Night force. NX8 vs Leupold

[35 Whelen]

Well like Don, I have owned a bunch of Leupold scopes since the 1970's. I always thought their III series were good value and still have some 1.5/5 models on "Woods Guns". I recently had need for a lower power "big field of view" scope for a low end rifle and did NOT want to spend $800 to go with a $400 rifle. An old guide friend in Alaska had shared with me that he had seen one of Sightrons new generation 2 scopes in 1.75/5 and was blown away with the glass! So I ordered one and was also very impressed. So after comparing it to my 20 something year old Leupold 1.5/5s I must sadly admit the new Sightron smokes it in about every way......
Certainly NOT American made....... not a big name item by any measure. But brilliant optically, extreme light weight (12oz) its unbeatable value in todays market! imho.
Because this style of scope is a "set it n shoot it" sorta item; dont imagine it to have NF audible clicks or tracking. I realize this is sorta off topic to comparing Mercedes to BMW's but thought some of scope crowd might find it interesting.......
Good Shooting
E

 

[xphunter]

Long time fan of Sightron.
Japanese glass

 

[FOTIS]

My leupolds are old vari x's that never get their turrets twisted unless they get bumped and need a sight in at the range. I do not own a single one with exposed turrets for any type of LR shooting by dialing.

All my serious scopes are:

Nightforce
Vortex Razors
Swfa
Trijicon
Maven
And yes even the Athlons especially the 2-12 Helos BTR. What a tank and tracks great.

Another make I can suggest is the Tract.

I have broken more Leupolds on my big bees than I can count. It used to be that you returned a scope for repair and within 10 days you got it back now it's weeks because so many of them are getting returned. Additionally some I have used lately now feature what I called the "Leupold wake up".

That is when you make an adjustment it doesn't take you make a second adjustment and shoot the gun and then all of a sudden it wakes up and it adds both adjustments and actually responds.
A few friends have actually done tall Target testing with some of the $2,000 hd5 models. Most results were disappointing put it lightly. Now if you have one and it works for you God bless but for me I will never buy a new Leupold again. For their price I can find something a lot more dependable. I will say the one thing I do miss is the light weight but if I need that I can always go to maven I believe it's the rs2 model 2- 10. It is something like 11 or 12 oz and I can take care of basically 90% of all type of hunting. My weather be ultra lights back countries Etc all have that scope.