Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Nightforce SHV and Vortex Viper PST Gen II

Got to look through these two scopes today and compare them to leupold vx-3i LRP wow is all I can say the clarity in the Nightforce and the Gen II Viper is awesome. I really like the reticle in the SHV. The clicks were very nice also on both the Nightforce and the Viper. Now just to decide which one to save up for wish I could buy both and shoot side by side.

I recently picked up an SHV 3-10 with a Forceplex. As it gets dark it really starts to shine!

Still needing feedback

Had numerous Leupold over past 25 years. Last 3 scopes have been Nightforce. Good bang for the buck. All are SHV models.

I like my 3-10x42 NF with Forceplex.

DF

As do I.

I used it to watch a deer die Tuesday.......

I tested 2 off the shelf PST 2 scopes and both had reticle cant when tested on my static scope fixture and tall target. I don't trust phillipine made scopes for turret twisting. just buy a nightforce. Vortex is well known for batch QC on their products. meaning they count on most people using their optics very little if hardly ever. those that do and have problems vortex factors in replacing them in the price and considers it a cost of doing business. Not only that vortex tends to blow out their models from time to time to make way for new ones. When you paid big money you get hammer drilled on resale value. its for those reasons I don't really buy vortex products.

I've been a Leupold guy for 25 years. My last scape and next one will be another SHV. I think the upper end Luepold are a bit brighter but I shot a nice 8 pt this week with about 10 mins of light left - absolutely no problem. I've tested a VX3 and SHV side by side at the edges of light. Both took me before/after legal shooting hours on a dark back ground from I side my garage. The SHV is my new go-to scope.

I like the SHV 3 x 10 with forceplex. But I am on the fence as which would be the better, illuminated reticle w/fixed parallax or non-illuminated w/adjustable parallax. Any advice?

I've got one of each and have spent a fair bit of time with the non-illum forceplex. I've dialed a fair bit with it and adjustments/return to zero have been perfect. I actually prefer this to the NXS 2.5-10x42 regarding parallax/user characteristics. The NXS has been touchy on parallax and focus for me. It can be set but is a bit finicky. I haven't seen that with the 3-10 SHV.

Only recently mounted the illum version and sighted it in. This was done quickly and in a rush. I hesitate to mention this but will put it out there for consideration..... It seemed like the adjustments were "soft" and the last couple of adjustments seemed to adjust correctly for the first shot....then the next two were out in a separate group. I've got to check again to make sure everything is good with the action screws and the base/rings then do some real testing with it. The rifle is a known/solid shooter. Again, don't take this as gospel because an adjustment followed by 3 shots and another adjustment followed by 3 shots in a rush isn't "tested". I won't hunt with it until I know it's good.

Same reticle in both and it seems the illumination in this model is the same type used for the NX8 so that it daylight visible. It's very different from the NXS illumination which can only be seen in dimmer light. I prefer the NXS illumination in low light because it can be fine tuned to very low illumination. The SHV could use a little lower setting on the dim end IMO. It also seems to have a little flare on the edges and above/below the actual illuminated areas. I still think it will be better than the non-illum Forceplex in low light, especially in heavy timber. In open areas without a cluttered background, such as an open field or food plot, the non-illum should be fine during legal shooting hours.

Want to mention again that time spent with the illuminated model has been limited so don't rely on my info to heavily.

Hmmmm

The NXS is on my short list, I finally talked myself into SFP. Can you elaborate a little more?

David

I have a little trouble getting image focus, reticle focus, and parallax all set on the higher powers at ranges 100 yards or less. Part of this is because the parallax adjustment isn't marked for yardages and I have to fiddle with it a bit to remove all parallax. Focus seems to be changed a bit when adjusting parallax. I need to tape a marked something to the adjustment to indicate yardage/parallax distances but I've not done it yet. I intended to spend a good bit more time with it to get it ironed out but I set it aside last season and haven't gone back to revisit it......

Thanks!

David

That is pretty much where I sit too..

I'd been having so much trouble with a 3-10 VX 3 with CDS, that I the tried a 3-10 SHV with Forceplex (non-illuminated) Very happy with the SHV, so much so that I bought another exactly the same to replace another 3-10 VX 3 CDS.

My last Leupold was a NF SHV...

DF