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

Serious - and I know NF owners are proud of their scopes

Owners of the VX-3 with CDS and/or M1s -

1. Any tracking issues?
2. Failures of any kind?

I ask this as it was long awaited for NF fans to have a 42mm version in this zoom range, I see Pros/Cons.

Con on the NF I see:
Price, weight, and reviews of less than expected glass quality.

I know the NF has a bullet proof reputation, but sell me on the value of a NF for 3x the price of a VX-3.

Looking for fact based info from experienced owners, not looking to pick an argument, just have a logic based discussion. Thanks in advance.

All of my VX3's (3.5-10) and FX3's have been great. I don't shoot as much as Stick and others, but I burn my share of powder, and all of them have been rock solid.
Never owned a NF, so can't comment

I've got 4 of the CDS Leupy's, 2 of them VX3's, and my buddy has a couple, and another buddy has another couple. Over the past 3 years we've had zero issues with tracking, repeatability, or anything else. Can't speak for my friends, but my two VX3 CDS scopes have had about 500 rounds through them combined. If I were a tactical dude (which I'm not), and my desire was to spin the ever loving' pizza out of my turrets every day, then I'd probably go NF. As a regular hunting type, I'm not sure you will find a better hunting scope than the VX3, unless it's a VX6!

I know this isn't exactly what you're referring to, but I've had two 50+MM NF's side by side with my VX6 for 3-4 days at a time, and the VX6 was superior optically in both cases. I could dial out to 900 and everywhere in between zero (200) many times, doing everything the NF did.

Thanks for the input guys. JG, I don't shoot Tacticool matches so it sounds like I have no worries with tracking. Those who do, and have issues with Leupy's may well do a lot more turret cranking on an annual basis. The VX-6's seem to have a good reputation. I never needed more zoom range than say a 3 but nice to know Leupy is holding it's own with current offerings given it's price point advantage.

I was contemplating a 2-10 (CDS/M1 ele) or 4-14 (30mm LR w/CDS or M1) - the former has many happy users overall, the latter mixed due to FOV it seems. I still may run a fixed 6x but if I want to do some LR Gongs or hunting, esp varmints, the 10 or 14 might be handy.

JG - what ranges, target size/game, and model VX-3 are you running for those? Thanks again.

What's the difference in price? Hate to say it but Leupold broke my heart. I'd look at the Nightforce...

IIRC a VX-3 CDS/M1 can be had for around 450-500, and a NF 1350+

My setups are as follows:

Tikka 7mm08, 2810fps, 140 AB's, 3.5-10x40 VX3, 200 yd zero, can get out to 625yds. I've shotloads of aoudad (acutally my son has), mule deer, whitetails, and a few hogs out to 480 yds, countless 8-10" gongs and rocks out to the 625.

Nosler 48 7mm08, 2835fps, 140AB's, 3.5-10x40 VX5, 200 yd zero, gets maxed out at 650yds. Same sized targets, as I try to stick to shooting vital sized targets. Only killed one deer so far with it at 200'ish.

Hill Country Rifles 7mmRM, 3-18x44 VX6 150 BST's, 3175fps, 200 yd zero, maxes out at 930yds. Killed several mule deer with it, and vital sized targets numerous times. The previous scope on this rifle was the 4.5-14x50 VX3LR CDS w/SF. Same setup, would max out at 775 (IIRC)due to 15MOA per turn w/ zero stop. I also have a custom dial for 160gr AB's for this rifle and scope.

Tikka 695 7mm RM, 2-12x42 VX6 CDS, 160 AB's @ 3050fps. 200yd zero, maxes out at 900 yds. Same targets as above, African game, several mule deer bucks, and an absolute crapload of aoudad culls.

I'm not good enough to dope 20-30mph inconsistent winds, but when the wind does cooperate, using these CDS dials is like cheating with these hunting rifles.

Hope that helps some.

Rick what happened?

IMO the Leupold line of scopes are fine for the average hunter/shooter... Once a guy starts to push the product failure is imminent... I used to be a Leupy guy at one time... Its what I learned on and used primarily... The leupys of old were solid but leupys as of late are lacking in all realms... I can not seem to keep a variable leupy together no matter the genera.... Tracking reliability, internal malfunctions/failures, reticle issues, ability to hold zero, etc... All makes, not just the VX... The tactical line appears to be no better...

I'm not a fan boy of any product/manufacturer... I am a fan of reliability, repeatability, robustness and a product that flat out works when called on... So far NightForce has done that... The things just work and work... Are they indestructible...Hell no they're not... I've had 2 failures thus far with them... One I dropped on the elevation turret and it locked up, the other just recently on a 2.5-10x32 compact that appeared to have moisture/condensation in the tube... This compact has been on 3 rifles... All 308's... the last rifle was/is a truck/atv rifle... Never comes inside, rides the truck or the atv, gets hosed off once or twice a year... This rifle has right at 8,000 rounds via that scope and I would guess the scope has seen 20-25,000 rounds total...

The only Leupold I have owned that has never went back to repair was a 10x M3 MK 4... I've owned 13 Leupy's that were all 30mm Tubes, variable and fixed in Vari-X III, VX-III and Mark 4 models... I now own one... a Fixed 10x MK 4...

I currently have 16 NF scopes with one on order and will purchase 2 more after the Mule deer hunts in January...I will continue to use NF until something comes along that does the job better...

IMO a VX-3 will only trump a NightForce in price... In all other areas there is NO comparison... You get what you pay for and I'll gladly pay the price for what I look for in an Optic... YMMV...

EHG.....Is the 2.5-10x32 your favorite on a hunting-weight rifle?? What reticle is your favorite for all/any hunting situation that may arise when hunting deer-size game??

ETA: Thanks for the insight. I'm even more tempted now.

2fiddy7... I wouldn't say my favorite but it does work extremely well... I've been changing over to the 42... The 32 is a great choice but I see the 42 catching more light and extending my shooting time... I'm a mil/mrad guy so I've been running the Mil-R reticle with mrad turrets as of late... I have that in both 32 and 42 compacts... I'm also a fan of the velocity reticle on rifles that are set where I want them and don't plan on changing... No bullshit dead on holds out to 600 ain't a bad thing... Again these are only on rifles that I will not change load, location, etc on... ie: 338-06 AI running 210 TTSX... The medium velocity matches this rifle perfect at my elev. and the load shoots so well I'll never change from it...

I've run the MOAR version and see no problems with them either... I've heard complaints of the reticle being to fine but have never experienced this personally...

I'm not a big fan of the illumination on the 42 yet... I dig the adj. parallax but am undecided on the push button illumination...

Now if NF would make a 4-16x42 FFP, zero stop elev, capped windage and old illumination with adj. parallax, I'd maybe have found my perfect scope for hunting...

Well..... Check PM's...... grin

Preach it! Is something in the works Formid?

I've used or seen used 10-12 VX3 with turrets, CDS/M1's, and dozens of Mk4 variables (which are functionally identical) in the last year from out of the box to at least 500 rounds. Around 15-20% were not functional out of the box. I.e.- unable to zero or adjustments so bad that they couldn't be used. Around 30-40% failed within 500-1,000 rounds. No abuse, just zeroing and shooting.


Pros of VX3-

1) Price
2) Weight


Cons of VX3-

1) High rate of loss of zero
2) High rate of incorrect adjustments
3) High rate of inability to return to zero





Pros of NF Compact-

1) Lowest failure rate in the business
2) One of the, if not the, most durable scopes made
3) Consistently near perfect adjustments
4) Untouchable zero retention
5) They just work


Cons of NF Compact-

1) Price





As EHG stated, Leupold Mark 4 fixed powers are excellent scopes. Unfortunately they are fixed high power MOA/mil scopes priced well outside their competition. If Leupold would do what several entities have asked and build a variable with the construction and quality of the Mark 4 Fixed powers, they'd have something.




As far as glass goes, it's a non starter. First off, no ones eyes are as calibrated as they think they are. Second, brand bias and general emotions play WAY more into "evaluations" of glass than anyone will admit. Thirdly, every major company knows exactly how their competitors match up by measuring them. The differance a between quality glass is measured in nanometers and microns. Every single lens has a prescription and it is measured.

Manufacturers make a balance between contrast and resolution with every scopes. Contrast being the "pop" that you see when looking through really good glass, and resolution being the ability to resolve fine details. Contrast and resolution are constantly at odds with each other. To get one you give up the other to an extent. Nightforce historically has lacked the "pop" of other Alpha glass because they put more into resolution than into contrast. That's what you're hearing when people "complain" about NF glass. It's not that it's not excellent, it is, it's just that it doesn't have the visual "pop" that people look for when they don't know what they are looking at.

Having said that the 2.5-10x42mm and especially the ATACR and BEAST have world class glass that is as good as anyone's.

Where is that coming from? I've not read it. To my eyes the glass on the 42mm is excellent, much better than the VX3.

Have had two VX3's refuse to hold zero on my 300RUM....NF NSX 3.5-15 fixed the issue

Still run Leups on my 243's and varmint rigs but lost faith on the bigger stuff

I have read this foolishness a lot. The Nightforce glass is in a league above the Swarovski z5 glass, based on side by side comparisons.

I don't scrutinize over glass much, as long as its in the ballpark I call it good, but I've compared the NF 42mm head to head with the Zeiss HD5 (which is better than the VX3) and the NF gets the edge.

Hardy "Amen" from the 24HCF member in the back row!!! Include decent eye relief of about 3.7" to 4.0" (unlike the F1), a good reticle (subjective I know), sufficient tube length of 30mm diameter to mount on a long action, with reasonable mass and I'll be dancing in the aisles.

I've read some people complaining here on the fire about the NF image not stacking up against some of the competitors. I can only say that Clint's NF 2-10x42 has better glass than my 2-10 HD 5. My HD5 with the Rapid Z 600 was my preferred scope... Right up to the point it failed me... The LRHS is riding my .308 now. It works well. My only wishes are for a little coarser reticle and a bit less weight.

All things considered, I'm thinking the 2-10x42 NF might be the pinnacle of long range hunting scopes. NF reliability, reasonable weight given that reliability and great glass too. That's a hard combination to find at ANY price.

John