Scope for my sheep hunt

[Mark at EXO]

I run a vx5hd 3-15, And have dialed out to 650 with it and returns to zero every time. Don’t think you can go wrong with the nightforce. But I haven’t had any issues with my Leupolds tracking either. I would personally dial out to 4-500 yards with the Leupold a dozen times at the range or so and see what it does. If it returns to zero I’d keep rocking the leupold.

I have dialed VX5s a lot as well. That isn’t (always) their problem. I have seen several of them loose zero not from dialing, but from things as simple as traveling (plane, vehicle) or minor falls in the field.

They tend to work…until they don’t.

Not bashing them at all, as I really like a lot of things about them, but I just wouldn’t trust one for hard mountain hunts (and high cost hunts), such as sheep hunts.

 

[BAKPAKR]

I would be fine with a 2.5-10 NF on a sheep rifle. On my sheep hunt, I dry-fired at a ram at 630+ yards with my 3-9X SWFA and I didn’t see the need for more magnification. I ended up passing on the first day what I would have shot on the last. Luckily, I was able to get a better ram at a little over 400 yards a month later. That is despite not having all of the fingernail polish and tape @Formidilosus uses on my scope and rings.

 

[JordanM]

To counter what Sunset said, I almost had a black bear hunt in AK spoiled by a broken VX5-HD. Yes it was on a 375H&H but had I not used Kentucky windage on my second shot I would have been bearless. We spend a lot of money and time doing this, and the security NF gives us worth it to me. I think when Mark @Exo had the NF guys on the podcast they said they drop test all of their scopes before they leave the factory (could have been the Avery podcast I forget). The NF guys said their scopes still have issues now and again but the drop testing mitigates a lot of issues. After that bear hunt we went back and shot the rifle and sure enough it was a shotgun at 100yds and all over the place. Leupold fixed it for free, but it did still cost my dad a bear as we hadn’t discovered it was broken after I shot mine and they just thought I pulled the first shot. I have zero affiliation with NF outside of giving them a boat load of money replacing all of my Leupold scopes.

 

[Sunset606]

I really like my nxs 2.5-10x42. I've had too many leupolds fail on me to trust them. I've also had some vortex fail. So I started spending more money on optics and mounts and can't see going back. Especially if you have such a big commitment for a hunt.

 

[Snyd]

At some point too much is too much.Too much magnifcaction too much wiggle. I've killed several rams with my lowly ol' Leupold VXIII 2.5-8x36 on my Kimber 325wsm. Last Ram was with a 4X Leupold on my FA 454 pistol.

 

[Lightfoot1976]

At some point too much is too much.Too much magnifcaction too much wiggle. I've killed several rams with my lowly ol' Leupold VXIII 2.5-8x36 on my Kimber 325wsm. Last Ram was with a 4X Leupold on my FA 454 pistol.

Ha that's awesome, I thought i was the only one crazy enough to hunt sheep with a FA 454. Shot my ram at 25 yards. Well done sr.

 

[Snyd]

Ha that's awesome, I thought i was the only one crazy enough to hunt sheep with a FA 454. Shot my ram at 25 yards. Well done sr.

SWEET!! Lets hear about that hunt! Perhaps in its own thread.

 

[WashedUp1775]

Took my first sheep with that exact scope mounted on a 6.5CM Barrett Filedcraft. Plenty of scope, rock solid tough, light weight. Perfect scope in my humble opinion.

 

[WRO]

If you have a grizzly encounter, which is common on any sheep hunt in Canada or Alaska, you will want the 2.5 low end vs the 4

How common? I’ve had a lot of bear encounters and never a DLP situation..


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[mod7rem]

I’ve owned 4 models of NXS 2.5-10 scopes with different features. Two of them were 42mm and two were 32mm. I definitely preferred the 32mm and I think it’s a great hunting scope if you can find a used one with the features you want. I found the parallax control on the 42mm had very limited range and usefulness.
The 32mm would be a great choice for a lightweight sheep rifle.

 

[PlumberED]

I’ve owned 4 models of NXS 2.5-10 scopes with different features. Two of them were 42mm and two were 32mm. I definitely preferred the 32mm and I think it’s a great hunting scope if you can find a used one with the features you want. I found the parallax control on the 42mm had very limited range and usefulness.
The 32mm would be a great choice for a lightweight sheep rifle.

I am genuinely curious, can you please explain how the parallax control has limited range and usefulness.

 

[mod7rem]

I am genuinely curious, can you please explain how the parallax control has limited range and usefulness.

The adjustment range was really limited. I could correct parallax from roughly 15 yds to 200 yds. After 200 yds the parallax just got worse and no adjustment left.
I sent it in to NF and asked if something was wrong, or if that limited range could be moved to cover maybe 200 yds to 400 yds. I don’t need to adjust down to 15 yds.
They adjusted it but it didn’t make much difference. The second and newer 42mm I bought was exactly the same. I assumed a function of the short body design with 42mm objective.

My 32mm scopes had very little noticeable parallax out to almost 500 yds.

I don’t have them anymore. I started using SWFA and 3-12x Bushnell LRHS. All I use now is the LRHS but they’re definitely not as compact as the 2.5-10x NXS, so not a fair comparison.

 

[wind gypsy]

The adjustment range was really limited. I could correct parallax from roughly 15 yds to 200 yds. After 200 yds the parallax just got worse and no adjustment left.
I sent it in to NF and asked if something was wrong, or if that limited range could be moved to cover maybe 200 yds to 400 yds. I don’t need to adjust down to 15 yds.
They adjusted it but it didn’t make much difference. The second and newer 42mm I bought was exactly the same. I assumed a function of the short body design with 42mm objective.

My 32mm scopes had very little noticeable parallax out to almost 500 yds.

I don’t have them anymore. I started using SWFA and 3-12x Bushnell LRHS. All I use now is the LRHS but they’re definitely not as compact as the 2.5-10x NXS, so not a fair comparison.

The one NXS Compact 42mm i owned was the same. Other than at the extreme close range, i could adjust the shit out of it and not detect anything changing.

 

[PlumberED]

NF 2.5-10 is awesome if you’re okay with SFP and the reticle choices. My experience was the glass wasn’t great compared to even the NX8 (which has its own trade offs, too) — but it was definitely serviceable. I hunt a lot of dense hardwoods before/after sunrise/sunset and mostly noticed it there. Again, still totally serviceable — about on par with the SWFA 3-9

The SB 3-12 is another good one. Better glass, slightly less rugged (but still good), better reticle, and better top end mag.

I was wondering how they performed in low light, here in Maryland you get a lot of action an 1/2 before sunrise and an 1/2 hour after sunset. I gonna install one my Tikka this year and give it a try.