Nightforce vs Huskemaw or something else in that price range??

[floyd kittrell]

Okay... so here's the true story... I bought a brand new NF ATACR 4-16x42 F1 with MOAR F1 reticle in 2016 from a business on Ebay. It arrived perfectly packaged, and had the scope supports inside the box. Unfortunately, one of the glass lenses inside was broken/feathered in a way that looks like some types of privacy glass used in bathrooms. That was a big strike one. I thought, "How in the world did a new scope, packaged perfectly, have a shattered lense inside?" I had read all about their legendary ruggedness, so what happened?

Now, it wasn't completely broken though, just some of it. I could see through it and most of the sight was usable (at least as far as I could tell and I can't remember all details of how it looked). But I do remember being unimpressed with the picture. It's not that the picture was distorted, but the picture was not especially crisp and the colors were dullish looking. In my memory, I remember thinking it was not because of the broken glass (though maybe it was and I just didn't realize it). Anyway, this was strike two.

Strike three and four were that it seemed too heavy (though I'm a bit of a hypocrite because I settled for a scope that is just as heavy if not more) and I didn't like the reticle (personal preference).

So Mr @floyd kittrell, your incling was correct ... I didn't really give NightForce a fair chance. But honestly, can you really blame me? ~$2,500 was a lot of money and after loosing a lot of confidence from my lemon-of-a-scope, I decided to look elsewhere. So I then decided not to go with the masses, but I did some actual research (on PrecisionRifleBlog and elsewhere), and after seeing I could get an impressive 20% military discount, I went with US Optics. I don't have a lot of experience with scopes but it's hard to imagine a scope performing better. It's a great, great scope.

Forgive me for being brash; I acknowledge NightForce is a fantastic company; they were my original first choice. But if you can appreciate my point of view? I am put off by the fact that this forum of gun enthusiasts seem so narrowly opinionated and incessantly talk about NightForce... when many themselves have probably not experienced any near-peer competitors. It gets really old.

 

[floyd kittrell]

That's a sad story Mr. Doozy I can understand your frustration , in my case , I started buying them soon after they came on the market , they all went up mountains on my back and unfortunately came down some eating rock and dirt , even down a set of stairs that had ice on the steps and took a divit out of a step or two ,LOl , grands knock them out of the hunting carts , stand them up against a door then open it and they hit wood floors or concrete and never lost zero. But I have them all in picatinny type good rings and bases . Even though I have no confidence in what people call luck maybe I'm just lucky , who knows but that is why they are all I buy but as I said earlier it's my opinion and everyone has one . Thank you for your response and thank you for your service , I spent 6 years in our good uncles tribe of green weenies as a gunner in the late 60' and early 70's , the bad old days . I have never used it except at Lowes but I suppose I could get a service discount , I'll try when I order the next one from Mr. Backus or Andy . Thanks again . Floyd

 

[Kimber7man]

Okay... so here's the true story... I bought a brand new NF ATACR 4-16x42 F1 with MOAR F1 reticle in 2016 from a business on Ebay. It arrived perfectly packaged, and had the scope supports inside the box. Unfortunately, one of the glass lenses inside was broken/feathered in a way that looks like some types of privacy glass used in bathrooms. That was a big strike one. I thought, "How in the world did a new scope, packaged perfectly, have a shattered lense inside?" I had read all about their legendary ruggedness, so what happened?

Now, it wasn't completely broken though, just some of it. I could see through it and most of the sight was usable (at least as far as I could tell and I can't remember all details of how it looked). But I do remember being unimpressed with the picture. It's not that the picture was distorted, but the picture was not especially crisp and the colors were dullish looking. In my memory, I remember thinking it was not because of the broken glass (though maybe it was and I just didn't realize it). Anyway, this was strike two.

Strike three and four were that it seemed too heavy (though I'm a bit of a hypocrite because I settled for a scope that is just as heavy if not more) and I didn't like the reticle (personal preference).

So Mr @floyd kittrell, your incling was correct ... I didn't really give NightForce a fair chance. But honestly, can you really blame me? ~$2,500 was a lot of money and after loosing a lot of confidence from my lemon-of-a-scope, I decided to look elsewhere. So I then decided not to go with the masses, but I did some actual research (on PrecisionRifleBlog and elsewhere), and after seeing I could get an impressive 20% military discount, I went with US Optics. I don't have a lot of experience with scopes but it's hard to imagine a scope performing better. It's a great, great scope.

Forgive me for being brash; I acknowledge NightForce is a fantastic company; they were my original first choice. But if you can appreciate my point of view? I am put off by the fact that this forum of gun enthusiasts seem so narrowly opinionated and incessantly talk about NightForce... when many themselves have probably not experienced any near-peer competitors. It gets really old.

Why didn't you return it to the seller for a full refund if it was sold as brand new but had broken glass?

 

[OhYtD]

Once at a 1000 yard F-Class match I had two guys on the line next to me using Huskemaw scopes and myself with a NF (BR 12x42). As the day progressed the mirage really picked up, and both fellows were complaining how bad it was and how poorly the clarity was for them from there Huskemaw's. At the same time in my NF the clarity was not a big issue. I asked to look through there Huskemaw's and it was very apparent to what they were stating to be true, and the targets appeared extremely poor. My NF was cutting through the mirage very well to clarity. I then turned the NF power down to equal there's at 20X and again it was very obvious how much more clearer clarity the NF had. Both gentleman were also astonished when they looked through my NF in comparison as well.

 

[floyd kittrell]

Mr. OhYtD , Just had a Competition NF 15x 55 x52 mounted on my 6.5 CM but have not been to range yet , do you have any experience with this new line ? I do not get this rifle back until after July 4 from gunsmith . It has the fine reticle and my eyes are changing , I might have to sell it if I can not deal with the reticle and possibly go to the dot reticle.

 

[Doozy]

Why didn't you return it to the seller for a full refund if it was sold as brand new but had broken glass?

Oh, I got a full refund from the seller without any problems... I was just stating that my confidence on the scopes had decreased.

 

[tooth doc]

I have several Vortex with a Viper sfp gen 2, 5-25x50 as my best scope. I have got along fine with all my vortex, but After reading all the poor reviews on Vortex, maybe I have just been lucky? I`m thinking about a little higher end scope for my next rifle? I want to stick to 24-25 as max power, any good options beside the 2 I mention?

Vortex razor is a top class scope. Nightforve is good but i feel overprices. Leupold mklV gr8 scope, as are mkV, mkVl. Huskemaw is one i like but dont own yet.

 

[Harvey Durham]

I have several Vortex with a Viper sfp gen 2, 5-25x50 as my best scope. I have got along fine with all my vortex, but After reading all the poor reviews on Vortex, maybe I have just been lucky? I`m thinking about a little higher end scope for my next rifle? I want to stick to 24-25 as max power, any good options beside the 2 I mention?

I honestly don't know why anyone would knock a vortex. I have one, several NFSs and a HM 5x30. All are GREAT scopes. I've owned several IOR scopes. Here the difference, if something does happen to a NFS and that's rare but I had it happen. I next dated it to them and had it back 2 days later!!!