Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Leupold VX-3 vs Night Force 2-10x42

Could you explain these comment in more technical terms? Especially micron tolerances in optics, and the difference between contrast and resolution. What trade off parameter in manufacturing does this impact? Feel free to be technical, I teach this stuff at one of the largest material engineering schools in the country, and I am not clear on your point. Thanks.

This is very true regarding brand preference and I remember JB/MD citing a parallel story but using wine tasting connoisseurs. Folks see what they want to see to an extent and are constantly chasing barely measurable differences as evidenced right here in out own classified's section. When Swarovski comes out with a new bino, you can see the list starting to form with the sale of practically brand new SLC's, then SLC NEU's, SLC HD's, Swarovisions over standard EL's (they do have a different view, but the point being both are superb) and so forth.

I remember when Steiner first came out with their Predator lens coatings which have very high contrast with regard to " game colors". You didn't need any training or expertise to see the difference between those lense coating formulations and standard broad band coatings. They were the first bino's, to my knowledge, that were designed specifically for hunters and not birders. They also made a riflescope with the same coating technology and code named "inferred " coatings. The scopes were called Penetrator's and they used to have a promo video of a guy driving tent stakes with the scope and then remounting them on a rifle.

Here is an over exaggerated example of "contrast" with regard to what Steiner does with their game sensing lenses. Simply put, they tweak the coatings so that the colors red/brown are more pronounced than greens and blues. Resolution is simply how sharp the image is.

I just got this NF not too long ago. Very happy with it so far.

Uh Oh, what happened? This too has become my preferred hunting scope, love the Rapid Z-600 reticle and the 300 m parallax setting, but your report suggests its failure rate may be a problem.

WRT glass quality/performance in a big game hunting sight, I don't stress too much about it either. Most glass is pretty good these days. IMO, a 0-600 yard capable reticle, adequate eye-relief, ability to hold zero over time/travel/recoil, and appropriate parallax calibration/adjustment are more important.

Let's see a pic through the scope

Just having to send things in for repair. Even though it comes back fixed, a guy shouldn't have to do that. I have had one particular product line from Leupold that seems to want to return home frequently; the VX3's and Variable Mark 4's with the 30mm tubes. The Mark 4 M5 A2 is simply the best scope I or anyone I know has ever seen, on the other hand.

I realize that all scopes break or fail regardless of the brand, but the 30mm tube offerings from Leupold seem to be prone to this for some reason.

My VX2's have never been back to Leupold and function flawlessly. I've actually used them in Tac Matches, constantly dialing too.

I will add that since you can buy 2 and a half VX3's for the cost of one of the Nightforce scopes in question, I'd go Leupold.

Outstanding information, which provides a lot of insight. The last NXS 5.5-22x56 I bought, a friend and I put side by side with his S&B. Both of us were surprised the NXS allowed us to read the writing on paper targets at 100 and 200 yards, which the S&B did not at identical magnifications.

To the OP, I've had both. The VXIII is lighter and less expensive. The NF is better in every other aspect and dramatically more so.

The only Leupold I still own is a fixed 4x on a 22.

Can you say Confused? Lol - after ALL that praise on NF,after much Leupy praise with JG, RC has to throw that in there

Seriously, all VERY good info, it reinforces my confidence in NF should I acquire the funds, but by there, yes a 4-16 on the same platform might just be the straw that breaks my wallet...

As to my mention of mixed reviews on NF glass, I simply googled said scope model in question, and read many reviews on various sites. Some were so disappointed overall they sold or returned the scope for refund, others happy or on the fence to be determined.

I can GET what Contrast is, former Swaro had great contrast, no issues with Rez either. I like both, but can understand perhaps it's a balancing act. In Bino's you want contrast as you are looking at colors, shadows, game, yet you need Rez too which you seem to get both in the alpha line of Leica and Swaro - to my eyes.

That brings up another point, individual eyesight, age of those eyes affect use of exit pupil as we know, and overall simply expectations.

If I pay 3 fold for a product - I darned sure expect to be very impressed, which is why I wanted to open this thread. It IS conceiveable that early production of ANY new product causes a mfg. to quickly assess any issues and correct. Could that have been the case in the launch of this new NF? Perhaps. If so was it due to glass specs....or assembly line issues, I have no clue. Again, not enough info to know.

All the above feedback to me gives a good sampling of info on both models. Thankfully, one always has a lifetime warranty on Leupold if/when things do go wrong. That is no justification for any shortcuts in quality, but is nice to know it is backing your invested dollars....

Btw, about that M3 MK 4 10x, anyone compare that to an S&B 10x?

The best warranty and customer service is to engineer it right, build it right, and quality check it before it goes out the door so that it does not have to go back. A lifetime warranty is worthless if you are on the hunt of a lifetime, or the deer of your dreams.

I still have my very first NF, which is the one that bounces between new rifles to check them, has been bounced around for years on more rounds and rifles than I can count, and has been hunting through temps over 100F+ to -25F and everything in between. It was retrofitted with a zero stop and reticle change, other than that, I've never sent a scope back to NF for anything.

Leupold, no comment, other than I've bought my last one. Every time I decide to try them again, I end up kicking myself and end up buying another NF to replace it.

fwiw on usage, My scopes are zeroed for 100 yards, and I dial elevation for almost every shot, so that I can hold dead on, and then I hold for wind and lead as needed.

I'll be the first to admit that if I start having trouble with the VX's, I'll try something else. I'm not the least bit interested in 2.5-3lb hunting scopes though in any case. I'm also one of those who thinks a guy should get whatever he wants to get, for any reason he wants. Matters not to me. I will say though I'm always skeptical of all these Leupy failure threads, primarily because I've used them off and on for over 40 years, much more so lately, and due to the fact that I've had probably 80 or so hunters show up in muley camp, aoudad camp, whitetail camp, or antelope camp with various rifles topped with Leupy scopes, and not one of them has had any failures. Many of these guys can afford anything they want and hunt all over the world. I make it a point to ask each and every one of them, every time about their equipment. Now I'm not going to say it can't and won't happen, but IME I haven't seen it yet.

You have to separate the tactical use with regular hunting use though to decide what you want. I also do not like schitttt hanging off my reticles for hunting, when a regular duplex or #4 will do 98% of anything you want to do in the field.

Maybe they should package the VX-3's with one free return authorization ticket as it seems likely that they'll need to tighten up all the internal parts that they miss with their first trip through the "quality control" line.......... For whatever reason, Leupold seems to get a pass on schitty quality control from their loyal fan base whereas most other brands get a rant thread with a solemn promise to never purchase another product from said company.

Interesting...

http://nightforceoptics.com/shv/3-10x42

And for you FFP guys:

http://nightforceoptics.com/atacr/4-16x42-f1

That would be the perfect hunting scope if they'd:

1) Get rid of the side focus (just not needed on a 10X hunting scope)

2) Put a decent hunting reticle in it like a German #4. The MOAR is cute for range work, I have one in a 8-32 NXS, but it's far too fine for a hunting rifle and overly complicated.

3) Get rid of the illumination, it's a gimmick in a hunting scope and not needed if you've got a good bold reticle like a German #4

4) Knock about 6 oz. off of it which actually is probably doable if you get rid of the side focus and illumination, at least they could probably get close.

I'm actually a big nightforce fan, all scopes should be built as reliably as they are. They're moving in the right direction in the hunting market but still need to figure out how to shave some weight without sacrificing reliability and get rid of some useless features while retaining the important stuff like zero stops, etc. They need to go talk to the Krauts about how to make a proper hunting reticle for low light instead of the illuminated christmas tree stuff.

My google research has only been able to turn up a single thread at SH with a bad review, and it was only one person in the thread. There is not much "smoke" out there.

You need to look through one for yourself. You will not be disappointed. Eurooptics has a return policy which I have discussed with them. They have no problem with you taking the scope out of the box, looking through it, and sending it back if you are not satisfied (as long as it hasn't been mounted). Nothing stopping you.

No comparison... S&B is more scope than the MK 4 could ever be... Matching reticle and turrets, Glass quality, Robustness, Tracking and return to zero all go the S&B...

The MK 4 with its MOA turret allows quicker adjustment for longer range shooting but lacks the precision being its 1 MOA per click... Glass quality is par for the Leupy Genera... Adjustments are not as crisp... Lack of reticle/turret match is problematic for some... Side parallax is touchy... I do like the TMR reticle vs the MilDot... Its a great optic but has its place...

I've not had a bad Leupie, ever. But then again, I don't dial, ever.

No zero stop. No decent hunting reticle. Side focus on a 10X scope. 20.8 ozs.

I'm for making it illegal to build a scope with a elevation turret without a zero stop.



I like the feature set on this one but holy cow!!!, 30 ozs?

A friend has a 5-25 ATACR and the glass is great, I'm sure this is the same.

It looks like a great scope but at almost 2 lbs. that rules it out for any hunting rifle use for me. The lack of good hunting reticles still remains.