Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Leupold or Nightforce

8-32 is going to be my next one, for my 338 RUM and the 5.5-22 will go on the 280 AI.

Tom-

I bet a Nightforce would work good on, say, a M700 Tactical XCR in oh, say, 300 Win Mag.... grin...

Thank you!

Hey Jeff!

It's possible I reckon. Not real likely, but possible. I'm going to run some test loads through it and see what sort of accuracy I get, then match optics to its ability. I've got all the scope I need for that, my old 1995-vintage Leupold 4.5-14X has given inch or better groups out to 300 yards on several other guns in the past. I have to get the sense when shooting that the optics are the limiting factor before I'll consider going to significantly bigger glass.

Tom

That is WAY too rational, Tom!

What can I say, I was tired .. not paying attention .. it just slipped out! I'll be more careful next time, don't want to ruin my hard-earned reputation!

I have one of the Nightforce 12X42X56 BR scopes and it's a quality scope and I think a step above the Leupold's, I think the adjustments are more true than the leupold's. The scopes are huge and extremely heavy scopes but on a bench or competition gun I think there hard to beat. The bright illuminated reticule's help out the older eye's !!!

The Benchrest scopes are dramatically less expensive than the NSX scopes and the street price is about 275.00 more than the Leupold, I think it's well worth it.

Dino

Dino -

How is the eye relief on the BR versions relative to the NXS? I sort of vaguely remember / imagine remembering that the BR scopes have signficantly less? Right or wrong? What other differences are there between them?

Tom

i have owned the NF 5.5-22 NXS and traded it for the NF 3.5-15 NXS, both mil/mil. for a long range heavy, they rate among the best.

here is a pic of one from the sand box. it took an AK bullet through the tube, but still functioned for a day or so until it could be replaced. they just taped over the hole.



that said, i also run some MK4s. good scopes also. i prefer the Leupold TMR retical over all others. the NF is available with zero stops though.

Tom

I have mine mounted on a Tubb 2000 and I think the eye relief is better than my 8.5-25 Leupold. I find its easier and quicker to get on target with the Nightforce. I don't notice a big difference between the NXS and the BR scopes as far as eye relief goes, although on paper I believe the NXS has more relief and my eyes are 45 yrs old. If you end up buying a BR scope and you want to shoot out to 1000 yards the Nightforce Uni-mount it will give you 20MOA more which will help you adjust out. The NSX scopes have more MOA built in than the BR's.

Dino

I dunno crap about tactical gear but if I were gonna start twirling a twisting turrets on a regular basis,I'm with Dino...they can sell me a Nightforce or S&B;but not much else.JMHO coming from someone who knows nothin.....

Please continue........

The only problem with this scope is that it has HALF the elevation ajustment of a 8.5x25 Leupold. good scope but not very versatile for long range work.
RC828

Compare like scope (apples to apples) The 5.5X22 Leupy is compareable to the Leupy 8.5X25. The NSX 5.5X22 has 100 Minutes of adjustment much more than any Leupy

The Leupy has 94 MOA that I dont think is "Much more", but the 12x42BR has only 50 MOA and that in my book is MUCH LESS.

Again comparing a 12X42 to a Leupy 8.5X25 is comparing apples to oranges, if we're going to do that then the NXS 3.5X15 has 110 Minutes of adjustments

According to Leupolds web site the 8.5X25 has only 70 Minutes of adjustments while the NXS 5.5X22 has 100 minutes that's 30 minutes more for the Nightforce





The Leupold� Index Matched Lens System� delivers superior resolution from edge to edge of the visual field � even at 25x � along with peak image brightness and optimal contrast.
Side focus parallax adjustment for fast, easy parallax focusing from 75 yards to infinity, from any shooting position.
M1 windage and elevation adjustment dials with audible, tactile �-MOA clicks.
70-MOA each of windage and elevation adjustment range.
The reticle magnifies the reticle along with the image, so you can estimate range at any magnification setting.
Available with the Mil Dot or Tactical Milling Reticle� (TMR�).
These reticles are ideal in tactical situations, but also provide greater accuracy of range estimation for hunters and target shooters.
The 30mm maintube offers incredible strength and allows for the greater range of windage and elevation adjustment.
Flip-open lens covers are standard issue with the Mark 4� ER/T� riflescope.
Durable, subdued matte black finish.
Rugged and absolutely waterproof, the ER/T is built to Leupold Mark 4 standards, and can withstand incredible abuse.
Specifications
Mark 4 8.5-25x50mm ER/T M1 Front FocalAvailable Reticles

Available Finishes


Length (A) 14.5 in
Tube Length (B) 6.5 in
(C) 2.6 in
(D) 2.4 in
Eyepiece Length (E) 3.2 in
Objective Length (F) 4.9 in
Objective Diameter (G) 2.3 in
Eyepiece Diameter (H) 1.7 in
Tube Diameter (I) 30 mm
Actual Magnification 25.1 (8.2)
FOV @ 100 yds (ft) 4.4 (11.2)
FOV @ 100 m (m) 1.4 (3.7)
Eye Relief (in) 3.7 (5.3)
Eye Relief (mm) 94 (135)
Obj. Clear Aperture 2.0 in / 51 mm
Weight 22.5 oz / 638 g
Elevation Adj. Range (MOA) 70
Windage Adj. Range (MOA) 70

All measurements are represented as high (low).


Accessories

Ordering Information
To make ordering any of these products easier, download the Product Ordering Chart (in PDF format), which includes the part number for each specific model.

Finding the ideal mount for this Leupold scope is easy. Download the Mount Fit Chart (in PDF format) to find all your mount options.




http://www.leupold.com/tactical/pro...s/mark-4-8-5-25x50mm-ert-m1-front-focal/

http://www.leupold.com/hunting-and-...opes/vx-3-8-5-25x50mm-long-range-target/

click on "specs". elevation and windage is listed at 94 moa.

The origional question was the Mark-4 scope, not the standard VX-3 LRT...

yea, but that's where rockchucker was getting the 94 moa.

personally the 3.5-15 is as much magnification as i ever want, and the 3.5-10 is not underpowered at 1K.

but each to their own.

Can't speak to the Leupy as I have never owned that model but I do own a Nightforce NXS 3.5-15x50.

Nightforce cons
- heavy at around 30 oz's
- bulky for packing around
-the illuminated reticle is a bi**h to adjust

Nightforce pro's
- great glass, very clear.
- very robustly constructed (I think this is where the weight comes from)
- the adjustments are the most precise and repeatable I've ever used.