nightforce vs vortex

[RandySmith]

Hey thanks for the feedback. I think it's great that folks can give their opinion either way. I have heard great things on both scopes. If I wanted to get a NF or Vortex of which model would you recommned. I Will be using it for long distance hunting so zero stop and adjustable Turrets are a must. I'm shooting a 300 rum, so I need something that can take the force. I have a budget around $1500.

 

[extreme]

you are at least a $1000.00 short for a nightforce and $3000.00
short for the best scope glass on the planet s & b.

 

[Pdvdh]

A buddy that I shoot with has a NF, worst glass for money I've ever seen. I don't doubt for a second that they're bulletproof and maybe he got a lemon but after shooting through my PST he went out and bought a Vortex. Great glass, better reticles IMO.

Talk about holding a match to the gasoline... This is equivalent to walking through the sacred Indian burial grounds in the move Jeremiah Johnson.

Never owned a Nightforce. Only because they weigh more than I'll ever mount on my carry rifles. I owned a 30oz scope once. In fact I still have it, but it hasn't been mounted on a rifle for at least 5 years now. Sits on a shelf. Need to put it up for sale. A 3-18x IOR. I tried packing that IOR around while backpacking until I hated the weight more than I liked the optic. My lighter weight packing rifles became top heavy, unbalanced, unwieldy, and unnecessarily heavy. I should add that I don't own a rifle that weighs more than 11 lbs. Most weigh 8 1/2 to 10 lbs with scopes mounted. The last scope I purchased was a 15.9oz Swarovski.

I understand and appreciate the value of the heavy guns for the extra long range uses. It's rare that I could shoot more than 1100 yds where I hunt, and it's common to pack in 4-6 miles in mountains and up mountain valleys and overnight. I may own a heavyweight one day. It's mostly that the Alaska mountains I hunt in aren't a good fit the 11-15lb rifles.

I've read and researched scopes extensively and continue to do so. From what I've read, the newer Nightforce scopes have better glass than the NXS series. I always felt a scope that cost that much should have really good glass. Sounds like they're moving in that direction now. They had everything else going for them. And now better glass also.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

I always felt a scope that cost that much should have really good glass. Sounds like they're moving in that direction now. They had everything else going for them. And now better glass also.

Paul, they (NXS's) do have really good glass. Being able to count 25 cal bullet holes @ 427 yds is pretty darn good IMO.

Never looked through an S&B or a high end Swaro which I hear and read are better, but for my purposes, Hunting/LR hunting, I am extremely happy and do not "need" anything "better".

 

[Win.308Stealth]

Working with a $1500 budget, you should start looking at classified section on this site. Sometimes you can pick up an NXS for less than $1500.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

Hey thanks for the feedback. I think it's great that folks can give their opinion either way. I have heard great things on both scopes. If I wanted to get a NF or Vortex of which model would you recommned. I Will be using it for long distance hunting so zero stop and adjustable Turrets are a must. I'm shooting a 300 rum, so I need something that can take the force. I have a budget around $1500.

Optics Planet is advertising the NXS 5.-22x50 with ZS for $1959. That is your best bet. If you have a local dealer you might be able to talk him to selling you that with a free set of NF rings as well. There is a dealer nearby here that will do that.

I would not put a Viper on a 300 RUM. It might hold up and it might not and the NXS has a lot more elevation adjustment than the Vortex. I also put a 40 MOA rail (NF) on my 300 RUM for extreme LR shooting. Get a NF rail and rings (or equal/better rings)...don't get anything less for your RUM.

 

[Landkiller]

Euro Optics has great prices on Nightforce optics. Check em' out. Good people to deal with.

 

[Jim See]

I have used both extensively, I use NXS on many LR hunting guns and I used the Gen 1 razor and now own a gen 2 razor.

I used F-1 nxs on my match gun as well as a gen 1 razor. after 3 years running those scopes I think my assessment means something. The gen 1 repeated far better than the nxs. To the point where I could check zero on the gen 1 and shoot a PRS match return home and put bullets in the same group on the target. literally two 5 shot groups into the same ragged hole after a weekend of abuse. Glass quality is very similar.

These matches beat a scope up more in a weekend than most guys put there hunting rigs through in a year. We run, drag, move and bang our rifles and scopes all over the place in the name of speed and accuracy.

My F-1 was not capable of doing this, there seemed to be a zero shift of about a half inch up and down. One instance doesn't mean one is better than the other but that was my experience.

The Gen 2 razor, awesome optic, heavy but solid in every regard. optically I think it is better than my ATACR. The ATACR has no tracking issues and is a solid scope, but for the price the gen 2 beats it with the FFP.

My S&B has marginally better glass than the gen 2. But most guys would have a very hard time telling the difference. Depending on the lighting condition they can look near identical to me. but at a $1000 price difference. I'll take the gen2 as it gives up nothing to the s&b that will affect my shot.

I like NF and own a half dozen 2nd FP 5-22 on hunting guns and they work. are lighter than the gen 1or 2, and do what they are supposed to do. Comparing them to a viper is not a fair assessment for $750-$800 a sfp viper is a great scope for the money, I would choose it over an equivalently priced leupold. Which is where it was meant to compete.

 

[Kenai river]

Just curious, is Nightforce glass made in the USA?? From what I was able to find out, Votex glass is made in Asia. Though I believe Vortex is assembled in Wi. Anyone know anything about this?? Just would like to stick with USA..


Unapologetically AMERICANgun)

 

[Brewer]

I don't think there is any glass made in the USA any more. Most of the glass in the world comes from Japan and other Asian countries like you eluded too.

Sorry to disappoint you.

 

[Canadian Bushman]

Japan and germany are the only makers of ED glass

 

[Kenai river]

Thanks Brewer, is that true for Leupold ?? They still advertise all-American made.



Unapologetically AMERICAN gun)

 

[Brewer]

As far as I know. Leopold is an American company but they don't make their glass. they don't advertise where its from, but I bet its Japan.

 

[jmitchell135]

As far as I know. Leopold is an American company but they don't make their glass. they don't advertise where its from, but I bet its Japan.

"Like most manufacturers in the consumer optical business, Leupold outsources its optical glass. (There are actually only a few optical glass suppliers in the world, something I learned during my years in the photography business.) Various types of optical glass, formulated to Leupold's specification, are purchased from companies in Europe, Japan, and the U.S."

Leupold Factory Tour