Nightforce choices

[WeiserBucks]

Really? There’s enough people shooting a mile plus to build entire scope lines around them? More than there are hunters who would rather save the weight and mounting height?

It's pretty simple if you think about it. There's enough ELR shooters who will spend whatever it takes to be more successful. There's not enough hunters willing to spend thousands of dollars on a scope, hence why you see so many Fudds buying bottom of the barrel Vortex ect.

99.9 percent of hunters will never spend $2500-$5000 on a scope, while almost every ELR shooter will.

 

[SDHNTR]

It's pretty simple if you think about it. There's enough ELR shooters who will spend whatever it takes to be more successful. There's not enough hunters willing to spend thousands of dollars on a scope, hence why you see so many Fudds buying bottom of the barrel Vortex ect.

99.9 percent of hunters will never spend $2500-$5000 on a scope, while almost every ELR shooter will.

Yeah I guess the economics make sense. Hunters as a lot are Fudds for the most part. I just didn’t realize there were so many ELR enthusiasts. Seems an odd pursuit to me. But I shoot merely as practice for hunting.

 

[WeiserBucks]

Statistically, most hunters are eastern whitetail guys who shoot less than 20 rounds a year and rarely kill game beyond 100 yards. They'll never see a reason to buy a NF or any other high quality optic. Their Leopold gold ring has always done what they think it should.

 

[SDHNTR]

I don't get why people are getting so hung up on the main tube diameter. Why 30mm? Why not 29.5mm or 31mm or 27mm or 38mm? It's a weird hill to die on.

From a design perspective, a larger main tube can allow for more elevation travel, and/or thicker main tube, and/or better optical IQ at extreme ends.

In my mind 30mm has presented itself as a practical sweet spot. It gets you out to 1000ish and plenty of yardage for most calibers. I don’t need more range, ever. It allows lower mounting to accommodate most stock combs especially on most hunting rifles. And less weight which hunters care about. I do not want for more.

The thicker tube argument I could kinda get behind, but to your point, if scopes generally aren’t rugged instruments, at what point is thick enough, thick enough? Do we really need more practical durability than an NXS/NX8? Is it worth more ounces and mounting height? Not to me.

Image quality? Hmmm. I need education here. Is that really that much related to tube size? I thought that was mostly lens coatings/glass quality and such. To my eye, the Swaro X5 or Z6 has remarkable IQ. I couldn’t ask for more. Too bad the scope built around that wonderful image sucks. So I see plenty good opportunity for excellent IQ in a 30mm tube. Is there better eyebox or eye relief? Less parallax error? Does the bigger tube mitigate the problems that come with higher zoom ratios and short tube issues?

I just want Alpha level glass in NF/ZCO type durability without any more weight and height than necessary.

 

[SDHNTR]

Statistically, most hunters are eastern whitetail guys who shoot less than 20 rounds a year and rarely kill game beyond 100 yards. They'll never see a reason to buy a NF or any other high quality optic. Their Leopold gold ring has always done what they think it should.

Of course. Totally understand that point.

 

[WeiserBucks]

I just want Alpha level glass in NF/ZCO type durability without any more weight and height than nenecessary.

That scope doesn't exist, maybe a TT 3-15M depending on your opinion of their durability.

 

[Ryan Avery]

I shot an NRL hunter match this weekend. I used a 4-32 NX8. One of the other guys shooting had a 4-20 ATCAR. We discussed scopes, and he said he could see the mirage in his scope. I could not in mine. So I asked if I could look side by side. He was right; I could see mirage in the ATCAR but not in the NX8. The glass clarity didn't look much different to me, but apparently, there is some difference.

Food for thought I guess....

 

[ChrisAU]

I shot an NRL hunter match this weekend. I used a 4-32 NX8. One of the other guys shooting had a 4-20 ATCAR. We discussed scopes, and he said he could see the mirage in his scope. I could not in mine. So I asked if I could look side by side. He was right; I could see mirage in the ATXAR but not in the NX8. The glass clarity didn't look much different to me, but apparently, there is some difference.

Food for thought I guess....

Are you saying the NX8 handled mirage better? At what power were ya'll comparing them?

 

[Ryan Avery]

Are you saying the NX8 handled mirage better? At what power were ya'll comparing them?

I guess it's how you look at it. I wanted to see Mirage and could not with the NX8.

I looked at 20x 15x and 10X while moving the Focus(Parallax)

 

[SDHNTR]

Are you saying the NX8 handled mirage better? At what power were ya'll comparing them?

I shot an NRL hunter match this weekend. I used a 4-32 NX8. One of the other guys shooting had a 4-20 ATCAR. We discussed scopes, and he said he could see the mirage in his scope. I could not in mine. So I asked if I could look side by side. He was right; I could see mirage in the ATXAR but not in the NX8. The glass clarity didn't look much different to me, but apparently, there is some difference.

Food for thought I guess....

One of my biggest gripes with the NXS. I purposely leave the range by 9-10:00, mirage gets so bad.

 

[SDHNTR]

That scope doesn't exist, maybe a TT 3-15M depending on your opinion of their durability.

I know, and it pisses me off! March comes the closest I’ve found so far but it’s not quite perfect optically (for my eyes, which are admittedly weird) and while I haven’t had any issues and I know they at least do some impact testing (which is more than most manufacturers), the durability remains somewhat of a question mark.

 

[WKR]

Those ZCO's are over two pounds....I dont want a boat anchor on my 7 pound rifle

 

[WeiserBucks]

Those ZCO's are over two pounds....I dont want a boat anchor on my 7 pound rifle

Why not? Works fine. I've got a ZCO, 9" suppressor and Atlas bipod on my 7 lb rifle.

 

[WKR]

Why not? Works fine. I've got a ZCO, 9" suppressor and Atlas bipod on my 7 lb rifle.

I dunno man, I feel like it would throw the balance off. And I'd like to be right around 9.5-10 pounds finished weight. I've been lugging around a long and heavy rifle for too long and I want something more handy.

 

[Lawnboi]

I have noticed that my nx8 does not handle parralax and mirage well in a dynamic setting. Iv gotten to look through alot of glass in matches, and wish I had the coin for a new scope.

 

[SDHNTR]

I have noticed that my nx8 does not handle parralax and mirage well in a dynamic setting. Iv gotten to look through alot of glass in matches, and wish I had the coin for a new scope.

What would you get? People say that’s where a March shines and I just don’t see it. Or at least still struggle with it.

 

[Lawnboi]

What would you get? People say that’s where a March shines and I just don’t see it. Or at least still struggle with it.

I’m not sure. Price is a big factor from me and I’m fortunate to pay what I have for my nx8s.

On a hunting gun I don’t plan on swapping scopes. On my game gun I have wanted to for a few years.

I’m thinking of trying a 7-35 atacr or a zco, but that’s going to be a while.

For hunting I’d like to try a 42mm atacr but again that’s a good chunk to replace scopes that are working adequately.

Can only shoot so many rifles at once.

 

[SDHNTR]

I’m not sure. Price is a big factor from me and I’m fortunate to pay what I have for my nx8s.

On a hunting gun I don’t plan on swapping scopes. On my game gun I have wanted to for a few years.

I’m thinking of trying a 7-35 atacr or a zco, but that’s going to be a while.

For hunting I’d like to try a 42mm atacr but again that’s a good chunk to replace scopes that are working adequately.

Can only shoot so many rifles at once.

Ain’t that the truth! And I echo the same sentiments on a few of my guns. I’ll change when perfect arrives.