Nightforce vs. Leupold

[RangerRudy]

All I've ever used for optics is Leupold, both in the military and LE side. One of my LE SS instructors had an AI with a Nightforce scope. It seemed to be built very well, and I liked the idea of laser etching the reticle.

Before I drop down money on either (Zeiss is also on the list), I'd like some feedback from anyone who has a Nightforce. Thanks.

 

[Diamondback 2/2]

I'm a big fan of Nightforce, I've been using them for about 6 years now. I will never go back to a Leup'y again.

Quality is outstanding, adjustments are true, and the glass is excellent. Price sucks, but well worth the investment.

 

[x SF med]

A buddy of mine has allowed me to use his AI (surgeon) with a nightforce... nice... he went back to a custom Leupold on his DPMS Custom.... and has moved both scopes on both... I'll take the Leupold/AI combo. The Leupold is a custom, Horus/superfine/etched... not an off the shelf.


eta: I sometimes hate the owner, he's placed highly in the SOCOM Sniper Comp, and gets huge discounts on rifles and optics because of it - the leupold should have been a 4K scope and he got it for about 1K... but he is a friend and fellow SF guy, and lets me play with his toys.

 

[Diamondback 2/2]

$4k for a Leupold is crazy (I get your buddy didn't pay that, $1k is an awesome deal), I get custom, but for coin like that, I would be all over Schmidt & Bender or US Optics, etc.

I'm a bit stuck on old school, I'm still working MIL/MOA. I need to move on to MIL/MIL just for the simplicity of it, but I've been doing MIL/MOA for well over a decade, and then to change all my kit, data, etc.... I just don't have the coin or time to do all that right now.

A good buddy of mine is all about Horus reticles, but my minimal ranged time with it, just didn't have me jumping across the street. I'll stick with my mil-dots (for now anyway).

 

[x SF med]

@JAB ... he compared it to a S&B, and Zeiss and US Optics (all were in his price range at the time) and that's the one he felt worked best for him... it shoots under 1/4 moa groups at 300m... right at 1/3 - 1/2 moa at 500-1000m ... it's tuned to him. everybody has their own favorite glass, and that's about the bottom line, what works for you, right?

He only shoots with 185 gr .308 match.

 

[Diamondback 2/2]

Right on brother, I agree, its whatever your pleasure, at the upper end of optics, etc.

I personally never have cared for Leupold, while in the Army or on the civi side. But I know some great shooters, who only use leup'y products, etc.

Didn't like S&B....wow!

 

[Diamondback 2/2]

I'll take the Leupold/AI combo.

Just out of curiosity, what did you not like about the Nightforce, or what was better about the Leup'y?

 

[x SF med]

Personal preference, eye distance, comfort, the parallax could be more closely tuned to my astigmatism, clarity of the outer edges of the field, and a slightly larger field... just me, but the nightforce seemed to have a haze at the outside edges of the field and a little wave out there too - it was distracting - it could have just been that one optic though.

 

[Diamondback 2/2]

Interesting. Yeah, I haven't had any of those issues at all. Clarity is superb, no fog, haze or imperfection. Eye relief and parallax take a bit to get use to. Especially if you are not use to high magnification 15x or better.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[x SF med]

Because I got a deal on it ($25, yup, that's right...), I use a medium-high grade lighted reticle BSA 6-24x40 on the model 70... clear, nice relief distance (only been bit once) and I like the stadia lines... my old lighted reticle Weaver 4-10x50 is being used by a friend... the FN is irons all the way, no prob out to 300m (well, except for my eyes, but that's all on age and genetics)

 

[Diamondback 2/2]

You don't like Nightforce, but like BSA and Weaver?

We are not allowed to talk optics anymore....;)

 

[x SF med]

You don't like Nightforce, but like BSA and Weaver?

We are not allowed to talk optics anymore....;)

The BSA was cheap and available when I was at a gun show... the weaver came with the rifle, and both were 'compensation' for a favor to a friend... use what you have, and what you can afford... I'm saving for nice optics, but life keeps getting in the way. Plus, I can still shoot irons pretty decently out to 300- 400 m... not pin point but I knock down the target.

 

[Ranger Psych]

I've looked through both of those pieces he's talking about... the weaver he has is better than any NF i've put eyes to. Hilarious, actually. I couldn't stop giggling about it, although that might have been the blackberries talking.

I'll be honest, I'd rather have a Trijicon Accupoint than a Nightforce, but that's just personal preference having tried them out before.

 

[RangerRudy]

The Zeiss I looked at was outstanding. Great clarity and light gathering ability. Like SF Med said, it all depends on what works for the individual.

 

[surgicalcric]

...it shoots under 1/4 moa groups at 300m... right at 1/3 - 1/2 moa at 500-1000m ...

BULLSHIT!!!

1/4 moa @ 100yds is close to impossible for the vast majority of bolt guns, even custom ones so unless your friend is Jesus Christ, it ain't happening at 300 yds.

Next, a persons ability to group, after variances in weapon and ammo is removed, depends solely on the shooters ability to clearly see his aiming point and at a 1000 yds that isn't happening with a 40x scope well enough to shoot a 3-5" group. I will refrain from getting into wind calculations and barometric pressure changes when shooting LD targets or the fact that the bullet is in subsonic flight making it unstable, into the equation.

You need to tell him his 1/4" at 300yd story has been called out.

 

[surgicalcric]

...

I'm a bit stuck on old school, I'm still working MIL/MOA. I need to move on to MIL/MIL just for the simplicity of it, but I've been doing MIL/MOA for well over a decade, and then to change all my kit, data, etc.... I just don't have the coin or time to do all that right now.

Move a couple decades to the right by picking up a mil/mil scope and ballistic calculator that will "true" your rifle and you can throw away your DOPE book or donate it to your library of outdated books.

 

[Diamondback 2/2]

I know, my next optic is a MIL/MIL S&B, but money is not what it was, so it will still be awhile.

As for a data books, I still like keeping data, even though I have three different data apps, that are spot on and get used for calculation, etc. I still like to record and maintain them.

I normally build cheat cards and tape them to my buttstock.

I don't like using a kestrel or laser range finder, either. I can range +/-25m and call wind faster than most of my buddies can turn on their gear.

 

[Diamondback 2/2]

BULLSHIT!!!

1/4 moa @ 100yds is close to impossible for the vast majority of bolt guns, even custom ones so unless your friend is Jesus Christ, it ain't happening at 300 yds.

Next, a persons ability to group, after variances in weapon and ammo is removed, depends solely on the shooters ability to clearly see his aiming point and at a 1000 yds that isn't happening with a 40x scope well enough to shoot a 3-5" group. I will refrain from getting into wind calculations and barometric pressure changes when shooting LD targets or the fact that the bullet is in subsonic flight making it unstable, into the equation.

You need to tell him his 1/4" at 300yd story has been called out.

I agree from a consistency stand point, I've seen, as I am sure you have, some pretty amazing sub-moa groups at distance, but normally followed with inability to repeat.

Staying sub-moa at 1000m with a 308, with consistency, is pretty unusual.

 

[x SF med]

BULLSHIT!!!

1/4 moa @ 100yds is close to impossible for the vast majority of bolt guns, even custom ones so unless your friend is Jesus Christ, it ain't happening at 300 yds.

Next, a persons ability to group, after variances in weapon and ammo is removed, depends solely on the shooters ability to clearly see his aiming point and at a 1000 yds that isn't happening with a 40x scope well enough to shoot a 3-5" group. I will refrain from getting into wind calculations and barometric pressure changes when shooting LD targets or the fact that the bullet is in subsonic flight making it unstable, into the equation.

You need to tell him his 1/4" at 300yd story has been called out.

He's an honor grad of Lvl 3, and has placed in the top 5 at the SOCOM Sniper Comp... It is very possible that I mistook what he said... I've seen the paper at 100 and 150, all the punches touched without a calculator ... haven't had a chance to get to a longer range with him.

 

[surgicalcric]

He's an honor grad of Lvl 3, and has placed in the top 5 at the SOCOM Sniper Comp... It is very possible that I mistook what he said... I've seen the paper at 100 and 150, all the punches touched without a calculator ... haven't had a chance to get to a longer range with him.

LVL1, not 3 bro...I dont know why but every other course thats taught by USASOC they change the 1 and 3 - I think its to confuse us.