vx-6 vs G7 vs Huskemaw

[breakshntr]

Currently getting a 28 Nosler built from the ground up specifically for the 195 bergers and am needing a good (repeatable) longrange scope. This will be strictly for hunting and packing in semi-open to open country, were a long reach is not out of the question. So weight is a bit of a factor, I want packable.
Looking at the vx-6 4-24x52 with TMOA retical, the G7 5.5-22x50 or the Huskemaw 5-20x50.
I currently have a 3-18x50 TMOA on a 264 that I am really liking, so far seems repeatable but haven't do a TON of testing with it, ran it to 900 to 1100 several times and all is good so far.
I really like the fact that the vx-6 has turret caps and is of good reasonable weight, glass is plenty good. Yes the magnification ring is a bit stiff but not near as bad as some have claimed, not a problem there. The clicks aren't all that pronounced but if the scope tracks well not a problem. May or may not get a custom dial. (primarily hunt at one altitude and in very similar temps). I know there have been a few complaints about Leupolds QC in the past few years, so makes me leary. One must remember that they produce just a handful more scopes than most other companies.
I know there are basically no problems to speak of with the G7. Just a bit hung up on the weight and added bulk. Have never owned a NF but know that the function will be A-ok. Comes with zero stop and windage cap (big plus). I like the retical and if I decide to get a custom turret Minutes also come on the dial for anything over 20 moa. Biggest drawback is the weight and I guess the extra $$.
I know very little about the Huskemaw. Lots of folks on here swear by them but other than that.... The glass, fit and finish... The lack of either minute hashes or a bdc in the duplex I really don't care for. Some times a quick 350 to 400 yard shot presents itself and one doesn't need a dial for those ranges.
Just looking for a bit of advise I guess, probably end up more confused than I already am! If I absolutely knew the vx-6 was going to track well forever I would go that way in a flash. Just don't want to under scope myself so to speak.
More or less looking for people with experience with these scope, particularly side by side. Just wanting a good longrang HUNTING scope, not a tactical scope.
Opinions welcome! Talk me into something!
Thanks guys.
Zack

 

[gusd]

If you already like the vx6 I would buy that. I have 3 of them and love them.I feel they are the best hunting scope I could find. As for the tracking like you said there are a lot of them out there and I feel there are a lot of guys out there that like to slam Leupold. I have had no problems with mine.
Here is what I do know their warranty is awesome. When you call you get to talk to an american that knows what they are talking about and will take care of whatever problem you have.

As for the other scopes you mentioned I do not have and have not used them so I can not say anything to their quality. What I have noticed on this forum and other forums is that Nightforce has some pretty hard core fan boys saying how great they are.
When they have problems they really down play it. Maybe they feel they have to defend a product that is twice as heavy as a Leupold and twice as expensive.
Because here is what I do know everything breaks and every brand of scope will have a problem from time to time.

 

[Greyfox]

My most used scope for LRH is a Huskemaw 5x20x50 and it has seen very heavy usage for over six seasons. It has good glass, performed flawlessly and accounted for dozens of animals to 1200 yards. I own two of them and find they perform on par with my Nightforce NXS's, one which is a G7, which I like, but find too big and heavy for field use on my nicely weighted/balanced 6.5x284's. While the Huskemaw does not have reticle hash marks on the vertical scale, it is nicely weighted, and the horizontal scale has MOA segments for windage corrections. I use NF-G7 style turret tapes on mine which have combined MOA and yardage scales, the yardage scale used for fast shooting to 500 yards. I just ordered a March 2.5x25x52 for a new rifle build which appears to have many of the attributes I like about the Huskemaw.

 

[breakshntr]

Greyfox. I'm with you on the bulk of the NF. I handled one in the store and just couldn't see it topping off a mid-weight sporter hunting rifle. One heck of a scope for sure, just don't feel they are well tailored for a hunting rig. Handled a vx-6 and bingo much better match up for my 264.
I would really like to handle a Huskemaw before I made a purchase. When using a custom turret on them can you dial to say 23 minutes if over a full turn of the turret is needed?
I'm really starting to lean away from the NF more and more. Step back and figure out what balances a gun out best and still gets the job done correctly. The 28 Nosler I'm having built by Ryan Pierce, he said gun should come in at around 7.5-8#. Stiller Predator, 26" #5 fluted Brux with small break, Manners EH1 stock, with Whidden rings.
Having first hand experience with the vx-6 makes it a bit more attractive at this point. Leupolds twin bias erector is proven for the most part with the mk4.

 

[breakshntr]

Greyfox those Marches do look mighty nice!

 

[Greyfox]

Greyfox. I'm with you on the bulk of the NF. I handled one in the store and just couldn't see it topping off a mid-weight sporter hunting rifle. One heck of a scope for sure, just don't feel they are well tailored for a hunting rig. Handled a vx-6 and bingo much better match up for my 264.
I would really like to handle a Huskemaw before I made a purchase. When using a custom turret on them can you dial to say 23 minutes if over a full turn of the turret is needed?
I'm really starting to lean away from the NF more and more. Step back and figure out what balances a gun out best and still gets the job done correctly. The 28 Nosler I'm having built by Ryan Pierce, he said gun should come in at around 7.5-8#. Stiller Predator, 26" #5 fluted Brux with small break, Manners EH1 stock, with Whidden rings.
Having first hand experience with the vx-6 makes it a bit more attractive at this point. Leupolds twin bias erector is proven for the most part with the mk4.

Yes, the Huskemaw has a turret range that allows you to go past the 20MOA revolution range as I have taken coyotes and antelope in excess of 1100 yards with turret settings in the 30-40MOA elevation range. The click values of the Huskemaw is .33MOA/click, resulting in 3 clicks/MOA. Some object to the larger click value, but having used Mil based scopes at long range, if find no difference in my ability to hit small targets at long range with the higher click values.
My 300WM which is a heavy rig under any circumstances, has a 25X ATAC-R mounted. I'm not so particular about weight since it's not a carry rifle. It was the very noticeable optical clarity of this scope over both my NXS and Huskemaw scopes that motivated me to try the March, which like the ATAC-R, uses very high end ED glass, but in a compact package. I hope the March lives up to my expectations.

 

[Rich Coyle]

breakshntr,

There is another option in the weight and glass quality you are considering. I bought the VX-6 4-24X52 and a Bushnell 6500 4 1/2-30X50. The Bushnell has an ever so slight advantage in its ability to resolve detail over the VX-6 when both are on the same magnification setting; and then has 6X more on the top end. Both scope are crystal clear throughout their magnification range. In low light after the sun sets they lasted withing seconds of each other. The VX-6 weighs 24 ounces and the 6500 weighs 22 ounces.

One of my 6500s has mildots while the other has plex. The glass in both is barely better than the Huskemaw I compared them to.

 

[breakshntr]

breakshntr,

There is another option in the weight and glass quality you are considering. I bought the VX-6 4-24X52 and a Bushnell 6500 4 1/2-30X50. The Bushnell has an ever so slight advantage in its ability to resolve detail over the VX-6 when both are on the same magnification setting; and then has 6X more on the top end. Both scope are crystal clear throughout their magnification range. In low light after the sun sets they lasted withing seconds of each other. The VX-6 weighs 24 ounces and the 6500 weighs 22 ounces.

One of my 6500s has mildots while the other has plex. The glass in both is barely better than the Huskemaw I compared them to.

Thanks for the info. They look to be a heck of a nice scope. Only real concern is the 30x, I really would like to stay in that 20-22x range, 24 is pushing it. I know quite a few folks say the high end Bushnells rub elbows with the best of them.

 

[breakshntr]

Yes, the Huskemaw has a turret range that allows you to go past the 20MOA revolution range as I have taken coyotes and antelope in excess of 1100 yards with turret settings in the 30-40MOA elevation range. The click values of the Huskemaw is .33MOA/click, resulting in 3 clicks/MOA. Some object to the larger click value, but having used Mil based scopes at long range, if find no difference in my ability to hit small targets at long range with the higher click values.
My 300WM which is a heavy rig under any circumstances, has a 25X ATAC-R mounted. I'm not so particular about weight since it's not a carry rifle. It was the very noticeable optical clarity of this scope over both my NXS and Huskemaw scopes that motivated me to try the March, which like the ATAC-R, uses very high end ED glass, but in a compact package. I hope the March lives up to my expectations.

Thanks for the feed back. It sure seems that I wouldn't be disappointed in the Huskemaw. I've been creeping around this sight for a long time now as well as others and have never really heard of any issues with Huskemas, even the originals. Never have I heard of a tracking problem, and we all know that 80% of the folks that run a Huskemaw bought it for longrange and thus dial. The Leupolds in general not so much.

 

[Wedgy]

Wildcater really luvs his Bushnell ! I had one and found it a little fuzzy above ~22x and limited on elevation, tracked very well though.
If you are using the VX-6 with the plastic dials underneath the caps be warned they come off very easy(Jim Shockey knows this), and they flex a bit making the turrets feel a little softer.
There is a good thread about scope size;
http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f18/atacr-scope-sporter-rifle-172356/index4.html

The smaller scope is a March 2.5-25x42

 

[breakshntr]

Good reading there. Pictures are worth a thousand words. And remember Jim is kind of all about image. Mostly talking to the camera to much and not hunting... I trust my life to __________ and you can too. Not enough time familiarizing oneself with his equipment, to much time yacking about sponsors. Pretty good show though. Lots of folks like that, buy high dollar equipment by a longrange rig for instance and pickup whatever factory ammo they can find and expect solid results, after they shot their gun just 11 months ago at the last deer.
Sorry had to.

 

[Rich Coyle]

breakshntr,

If you don't want to go above just don't turn your scope up all the way.

Wedgy,

I like the 6500s because they work. The first 6500 I bought was blurry above about 25X. There is no way I keep something that does not work so I sent it in to get it repaired. When it came back it was crystal clear above 25X but blurry below 10X. Back then they would give a full refund for a full year if you had your receipt. I did that.

After several months I figured the first ones out were out of the pipeline. I bought one with mildots. The glass is excellent throughout its magnification range. I purchased another with plex reticle. It is also crystal clear from 4 1/2-30X.

 

[toddc]

The reason all of these scopes have supporter clubs is......THEY WORK.
Since balance and weight are a consideration, NF probably isn't your cup of tea. All of my stuff is brutally heavy so FOR ME it doesn't matter.
Huskemaw glass is decent and they seem to hold up. I personally am not a CUSTOM TURRET kind of guy. Atmospherics basically render them nothing but a elevation dial anyway in many cases.
Leupold has been around forever and their stuff works or they will make it work. HOWEVER, their VALUE is probably a little lower than many other options due to paying for the name. Rate a scope on a scale from 1-10 on glass, turrets, reticle etc. A Leupold that rates a 9 will cost $1875. A Sightron will cost $1300.

Some other options that might save some $$$ AND equal the VX-6 are the Sightrons, Vortex, SWFA, Weaver, Nikon or Bushy.

All of these makers are building some killer stuff that will probably provide more bang for the buck.

Also remember, RESALE on everything you listed will be highest in the NF, I regularly buy and sell high end optics. Most of the time on a NF if you hold it 6 mos it will be worth more than you paid. Unless you keep scopes 10 yrs this can effect your decision as well.

 

[breakshntr]

Almost leaning g7, like said earlier if I don't like it I'll sell it and not take a beating. Will hold off maybe and see what the new vx6 hd's have to offer as well. Hoping they tweak a few things and I will jump that way.