Swarovski vs NF vs March?

[Vaughan]

Hi,
I'm looking for a new long-range scope to put on my 6BR hunting rifle. I use the rifle for bird, fox and deer hunting - but mostly for birds. I currently use a Swaro Z6i 2.5-15x56BT and it is a great scope but once I get out beyond 250-300m the lighted "dot" starts to obscure the target a bit too much and my aging eyes could use more help than 15x magnification.

The 3 options I've looked into are a NF NXS 12-42 the Swaro 5-30Z6i and maybe if I could manage a March, either the 10-60 or 5-50.

You folk seem taken with NF scopes and the March scopes seem well rated but leathally expensive. No one here, either varmint or target shooters, seems to rate Swaros, and I was wondering if there was a reason I have missed?

thanks

Vaughan

 

[fdshuster]

I realize we're talking about some extreme quality optics here, but for me, I'd rather have 2 Nightforce's ( Benchrest models) for the cost of 1 of the others, March or Swarovski.

 

[Vaughan]

Thanks Gentlemen. I thought it might just be price and availability. Locally I would see a Swaro fairly often but have only ever met one hunter who owned a NF. He sold it because he found it to be too heavy so I've never had the chance to look through one. Weight is not an issue for the use I have in mind. The price difference is about 25% more for the Swaro than a NF, which is significant but not a deal breaker given the quality of the Swaros optics is a known quantity to me - accepting I know nothing about the NF....... The March is about 50% more than a NF, so difficult to justify for my purpose.

/Vaughan

 

[Vaughan]

I should add, locally the NXS 12-42 would cost me the equivalent of $2,800US, I suspect this balances my equation a bit relative to most of you folks.

/Vaughan

 

[McKinneyMike]

The Swarovski scopes are incredible, no doubt about that and considering the exchange rate vs the NF for you, I would choice the Swarovski's for a hunting rig everyday of the week. They just do not seem to geared toward BR or tactical shooting.

 

[djtjr]

I have scopes by each of the makers and the NF is the best to me. It's built like a tank has amazing glass to the point I can't really tell much difference then the others mentioned. All of them come with a lighted reticle up to u if you want to use it or not made in the US great service and half the price for an optic that I doubt many could tell the optical differences in if any. Oh and for hunting it's by far the most sturdy. It's a no brainer to me.

 

[JabaliHunter]

I looked hard at the 50mm scopes and there was no question in my mind that the 2-12x50 Z6i had better glass than the Nightforce 3.5-15x50.
Having said that, you can't argue with the fact that alot of the top F-class boys are using March scopes...

 

[mikecr]

I have scopes by each of the makers and the NF is the best to me. It's built like a tank has amazing glass to the point I can't really tell much difference then the others mentioned.

Ok, you're up for worst eyes in the shooting world...
NF/Leupold glass is about as clear as plastic compared to Swarovski glass.
And Swarovski scopes are way lighter than NF.
But in the past anyway, Swaros were all first focal plane, with horribly large reticles, and cappped/cheap adjustments. So they could never compare functionally with a NF NXS, or Leupold Mk4. Function wins over glass.

Well, nothing has changed, right?
Pick function or form. Or if you have money to burn, March has the potential for both. Buy one of them & let us know if it's as good as the others -overall...

 

[BoydAllen]

If weight is an issue, and you want outstanding optics, March is a fine scope. I know a fellow who has three, that I mounted, and have looked through.

 

[bozo699]

Vaughan,
You already have one of the best scopes in the world, and actually you can get good turrets for the Z6Is now. I don't know anything about the march scopes, but have heard good things about them. The NF scopes are assembled in Orifino Idaho (USA) but all the parts come from Japan. The NF is unquestionably good scopes but there optic quality is not on par with your Swarovski or the S&B. I have a couple of Z5s a
S&B 5-25x56PMII and a Night Force 5.5-22x50 NSX Varmint retical. I like all three with the Swarovski's being my top pick for normal ranges in hunting followed by the S&B for longe range work. The NF is a great scope, I use mine for long range varminting I love it for that and it's extremely rugged. In your situation,given your location it would be a no brainer to me,...5-30x50 Z6 or Z6i with the upgraded bdc turrets, you already own and like it, know the quality of it why change something you know for sure works 2nd and 3rd choice for you should be S&B,Ziess, last choice on your list should be NF unless there is a used one in your local area for cheap,and I doubt that.
Wayne.

 

[Vaughan]

Thanks All,
Likely I will go with the 5-30x50 Swaro with th ebalistic turret. I like the 2.5-15 version I have. My main issues with the existing scope are a) 1cm per click adjustment ??? and b) over sized lumpen reticle. The 5-30 version has addressed both issues somewhat.

cheers

Vaughan

 

[Gman]

Vaughan,
You already have one of the best scopes in the world, and actually you can get good turrets for the Z6Is now. I don't know anything about the march scopes, but have heard good things about them. The NF scopes are assembled in Orifino Idaho (USA) but all the parts come from Japan. The NF is unquestionably good scopes but there optic quality is not on par with your Swarovski or the S&B. I have a couple of Z5s a
S&B 5-25x56PMII and a Night Force 5.5-22x50 NSX Varmint retical. I like all three with the Swarovski's being my top pick for normal ranges in hunting followed by the S&B for longe range work. The NF is a great scope, I use mine for long range varminting I love it for that and it's extremely rugged. In your situation,given your location it would be a no brainer to me,...5-30x50 Z6 or Z6i with the upgraded bdc turrets, you already own and like it, know the quality of it why change something you know for sure works 2nd and 3rd choice for you should be S&B,Ziess, last choice on your list should be NF unless there is a used one in your local area for cheap,and I doubt that.
Wayne.

Nightforce scope tubes are made in Japan, as are the lenses. But I was informed by Brian (tech guy at NF) that the rest of the internals are from all over. (including the USA) Also, he claimed that they purchase the best available lens that can be made in Japan.

Don't shoot the messenger, just writing what I've been told.

 

[bozo699]

Huhhhh... were not going to shoot the mesenger, Thanks for the resurch I would say thats probably about right. Thanks Gman for checking into it. I knew the tube and glass was from Japan as well as the turrets so I guess I just expected the rest of it was from Japan also.
Wayne.

 

[serial # 001]

Vaughan,

Maybe the following will help you with your purchase.

This information is very anoying to most folks. They have read on all kinds of sites how wonderful Swarovskis are. I love a value, but also like to play with optics. I purchased a Bushnell 6500 4 1/2-30X50, a Swarovski z5 5-25X52 and a 12-42X56 Nightforce. I conducted the following test with my eyes with products I purchased with my money.

The sky was totally overcast with an occasional sprinkle. I started about 1:30 PM. That takes care of the weather.

It took about two hours to complete the test. I made a testing chart with five lines on an 8 1/2X11 copy sheet, laminated it to keep it dry and taped it to a cardboard box. The lines are 9/32” wide with 9/32” spaces between the lines. With the trusty Leica 1200 in tow I stepped back from said test sheet till I could no longer distinguish lines. It looked like a grey rectangle on the page. The Leica read 40 yards. The lines were crystal clear in the 7X21 monocular (To my surprise the Leica made the lines with ease out to 236 yards.). I drove down the road a ways.

The test idea was to see at what magnification was necessary to see the linesand note the range.

Here are the yardages and magnification results:

202 - Swarovski: 5 1/2, Bushnell: 4 ½ with ease
236 – Swaro: 6 Bush: 5 ½
309 – Swaro: 8 ¼ Bush: 7 ½
393 – Swaro: 10 Bush: 10 ½
470 – Swaro: 14 Bush: 15
521 – Swaro: 16 ½ Bush: 15 ½ NightForce: 12
572 – Swaro: 17 ½ Bush: 17 Night: 12 ¼
690 – Swaro: 24 Bush: 24 Night: 18
706 – Swaro: 24 Bush 24 Night: 18
724 – Swaro: 25 Bush: 27 Night: 20

As the day was quickly closing I think the Swarovski’s low light superiority over the Bushnell started to come into play at the 724 yard range. I am sorta impressed with the Leica 1200 reading the bush next to the box above 572 yards. But the biggest surprise came at 202 yards. If I didn’t know they were lines, I couldn’t make them out with the Swarovski on 5X and yet the Bushnell showed them with ease 4 1/2X. Who would have guessed it?

Maybe I have the best Bushnell and Nightforce ever made or I have a bad Swarovki. Or there is al lot of hype about the Swarovski. Today I ordered another Swarovski. I will give it a chance to go on a rifle.

 

[JH]

Never been a Nightforce lover having used just about everything they have produced over last 18 years.

The Swaro Z6 glass is really something you can look through, as a comparison above NXS is like looking through a dirty window in all the models in the range. Cant detail low light performance with Swaro but done quite a few involving a multitude of NXS and BR models, none came out favourably some what lacking.

The March 10-60 is simply stunning, image, detail, colour arbitration, resolution etc all seem realistic. These have a narow field of view and require over 4" eye relief as a downside.
Another biggy for me was its weight 730g and size, comparable with most 20 mag scopes. Lenses are the high quality light weight ED and require less of them over normal!
Each scope individually hand built by one person no production line like all other manufacturers, they just ooze quality no good or bad ones or you get your money back.
Loved the 10-60 that much ordered an X which is on its way from Japan. Costly yes but theres nothing like owning or using a March, use one for the first time and you will know why.

Would love to have a trial at the yet to be released March 5-25 first focal plane currently at the Shot Show, over here approx same price as a PM2 25mag.

 

[Vaughan]

Folks,
I ended up with the March 10-60. Only one range day with it so far but am impressed initially. Very crisp image and reproducible settings. I moved the Swaro 1.5-15 I had on the 6BR onto my 308 and shot them both. The optics seem fairly comparable (ignoring the diff mag range) but I need more time with the March to say anything sensible.

thanks for the input

Vaughan

 

[40X Guy]

Vaughan, I will be putting my March 8-80X56 thru its paces very soon as well. Just playing around with it at 60 power and looking at things 300 yards away, it is indeed stunning, with no graying or haze etc. I can pick out very small individual branches on saplings with ease. I think we will be OK with the March scopes.

Frank

 

[tbugher62]

Have both NF 12-42x56 (bought from optics planet $1900.00)and Leupold mark4 8.5-25x50 ill. (bought from Brunos $1400.00) scopes,the NF is built stronger and heavier,however the Leupold has a heck of alot better lens coatings and is lighter.I love them both ,but wont be buying another NF simply because of the $500.00 price difference,and the fact that there is not enough differece between the two ,too justify the extra cost.

 

[243Mendoza]

I should add, locally the NXS 12-42 would cost me the equivalent of $2,800US, I suspect this balances my equation a bit relative to most of you folks.

/Vaughan

With the low value of the US dollar, I wonder why a Nightforce would cost you so much.