst the majority of consumers. Leupold has some stiff competition right now and I hope they compete successfully. But to compete, I think they will need to catch up with the quality of their glass they install in their scopes. They're reliable and get the job done, but there are others that do likewise and in addition, allow me to see more detail and in dimmer light conditions. So am I going to spend as much or more money to see less well through a Leupold than a Zeiss Conquest or other alternatives? Are you?

 

[slymule]

Personally I wouldn't care if they were made in Timbuktu, as long as someone here in the U.S. performs warranty work, the customer service is good, and if I need to give them a call, who ever answers the phone speaks English. I want the best bang for my buck and to me that supercedes whose name is plastered on the side of the scope. Guess thats why the last scope I bought was a Sightron SSIII instead of another Leupold or Nikon.

 

[ScottBerish]

I understand what you guys arre saying, and I'm not trying to denigrate Lupy for outsourcing. It's a good, reliable product backed by good customer service. i was only addressing the "Made in USA" assertion.

The only comment I have on the origin on scopes and optics is that I've lost many a sale when I have to answer product X is "made in China." Fine by me, but the problem is sooo much stuff is made there now.

 

[Brocksdad]

There's not a person here that I don't agree with. Leupold makes a good scope, some are better, some are worse. Sightron makes a good scope, some are better, some are worse. Nightforce makes a good scope, some are better, some are worse.

Frankly I know what my preferences are and at the same time know my eye's preference. I know what my wallet prefers and what it doesn't. Each and every person owe's it to themselves to look at the products there hard earned money is going to be spent on.

The A vs B vs C is a big trick question just like the question your wife ask's you that you can't win...."Honey, do these slacks make my butt look big?" if you say "they make you butt look nice!" to her your lying and, if you told her, her butt did look big you sleeping with Rover for the next few days. Again, it's NO win situation.

Most everybody has a preference, mine is the best optics for the best money, I could care less what name is on it.

Call Scott at Liberty Optics
or Doug at Cameraland NY
or some of the other site sponsors. They make there living taking care of people like you and I and if they don't, business will be short lived.

Have Fun

Rob

 

[rdm]

I've never even seen a NF so I wont comment on those. I have a Konus M30 4-16x40 on a 7mm Rem Mag with about 50 rds on it. So far so good. Adjustments are accurate and repeatable, glass is clear, and mildot is fine and easy to see. So far very good scope for the money.

I recently bought a Sightron S3 6-24x50 Mildot. They have definitely came a long on their glass. I have a S2 4-16x44 that now rides on my Savage target 22lr that I got several years ago. No comparison. The S3 is worlds better. It will ride on my 7mm STW when I get the stock for it.

I also have a Leupold Mk4 4.5-14x40 that will go on my 300 RUM when it is finished. When I had it on my 7mm Rem Mag I never had any tracking or changing POI problems. Pretty good glass and very reliable. The glass is not as bright as the Sightron prob due to the 10mm difference in objective lens. The Sightron maybe a little too bright for me at the highest mag as some contrast is lost. Still very clear though. In my opinion if Leupold put a reticle like a IOR MP-8 ffp, in a 4-16x40 Mk4, with M1 turrets, that would be the only scope would own.

 

[wfeher]

i use to only buy leupold and then all the lash problems, canted reticles, side focus problems and tracking. so i started buying nikon monarch, burris black diamonds and signature, bushnell elites, weaver etc. all were great scopes and never had any problems with any besides lupy. then i ran into sightron and thats when my world changed forever, i own 2 slll 8-32x56 and let me tell you what, absolutely! the best scope i ever owned by far, the adjustments are the most accurate of any scope ever used, the glass is beyond the best for being under a grand price wise out there. put it this way since i bought my slll i have not used any of my other scopes since comparing them to my sightron. so my question is why should i pay $949 for a vx3 8-25x50 that i did own or pay hundreds less for a much, much more reliable, way better glass and etc. leupold has lost a lot of business since there quality control has went down hill.

 

[jwp475]

I emailed Leupold yesterday about where the Mark 4 scope are made. This is their reply.
----------------------------------------------------
Leupold Customer Service
Product Specialist Group
Phone (503) 526-1400
Reference Call #

Caller: - David Hooks
Phone:
Summary: reply

David, Mark 4 scopes are made here in the US
Support CallID: %#%82b3e11e-0541-447b-8017-a203cde91f6c%#%

I don't believe much that Leupold says. I called them to ask the torque spec's for tighting thier ring screws inorder to answer a question on 24 Hours optics section. The tech gave me the answer and I posted it. Another poster corrected me and claimed that he had just called and that his answer was correct. I then called back and got a different answer, hung up called back and got a different answer again. 4 techs and 4 different answers..

 

[Pdvdh]

Re: Sightron III vs. Zeiss Conquest or IOR

Members have got me considering Sightron III with their positive comments in this thread.

I'v got a 4.5-14X 44mm Zeiss Conquest and an 3-18X 42mm IOR. I've had a number of Leupolds over the decades. Anybody compared the Sightron III glass to a Zeiss Conquest or 3-18X 42mm IOR scope, so I'd have something to go by for purposes of resolution and light transmission compared to these scopes?

 

[slymule]

phorwath,

Never looked thru an IOR so I can't help you out there. I've got a friend with the Zeiss 6.5-20x50 and comparing that to my Sightron SIII 6-24x50, I can't tell hardly any difference during the day. I'd have to say flip a coin as to which one was better. Never compared the two at dusk to see if one was better than the other. I do know that he paid over $200. more for his Zeiss than I did for my Sightron. Both scopes tracked right on the money when we performed a box test. Oh, almost forgot, my Sightron had ALOT more elevation adjustment - if I remember correctly his had 65moa, mine had 100.

 

[wfeher]

yea, i also compared my Slll 8-32 with his zeiss 6-20 and we started out on 8x then 12x then 16xthen 20x and there was no clear winner, tracking is absolutely awesome in the sightron, but we didnt check the adjustments in his zeiss, plus i have 76in up/down in an 8-32. i almost forgot me and a friend compared his nightforce br in 8-32 and we both concluded the sightron had better color contrast and the nightforce had a tiny bit of outer edge fuzz and the sightron did not. in conclusion i made a very wise choice. in his opinion he said the extra $600 did not do the nightforce justice plus no side focus either and we both like side focus instead of A/O
sightron has one of the best new scopes out on the market and from reading the reviews i know so plus i own 2 Slll 8-32 and will end up buying 2 more very soon. that should tell ya something.

 

[Pdvdh]

Re: Sightron vs. Zeiss & IOR

Thanks guys. Appreciate it.

I'll keep checking for any additional first-hand field comparisons.

 

[royinidaho]

The decision points that will lead me to purchase the Sightron for my next long range rifle will be:

1) Warranty - But the need for such a thing is the pits if failure occurs at or near the season opener.

3) Ability to set the power to 18 to make the mils into 2 moa for yote shooting when there is no time to click.

 

[AJ Peacock]

I like the look of the Sightron and what I've read about it. But until it gets a reticle that compares to the Nightforce NP-R1, I'll have to pass.

AJ

 

[slymule]

Something else to consider would be to send your Sightron scope into either T.K. Lee or Bill Ackerman and you could have dots or stadia wires put wherever you wanted. Bill Ackerman is who installs the reticles for Sightron on their 8-32x56 scopes, I know because Sightron gave me his phone number and I gave him a call. Unlike T.K. Lee who will put dots or stadia wires at whatever yardages you want for the load your shooting, Bill Ackerman is set up to put them at MOA. Just something to think about.

Personally, I think its the best of both worlds. The scope on my 300RUM has dots to 800yds, plus M1 turrets on it also. If time is short, I use the dots. If I have plenty of time, need to dial for windage, or its longer than 800yds, then I dial up for the shot. Since I won't have time to send in my new Sightron 6-24x50 before hunting season this year, I'll twist turrets then after hunting season I'll send it in to T.K.Lee to have dots installed for the load I'm shooting in my 338EDGE. Dots will be installed out to 800yds, anything past that I use the turrets. This works great for me as I'm usually hunting the same areas or at least altitudes.