Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting Need Long range s/a Varmint thumper help

I just finished a completely OBJECTIVE test of two scopes that I own. A Leupold VX3 6.5-20 40mm LR with target knobs that I sent to Leupold to have the VHR changed out to the TMR, and a Nightforce NXS 3.5-15 50mm F1 that I picked up off of the prize table at the Steel Safari.


First, here are some data on the scopes:

COST

Leupold Retail $949.00*






Nightforce Retail $2567.00




*this will prove to be very important


RETICLE SUBTENSION ACCURACY

Leupold TMR: Perfect

1 mil = 1 mil
5 mils = 5 mils

Wanted to video the tracking and click value accuracy of each, but I couldn't find anything to hold or mount the camera perfectly behind the eyepiece while I ran the knobs. So, I just took a photo of the view at the board through each scope's eyepiece to illustrate the method used. Note the position of the MIL marks on the right side of the board and each reticle. The left side of the board is set up for MOA.






Nighforce R 2.0: Not perfect but negligible. Only off the width of a reticle line starting at 4 MIL mark. The Illuminated Reticle is cool! The reticle is a tad more sophisticated with different subtensions for accurate ranging.






CLICK VALUE ACCURACY


Leupold VX3:.25 MOA adjustments True Click Value out to 45 MOA = .24725 MOA

Nightforce NXS: .1 MIL adjustments True Click Value out to 12 MILs = .10169 MILs

Both excellent


TRACKING


Leupold VX3 : Tracking on the vertical line of travel perfect to 45 MOA, then slight straying from the vertical line gradually increasing till the full adjustment range stopped the knob.

Nightforce NXS: Tracking on the vertical line of travel perfect till the end of adjustment range was reached.


RETURN TO ZERO

Both scopes returned to Zero perfectly



OPTICAL QUALITY

Both scopes were excellent. Slight edge given to the Leupold.

Given the Nightforce was only 15 power and the Leupold is 20 power, I would have thought the edge would have gone to the Nightforce. The Leupold was brighter at every power level and very noticable edge when comparing each at max power.


POI CHANGE WITH POWER SELECTOR CHANGE

Both scopes had no change in POI.

The difference has to do with how the power selector functions. The Nightforce NXS power selector is the entire eyepiece. The whole thing must be grabbed and turned to select a setting. This makes using scope caps inconvenient because they turn with the eyepiece and interfere with the stock and bolt throw.

The Leupold power selector is separate from the eyepiece.


WEIGHT

Leupold VX3 : 18oz

Nightforce NXS : 32oz


The physical reports:







CONCLUSIONS

Both Riflescopes are of excellent quality and function and when in use I doubt the user could discern any difference between the two. The max power of the Nightforce of only 15X really is a handicap in any long range game. The Representative from Nightforce was at a Precision Match my gunsmith attended and actually apologized to the shooters at the meeting for not producing a scope with higher magnification for the Precision game.

The weight differences between the two scopes is obvious and would preclude me from choosing the Nightforce for a hunting rifle. It would be fine for a competition rifle where weight is not too much of a problem

The Reticle differences are negligible. The Nightforce has a more sophisticated reticle for ranging, but generally would be a feature not used much under time constraints. The Leupold TMR is simple and solid and dead nuts perfect as far as subtension is concerned.

*Cost is where the major difference lies. In my estimation, the Leupold at less than 1/2 cost of the Nightforce is a far better value.

I was happy to find that I have two great scopes ready to use.