Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Nightforce - are they worth it

With the illumination turned on, the reticles are easy to see in low light. The batteries last hundreds of hours on the lower power settings in my experience.

Thanks,

Chet

Wow, there's a certain copy and paste participator here that will roll around the floor clutching his chest when he sees this.

It's unfortunate JG. Failures with the S&B tac scopes used to be almost unheard of. The new contract ones don't seem to be holding the rep.

Wish I could get a 3-15 NF for under 1500 bucks.... I'd love to have something track like crazy.

One thing I notice about scopes with issues tracking/staying zeroed, is their tendency to shift POI during a string of fire with the turret adjusted. That, is the most frustrating GD thing I've ever experienced with a rifle in my hands.

Yep. If people actually tested their scopes, i.e. mapped the adjustments out a full 30-40 MOA or 10 mils, and grouped it enough to actually see POI shifts day in and day out, they'd toss'em across the yard.


Was discussing this with my pard tonight. They mapped those two Mark 4 3.5-10x40mm LR's that had bad tracking issues at a hundred, and both were off right at 9% at 30 MOA.

I'd love it if Nightforce could come out with a 40-42mm version that kept the good adjustments, skipped the illumination and fancy reticles, and kept the weight down. What I want is the adjustment reliability, I don't need the part of the weight that accounts for it being able to survive combat use by Marines.

Tanner:

I will be selling one in the future if you're in no hurry. I have a S&B 3-12x50 PMII ordered and will be delivered in about 4 months, then my NightForce 3.5-15x50 will be up for sale - probably for $1400. Just giving ya a heads up!!

Agreed. 20 ounces and a 40mm objective. I could like that.

It already exists... Albeit not a NF....

Much less expensive as well!

I'm not sure that you can get perfect mechanical reliability without the whole thing being durable. Which means weight. Personally I'm not interested in scopes that can't survive use....

Formidilosus

Which specific scope do you have on that rifle - it looks like a super sniper, I've had a few friends recommend SWFA scopes but have never really looked into them - maybe I need to re-think this.
Also I have to look at the Bushy HMDR you mentioned as well. I'm about to start practicing on Pdogs well beyond 300 in the Kansas / colorado winds so good tracking is pretty much a must. The entire game here is to get ready for longer shots on speed goats.

The new nightforce competitions are pretty nice - yet even more pricey.

Thanks
Spot

No middle ground? Marine proof down to unreliable adjustments is one step?

I'm not packing a 30 ounce scope around the mountains. Regardless of how reliable it is, it's borderline unportable.

Even if the total weight isn't bad, an extra pound of scope on top of a lithe sporter kills the handling.

Exactly. It's more where the extra 10 or 15 ounces is located rather than the issue of the extra weight. Strapped to the top of a lightweight rifle, it makes the entire package really top heavy and awkward. The other issue is when you are packing it in your hands, as when you're sneaking through the lodgepole blowdown, that weight adds up fast.

The 2.5-10x32 is only 19oz, which ain't the end of the world...

But 32 is the end of that scope.

Like I said, a Nightforce 2.5-10x40 at 20 ounces would be great. I'm not interested in the 32mm, I looked through one and was not terribly impressed.

I'm definitely with you fellas. I have a hard time liking the 32mm, but a 40mm at 20 ounces would go straight onto my To-buy list.