falconpilot
Gold $$ Contributor
To start this off, let me say that this is not meant to start a comparsion war....I'm comparing the best against the best here...Both are excellent scopes, and both have their strong points.This is just my observation after carefully making comparsions for several months now(I've only shoot Nightforce NXS until the March)...March vs. Nightforce
I've had a March scope on my F-Class gun now about 8 months. It's a 10x60, with a 1/16 dot, tactical model. Until this scope, I've always shot Nightforce, and am still a big fan. I've had alot of my F-Class shooting buddies ask me about the March, how is it, what do you think, it's it worth the difference? I've been very careful how I anwsered those questions as I'm sponsered to shoot this product. I've wanted to make an informed comparsion, support my sponser, but also given an honest opinion on the product to those who ask..
Until the last few days, I've only had the one gun, the one with the March on it. I finally got a gun that I've had setting for a couple of years rebarrelled in a Dasher, and mounted a Nightforce BR model 12x42 that I've had setting here as well.
Went to the range this morning...Mirage was running hard, temps in the mid 90's ,at 1000 yards. While both scope have always performed flawlessly, today, side by side , I could finally make an informed comparsion between the two, and finally tell those that have asked me about the differences, and if the March is worth the extra money. I can honestly anwser this question now, IMO, that the March scope is definitely worth the extra money. I'm writing this in hopes that if there is anyone setting on the fence, this might help sway them.
Here are the comparsions that I made today..I made sure that I compared both scope equal..otherwords, both focus set to the clearest, by powers set the same, both parrellex free for my eye's, etc.
1)Clarity and Target Resolution - Both set at 42X, and both with eye pieces adjsuted and set to my eye's, as I wear contacts. Parallex in both scopes also set for my eye's. The target was remarkable clearer with the March, the resolution much better. I could just barely see the scoring rings with the Nightforce, but they were very noticeably clearer, and easier to see with the March. As a buddy of mine stated about the scope..you can "see through the mirage better with this scope ,and the target doesn't seem to dance around as much"..these are his words..
2) Color - Here is the one spot that I feel where the Nightforce just isn't even in the same ballpark..or leauge for that matter. The March is very sharp, with great colors, side to side. This the the Nightforce's worst problem in my opinion, even when compared to other scope makes such as Leupold. The Nightforce has a "tinted" brown or tan hue to it.
3) Brightness - Again, the March is simply the best I've ever looked through. The March is very bright and clear, much brighter than the Nightfrorce when both are set to 42X power, side by side, IMO. The March does start to darken once you get up around 50X. On a bright day at 60X, at 1000 yards , in good conditions, I've called 6mm holes on a IBS target, and have witness to prove it.
4)Tracking - Both the March and the Nightforce performed the "box" test perfectly. I have to give the node to the March and the Nighroce NXS over the BR model for having 10 MOA per one revolution as compared to the 6 on the Nightforce BR. This makes your come ups alot easier. The March 10x60 and BR Model Nightforce are 1/8" clicks, as compared to the NXS 1/4", but I understand they are fixing this.
5)Weight - I really like the weight of the March. It's weighting 8.3 oz less than ther NXS and 10.3 less than the BR model makes a huge difference if you are trying to make weight for a certain class. The weight difference makes this scope very versitle.
6)Focus - both March and Nightforce offer side focuses that work very well and are very handy for us F-Class shooters. The March's side focus is a little harder for me to get set..it seemd to be a very fine adjustment, where the Nightforce is very easy and fast to focus with....this is important to me as I like to roll the focus out just a little to get a good look at the mirage. I suspect that the March being a 60X scope as compared to a 42X plays into this, so I can learn to live with it.
These are just my opinions, and the things that I have noted comparing the two. They are both excellent scopes and I give them both credit for being the reason we are now shooting on a 1/2moa target instead of the old 1 moa targets of yesteryear..Scopes and bullets... For those that have asked about the March, here are my anwsers. I welcome anyone, at anytime, at any match..if you see me and want to look through the March, and shoot it, I welcome you. I believe that you'll agree with me after you've done so, that the March is most defintely worth what they are selling for..
I've had a March scope on my F-Class gun now about 8 months. It's a 10x60, with a 1/16 dot, tactical model. Until this scope, I've always shot Nightforce, and am still a big fan. I've had alot of my F-Class shooting buddies ask me about the March, how is it, what do you think, it's it worth the difference? I've been very careful how I anwsered those questions as I'm sponsered to shoot this product. I've wanted to make an informed comparsion, support my sponser, but also given an honest opinion on the product to those who ask..
Until the last few days, I've only had the one gun, the one with the March on it. I finally got a gun that I've had setting for a couple of years rebarrelled in a Dasher, and mounted a Nightforce BR model 12x42 that I've had setting here as well.
Went to the range this morning...Mirage was running hard, temps in the mid 90's ,at 1000 yards. While both scope have always performed flawlessly, today, side by side , I could finally make an informed comparsion between the two, and finally tell those that have asked me about the differences, and if the March is worth the extra money. I can honestly anwser this question now, IMO, that the March scope is definitely worth the extra money. I'm writing this in hopes that if there is anyone setting on the fence, this might help sway them.
Here are the comparsions that I made today..I made sure that I compared both scope equal..otherwords, both focus set to the clearest, by powers set the same, both parrellex free for my eye's, etc.
1)Clarity and Target Resolution - Both set at 42X, and both with eye pieces adjsuted and set to my eye's, as I wear contacts. Parallex in both scopes also set for my eye's. The target was remarkable clearer with the March, the resolution much better. I could just barely see the scoring rings with the Nightforce, but they were very noticeably clearer, and easier to see with the March. As a buddy of mine stated about the scope..you can "see through the mirage better with this scope ,and the target doesn't seem to dance around as much"..these are his words..
2) Color - Here is the one spot that I feel where the Nightforce just isn't even in the same ballpark..or leauge for that matter. The March is very sharp, with great colors, side to side. This the the Nightforce's worst problem in my opinion, even when compared to other scope makes such as Leupold. The Nightforce has a "tinted" brown or tan hue to it.
3) Brightness - Again, the March is simply the best I've ever looked through. The March is very bright and clear, much brighter than the Nightfrorce when both are set to 42X power, side by side, IMO. The March does start to darken once you get up around 50X. On a bright day at 60X, at 1000 yards , in good conditions, I've called 6mm holes on a IBS target, and have witness to prove it.
4)Tracking - Both the March and the Nightforce performed the "box" test perfectly. I have to give the node to the March and the Nighroce NXS over the BR model for having 10 MOA per one revolution as compared to the 6 on the Nightforce BR. This makes your come ups alot easier. The March 10x60 and BR Model Nightforce are 1/8" clicks, as compared to the NXS 1/4", but I understand they are fixing this.
5)Weight - I really like the weight of the March. It's weighting 8.3 oz less than ther NXS and 10.3 less than the BR model makes a huge difference if you are trying to make weight for a certain class. The weight difference makes this scope very versitle.
6)Focus - both March and Nightforce offer side focuses that work very well and are very handy for us F-Class shooters. The March's side focus is a little harder for me to get set..it seemd to be a very fine adjustment, where the Nightforce is very easy and fast to focus with....this is important to me as I like to roll the focus out just a little to get a good look at the mirage. I suspect that the March being a 60X scope as compared to a 42X plays into this, so I can learn to live with it.
These are just my opinions, and the things that I have noted comparing the two. They are both excellent scopes and I give them both credit for being the reason we are now shooting on a 1/2moa target instead of the old 1 moa targets of yesteryear..Scopes and bullets... For those that have asked about the March, here are my anwsers. I welcome anyone, at anytime, at any match..if you see me and want to look through the March, and shoot it, I welcome you. I believe that you'll agree with me after you've done so, that the March is most defintely worth what they are selling for..
