Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Vortex Razor vs Nightforce NXS

I'm looking at the Vortex Razor HD 20x and the Nightforce 5.5-22x56. I know there are quite a few differences. I like the Vortex's FFP option better, but I would rather have more magnification. Will Nightforce's 22x be that much different than the Vortex's 20x?

Severed,

Since you are fairly new I will welcome you and repeat something you may have missed. When I was looking to purchase a 3-9X scope I discovered 1X more, that is moving up to 10X made lots of difference. So I started going for more magnification.

In fact I purchased a Nightforce 12-42X56, a Bushnell 6500 4 1/2-30, and a Swarovski z5 5-25X52. I compared them at several distances on a line chart with 1/4" black lines and white spaces. To make things simple I will go to the 521 yard comparison. The Nightforce was so much clearer than the others it only needed 12X for me to distinguish the lines and spaces clearly. The Bushnell 6500 needed 15 1/2X and the Swarovski needed 16 1/2X. I fiddled with them to the best of my ability and those were the magnification settings when I looked at them after deciding things were not going to get any better with the scope I was playing with. Also the Nightforce is better than the others in low light.

My gunsmith has compared many of my scopes. He told me the Nightforce is the finest optic he has ever looked through.

Therefore if you think a Swarovski z5 is better than a Vortex Razor HD 20X you should go for the Nightforce.

I've never said anything about Swarovski's optics. I've read on other forums that quite a few people think the glass in the Vortex is better than Nightforce.

Look through them both & pick the best one for you!!!

It's probably going to be hard to find a gunshop with both. This is the problem with high end optics. IMO FFP would be a lot more noticeable than 2x magnification.

I don't think nightforce glass is the best. Comparing other scopes to nightforce like zeiss conquest the zeiss glass was better to my eye.The Vortex viper PST has very nice glass and seems close to the conquest glass.

I agree 100%. I wouldn't even consider it a close 2nd or 3rd. The Zeiss Diavari and Swaro Z6 are easily better to my eyes. Just this March I had a NF 5-22x side by side with my own VX6. The VX6 was easily the equal....very easily, and much easier to look through. Other than being very tough I don't see what all the rage is about the NF.

My communication skills are very lacking. I wasn't suggesting that you said anything. I was thinking if you think the Swaro is better than the Vortex then go with the Nightforce.

Often I see folks post this scope is better than that scope, even on this very thread. But they do not compare them side by side on some kind of chart and post their findings.

Before I used the charts I used tree leaves and twigs. When I did that I could not tell any difference in my scopes. They all looked very good. Once I used the charts I discovered the Nightforce is great.

I interrupted this post to call Swarovski before I finished. The guy in customer service said despite the z6 using HD lenses and the z5 using their "regular" lenses many folks don't see any difference. He went on to say it is up to the individual.

So I will echo one of our .com friends and suggest you look though some scopes side by side and let your own eye tell you what is best. Don't forget to let us know what you come up with.

I guess I need to tell you what the scope will be used for. I'm building a 300wm for long range sniper matches. I will be shooting any where from 300 to 1500yrds. I want a tactical stype scope. If I were to be shooting at a known distance, the decision would be easy- Nightforce. But I will be shooting at unknown distance, and I think a FFP would be the best bet. I only really want to spend around $2k. If I could afford more, I would look at a Premier, S&B or US optics.

I've had and used both the Razors (1-4x and 5-20x) and many NF's. Zero doubt that I will not be using a Razor again. The 5-20x did not have exceptional glass, certainly no better then NF. On the Razor if you torque the scope rings down to normal specs (16-18in lbs) the tube will crush to the point of locking the parallax adjustment. Either it wont adjust at all, or you set the parallax, shoot and then it shifts and you can't see through it. Sometimes you can readjust and sometimes not. This is a known issue at Vortex, their response is to loosen the rings. In order for the tube to not be crushed we had to loosen the scope rings to under 14in lbs. At 12-13in lbs you feel like you can reach up and push the scopes in the rings. Having said that, once the rings were loose, they did seem to track correctly.


For tactical matches you diffidently want FFP, and I would be looking at the Nightforce F1 3.5-15x50. 15x is enough for matches. Also the SWFA Super Sniper 5-20x50HD FFP would be way up on my list as well. It and the NF have bombproof tracking and construction.

We have been using the Bushnell 34mm HDMR 3.5-21x50 with H59 reticle for matches and LR range shooting/hunting and they are proving to be fantastic scopes. Tracking, durability, and consistency have been spot on.



Personally for me having seen and shot just about every scope made for "tactical" shooting, my first choice under 2K would be, and is, the Bushnell HDMR 3.5-21x50. Next is the SWFA Super Sniper 5-20x50. The Razor isn't even in the top ten.

Nightforce F1 is way out of my price range. Plus I need every bit of magnification I can get.

Simple questions:

What do military snipers use ?
What do the top F Class shooters use ?

Answer:

Schmidt & Bender and Nightforce (own both)

With optics, as most things, the cost bears a strong relation to the quality.

My 30 year old Unertls and Rochester Baush scope have better optics, especially at long range, than many, many "modern" $1000 scopes.

300 H&H M 70 Bull gun.
14X Unertl and BalVar 6-24 ..... "rings dem gongs"

i looked side by side out to 500yds sunday between a 5.5x22x50 NXS np-r1 and vortex viper PST 6-24x50 FFP and the NXS was definately better in my opinion.

the crosshairs grew pretty fat at 24x for 500yd paper tgts.

i have much doubt the razor is "better" than the NXS

Well- The Razor costs more than the Nightforce.
As for F-class shooters- of course they use Nightforce. There is really nothing else in the power class of a 42x Nightforce.
Everyone is comparing brands- All I want to know is- Will a 22x be much difference over a 20x that I shouldn't go with the lower power to to get the FFP that I want?

No.

Thanks

Also- here is a good review of the Razor 5-20. I have no doubts as to its quality.
http://www.snipercompany.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8940

I Agree 100% and then some. Nightforce glass is far from impressive. Spend some time with a Hensoldt if you want to be spoiled. I have a 4-16 FFP that is the finest scope available, IMO. When I step down from there I typically go with Vortex. Definitely among the most for your money. I have universally been disappointed with the optical performance of NF relative to their price. If you are looking for a FFP scope, just go ahead and count NF out completely unless a 3-15x works for you.

Big thing with optics is to determine your budget. That will define your options, of course.

How about telling us about your side by side comparison on some kind of chart with a Nightforce and the other scopes mentioned. Tell us what magnification is needed by each to see the same detail.

How small are the targets?