leupold vs. swarovski vs. nightforce

[brumy_stalker]

hello all....i have a remington 700 model 300 SA Ultra Mag Sendero and wanting to buy a new scope for it....i have done research on scopes and cant decide which would be the best for me.
i have always used leupolds and have had no problems with them...i have heard nightforce makes a good scop and so does swarovski(if thats spelled right) but dont know which is best.....for shooting from 800 yds. to 100 yds. in low light conditions which would be the best for this?...if anyone could help it would be greatly appreciated...thanks

 

[Nighthawk]

For 100-800 yards I don't think you would need the NightForce, your best choice would proably be the Leupold since you have already used them.

 

[kidcoltoutlaw]

is your sendero accurate.how far have you tried it.im thinking about one in the .338 RUM,thanks,keith

 

[brumy_stalker]

i have not yet used my gun out on the range although i have used others which is the reason i have gotten mine...its a very accurate gun......26" bull barrel does a good job although i'd love to find a little longer barrel such as a 28" or so if possible

nighthawk
i think i will go with the leupold too but which exactly would be a good choice...the vari x III i assume?...there are so many to choose from these days i cant keep up with whats out there?

 

[ewallace]

I would go with the Leupold 8.5-25x50mm Long Range Target or the 6.5-20x50 LRT. Nightforce makes a excellent scope.I have the 8-32x56 you get a wider power range with a larger objective lens diameter.
Crow Mag

 

[Nighthawk]

You could try a Vari-X III 4.5-14x50mm Tactical Long Range Target.

 

[Guest]

Brumy,

Having never owned a Nightforce (have looked through them) I won't comment on them.

I have owned and used Leupolds and I now own and use Swarovski and Schmidt & Bender.

The Swarovski has a definate advantage in low light. They definately utilize the available light much better then Leupolds. I found them to be crisper and clearer as well. Also, they are a LOT less eye critical then Leupolds. I owned 3 Leupolds and will never go back to them.

You didn't say if you liked the magnifying reticles or not. If you do then you may want to look at a reticle that is real wide (outter posts). They can be seen well in low light conditions.

Have a good one,

Don

 

[speedbump]

Having owned & shot both out to 1,000 in a big variety of conditions... Nightforce, especially in low light.

 

[johnuf78]

I've owned all three and currenly own a pair of Nightforces and a Swarovski. I have the the Nightforces on my long range target shooting setups and the Swarovski my varmint set up. The only problem with the Nightforce is if you're going to hunt with it and carry it around, it might be a bit heavy and cumbersome. The Nightforce is a bit brighter than the Swarovski and Leupold, but the Swarovski has better contrast to me. Most of the European scopes if you look through them, will have a slight yellowish tint which I think actually enhances contrast where as Japanese glass has a more greenish tint which makes things appear brighter. I think the Nightforce and Swarovski are superior to the Leupolds, but probably not twice as good event though they're about twice as much.

 

[scott n]

I,ve owned Leupold, Swarovski, Zeiss, and Nightforce. Each scope has its upside and down side when compared to the others. Leupold is a good scope w/ a side parallax adjustment which I prefer because it requires less observeable movement to make your adjustments .It has good optics ,but not great. I have had problems w/ the parallax knobs coming loose when used on larger calibers. Swarovski makes great glass but I dont care for the front parallax adjustment and they tend to get grit in the parallax adjustment causing the function to become unsmooth which is annoying to say the least. Nightforce are built like a tank. They will last a long time but the optics are not what you find on Swarovski or Zeiss. If money is not an issue and I,m assuming its not since your looking at Swarovski and Nightforce, you may want to consider a Zeiss Diavari. They have excellent optics, and side parallax adjustment. On the down side each click is 1/6th M.O.A. rather than the 1/4 click we are all use to.I currently own three Zeiss scopes . Two are Zeiss Conquest's which you might also consider. The Conquest has the same basic features as the Diavari except the Conquest has 1/4 M.O.A. adjustment. Also great optics, and less in price than the Diavari. Do your homework, and finding what works best for your application shouldn't be to difficult. Especially with all the input from our fellow LRH members. Hope this helps some. May your aim be true and your bullets fly straight.

 

[FEENIX]

WOW! This one was dug passed China and revived after all these years . Sorry I couldn't resist ... but glad to know that someone did unearth it and cared enough to comment . It is never too late for such an info.

Thanks for sharing. Cheers!

Ed

 

[biggamehunter4481]

leupold is the way to go. great pieces of equipment

 

[opticspecialist]

it's comparing an apple, orange, and a scope thats milking it's name.

swarovski has the best glass of all 3, but is a dedicated hunting scope. nightforce has good glass, comes standard with illumination, but is more of a tactical scope and is heavy. leupold don't really do anything spectacular anymore, and i wouldn't throw it in the same category as nightforce or swarovski

 

[long range erik]

I also believe that you would not need a nightforce, You can use a leupold at that range.
I do not know much about swarovski