I cant say that USO's are not worht the extra $$$$ over a NF, because I have never hunted with or looked through one.
What I do know is my NF is more scope than I need, and I like that. I have easily seen game, in hunting conditions, set on 22x, at last legal light (30 min after sunset in mid Dec - and that is dark). As for toughness... how tough does a scope have to be? If i took a tumble down a steep rock slide with my rifle and scope, I would be more concerned with rings than the scope. IMHO, the NF scope is tougher than the rings. And oh yeah, let's no forget about the NF that got a bullet hole through it in combat, and except for the fact that the power mag was stuck on 15x, the scope performed flawlessly, never loosing zero.... so once again, how tough does a scope have to be.
Also, who needs a FFP? (I can feel the flames already
) I shoot with my scope set in one of two power settings... all the way down (5.5) or all the way up (22). If the game is close enough to shoot on 5.5, I can hold on or just above the back. Farther than that... crank it up to 22x
I wont say a USO isnt worth the extra $$$$, but for twice the cost it better be reeeeeealy goooood... and since I'm not a starlight shooter, my scope doesn't need to be any gooder than it is
JM three cents...
-MR