Ultimate Lightweight Western Hunting Riflescope Advise

[denverangler725]

I’m looking for the best lightweight riflescope for Western hunting, and I’d appreciate some input from those with experience. My key requirements are:

• Holds zero consistently
• Excellent tracking
• Drop tested and durable
• Lightweight (under 24 oz max, ~20 oz ideal)
• MIL reticle
• 15x max zoom (less is okay, 10x minimum)
• 42mm objective lens

So far, my top contenders are:

1. Nightforce NXS 2.5–10x42
2. Trijicon Credo 2.5–15x42
3. SWFA SS 3–15x42 30mm MQ Gen 2

Questions for the group:

• Which of these scopes best balances durability, weight, and performance for Western hunting?
• Am I overlooking any strong alternatives in this category?

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

 

[IDElkmagnet]

I have no personal experience with it but it looks like the credo checks the most of your boxes.

 

[hunting1]

I am going NF NXS.

 

[Samson7x]

I have #1 and love it, would purchase again without hesitation. I'd pick #2 as my alternate.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Only the swfa is ffp, so that's the one to get.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

Trijicon credo is really good.

 

[IDElkmagnet]

What's the weight of the swfa?

 

[denverangler725]

What's the weight of the swfa?

Its listed online as 22.7oz but I have seen some reviews state it comes in 1-2oz heaver

 

[ChrisAU]

I get it, but the Maven RS1.2 is so much nicer than all of those. Save a couple oz elsewhere.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I get it, but the Maven RS1.2 is so much nicer than all of those. Save a couple oz elsewhere.

The company is just shit. They make one scope that passes a drop test and rokslide goes nuts. None of their other scopes can pass which means durability doesnt mean anything to them long term - blind squirrel finding a nut. Trijicon, SWFA, and Nightforce all consistently put forward scopes that pass the tests because they understand durability and reliability are important. Give those companies your money, not Maven.

 

[ChrisAU]

The company is just shit. They make one scope that passes a drop test and rokslide goes nuts. None of their other scopes can pass which means durability doesnt mean anything to them long term - blind squirrel finding a nut. Trijicon, SWFA, and Nightforce all consistently put forward scopes that pass the tests because they understand durability and reliability are important. Give those companies your money, not Maven.

Well they also made the only one with a reticle worth a damn for hunting that isn’t a 1990 design in all other regards. FFP, capped windage, zero stop, and a usable reticle really narrows the field down fast. I’ve had every scope OP listed. Killed a lot of stuff with the 2.5-10 NXS, created a super long thread on here reviewing the 2.5-15 Credo where I killed a lot of stuff with it, and the one 3-15 SWFA I had was DOA and went back to SWFA as the reticle physically moved with parallax adjustment which they acknowledged was a known issue at the time. I’ve killed a lot of stuff with the SWFA 3-9 as well. I don’t like any of those near as much as I like the combination of the feature set of the Maven and the reticle combined with its durability. I don’t give two sh*ts what their other products are like, I don’t use them.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

The maven is so heavy you are only two ounces away from an NX8.

 

[Ajsomp]

The 3-15 Swfa is probably the pick on that list (for me) because it’s the only FFP mil:mil scope.

Love some NF, wish they listened a little more to some hunters to make an NXS like optic with a good reticle in FFP.

You said min 10x, but the Swfa 6x is pretty darn good. Sold out at the moment for the gen 2, but I really like it.

For reference - I’ve owned almost every manufacturer. For hunting guns - the 6x filtered to the top. I ran a 6x and a maven rs1.2 last season. Ended up getting the Swfa 6x gen 2 when they hit the market.

 

[ChrisAU]

The maven is so heavy you are only two ounces away from an NX8.

Which also don’t have great hunting reticles. I’ve had 2.5-20’s and 4-32’s. Trust me, I wish NF would make a hunting focused svelt scope. I’d lap them up!

 

[denverangler725]

Well they also made the only one with a reticle worth a damn for hunting that isn’t a 1990 design in all other regards. FFP, capped windage, zero stop, and a usable reticle really narrows the field down fast. I’ve had every scope OP listed. Killed a lot of stuff with the 2.5-10 NXS, created a super long thread on here reviewing the 2.5-15 Credo where I killed a lot of stuff with it, and the one 3-15 SWFA I had was DOA and went back to SWFA as the reticle physically moved with parallax adjustment which they acknowledged was a known issue at the time. I’ve killed a lot of stuff with the SWFA 3-9 as well. I don’t like any of those near as much as I like the combination of the feature set of the Maven and the reticle combined with its durability. I don’t give two sh*ts what their other products are like, I don’t use them.

Let's say I didn't go with the Maven, which of the other 3 (SWFA, NXS, Credo) would you say is best? Can you rank them? Give me a breakdown?

 

[ChrisAU]

Let's say I didn't go with the Maven, which of the other 3 (SWFA, NXS, Credo) would you say is best? Can you rank them? Give me a breakdown?

They all have weaknesses and if the Maven was out I’d probably use an NX8 or a Trijicon 3-18 before any of them. If you made me choose, SWFA. I like for my wind holds to be true at any magnification, and the reticle is usable in low light at low magnification. The Credo 2.5-15 requires illumination in low light at any magnification (since it’s SFP), it is thin. The NXS is a great scope. However, I’d get the SWFA 3-9 over the 3-15.

 

[Balderdash]

#3 for me.

 

[IDElkmagnet]

The more i think about it SFP isn't an issue on a 2.5 x 10 in real hunting conditions if I have to do much of a windhold it's a shot over 300 yards and and I can shoot that on 10 in every situation I can think of.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

Which also don’t have great hunting reticles. I’ve had 2.5-20’s and 4-32’s. Trust me, I wish NF would make a hunting focused svelt scope. I’d lap them up!

Weird, I have killed a bunch of animals with them…