Nightforce vs Huskemaw or something else in that price range??
- Thread starter Cinchy
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I vote, as a few others here, for March. If you hunt and weight is important, as is range of magnification (hunt low range, load development high end of range), with excellent turrets (track true, better feel than my NF 5.5-22 NSX), then March 2.5-25 x 52 may be what you need. They are pricey, but if you stay SFP and no illumination, and you find a sale....it works. The only beef I have with March is the parallex is sensitive to set. Non-issue, just so that you are aware.
I own this scope as described. Superb glass and precise tracking. I personally like the fast ratio parallax/focus (which like the Huskemaw are perfectly synchronized). Can't claim this for a couple of my NF's. If you prefer a slower ratio, March offers a larger ring which fits over the existing knob which makes the ladjustment less sensitive. IMO, the single greatest attribute of the March is that it handles low sun/reflective glare better then any other scope own.
floyd kittrell
Well-Known Member
My choice also , I have 4 ATACR's on all my real weapons , 1 is the 7 X35 X 56 FFP on my 7.82 Patriot , and SHV , and NSX's on children's weapons . Old SWARO's and others K-ly's , Z 's on grands . I have sent all others back for repair as I have hunted very bad places but never sent one of my old or new NF's back . We all make our own decisions and have to live with them , opinions are like A-holes , everyone has one , I only trust mine in a have to make it happen crisis ! JMHO
Stephen Orleski
Active Member
Many people will talk about better glass and tracking, but will you be able to count on your scope being reliable after you hike 5 miles in, the rifle falls over and the scope bangs hard against a rock? Is your day over? Ever NF scope is tested as in this video, this is my wife.. hitting her scope against a steel plate (covered with hard, tire like rubber so there are no nicks). She did this on the 12, 3, 6, 9 positions of the scope and also face down on the large objective bell. The check for reticle placement and tracking after each series of hits, 3 hits on each side for a total of 15 hits before it is sent out for public consumption. So if you have a NF, you scope was banged around this way, every one is. And their warranty is awesome if you do have an issue.
Doozy
Well-Known Member
If your scope can't track perfectly, it doesn't matter how rugged it is.
Don't get me wrong; a rugged scope is critical. And NF doesn't have poor tracking. But at least one in-depth least review showed it is not perfect (see my previous post). Some scopes out there are just as rugged, track perfectly, and are in the same price range.
(e.g. US Optics has similar videos to Nightforce of somewone throwing their scope and it keeping it's zero.)
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Ronald W Schaefer
Well-Known Member
I've had great luck with Vortex Viper 4-16 X 44 HS-T...I have four--Just lucky I guess...I also like the Leopold VX6HD 3-18 X 50...brighter than Zeiss or Night force...about a grand cheaper.
floyd kittrell
Well-Known Member
Mr. Doozy , Do you actually own a NF ? Just asking !!
Doozy
Well-Known Member
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.
Lycanit
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 6, 2015
- Messages
- 148
I'd say that you have every right to thrilled!! US optic is an outstanding company and the fact each scope is built to order, I know not entirely true.. they do keep commonly ordered scopes premade. But if yours is a little off the norm it is actually made to order!!! And if I hadn't been given such a hefty discount I might have gone there!!! A really hefty discount!!!
adam32
Well-Known Member
Burris Veracity is the best bargain out there.
Huskemaw is the best for a hunting rifle.
Nightforce if you need to take the scope off the rifle and whack a deer on the head.
Many other options out there that are excellent as well.
Huskemaw is the best for a hunting rifle.
Nightforce if you need to take the scope off the rifle and whack a deer on the head.
Many other options out there that are excellent as well.
Doozy
Well-Known Member
It was made for me ... US Optics gave me a free Cerakote coating to match my burnt bronze rifle.
While I have several Nightforce scopes and they are my preferred scope for competition, they are not as impeccable as many believe. While rare, I have had to return a couple of NF scopes over the years that have had tracking and parallax issues. Theses functions should not be assumed to be exact and always tested if LR precision work is on the plate. I will say that when they fix it, it stays fixed. While it continues to be my preferred scope for PRS, with the 5x25x56 ATACR/F1, I have observed first hand NF's lack of experience with front focal plane scopes. Mine included, I have seen several F1's that the reticle/image will "jump" a few tenths of a MIL when switching magnification directions with the power ring. NF's answer....It won't effect accuracy or precision because the reticle and image are in the same plane. While this is the case, it doesn't fly with a $3000 scope! Perhaps they will eventually correct this. S&B, Vortex, Kales, and others figured this out long ago. NF is good, but not perfect. IMO.
greenejc
Well-Known Member
Take a look at Shepherd Scopes. They're sold by Salvo, who makes the glass for nearly all the military applications. Just do a search for Shepherd Scopes. I own several of these scopes. They all work just the way Shepherd says they will. and I've gotten first round hits at 700 and 800 yards consistently. You can buy a 3 to 10 or up to a 6 by 24 power scope, with bullet drop and range finding already incorporated for your caliber at prices ranging from $800 to $1400.00, depending on what you want. These are their dual reticle scopes. They also have front focal plane scopes which have their ranging system and compensating system in the front focal plane incorporated into the crosshairs. They are under $600.00 and some have illuminated reticles. I've used the light gathering characteristics of the Shepherd scopes to take shots when my friends couldn't see the animal, much less shoot. They will let you shoot to the very last of legal light, or the very first minute in the morning. Give them a look.
