Best glass nightforce or sightron

[Elkwonder]

I am looking at the sightron as well as the nightforce. MY question is which one has the better glass? I know about the other options, I am just curiouse which one has the edge in the glass department. Thanks

 

[forty6ixand2]

I may be a little biased because I own a nightforce, but I don't really feel these two are comparable. I have looked through a Sightron several times (couldn't tell you the model, it belongs to a friend), but I've spent hours behind my nightforce. I feel like comparing the two is like comparing a Corvette to a Taurus. They'll both get you down the road, but not in the same way. I don't know, that's just my opinion. I don't think the glass is really comparable.

-James

 

[marinetowgunner]

I may be a little biased because I own a nightforce, but I don't really feel these two are comparable. I have looked through a Sightron several times (couldn't tell you the model, it belongs to a friend), but I've spent hours behind my nightforce. I feel like comparing the two is like comparing a Corvette to a Taurus. They'll both get you down the road, but not in the same way. I don't know, that's just my opinion. I don't think the glass is really comparable.

-James

I'm in the boat with James. I prefer the sight picture of the nightforce as well (benchrest and nxs) over the sightron.

 

[Elkwonder]

WOW, thanks and keep um coming. I was actually expecting to here that they had about equal glass. I know the night force has better functions, but I was expecting the glass to be about the same. I am trying to decide whether to spend the extra on the nightforce or not. I have to buy TWO , so thats a lot of extra dough to cough up. Thanks for the info

 

[bruce_ventura]

Me too. Every Nightforce I've evaluated had good glare performance, and good resolution and contrast. Every Sightron had below average glare performance and contrast. Resolution is usually pretty good with Sightron scopes, so they work fine for South facing targets at firing ranges. Between the two, I would recommend Nightforce for hunting, though.

 

[Elkwonder]

Me too. Every Nightforce I've evaluated had good glare performance, and good resolution and contrast. Every Sightron had below average glare performance and contrast. Resolution is usually pretty good with Sightron scopes, so they work fine for South facing targets at firing ranges. Between the two, I would recommend Nightforce for hunting, though.

This will primarily be for hunting. I am also liking the idea of having an illuminated reticle for hunting

 

[peashooter]

I have both the Sightron Slll and a Nightforce NXS. I give an edge to the Nightforce on glass and an overall edge to Nightforce as a whole.

 

[cummins cowboy]

It really just depends on what you want to do with the scopes. IMO they are in a different class and can't really be compared. the NF is a tank and weighs like one its big heavy and mechanically reliable as it gets. NF also has alot more features and reticle options. and of course all this costs money. the sightron doesn't have the features is lighter and way less money.

 

[azsugarbear]

I have the Nightforce NXS 5.5-22x50mm on my 277 AM. I had an identical NXS mounted on my 6.5-06 AI. Loved them both, but eventually sold the NXS on mry lighter 6.5-06 AI. The NXS rides well on my 14 lb. (scope incl.) 277 AM that sits in an A-5 McMillan stock. However, my 10.5 lb. (scope incl.) 6.5-06 AI that sits a Manners 100% carbon Superlight stock felt "top heavy" and out of balance with the NXS. I sold that NXS and went with a Sightron SIII 6-24x50mm MOA-LR scope. The 6.5-06 AI just feels more/better balanced now with the Sightron. During daylight hours, I have a hard time telling any difference in glass quality between the SIII and the NXS. However, in last light or early morning light, I believe the NXS glass performs better. The NXS gives me another 5 minutes of "shootable" light in those conditions.

 

[dragman]

Durability - NF
Tracking - Draw
Glass - Draw
Eye relief - Sightron

thats just my opinion, I shoot with a group of guys and know a lot of shooters and most of them have at least one or two of both scopes. When it comes to Bench shooting or Groundhog shooting they ALL are running sightrons even though they own NF's, but for hunting it's 80% NF on the hunting guns. for me I am loving the new MOA recticle on the sightron that I have and the eye relief is what sold me. nothing like letting a 300mag free recoil off of a bench and not getting scoped.

 

[tulku]

My game is Long Range Varmints almost always in bright Sunlight . Got a new Sightron S-3 , 8-32X and spent about an hour yesterday comparing it to my NF 8-32X BR ( on Resolution Targets ) as well as a few other Scopes . I'm with Dragman on the Optics ...... too close to call , and for the Price difference I would go with Sightron . Saying that , I have no Field Experience with the Sightron , but my Field use is not very tough on equipment . YMMV .

 

[Scot E]

The only Sightron line in the running glass wise with NF would be the SIII line.

Even then I think it is close enough that much of it would depend on the individual viewers eyes. I would say that the SIII's are a touch brighter maybe. I still think you get less glare and at least as good of resolution with the NF.

The issue for me with the SIII line is that you are getting pretty close in price to the NF if you get one of their new reticles, which I would want, and NF has much better features overall so to me it would be the NF all the way. I guess Sightron does have some niche stuff in the SIII line so maybe that would change things for some.

HTH,

Scot E.

 

[dragman]

The only Sightron line in the running glass wise with NF would be the SIII line.

Even then I think it is close enough that much of it would depend on the individual viewers eyes. I would say that the SIII's are a touch brighter maybe. I still think you get less glare and at least as good of resolution with the NF.

The issue for me with the SIII line is that you are getting pretty close in price to the NF if you get one of their new reticles, which I would want, and NF has much better features overall so to me it would be the NF all the way. I guess Sightron does have some niche stuff in the SIII line so maybe that would change things for some.

HTH,

Scot E.

Price difference between the SIII illuminated MOA 10-50 and a NSX 12-42 is almost $700 that is a big difference for me.

 

[Browninglover1]

Price difference between the SIII illuminated MOA 10-50 and a NSX 12-42 is almost $700 that is a big difference for me.

Ditto, you basically buy 2 SIII's for the price of one NSX