Leupy vs. NightForce

[lerch]

I am just wanting to get some opinions here. I have always been a Leupy man and most people I know are the same. Since I got into LR shooting I have noticed a lot of people shooting Night FOrce scopes.
Recently I got to look through a couple of NF scopes and compared them to Leup VX III and Mark 4. In my opinion I thought the leupy was just as good and in one case actually better.
I was jsut wondering what other people thought about this issue

steve

 

[CAM]

Lerch
You sound like you already have your mind made up so why sweat the small stuff?
any way there is a lot to consider when buying a scope, and what you want to get out of it. benchrest, hunting, combination use, you a clicker, use drop points, like mils, range stuff, going light, etc. etc.

I love my 5.5 X 22 X 56 NXS Nightforce.
One of the main reasons is the NP-R2 reticle.
Also tracks great and is even CAM prof.

I use it on a 30-378 and NEVER click untill over 1300 yards
It just flat out works for me. NO WAY IN HE!! I would want to be with out this scope on this gun!

I also have some nice Leupys some where in the gun safe?

There are lots of scope/reticles available any more and I would look for the one that works for you and your pocket book.

No one scope fits every application(except the NXS NP-R2) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Good luck CAM

 

[ss7mm]

Steve:

Here's my opinion and you can take it for what it's worth.

I have owned, and have seen, Leupolds that were great, clear, sharp, good colors etc. but I have also seen a couple that, to my eyes, weren't so great.

I've never seen a Nightforce that, to my eyes, didn't look sharp, clear, beautiful colors and contrast etc. I know some people have to contend with the dial it up and then back down, weak spring issue with some Leupolds. That's a potential problem I don't have with the Nightforce. I crank that sucker all over and it never skips a beat.

This is just one of those things that can be like the Ford and Chevy argument. Each person finds things with a particular brand of scope that they like and don't see a reason to change. If that's the case then there's no need to change if what you see, and the performance you get, makes you happy. You'll also save a lot of money with the Leupolds.

If however, you are building a high end, ultra high performance rifle and seek the best in components, then, for me, it would dictate the Nightforce over the Leupold just because my little mind seems to be happier with what I see through the Nightforce.

When you say you've compared them, was it in the store or outside under field conditions. Too bad there's not some way you could try both, out in the field, under all conditions of lighting, weather etc. and then see if you're still satisfied with the Leupolds. If you can do that and are still happy with the Leupolds, then take the money you saved and tell Kirby to order another barrel.

I also second what Cam says about the NP-R2 reticle. For me, it's the best thing going, bar none. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Guest]

lerch

This here question be akin to asking "how do you grow cotton?" Ask 100 people and you'll get just that many answers!

Let me put it to you this way! Have you ever attended a Benchrest Match? If not.....do sometime and walk down the line and observe the scopes being used! 99% will be Leupolds! Why? Because them ole boys have learned that they're dependable and consistent! I've been using Leupold scopes for more years than I like to recall and I've NEVER had one let me down! I had one of their first produced with target knobs and have ten of 'em at present time and ALL OF 'EM.....do just what they're supposed to do aka return to zero ALL THE TIME! A whole lot of times folks buy "stuff" just because someone else has done so or they think it's the latest hot gimmick on the market! I don't subscribe to this method because once I find something that works...and works well for me.....I stick with it until such time that problems start to arise! The only problem I have with Leupold scopes is......I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH OF 'EM!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Michael Eichele]

The only Lupys I care for are the old style Mark 4's. I still use one to this day on my "800 yard and stretch it to 1000 yards on occasion" 308. Fixed 10x, nice and light, clear and bright and bomb proof. Turrets are solid ect... I feel the same about my NF NXS butr offers more power and a variable power as well as all the other qualities listed above in my mark 4, except for the light weight part, but still isnt bad with the 50mm bell instead of the 56mm.

Go with what you like!

 

[jb1000br]

[ QUOTE ]
lerch

This here question be akin to asking "how do you grow cotton?" Ask 100 people and you'll get just that many answers!

Let me put it to you this way! Have you ever attended a Benchrest Match? If not.....do sometime and walk down the line and observe the scopes being used! 99% will be Leupolds! Why? Because them ole boys have learned that they're dependable and consistent! I've been using Leupold scopes for more years than I like to recall and I've NEVER had one let me down! I had one of their first produced with target knobs and have ten of 'em at present time and ALL OF 'EM.....do just what they're supposed to do aka return to zero ALL THE TIME! A whole lot of times folks buy "stuff" just because someone else has done so or they think it's the latest hot gimmick on the market! I don't subscribe to this method because once I find something that works...and works well for me.....I stick with it until such time that problems start to arise! The only problem I have with Leupold scopes is......I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH OF 'EM!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Hey Rick!

close range BR or long range?

The close range guys use leups because they have to! Tight weight restrictions -- cant afford a 2lb scope.

at 1K though, leup is lucky to hit 50% usage...

CHeers,
JB

 

[Guest]

Naw! Close range! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Ankeny]

[ QUOTE ]
Have you ever attended a Benchrest Match? If not.....do sometime and walk down the line and observe the scopes being used! 99% will be Leupolds!

[/ QUOTE ]
Then go attend a .50 cal match where the glass takes a pounding and see what the best shooters are using. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Guest]

" Have you ever attended a Benchrest Match? If not.....do sometime and walk down the line and observe the scopes being used! 99% will be Leupolds! Why? Because them ole boys have learned that they're dependable and consistent!"


Not so sure about that sport. Go to a 50 BR match and most of them are shooting NXS scopes because their Luppys broke.

The large L.E. departments in the state where I work have all gotten away from Luppies because they don't hold zero riding around in the trunks of our patrol cars.

I own more Leupolds than NXS, but bought them before the NXS came out, and have an NXS on my 300 WSM, my 6.5 WSM, and my AR-10. I also have a Leupold on my Sako 300 WM. The NXS shoots smaller groups than my Luppy on the magnums, and tracks better than the Leupolds I own.

 

[Fiftydriver]

Lerch,

I can not give my more then an opinion just as the others on this topic have and I would agree with most.

I will point out a few factors that made me decide to choose the 3.5-15x 50mm NXS over the 4.5-14 Leupold Mk4 even though it cost me several hundred more $$ to get.

One, vertical elevation adjustment. This NXS model has a full 110 moa or vertical adjustment. With the rifle I was putting this on, I am pretty sure that with the 20 MOA NF base that I can reach zero anywhere from 0 to well past 2000 yards with no special scope base needed.

This is not the case with the Mk4. But that said, the Mk4 would also reach out a VERY long way also, just not as far as the NXS.

Reason number two is the reticle choice. I do love the Leupold TMR that they have in the Mk4 line of scopes. The nice thing is that NF now has the MLR reticle which is basically identical. Only real difference to the reticle itself is that the Leupold version has the open center main crosshair. I do kind of like that feature but to be honest it is not a major thing.

Why I prefer the MLR from NF is because its heavy post sections of the reticle are see through. This allows me a much more precise hold using the top of the thick post at 1000 yards which is where my rifle is set up at.

With the solid TMR reticle, targeting a big game animal or a smaller target like a rockchuck or yote at 1K is more difficult as the solid post covers half the target up.

Again, this may be splitting hairs but to be honest, that is a large part of our hobby anyway.

I also prefer the shorter turrets on the NXS. Both work very well but I prefer the shorter ones on the NXS for a big game rifle.

Finally, as others have said, do not try to reinvent the wheel. Do and use what the professionals use. As mentioned earlier, if you go to a FCSA 50 BMG 1K shoot, you will probably see 90% of the rifles wearing NF scopes, either the BR models or the new NXS models.

The 5.5-22x 56mm was designed specifically for use on 50 BMG rifles so you know that any conventional rifle will be a breeze with these scopes.

There is nothing wrong with the Leupold Mk4 scopes, they are great scopes. But I will tell you that to me, shooting quality hunting times, 30 min before sunrise and 30 min after sunset, I see a noticable difference in brightness and clearity favoring the NXS.

Unfortunatly its hard to get one on every rifle you use so I would say the Leupold Mk4 is the next best thing.

Getting over the initial sticker shock is the hardest part when buying your first NXS. After you use it the price seems to be much more acceptible.

Kirby Allen(50)

 

[BountyHunter]

Leupolds are good scopes but not great scopes.

In the LR BR game well over 50% of the scopes are NF models. In the short range game, Leupolds have problems with POI shifts and that is why you have the Tucker conversions and now even taking all the innards out (slick tube) and going to adjustable rings versus elevation and windage adjustment knobs for leupolds.

However, Leupold has one of the best marketing programs and if you are a state volunteer hunter ed instructor you can buy the Leup 8-25x LR for $575 shippped. Now that is a different story if you can buy them that low priced versus over $1000 for the NF.

I have both and both have their uses.

BH

 

[goodgrouper]

I'm with you Lerch. Can't see much diff in optics, but my eyes are young.

This boils down to a comparison of apples to oranges or toyotas to lexus. Both good, but one costs more.

 

[lerch]

Thanks for all the info,

I think that both scopes are great and are probably the best on the market. I favor Leup because my family is a distibutor for them and I just can't beat that price /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Whenever I got to look through a couple of NF's one of them was at a local shoot and I think the scop must have been dirty or something because the image was very dingy and kinda blurry. The other time was on a brand new NF with a 56mm obj, I looked at it on a rainbow colored target at about 350yds, i could see no difference in between the two scopes.
Now this comparisson probably isnt fair because this was a crisp bright oklahoma morning and there wouldn't be much of a difference to show. We did look at the same target through a high end swaro scope of the same power and you could pick up more color distinction on the rainbow, but I don't like those for rifle scopes anyway.

I have had problems with some old Leup's tracking and that is frustrating as hell. If the NF's can guarantee that tracking is not a problem with their scopes then that is probably reason enough to buy them.
I guess the only way to solve this mystery would me to have both scopes at the break of dawn staring at a pdog mound at 1000yds, ideally both scopes fixed to brand new Allen mag rifles, boy wouldn't that be sweet /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

At least I have gotten to hear a lot of opinions.

thanks
steve

 

[CAM]

Lerch
Funny this post would show up today! http://longrangehunting.com/ubbthreads/s...=true#Post88360

You ever see some fool selling 6 nightforce scopes and upgrading to Leupy??? NOT A CHANCE

CAM