Exactly my point! But, with several friends told to pound sand, or that they did not know what they were talking about, warranty wise, I am moving on. Just like barrel manufacturer's, no warranty, no thanks!
Paul
Golden Eagle vs NF Competition
- Thread starter Timon
- Start date
Paul
k80skeet
Silver $$ Contributor
If the scopes were any good you don't need a warranty. I have never sent a Nightforce in for any work to be done on them. Never need too!! Barrels warrantee's aren't worth the paper their written on.
moondog
Gold $$ Contributor
I had a REAL bad experience with Niteforce service about 20 years ago. I swore I'd never own another. Now, I have 5!. They've been fine so far, but still nervous. My buddy is getting back into shooting, he has a 25 year old Niteforce BR scope that had issues. He sent it in and they went through it and fixed it for free. He said they were very nice to deal with. 5 week turn around.
Maybe they are taking note of other manufacturers customer service and have stepped it up.
Maybe they are taking note of other manufacturers customer service and have stepped it up.
k80skeet
Silver $$ Contributor
Knock on wood I have never had a scope that needed to go back in the passed 60 years. I have sent them back for reticle changes. I probably have over 40 scopes. Maybe I just have been very lucky.
JEFFPPC
Gold $$ Contributor
Hey, your a lucky guy, be happy. Perhaps you do not shoot a lot of multiple yardage matches that do not put a lot of stress/ wear on the director assembly, but be happy. I have sent scopes over the years back to Leupold, Sightron,Vortex and Nightforce for various issues. Totally satisfied with the service from Leupold, Sightron, and Vortex.I have scopes currently from all three. I shot Burris for years in the Shiloutte games, both rifle and handgun, thousands of rounds. Never one issue with the Burris, not as bright as some but were bulletproof. I also have had excellent service from Zeiss from a problem I caused not a product failure. My experience from 60 years of competition. Oh, about 55 years ago I had a self induced problem with a Lyman, service was great.
k80skeet
Silver $$ Contributor
I am for sure to be able to shoot all these years. I used to shoot a lot of competition in my younger years. I have had some of the best scopes at the time. I was one of the very first people to get a 3200 Redfield scope and have had Lymans, Weavers,Leupolds Tasco's Sightron's Burris's Nightforces even some Weatherbys scopes as like everything else they all got better through the years as you can tell by the K-80 I did more than my fair share of shooting the shot gun sports as well as the pistols at camp Perry matches. I have been one lucky to do all those shooting sports for the last 60 years. I always bought the very best equipment I could afford. I am still enjoying casual shooting at the local clubs. And as you said I have been one lucky guy to be able to do all that shooting.
Ranger188
Silver $$ Contributor
If you shoot long enough and have had a few scopes, you might eventually
have a problem with anyone of them. They are mechanical devices.
It's how they are serviced and you are treated that you'll remember.
Each one of them is a great scope and each has it's place and price point for
everyone.
We see these posts come up every few months and everyone gives their opinions.
The individual needs to buy the scopes he'd like to try and make his own opinion up,
then sell off the others. Scopes don't lose much of their value if not used.
have a problem with anyone of them. They are mechanical devices.
It's how they are serviced and you are treated that you'll remember.
Each one of them is a great scope and each has it's place and price point for
everyone.
We see these posts come up every few months and everyone gives their opinions.
The individual needs to buy the scopes he'd like to try and make his own opinion up,
then sell off the others. Scopes don't lose much of their value if not used.
@SWills: All of the scopes being talked about work great for 600 and 1000 F Class. You are probably not going to lose or gain any points by changing scopes.
I've been shooting F Class for four years now. There is a lot to learn even if you've been shooting most of your life. I own several of the scopes being talked about here and honestly, once I start shooting the match the thought "I sure wish I was behind my _______ (fill in the blank) scope." has never entered my mind. I have absolutely been disadvantaged when I forgot the mirage shield, however.
I do believe the rifle is more than just a tool. You need to like the way it works, feels and handles and as we are all human we want it to look good too.
Some of the posts above make me realize that other folks shoot a lot more matches than I shoot per year. Perhaps there is a durability factor that I have not yet had to consider. That might point to one scope over another. I don't know.
In the end, this is all a compromise of what you can reasonably afford VS. what you really need.
The GE is fine. The Nightforce is a little brighter if you shoot them back to back and has better turrets and a zero stop. The March is better than both in mirage because you can both see the direction and speed of the mirage with less target distortion. This, of course, depends on sunlight. A friend has a Valdata. I have not shot a match with it but it is much brighter than a direct comparison with my NF Comp. Have not had the opportunity to try out the Sightron.
As an aside, March is having a sale in the month of March. Up to 15% off!!! Some vendors are honoring that discount now. I do like mine and I believe it was helpful in winning a state match last year but I am also happy to be behind a GE or NF Comp--Oh, I almost forgot--and a mirage shield
Hank
I've been shooting F Class for four years now. There is a lot to learn even if you've been shooting most of your life. I own several of the scopes being talked about here and honestly, once I start shooting the match the thought "I sure wish I was behind my _______ (fill in the blank) scope." has never entered my mind. I have absolutely been disadvantaged when I forgot the mirage shield, however.
I do believe the rifle is more than just a tool. You need to like the way it works, feels and handles and as we are all human we want it to look good too.
Some of the posts above make me realize that other folks shoot a lot more matches than I shoot per year. Perhaps there is a durability factor that I have not yet had to consider. That might point to one scope over another. I don't know.
In the end, this is all a compromise of what you can reasonably afford VS. what you really need.
The GE is fine. The Nightforce is a little brighter if you shoot them back to back and has better turrets and a zero stop. The March is better than both in mirage because you can both see the direction and speed of the mirage with less target distortion. This, of course, depends on sunlight. A friend has a Valdata. I have not shot a match with it but it is much brighter than a direct comparison with my NF Comp. Have not had the opportunity to try out the Sightron.
As an aside, March is having a sale in the month of March. Up to 15% off!!! Some vendors are honoring that discount now. I do like mine and I believe it was helpful in winning a state match last year but I am also happy to be behind a GE or NF Comp--Oh, I almost forgot--and a mirage shield
Hank
JEFFPPC
Gold $$ Contributor
I feel the same. 4 position small bore, then 3 position, all the shiloutte games both rifle and handgun , some trap and skeet, and the last 25 years mostly bench rest. Oops, actually my favorite although not much of it around anymore, running deer matches. We have lived in the best of times and been able to experience a lot of things.
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k80skeet
Silver $$ Contributor
Wow I had forgot about the running shoots they were so much fun. There on question about living in the best of times. Although my father said the same thing. He was a true hunter & trapper and lived to 99 years old and he and I were out shooting crows only two weeks before he died. ( he was well and fit and died in his sleep) We were professional crow hunters and had permits to hunt on 7 farms 24hrs a day 7 days a week. I still do it for 5 farms.
After reading all the very helpful comments left by all the members of this group, doing a lot of reading and watching many video’s, looking through a NF scope, I have decided for the time being I will shoot the GE again this year. I just, cannot justify the about $1,000 I will have to pay to move from the GE, to the NF. There is no doubt that the NF has better clarity, but for me, it’s just not $1,000 better. I looked through a buddy's and it was impressive, but just not enough for me to buy one.
I for the most part shoot what we all call GroundHog Shoots, here in the Northeast. Targets of groundhogs, not real ones. They take place at 100 to about 300 yards. While the GE does get a bit darker above 40x, that level of magnification works for me at all the ranges I shoot at. Most of you all said that the two scopes were fairly close, with the edge on clarity definitely going to NF. I did not really read to many who just outright said the GE is a piece of garbage or anything as such. Most people said that the GE was a very good scope in its own way. I just cannot in my mind spend $1,000 for a little bit more clarity and to have a scope that says Nightforce on it. If I have a new rifle built, which I am considering doing, I will definitely put the Nightforce scope on it. Particularly as the price of the GE’s has jumped to a msrp that same as the NF
Thank you one and all for all the fantastic information, I learned a lot. Hope everyone has a great shooting season this year.
Scott W.
I for the most part shoot what we all call GroundHog Shoots, here in the Northeast. Targets of groundhogs, not real ones. They take place at 100 to about 300 yards. While the GE does get a bit darker above 40x, that level of magnification works for me at all the ranges I shoot at. Most of you all said that the two scopes were fairly close, with the edge on clarity definitely going to NF. I did not really read to many who just outright said the GE is a piece of garbage or anything as such. Most people said that the GE was a very good scope in its own way. I just cannot in my mind spend $1,000 for a little bit more clarity and to have a scope that says Nightforce on it. If I have a new rifle built, which I am considering doing, I will definitely put the Nightforce scope on it. Particularly as the price of the GE’s has jumped to a msrp that same as the NF
Thank you one and all for all the fantastic information, I learned a lot. Hope everyone has a great shooting season this year.
Scott W.
I had a GE and a NF BR for side by side comparison. They were very close to each other all things considered. In resolution tests the NF edged out the GE - slightly. Also, as others have stated, above 40x or so the GE resolving power did not improve. Images got larger, but darker and less clear… I also found it easier to adjust parallax on the NF BR (if the AO doesn’t bother…).
I still have the NF…. Note this is the 42x BR not the comp… but, I thought I’d chime in as I feel your pain. I would add that I likely would have been happy with either and features matter…
I still have the NF…. Note this is the 42x BR not the comp… but, I thought I’d chime in as I feel your pain. I would add that I likely would have been happy with either and features matter…
My N.F. 12-42 BR wasn't as good as my G.E.Vortex side by side power per power. N.F. wasn't as clear. We tested 2 G.E. that day and a N.F. Competition besides the N.F. 12-42 BR. Those 2 G.E. Vortex bested both the N.F. scopes that day. Maybe the ones we have have exceptional glass. I've shot the other one just last week and it's still as good as that day when it came out of the box. Both the N.F. have been sold. Flame suit on...
wildcatter
Silver $$ Contributor
I have to say the GE won out over the NF for me, I compared both the Competition and the long proven reliable BR. I even bought a BR and gave it a try over the Golden Eagle just because from all the talk and praises it gets I just knew I must have judged it by a fluke. But after a brand New BR side by side,, from 200 yards to just over 1100 yards, the GE won in the optics dept. Both shaded and full sun, both were very good, but the GE was better!
I will add, just to keep it an honest comparison, I was never once thinking about or worried about the corner of my scope and if I could see the edge better on one or the other, this to me is not relevant on a scope with zero field of view capability, I buy scopes of this power for one reason only, to see a very fine and small aiming point, and worry about what the image of that particular point is!
I also seen that although I experienced better results at 42 to 45 power over the NF, the GE becomes almost useless as you zoom beyond that, I would never consider using it past 50 or so power! They should have stopped at the 50 to 55 power that NF did, probably because of the same results we would see with them as well!
I also will say I was very disappointed with both NF for the forgiveness of the eye box! Eye placement was very critical compared to the GE, it had a much more forgiving and better eye relief, not needing to have exact perfect eye placement to get good bright sharp images of my target point. This to me would be a deciding factor even if the optics were even or slightly not as good, as I have a pinned and plated neck to deal with.
But the fact is the only thing I could find the NF could provide better than the GE was it's praise from previous owners, and most had no experience with the GE. At this time the GE has had great praise as well as no problem tracking and holding POI.
I will say, I was disappointed when I first got mine, and why I later did buy and try to go with the NF. I had to send mine back before I ever used it,, but that was only because of internal cosmetics, it had a couple specs of dirt well to the bottom at 5 and 8 o'clock areas on the inside of the glass. But come on man,, we should expect better QC on a scope pushing 2K. I realize now and then any manufacturer can have one slip thru,, but I hate it when I'm the one that has to deal with it!!
Nearly 6 months later, in humid and 90*+ weather to snow and near freezing weather, I am very happy with the results and the optics with the GE, I won't be changing in the near future!
I will add, just to keep it an honest comparison, I was never once thinking about or worried about the corner of my scope and if I could see the edge better on one or the other, this to me is not relevant on a scope with zero field of view capability, I buy scopes of this power for one reason only, to see a very fine and small aiming point, and worry about what the image of that particular point is!
I also seen that although I experienced better results at 42 to 45 power over the NF, the GE becomes almost useless as you zoom beyond that, I would never consider using it past 50 or so power! They should have stopped at the 50 to 55 power that NF did, probably because of the same results we would see with them as well!
I also will say I was very disappointed with both NF for the forgiveness of the eye box! Eye placement was very critical compared to the GE, it had a much more forgiving and better eye relief, not needing to have exact perfect eye placement to get good bright sharp images of my target point. This to me would be a deciding factor even if the optics were even or slightly not as good, as I have a pinned and plated neck to deal with.
But the fact is the only thing I could find the NF could provide better than the GE was it's praise from previous owners, and most had no experience with the GE. At this time the GE has had great praise as well as no problem tracking and holding POI.
I will say, I was disappointed when I first got mine, and why I later did buy and try to go with the NF. I had to send mine back before I ever used it,, but that was only because of internal cosmetics, it had a couple specs of dirt well to the bottom at 5 and 8 o'clock areas on the inside of the glass. But come on man,, we should expect better QC on a scope pushing 2K. I realize now and then any manufacturer can have one slip thru,, but I hate it when I'm the one that has to deal with it!!
Nearly 6 months later, in humid and 90*+ weather to snow and near freezing weather, I am very happy with the results and the optics with the GE, I won't be changing in the near future!
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