Nightforce...the best or......?

[linebaugh]

I'd venture a guess there are more NF scopes out there and as such more for sale but I also agree people like the next best thing and the new shiny objects. If NF seems to be high in turn over look at Vortex. In addition new reticle's appear on the market and different features which make a scope more attractive or advantageous to shooters come along.
I try not to fixate on branding and will use whatever action/barrel/stock/glass/trigger... as long as they are known for good quality. I also sell items when I either chage applications or find products that have the more exact features I want. I many times either need to sell to finance a new purchase or I simply wish to be rid of items in sesrch of a better fit or a change in shooting diciplins.

One NXS, one ATACR and one NX8 here now. It's not mounted but out of the three I am surprised to see the NX8 appears the clearest to me. I can't wait to put that glass to use qnd will post when I finally do.

 

[Liven The Dream]

Never paid the price . Looked thru a few .
This is from a Engineering Guy . It must Track and repeat.
Then it is your eyes and what you see .
Not all people will see what you do .

I went Golden Eagle ? Then was not all that happy !
I am now sold on Sightron have Six.
My old eyes are Happy . There Service is Outstanding. I needed Service because I twisted a screw right out of the Windage Knob

 

[carlsbad]

Still a lot of NF scopes winning matches (when matches happen). They have gotten some negative stories and some people are using other excellent scopes.

 

[PatMiles]

I purchased a NightForce 42x40 about 3 weeks ago for 22 rimfire benchrest rifle I have. I pulled a NF 15x55 that I had be using while waiting for the 42x40, dropped the 42 into the Harrells offset rings, torqued the caps to 18 inch/lbs and took it to the range to sight in. Put 10 rounds of Eley Match through the gun only to discover that the scope did not have enough left windage to zero the gun at 50 yards. Went home, called EuroOptics and was told "sorry, send it to NF for warranty." Called Dylan and spent 10 minutes being talked down to, essence of the conversation was that I was stupid and there's a problem with the gun.
With the help of a gentleman here on A.S. I was schooled on optically centering the scope. I set up a pair of matched Starrett V-blocks on a granite surface block and rotated the scope centering the crosshairs on a half inch washer nailed up on a tree 50 yards away. Doing so proved that there was a difference of 3 moa between hard left stop and hard right stop from optical windage center, more than enough to make up for the .750" I needed to zero the gun. Hard stops up and down were almost identical from optical center. I then centered the NF 15x55 I was using on the riflebefore buying the 42x40 and found it to be very close to optical center in regards to hard stops for windage and elevation.
Next step was to spend $36.00 to ship and insure my new scope to NightForce for warranty on a scope that I bought new 10 days before. I was told that turnaround time was running up to 6 weeks.

 

[Turbulent Turtle]

I bought a Nightforce NXS 12-42X56 in 2012. I used it on my then-new F-TR Match rifle. It was fine. A couple years later I bought a March-X 5-50X56 because I found the NXS to be too dark in the early mornings and on heavily overcast days. I never looked back.

A few years later, I setup the NXS on a.22lr to play at a local club. I discovered 2 things; the NXS has a minimum focus distance of over 50 yards, compared to the 10yards of the March. The other thing is the POA shifts when you zoom in or out; I can reproduce a 1.5 inch vertical shift at 50 yards going from 12X to 42X, and then back in the other direction going from 42X to 12x.

The NXS sits forlornly on a shelf.

 

[dcali]

I have 4 of them ( a 15-55x comp, an 8-32x BR, a 4.5x service rifle comp, and a 2.5-10X NSX compact), and have no complaints about any of them. They are all crystal clear and the mechanics work just fine for their intended purposes. Over the past few years, a lot of companies have started directly competing with Nightforce, and the market for scopes in a tier above Nightforce (at least price-wise) has grown. If you see a bunch for sale, it's probably a combination of there being a lot of them out there, and the fact that there are more options these days that compete with them. Not long ago, they were sort of king of the hill when it came to premium optics. That's just not the case anymore. That doesn't make Nightforce bad in some way. Capitalism is great.

 

[INTJ]

NF BR and NXS are reliable and hold their zero well. The glass looks fine to me as well. NF Comps have issues with holding zero. I have one Vortex Golden and I like is as much as the NF. It's lighter, has a god rep for holding zero, and has an inch more eye relief than the BRs. None of those scopes, along with March, have any issue winning in LR BR.


For hunting rifles they are all too heavy for how I hunt so I like Leupolds do that application.

 

[Turbulent Turtle]

I have 4 of them ( a 15-55x comp, an 8-32x BR, a 4.5x service rifle comp, and a 2.5-10X NSX compact), and have no complaints about any of them. They are all crystal clear and the mechanics work just fine for their intended purposes. Over the past few years, a lot of companies have started directly competing with Nightforce, and the market for scopes in a tier above Nightforce (at least price-wise) has grown. If you see a bunch for sale, it's probably a combination of there being a lot of them out there, and the fact that there are more options these days that compete with them. Not long ago, they were sort of king of the hill when it came to premium optics. That's just not the case anymore. That doesn't make Nightforce bad in some way. Capitalism is great.

You're absolutely correct; just because there are better scopes than Nightforce does not, a priori, make the Nightforces bad scopes.

 

[69mach]

To my eyes the comp nf has clearer glass than Than my Khales 1050 or either highmaster March Ive had. Within the last 8-10 years I’ve become an admitted scope snob. And In
All honestly the good ole Nightforce br42 is very hard to beat. Especially when price is factored in. I can shoot just as well with the br nf model as I can my over priced March khales and nf comp scopes. I’d like to buy and try out a bender and a us optics scope someday as I have no experience with them.

 

[JEFFPPC]

No NF is not the best But I doubt if any is the best in all situations. I have 2 old Leupold Comps, lots of guys had bad experiences, I have never had to return either with a problem. I have Vortex GEs never a problem and great buy for the money, hold POI. I have 10 x 50 60mm Sightron with Ed glass and dual focus. Brightest and sharpest picture of any scope I have had or looked through,but heavy, might need planned for. NF, had one 12x42 BR, great glass and pretty bright, but after the 2nd time I returned it for POI issues got rid of it. So, no magic scope, problems can occur with any brand. Look through various scopes before you buy. My only hard rule is they must have a lifetime warranty regardless of ownership, thus I have never considered March.

 

[Turbulent Turtle]

March has a 10 year warranty, regardless of ownership.

 

[XTR]

For F class shooting you are looking for magnification in the range of 50X ±, reasonably light weight, and accurate repeatable tracking. All the scoped below have that.

I have 3 NF Comps, an NXS and a BR. The NF comp has great class. My only negative would be that if you turn it to max mag it gets a little dark, but I typically run mine a 45x or less so that's not an issue for me. NF makes a great product, and they participate and support the sport. They are there at the matches and they listen to the shooters.

Vortex also makes a very good product. For F class type shooting the Golden Eagle is an outstanding option. It's only a couple of oz heavier than a NF comp, and lighter than the NF NXS or BR but doesn't have the resolution (glass) of the NF Comp, and the street price is about ½ the NF. I have a GE. Like the NF it gets a little dark at max magnification. I like it, just not quite as well as my NF. Vortex visibly supports shooting sports, they have a large presence in PRS, and Ian Klemm, who works for Vortex, is on the US F-TR team and has been a National Champion.

Sightron makes a good scope for F class in the SIII line. They are about the most scope for the least budget for long range F class. I have on several occasions seen Sightron's on the prize table supporting the sport, and I know of at least one that was in the top 10 in the FCWC in 2017.

March is the most expensive option. I've not used one, but by all accts they have great glass, arguably the best glass in the list. I think I have seen a March on a prize table but in general they have less of a presence than the other three listed here.

My honest unbiased opinion is that none of these scopes is going to gain or lose you any points in an F class match. The targets are not challenging to see and we don't shoot in low light conditions. Mirage can make it hard to make out the target but mirage effects all scopes.

There are some other scopes that check some of the boxes, like the S&B target model, but that one weighs a pound more than the other scopes listed here. Not usually an option in a weight limited world like F class (and they are very expensive)

Leopold came out with a scope for the game about 6 yrs ago, but it didn't launch well. It had problems and I've not seen any more since then.

 

[xswanted]

I bought a Nightforce NXS 12-42X56 in 2012. I used it on my then-new F-TR Match rifle. It was fine. A couple years later I bought a March-X 5-50X56 because I found the NXS to be too dark in the early mornings and on heavily overcast days. I never looked back.

A few years later, I setup the NXS on a.22lr to play at a local club. I discovered 2 things; the NXS has a minimum focus distance of over 50 yards, compared to the 10yards of the March. The other thing is the POA shifts when you zoom in or out; I can reproduce a 1.5 inch vertical shift at 50 yards going from 12X to 42X, and then back in the other direction going from 42X to 12x.

The NXS sits forlornly on a shelf.

Sounds like it needs a new home.

I can trade you a couple rolls of TP for it and $100.

Interested??

 

[Turbulent Turtle]

Sounds like it needs a new home.

I can trade you a couple rolls of TP for it and $100.

Interested??

Thanks, no. I recently started using my NXS to hold the window open during the day, a role at which it is very well suited.

Just kidding. It's in its original box safe and sound.

 

[terryssports]

I see a lot of Nightforce scopes for sale (just counted 11 on page 1-3)..I personally have never owned one although I have shot multiple 15-55comps.
My question is what are you replacing them with and why? I really like the new NX8 but don’t wanna be disappointed!

I started with leupolds then went to March, I have 2 of the 8x80x56 , the people that ask to look through them say ( its clearer than mine) I ask what they have and its normally a night force, my buddy has a NF and says the same thing. I was told the some of the NF people left to create March, got that from a good source but not sure if its 100% fact. My mirage issue normally start 15-20 power higher than NF.

 

[VhtN560]

Ziess conquest

 

[davidjoe]

My honest unbiased opinion is that none of these scopes is going to gain or lose you any points in an F class match. The targets are not challenging to see and we don't shoot in low light conditions.
...
Leopold came out with a scope for the game about 6 yrs ago, but it didn't launch well. It had problems and I've not seen any more since then.

That is right on, and with E-Targets there is even less to discern down range. No longer do we need to look at and consider the shiny patterning of pasters. There is no debating whether to zoom in to look very closely and challenge for score. No zooming out to see other targets.

No longer do we need to assess whether the spotter is flush with the target or uncentered by hanging downward or otherwise in aiming for the next shot.

It’s not “quite” what E-targets have done to the “spindle” market, but it’s sure got close.

Leopold has been so overtly combative in patent litigation with nightforce, a brand I use and admire for supporting our competitions, that I’d have a hard time buying one.

 

[davidjoe]

I bought a Nightforce NXS 12-42X56 in 2012. I used it on my then-new F-TR Match rifle. It was fine. A couple years later I bought a March-X 5-50X56 because I found the NXS to be too dark in the early mornings and on heavily overcast days. I never looked back.

A few years later, I setup the NXS on a.22lr to play at a local club. I discovered 2 things; the NXS has a minimum focus distance of over 50 yards, compared to the 10yards of the March. The other thing is the POA shifts when you zoom in or out; I can reproduce a 1.5 inch vertical shift at 50 yards going from 12X to 42X, and then back in the other direction going from 42X to 12x.

The NXS sits forlornly on a shelf.

How much do you want for the NSX?

 

[KY_Windage]

What NF is best at is making the best high-end scope for the money. To me there is no questioning whether Swarovki makes better glass, and if I were just watching birds or something that is probably what I would get. But a great rifle scope has a lot of other aspects, like reticles and turrets. I often get to compare my NF's against other high-end scopes, but have never yet found one that I think is a "better deal."

I agree you don't need a great scope to do well in F-Class, so long as it is powerful enough. But I'm not spending a whole lot of time looking through my scope to shoot a match. I am spending hours looking through it when I am varmint hunting or shooting practice, so I want great glass. I don't use binoculars on critters because I don't like having to find the critter again in the scope, and I don't like the movement switching from binoc's to scope, which can alarm the critters. I like staying low and motionless all through the search and the shot. But that makes the glass and the reticle very important. There is better glass than NF's ED glass (in the ATACR and Competition), but not by much, and nothing else I know of compares in dialing repeatability and overall durability/reliability, and especially for the price.

I want great glass, but it does not need to be Swarovski-level glass to work just fine, and I don't see how turrets could be any better than on a NF. Serious quality at a reasonable price. They do not lock, but in hunting and every other kind of shooting, I have never had a NF turret get accidentally moved on me. I zero them and check them often, but I've never had one get moved.

 

[Steve Donlon]

I use a Leupold VX-6 7-42X56, a NSX 8-32X 56 and a NX8 4-32X50 FFP for my long range target shooting and like the NX8 the best. It has 90moa the NSX is 65 moa and the Leupold is 55 moa. I'm old so I like the .125" cross hairs. The NSX are the same but the FFP NX8 makes them appear larger at max power. The Leupold is .120" and I really like the TMOA retical. I never had a FFP scope and like the NX8 best, but only if used at the higher powers. For me the retical is the most important part of the scope after the glass. If the retical is not what I want, then I don't care how good the rest is, and I don't want it.