Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Nightforce SHV 3-10 forceplex

Tell me more about this scope, good bad and ugly. Looking for a scope in this power range, rock solid zero retention and adjustments needed. I also am looking at the 3-9 SWFA but prefer a duplex reticle

Stop your search and just order the SHV

Exactly what I was looking for and there is no bad or ugly to this scope that I have found. Buy with confidence.

Take dv's advice. I have one on a Ruger Hawkeye, and have shot it to 500+ yards, tracking is unquestionable and glass is as good as a VX-3i (my best comparison).

Minor complaints are: no zero-stop and a capped Elevation dial. Just silly little items that didn't deter my decision to buy one. I used it this year. Mine is a non-illum. ForcePlex reticle.

Deer hate it....

Ruger with SHV, Remington with NXS. Both are .308s.

Nice rifles!

Great hunting scope. The Forceplex is (for my use) by FAR the best hunting reticle that NF makes. I prefer the 3-10 SHV to the 2.5-10 NSX when not dialing....I've been dialing with it and if it had the same exposed, zero-stopped elevation turret as the NSX it would win for dialing as well.

This. ^^^^^^

I bought one to try on my Kimber Montana 308. I quickly ordered a second.

The only down side is weight. They will weigh 21 oz give or take. Compared to a Leupy, they seem like anchors. But rock solid performance is the trade off. You dial 2-10-50 'clicks' (MOA) and it moves 2-10-50 units. I banged mine around on 2 elk hunts and several weeks of deer hunting last year. Zero hasn't changed.

Yeah, a bit beefy, but rock solid.

I like mine. This one on a M-700/Creed/Shilen in a McWoody Mtn rifle stock.

Gun is light enough that the scope weight isn't really noticed. Still fast handling.

DF

How do those two compare?

DF

For hunting, the SHV gives up nothing.

I would declare it perfect if it had, as JMCUBIC stated, the NXS turret.

Thank you sir. Those two rifles did all the work this year, accounting for deer and coyotes.

But my SHV won the dinkathon

The SHV with Forceplex is just about perfect for 98% of your big game hunting needs! Hard to beat!!!

+1

That’s what mine is. I like it. Glass is about like a Conquest, maybe not quite Alpha glass, but very good.

DF

To quote an esteemed colleague:

""

You must have been bored...............

We are used to seeing something with substantial head gear. <G>

Damn it! You guys are making me want one....or three!

I'll be the odd man here.

Keep in mind I don't own an SHV and have never shouldered a rifle with one mounted...

I had my mind set on one until I looked at a few in store. The scope just seemed it would be much harder to get behind than my 3-9 SWFA. Did not seem to have a near as forgiving eyebox. I could be wrong, like I said earlier, just my impression from looking through 3 of them in a store. Turned me off enough to just stay with SWFA.

FWIW, my heart was set on Nightforce, still might try one and give it a try. As for right now, and for my needs, the 3-9 SWFA is the best thing I've seen or used.

Man, ya’ll have convinced me to try one, but darned if can figure what rifle it’d go to.

And, no, have too many irons in the fire to start another rifle right now. Anyway, have fun, boys!

Will they fit on a Rem 700 long action?

Check the photo I posted earlier, SHV on a SA 700. I like my scopes set back a bit. For me, a LA would need a rail. Not sure how you like your scopes mounted. Off set rings or extension bases may work. Otherwise a rail.

DF

Shv is a solid hunting scope no doubt.

What's the price on these? powdr

Yes. I used Warne Mtn Tech low rings with Warne Maxima 2 piece bases.

You can find them on eBay for under $700.

So do hen's teeth and horses toes, and about as often. MOAR and IHR models do though.

^^^^^ This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

$900. If eBay runs one of their 15% off coupons you can get one for $800 as I believe they cap the discount at $100. Brownells has been running 10% off deals frequently.

That was my deal, thru EBay but from Opticsplanet. EBay paid the difference, Opticsplanet received full price. Saved $100 off retail and you don't see these scopes discounted, at least I haven't.

$780 vs. $880.

DF

Is this scope $400 better then a Vx3i 3.5x10 Leupold? I have older Leupolds and have never had an issue (none have turrets) but have been reading about a lot of issues here on the Fire with Leupys. I need a scope that I can dial for my 6.5 creedmoor.

Thanks in advance.

Jeff

yes

At a price of $800 - its at least $750 better than a leupold….

+1

Just received from Leupold, a VX-3 1.5-5x20 that went bonkers. Leupold rebuilt it, replacing most of the erector parts, spring, etc..

A few weeks ago, I got a new VX-3i 1.5-5x20 because the VX-III 1.5-5x20 I sent them was past fixing.

Now, Leupold CS is great. But, when you're out in the hinterlands on an expensive hunt, sorta hard to box one up and send it back.

Don't think the SHV will need to go back. It's a matter of trust when the chips are down. And, I've been on some fancy hunts with Leupolds, did OK.

Now, given that info, you can guess what my rifle will be wearing on my next hunt, one that's a long way from the house.

DF

Yep.

I will just add that you do not HAVE to dial the Nightforce SHV Forceplex, if that's not what you want to do. It has capped turrets, so you can also just use it as a very tough set-and-forget scope and dead-nuts adjustments, unlike some others in its price range.

It also has very good optics. In my night-time chart tests, it rates a 7-1/2, and an the best any scope has ever rated is 8.

Jeff, Yes, I figure it is worth that if its going on a main squeeze rifle

As a long-time Leupold user and fan, I had nothing but trouble with one of the two VX-3's with the CDS. I tried the NF SHV and quickly sold the more troublesome of the two Leupolds (after it was fixed for the third time.) I liked the SHV enough to buy another. All that said, I never had any trouble with a non-turret Leupold.

I have the SHV 5x20x56 with the MOAR reticle and it is by far the clearest glass of all of my scopes

I purchased a 3-10x42 shv on ebay for 750.00 and it is the illuminated model.

Which reticle.

Used or new?

DF

Like new in the box and forceplex reticle

Great deal. Some of the best deals on those scopes seem to be ones with the more complex reticles, not the Forceplex.

That's better than my deal and I thought mine was a good one.

Congrats.

DF

How do you like the illuminated Forceplex? I have one with a regular Forceplex and debating between the Forceplex and illuminated MOAR for a second one. I think the illumination would address the dark timber, low light weakness of the MOAR, while allowing for useful long range windage references for longer range plinking.

Have not received it yet but will check back in once it shows up. I put in a max bid of 750.00 not really needing scope just thought at that price I couldn't go wrong. Got and email yesterday saying I won the bid. Couldn't even remember what I bid on lol. Good thing is I bought a win lite off here last week that needs a scope so perfect.

Any long term updates? I'm also interested in the Forceplex reticle.

I bought one this deer season. It is mounted on a Sako Finnlight. I really don't have any stories, but it looked fine to me in the woods. We don't dial around here, shots re under 100 yards 99% of the time. Weight is OK, because the Finnlight is kinda light, so it is a nice rig to carry.

No experience with them but Cameraland has the Forceplex SHV 3-10 for $749 shipped, open box $699:

SHV 3-10

SD

Open box $699 is a screaming good deal for that scope. Wish I needed another.

DF

Been using two of the SHV 3-10's with Forceplex on my two go-to rifles for the last few years. One SHV is on a 270 for larger big game and the other is on a 22-250 for ground-dwelling varmints, coyotes, and deer.

So far, I've been thoroughly pleased.

I'm pretty much just a basic hunter that might occasionally need to shoot at a distance while hunting where its nice to have a reliable dialing system that works and returns to zero.

Honestly though, the cap stays most of the time except for shooting steel out to 550, but I have dialed it enough to be confident in the scope to do what its supposed to. I really have no desire or skill to be shooting at game much further than 400-450, but the SHV has worked well and proven reliable for my needs to do that.

Will this fit on a long action Forbes or 84L Kimber with talley lightweights. Can't do the rail.

Depends on how you like your scopes mounted. If you're a stock crawler, maybe, If you like the scope set back a bit, it's gonna be tight. Offset rings/bases may work. The scope tube is pretty short as you can see from the photos posted.

DF

Very nice scopes, a bit bulky and heavy but rock solid and reliable as a scope gets.

To an extent, but not that bad.

Seems robust and heavy duty can require a few more ounces.

DF

I have one mounted on a Kimber 84L. With extended Talley lightweight lows, it fits perfectly for me, and really low (too low to use scope caps if that bothers you). Not sure how it would work on a Forbes as the front ring sits pretty far forward on them And I don’t know whether Talley makes an extended ring for them. On the Fieldcraft,, no worries as it has the third front base hole drilled farther back, allowing you to mount the front ring back a little farther than on the Forbes if you need to for eye relief.

Yeah i tried one of these on a Kimber 84L and it didnt fit me right, i couldn't get the scope far enough back and i dont like the chitty look of the extended ringmounts 👎🏿.....These scopes are well liked for their toughness and rock solid adjustments but the trade-off here is a very heavy, bulky 30mm scope with Leupold VX3 grade optics. If you like a sleek, svelt scope with Euro grade optics on your lightweight Mtn rifle you might want to look elsewhere......Hb

I'm not so kind as to credit my 2-10 SHV with VX3 or VX3i optics. Not the quality of glass or the eye relief/eye box. It's decent in that regard but not something I would prefer to hunt with. Although it has dialed very well in warm temps, it did not seem to do as well in 35 degree temps the last time out. Was going to do a box test to check but ran out of ammo.

+1 I bought one a year ago, will be the last one. Mounted on my 270WSM MOntana it throws the balance off , will find another scope for it.

I agree OE, the SHV did not balance real well for Me on My 84L either.......Hb

That’s funny because the SHV I have is on YOUR actual rifle that I bought (the Subalpine). 😉 😂 It sure isnt the sveltest scope, but I don’t find it too bad balance and shooting wise.

I still think the Leupold 6x36 and 6x42 are the way to go on the 84L as they are trim, light, and do balance wonderfully. I’ve also tried a Trijicon Accupoint 3-9x40, which is on my 84L MA, and that’s pretty decent as well.

I just wanted to give the SHV a shot, and so far I can live with it and it adjusts and holds zero perfectly. It also works great from a box blind as it has the lighted reticle, and on the lowest setting is perfect for almost too dark to shoot conditions.

It makes my Kimber Montana feel top heavy and it definitely throws the balance off(mounted in talley one piece rings). I have it currently mounted on a Tikka T3x in sportsmatch rings and it feels substantially better. The Tikka weighs a whopping 2 ounces more then the Montana.


For 900 dollars I feel that NF could have:

Provided zero stop.( member here graciously sent me a plastic spacer but not the same as a factory zero stop)

1/2" more tube length

Sleeker turrets and caps.

#4 german reticle that is not sold in the US but evidently everywhere else.

"Balance" is definitely subjective. The SHV 2.5-10x42 duplex sits on every non dialing rifle I own, two being super fly weights. No balance issue here, and sense my number one priority is the three R's (Rugged, reliable, repeatable), even if the balance wasn't as I prefer it, I would adapt.

I have one on my kimber Montana 308, it’s an awesome all around set up. I shoot it regularity out to 500yds. One of my favorite rifles for sure.

Yeah I traded my SHV to a buddy for a Smith 686 plus 4"....He mounted it on a Tikka T3X .300 Win and loves it!.....To each his own 👍.....Hb