Nightforce vs Leupold

I'll also assume that you had it secured in a quality case? If so, riding 1100 miles on a paved highway in a quality case isn't a very good yardstick for determining the durability of an optic in my opinion.
It was in a Plano hard case, determine what you will with quality.

Regardless it was still subject to the same jarring and movement that we were. Unless you've ever driven that stretch of interstate, it's difficult to relay how bad it is.
 
I guess you guys are going on guided hunts and the outfitters require you to prove that your rifles are zeroed? I wonder what would lead them to believe that most optics don't maintain zero? There's zero luck involved with using proven reliable equipment. Baggage handlers tossing rifle cases is of zero concern if you use reliable gear, it's in a hard shell padded case for crying out loud.

I hunt DIY and I've never been required to do anything for anyone except show license and tags to a warden upon request.
In our case with out outfitter I think it was a combination of verifying zero at elevation vs back home and to some degree proficiency.

I can only imagine what they see from guiding people form all walks of life, experience and equipment.
 
In Alaska, they made us check zero. Right on. Leupold Mark IV.
I admit I was a little apprehensive when they shoved my rifle in a pretty cheap-looking soft scabbard to "ride outside" the Super Cub.
 
A well known member here bought a Mark5 recently, Leupold sent him a MOA scope with MIL internals. Top level indeed! Regardless of the internal SNAFU it still didn't maintain zero or return to zero.
Let's play a game...... post all the statistics related to warranty claims etc for every major brand of tactical scopes. For extra flavor I'll add in the annoying...... and go! I would think we are capable of understanding there is a functional warranty department at every one of those. I've used, swaro, NF, vortex, leica, sig, and leupold warranties.
 
What is your actual, real world, would take a shot at max range? And which specific reticles are you looking at?

Most of my hunting scopes are Leupold Firedot duplex (VX- 5s and 6s) because I don't use the reticle at all out to 400-500 yards. I stay under 10x almost 100% of the time for FOV reasons. Even if I dial up the uncluttered, open duplex reticle is better than how much stuff gets blocked by the Christmas trees.

At the opposite end of the spectrum I have NF ATACRs w/ Tremor 3 reticles (those are about the busiest reticles around), but they're impractical and IMO actually a hinderance inside 500 yards. Tremor 5 was a good upgrade, and IMO Horus scopes are actually pretty decent if you look at them. I put one on a 6.5 PRC hunting rifle this year.

Out past 500 out to 1000 the TT Gen 2 XR is my favorite F1 hunting reticle by a long shot, because of how open it is. Everything else feels cluttered.
Interesting on your comments about to much inside the scope. I nornally used a dulpex only scope (2x7 or 8). I range with that is held to 500yds. I learn on how gauge an animal using the duplex and adjusting my hold. No twisting the elevation nob. The other is I generally use rifIes are at or very close to the same velocity. The path of the bullet is almost the same, so no rethinking on adjustment needed. I don't have a complicated scope lens, but have looked at them. Thinking that would be neat but wondering about them. Not now with what you have said. I could maybe see windage, but that would be it. With the scope of today with the adjustment makes thing a lot easier for both elevation and windage. Plus with the range finder too makes extending the usable range of a rifle in the right hands. Thanks for clearing something that has bug me for a long time.
 
Interesting on your comments about to much inside the scope. I nornally used a dulpex only scope (2x7 or 8). I range with that is held to 500yds. I learn on how gauge an animal using the duplex and adjusting my hold. No twisting the elevation nob. The other is I generally use rifIes are at or very close to the same velocity. The path of the bullet is almost the same, so no rethinking on adjustment needed. I don't have a complicated scope lens, but have looked at them. Thinking that would be neat but wondering about them. Not now with what you have said. I could maybe see windage, but that would be it. With the scope of today with the adjustment makes thing a lot easier for both elevation and windage. Plus with the range finder too makes extending the usable range of a rifle in the right hands. Thanks for clearing something that has bug me for a long time.
A simple Hash moa or mil scope for holds is not bad. BDC reticles came out for this reason, hold marks for certain distances but it's a bit complicated when you get into different fps and bc rifles. With a moa hash you zero, run the ballistics, and hold the hash, it can be frustrating under pressure. Lots of ways to get there. Those tree reticles are for folks who either shoot comps in a multiple target engagement under time or who refuse to dial. Our modern higher end scopes have few issues with the turrets and designs. Yes, issues can come up with a mass produced product, like any product, but shying away from a dialable system for hunting long range is the opposite of something I would ever want to do. I want my shot to be the most precise it can be vs just ringing steel plates. Now that I have a couple leupold's in vx5 and vx6 I have zero concern about their reliability for a hunting scope. I have a pile of rounds through my vx6 over the past 4 years, generally 2000 per year on that scope, and it works very well. Back to the reticle....... I dial elevation and hold wind. I have nothing against dialing wind but generally we are talking about 4 moa or less so it's just fast, convenient, and makes more sense to me to hold.
 
I always look at the low power number first. I like the 2.5 to 3 power bottom end.
4 would be max of what I would want to carry. You get that surprise shot at 20 yards on an animal that was playing rabbit, and it can be hard to find an animal in the scope or all you see is fur.
I have seen plenty of cases where someone left their scope cranked up to 6 or 9 power and lost shooting a good buck at close range.

That 2.5 to 20 sounds awesome. I have a 2.5 to 15 Meopta and the wife a 2.5 to 18 Swarovski.
(This way she can't give me crap about spending too much on MY scope LOL)
Both seem to be awesome so far.
 
Funny thread in that it's the old "ford vs. chevy" debate only in scopes.
Up front, I don't have a NF. I've looked at them, I like them, just haven't found one that fits my needs. I don't think you'd hate NF if you bought one, but I also don't think you can go wrong with any of the top brands out there.
I currently have Steiner, Leica, Leupold, Zeiss and Meopta scopes on different rifles in my gun safe.
I've never had tracking problems with any of my Leupold's, and they hold zero.
I've spent a considerable amount of time hunting in Alaska via bush plane, river/jet boat, four wheelers etc. The country is rough and the huge swing in temps from 30-40'a during the day to below freezing at night with rain and/or snow on top of that, is rough on equipment: I've never had an issue with any of my Leupold scopes holding zero or tracking properly.
My rule of thumb is to buy the best scope I can afford at the time and buy what I know works and fits my intended purpose.

And yes, I've owned Fords, Chevy's, dodges and even in my younger years a Toyota pickup and a Suzuki samurai: that Sami was a super Alaska vehicle that was like having a completely enclosed and heated 4-wheeler.

My opinion is get what you like and what will suit your purpose.
 
I keep trying to love NF but I just can't bring myself to do it..
They're about a decade behind the competition in terms of glass quality, heavy as **** in the atacr lineup, and tight eye box with the NX8 and atacr.

For 2-3k there are better options out there, personally my $1000 Trijicon Credo makes me feel warm and fuzzy over the NX8 4-32x50 that I'd used previously.
 
Let's play a game...... post all the statistics related to warranty claims etc for every major brand of tactical scopes. For extra flavor I'll add in the annoying...... and go! I would think we are capable of understanding there is a functional warranty department at every one of those. I've used, swaro, NF, vortex, leica, sig, and leupold warranties.
I've used the NF warranty twice. Never once used a Leupold warranty. There are cheerleaders for all rifles scopes. That said, I really don't know which I prefer more. NF seems to impress more people but my Leupold scopes never fail and are as clear as the day I bought them. I'll keep them both and call it a win. The government can buy any scope they want for their sniper programs. They chose the Mark 5. From the quality and clarity standpoint, I get it. From the built tough standpoint, I think the NF wins hands down. NF offers both but has a better reputation of "Bulletproof". The US military also uses Trijicon scopes.
 
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I've used the NF warranty twice. Never once used a Leupold warranty. There are cheerleaders for all rifles scopes. That said, I really don't know which I prefer more. NF seems to impress more people but my Leupold scopes never fail and are as clear as the day I bought them. I'll keep them both and call it a win. The government can buy any scope they want for their sniper programs. They chose the Mark 5. From the quality and clarity standpoint, I get it. From the built tough standpoint, I think the NF wins hands down. NF offers both but has a better reputation of "Bulletproof". The US military also uses Trijicon scopes.
Yeah I always find the mil contracts confusing and contradictory. Leupold has been in and out of mil contracts for years. Looking at the PRS pro preferences the Mark 5 hands down cleans up the competition in 2021. In 2018 it was barely on the radar. #2 scope is Tangent. #3 is NF. What it tells me is that leupold stepped up their game and after using a Mark 5, its legit. On this forum we are talking about a hunting scope and rifle. We have weight management being a big factor so are those scopes really part of the decision making process? I think we gravitate toward someone else's experience, like the PRS pro report, to sway our decisions. According to the 2021 publication a NF, Tangent, and leupold are all top picks. Seems to me a guy just needs to pick his pros/cons and make a decision. I wouldn't probably have my vx6 if I had not won it in a raffle. I am glad I did because it has been a great scope.
 

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