Guys--I haven't hunted at west in the last 5 or 6 years due to some college tuition bills for my daughter. I'm ready to get back into elk and mule deer hunting out west. I have two rifles, a NIB Sako Tecomate in 300 WSM and my old elk slayer a Weatherby Mark V SS fluted barrel 300 Bee with a brake. I'm torn between the Nightforce SHV in 4x14x56 or the Leupold VX-6 3x18x44.

While I have killed elk at 512 and 401 yards with the Bee with a Vari X iii 3.5x10x40 I really don't want to shoot over 500 yards and hopefully under 250 yards. The last elk I killed in 2008 was 176 yards. I've looked at both scopes and like them both, cost is close and I'm not sure I need the Nightforce for the type of hunting I will be doing. Also, I'm a Leupold guy, I think the Leupold on the Bee has taken a chit after 4-500 rounds as the groups are opening up. I plan on buying new scopes for both rifles and want them to be the same. I'm also in the air on illuminated reticules. Other scope recommendations are welcome. Thanks in advance.

I have that 3-18 VX6 on a HCR 7RMag. It takes a back seat to nothing I've seen, including a couple of different NF scopes, IMO. Best eyebox in the business, I like simple duplex reticles, the CDS has been perfect with about 200 rounds through it so far (not a big twister personally, just casually).

Mine does have the Ill firedot duplex.

With that application, I'd go VX-6.

Target shooters seem to prefer Nightforce with its toughness and great tracking.

I think the VX-6 glass is better and the VX-6 is lighter and more streamlined. Hunters generally don't twist as much as target shooters, and my experience with VX-6 tracking has been great.

I also like the VX-6 duplex, thinking its the best out there for hunting. The VX-6 eyebox is the best I've used, and yes, I've used Nightforce.

IMO, others will have their opinions. That's mine.

DF

VX-6 without hesitation

If you can find a store carrying both scopes, hold them side by side, I think you'll know the one to pick.

Not sure where you would need to go to find both in stock.

DF

I just had a brain fart...

If you gave Doug your credit care number, I'd be suprised if he wouldn't send both scopes and give you some time to decide which one you wanted to keep. Seems like I remember hearing something about him doing that.

It may be hard to find a store carrying both. Give Cameraland a call or send a PM.

DF

I have the same scope and agree completely. Clearer than a NF in my opinion and a better hunting scope also IMO.

N I G H T F O R C E

When you find yourself rubbing the cat against the grain, turn the cat around...

DF

FYI some states do not allow illuminated reticles for hunting. B&C doesn't allow the electronic reticles, but does fiber optic IIRC either. May not matter to you.

FX3 6x42 LR reticle. Easy-peasy with a 300 Weatherby to 500; 600 if you need it.

I can hear the wailing of the lamentations...."but it's a fixed power !"

No problem.....really.

I'm in the 6x42 camp as well. Great hunting scope.

Elk are big critters and 6x is plenty for my half blind azz. Some, with eyeballs better than mine, utilize it to great effect on targets far, far smaller than elk at ranges far beyond 500 yards.

Even the 6x36 w/dots will work a long ways. Not far behind the 6x42 and some even like it better. powdr

What JG Raider said ...exactly.

I'll be selling a kidney to get a couple more ...

Thanks guys, I really appreciate the information. I think I'm going to go with a Leupold VX-6 3x18x44 on the Sako. When I have more money I will have to make a decision on the Weatherby.

NF NXS 2-10 would be tempting but there are no flies on the VX-6! Top shelf either way.

Personally, I'd go with the Leupold VX-6. I just don't see the NF, given it's weight, knobs, etc as a viable hunting scope for most folks.

The 44mm VX6 weighs 19 ounces, which is the exact same weight as the 42mm NF NXS.

If you like Leupold go with it. Rick C. was on here touting them and then his broke. I had a Mark 4 fail, and that was the last Leupold I bought except for a fixed 4x for a 22LR. All have been sold off except for the fixed 4x and all have been replaced with NF.

I've never had a single problem with a NF and one has many thousands of rounds under it from 7WSM, 308's, 300WM and 338LM's, including hunting.

The 2.5-10x42 NXS Compact is a very nice size, and very durable.

All of the praise for Leupold's customer service is misplaced in my opinion.

The best customer service is to design a product right, build it right, and quality check it before it goes out the door, so that it does not come back. That is excellent customer service.

When the deer of a lifetime is in front of me, I want the scope to work, not a customer service call.

Nightforce

They all have repair departments for a reason, including NF. The VX6 is a fantastic hunting scope. I've probably got 600 rounds shot using 2 different VX6's with zero issues. I've had them side by side with NF scopes that our hunters have brought into camp, and I just don't see the appeal on a hunting rig. To each his own though.

I'll admit though, if I were bound and determined to twist knobs repeatedly, quite often, hundreds upon hundreds of times per year, I'd likely go the NF route. On a big game hunting scope, personally, NF ain't even a consideration.

Excellent post.

Let's see. You are already experiencing the classic POI shift Leupold is famous for yet you're considering getting another. And installing it on a rifle with decent recoil energy. Well, OK...

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.

Albert Einstein

IIRC the VX-6 uses a leaf spring in the erector cell?

Vari-X III has a single leaf spring and the VX-3 and VX-6 have 2 leaf springs so you are not comparing apples with apples. Why do I want a scope on a rifle that weighs 11 ounces more then a VX-6 ? If you are Not twisting turrets and have a long action that can't use the NXS 2.5-10x42 which is the only NF similiar in dimensions.

+1

DF

VX-3 has the same POI shift issues.

No love for the Huskemaw Blue Diamond, 5-20X50

I've been talking with some people who use this scope, they claim it's great. Also, not as heavy as a NF

I have held one but, never used it in the field.

The Huskemaw boys at DSC claim their scopes are made side by side the NF scopes in Japan. Don't have a clue if that's true or not, but wouldn't be surprised if it is.

And the Sprint was made side by side with the Camaro..

The newer VX3s use two as well.

VX-6. And with the new wind plex reticle it lacks nothing.

I hear the same talk. I did look at one the other day. It looked like a nice scope. I did buy one, it should be in my hands tomorrow. Time will tell if it was a good purchase.
Now I'm waiting on my gunsmith to be done with my rifle.

The NF 2x10x42 with the right mounts will work on a LA.

I guess with a Picatinny rail, you can mount about anything.

Target shooter use them. To me, they're not very pretty and I don't want one for a sleek, hunting rifle.

Otherwise, you're into offset bases and/or rings, these options aren't as nice looking as std. rings, IMO. And with offsets, you're suddenly into higher rings.

DF

Yes, because looks are so much more improtant than scopes that work...

My business partner, not too P.C. being a Cajun, says that a pretty woman won't make any more money than an ugly one, and will be a lot easier on the eye. His staff reflects his hiring practice...

Now, they both gotta do the job or the choice is moot.

Down here, we may think a bit different...

Life's too short to hunt with an ugly gun, so why top it with an ugly scope...

Just saying.

DF

Looks good to me.

Yeah, that does look good.

If one was putting together a LW mountain type rifle, a FX-3 6x42 with M1 turret would be Fire Kosher...

In LW Talleys of course.

DF

May have missed it but school me.
What is different about the VX-3 vs VX-6 - or not re: tracking ?

Thanks

The new NF ATACR's have better glass than the older NF scopes, but they are aimed at the Tactical market, and not real cheap. Check out Europtics or Sports Optics for the NF ATACR prices.

4-16x42 ATACR F1 is my next scope purchase..Its a tank with its 34mm tube/30oz. But it will be a nice replacement for my 3.5-15x50 NXS, ATACR weighs the same but its a more compact scope.

I too have been looking at the 4x16x42 ATACR, but 30 oz's and your pretty much tied to a rail to get 34mm rings add in another 7+ oz's and that puts you over 2 +pounds of scope ,rail and rings, hard to justify that much weight, Talley needs too make some LW's!

Over two pounds of scope/mounts. That's a bit ridiculous IMO.

So is chasing your tail by using Leupold.

So in reality if you replace a Leupold 3.5x10x40 and Talley LW's with the setup I mentioned you will add 21oz's overall.......? is can you live with the extra 21 0z's

For a scope that works? yes

I still use a lot of Leupolds, but I'm done with them on rifles that I constantly dial in with and/or use for big game hunting.

If you want a scope that is bulletproof than the 21 oz trade off is just something to get use to and I agree I want the most dependable scope I can get, I wonder how much weight it would take to get a Leupy as dependable as a NF?

Hmm iron sights. Solid. Light
Really - a Lot of game has dropped w a variety of glass - other than NF

That's equivalent to saying that a lot of game has been dropped with rocks. It means nothing. Yes, lots of animals have been killed with rifles having Leupolds mounted. That's not in question.




Some companies build scopes to be as reliable and durable as irons, if not more so. Leupold is not one of those.

People seem to think their scope weighs 0 oz, and a Nightforce weighs 30 oz.

Pretty good attempt at comedy right there.

Now THIS is more like it!


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