Advice on hunting scopes with quality turrets

[zwickeyman]

Im looking at replacing a couple of scopes and Im looking for SFP duplex style reticles with quality dialable turrets that I can add a ballistic tape

Any suggestions would be appreciated

Thanks

[jrebel]

Nightforce is what I use and they come any more durable and reliable in my opinion.

[zwickeyman]

Nightforce is what I use and they come any more durable and reliable in my opinion.

I know the turret reliability is top notch and I have been looking at them but I sure with they had a simple duplex

[bobcat]

I don't own one but I've heard good things about Triijicon and I believe they have a scope like what you're looking for. Maybe this one:

https://www.eurooptic.com/trijicon-accupoint-25-125x42-riflescope-standard-duplex-crosshair-w-green-dot-200098.aspx

[jrebel]

I also own a zeis v4 that has a simple duplex reticle.  It has been reliable so far.  It sits on a rifle I don’t shoot much and has super low recoil.   So far….so good, time will tell. 

[Duckslayer89]

Nightforce is what I use and they come any more durable and reliable in my opinion.

I know the turret reliability is top notch and I have been looking at them but I sure with they had a simple duplex

I would just go NX8 for reliability

[zwickeyman]

How is the turret reliability and the glass on the SHV. I see they have a duplex reticle in that line

[Duckslayer89]

How is the turret reliability and the glass on the SHV. I see they have a duplex reticle in that line

Check out the MOAR-CF2 reticle. I really like it but I like my TMOA on VX6HD better I think.

[jrebel]

How is the turret reliability and the glass on the SHV. I see they have a duplex reticle in that line

I have a couple SHV’s.  Great scope for the money.  Only downside is they do not have a zero stop.  Some models have a zero set which is a must have if you go with the SHV models.   Zero set will allow you to dial 1/4 MOA past zero.  Not all SHV models have zero set…. I wouldn’t own without. 

Reliability is great.  Glass is also very good.

[jrebel]

The above being said…..the NSX and NX8 are even better glass.  I own them all and will be buying NX8 from here on out.

[zwickeyman]

Thanks for all the input guys

How would you compare the glass on the SHV vs VX5?

[jrebel]

Thanks for all the input guys

How would you compare the glass on the SHV vs VX5?

I’ve never looked through an VX5 but the SHV is nicer than all my other leupolds hands down.  I have a couple VX3’s that I love and the nightforce is nicer in my opinion.  The zeiss V4 had pretty amazing glass as well….comparable to the nightforce. 

[Sakko300wsm]

VX5 glass is pretty good. But hands down my Nightforce NSX and NX8’s are way better in my opinion.
Sold my Leupolds and now only own NF

[highcountry_hunter]

Thanks for all the input guys

How would you compare the glass on the SHV vs VX5?

I’ve never looked through an VX5 but the SHV is nicer than all my other leupolds hands down.  I have a couple VX3’s that I love and the nightforce is nicer in my opinion.  The zeiss V4 had pretty amazing glass as well….comparable to the nightforce.

FYI vx3 and vx5 supposedly have the same glass quality, just different magnification ranges.


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[zwickeyman]

Any of you guys ever played around with the Leica Amplus 6 ?

[Dogmanscott]

A leupold vx 3 is the best value for the money. How dead is dead?
I have a win super grade .270 that shoots a 5/8 group at a hundred yards with a 1980s Burris 3x9.
I have a Austen Halleck .50 muzzleloader that shoots a 5/8 group at 150 with iron sights.
I have a kimber mountain rifle in 6.5 creedmoor that shoots 3/4 at a 100 yards with the vx 3 .
So again how dead is dead?? A rest, practice, finding the right load , and shot placement is more important. Buy a quality rifle. Buy the best sights that are legal. Practice until you have achieved the rifles accuracy or limitations. Then go shoot that buck or bull at 46 yards. Just saying, Scott

[zwickeyman]

A leupold vx 3 is the best value for the money. How dead is dead?
I have a win super grade .270 that shoots a 5/8 group at a hundred yards with a 1980s Burris 3x9.
I have a Austen Halleck .50 muzzleloader that shoots a 5/8 group at 150 with iron sights.
I have a kimber mountain rifle in 6.5 creedmoor that shoots 3/4 at a 100 yards with the vx 3 .
So again how dead is dead?? A rest, practice, finding the right load , and shot placement is more important. Buy a quality rifle. Buy the best sights that are legal. Practice until you have achieved the rifles accuracy or limitations. Then go shoot that buck or bull at 46 yards. Just saying, Scott

All true and sage advice. I do shoot and practice a lot and shoot very well and all my rifles shoot very accurate but I  am looking for a better scope though, thanks for your input

[BeerBugler]

This is no longer a matter of opinion, go check out the scope evaluations done on Rokslide. The only manufacturers that passed were Nightforce, Trijicon, Aimsight and SWFA. Not what people want to hear but there’s guys over there shooting thousands of rounds so that we can all make the most informed decisions on our gear. Good luck.

[zwickeyman]

This is no longer a matter of opinion, go check out the scope evaluations done on Rokslide. The only manufacturers that passed were Nightforce, Trijicon, Aimsight and SWFA. Not what people want to hear but there’s guys over there shooting thousands of rounds so that we can all make the most informed decisions on our gear. Good luck.

I looked at some of them the other day but for some reason I cant find them on the site. User error for sure

[BeerBugler]

Go to Rokslide, click on the “forum” tab, open the search, type in the scope you are curious about then the word evaluation (Trijicon credo evaluation) then enter Formidulosus for the member name (he’s the one doing the evaluations).

[elkslayer069]

NX8

[zwickeyman]

Go to Rokslide, click on the “forum” tab, open the search, type in the scope you are curious about then the word evaluation (Trijicon credo evaluation) then enter Formidulosus for the member name (he’s the one doing the evaluations).

Thanks

[zwickeyman]

NX8

Thats the consensus for sure. I hear nothing but good things about their tracking ability

[b23]

If you want a scope that holds zero, tracks up/down back to zero and does so repeatedly with confidence it's pretty hard to beat Nightforce optics.  Mine are a mix of NXS, NX8, and ATACR, mostly NXS models, and they've all been excellent.

There's often a lot of talk about how the optics of the NX8 and ATACR are so much better then the NXS scopes.  Are they better, yes, but are they substantially better to where you look through one then the other and say ohh yeah this is a lot better, no.  I've sat mine all side by side and gone back and forth looking through them and do I see a difference, I think so, but the difference isn't nearly what people make it out to be.  Point being, there are a lot of used like new NF NXS 5.5-22's out there that you can get for quite a bit less then what a new NX8 or ATACR cost.  If you want to go new that's fine nothing wrong with it but you can save yourself around a grand buying a good clean NXS 5.5-22x50 or 56.  If you do look for a used NF NXS just make sure it's a model with "zero stop".  The high speed turret isn't that big a deal either way for me but for me it's gotta have the zero stop. 

[zwickeyman]

Right now I am torn between 2 pretty different scopes

Leica Amplus 3-18x44 with the l-4A retical. Tracks perfect, amazing glass and great reticle

Night Force NXS 3.5-15x50 MOAR. Tracks perfect, good glass and ok reticle

I can get a new Leica and used Night Force for the same price. Both are damn nice scopes. The Leica is more my style and what Im used to with my VX5's but the Leica has better turrets and better glass than the VX5 and maybe a better reticle. Most of the advice Im getting here and from friends leans to the NXS

Either way Im sure I will be very happy

Thanks for all the info guys

[luvmystang67]

This is actually a thread I’m very interested in. Has anyone tried the SWFA scopes for hunting? They seem to be popular with people doing long range shooting, but I don’t see them brought up much for hunting applications. Maybe the FFP is just less desirable or the glass is too poor compared to other options? They’re affordable and seem to have a strong track record.


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[b23]

Right now I am torn between 2 pretty different scopes

Leica Amplus 3-18x44 with the l-4A retical. Tracks perfect, amazing glass and great reticle

Night Force NXS 3.5-15x50 MOAR. Tracks perfect, good glass and ok reticle

When you say "ok reticle" what do you not care for that makes it just "ok"?  All of my NF have either a NP-R1, NP-R2, MOAR, or MOAR-T.  The very first NF I ever bought was a NXS 3.5-15x50 w/NP-R1 reticle.  Coming from mostly scopes with either a single target dot or duplex the NF reticle at first glance seemed busy as hell and all cluttered up.  Honestly, I thought oh crap I've made a big mistake buying this kind of scope and it's going to be a real problem for me as a hunting scope.  I couldn't have been more wrong about that because in no time at all I didn't even notice all the extra in the reticle and instead came to love all that extra and quickly found out it made my holdover shooting so much better because I now had reference marks instead of just guessing at them.  Then there is the whole consistent reliable tracking every time all the time with NF scopes but that's already been stated plenty so there's not much reason to get in to that again, just know, it's real and once you start using one and dialing with it up and down over and over and having the confidence it tracks properly and always returns to zero is huge.

I don't know if all the extra in a MOAR reticle is causing your concern but if it is, don't let it be.  If you're coming from mostly or only using a duplex reticle to something like a MOAR reticle you will get used to it very quickly and before you know it you won't even notice it and you'll be looking right through it as if it wasn't even there.

[Antlershed]

Thanks for all the input guys

How would you compare the glass on the SHV vs VX5?

I went from a VX-5, to a Zeiss V4, to a NF SHV F-1, to now an NX8. I’d say the glass between a VX-5 and SHV are comparable. If it’s in your budget, just go straight to the NX8. If it’s not, I wouldn’t hesitate to use a SHV again.

[zwickeyman]

Right now I am torn between 2 pretty different scopes

Leica Amplus 3-18x44 with the l-4A retical. Tracks perfect, amazing glass and great reticle

Night Force NXS 3.5-15x50 MOAR. Tracks perfect, good glass and ok reticle

When you say "ok reticle" what do you not care for that makes it just "ok"?  All of my NF have either a NP-R1, NP-R2, MOAR, or MOAR-T.  The very first NF I ever bought was a NXS 3.5-15x50 w/NP-R1 reticle.  Coming from mostly scopes with either a single target dot or duplex the NF reticle at first glance seemed busy as hell and all cluttered up.  Honestly, I thought oh crap I've made a big mistake buying this kind of scope and it's going to be a real problem for me as a hunting scope.  I couldn't have been more wrong about that because in no time at all I didn't even notice all the extra in the reticle and instead came to love all that extra and quickly found out it made my holdover shooting so much better because I now had reference marks instead of just guessing at them.  Then there is the whole consistent reliable tracking every time all the time with NF scopes but that's already been stated plenty so there's not much reason to get in to that again, just know, it's real and once you start using one and dialing with it up and down over and over and having the confidence it tracks properly and always returns to zero is huge.

I don't know if all the extra in a MOAR reticle is causing your concern but if it is, don't let it be.  If you're coming from mostly or only using a duplex reticle to something like a MOAR reticle you will get used to it very quickly and before you know it you won't even notice it and you'll be looking right through it as if it wasn't even there.

You nailed it exactly. Ill put more thought into how it worked out for you

Thanks

[zwickeyman]

Thanks for all the input guys

How would you compare the glass on the SHV vs VX5?

I went from a VX-5, to a Zeiss V4, to a NF SHV F-1, to now an NX8. I’d say the glass between a VX-5 and SHV are comparable. If it’s in your budget, just go straight to the NX8. If it’s not, I wouldn’t hesitate to use a SHV again.

I think the same thing on glass between the VX5 and SHV and if those 2 were my 2 options I would definately go with the SHV

[Karl Blanchard]

All this glass quality talk makes me feel the need to remind everyone that the ONLY two attributes that matter with a scope is reliability of tracking and zero retention. Every scope on the market and certainly the ones in this price point have adequate optical clarity to put rounds on target during legal hunting light but only of those other two functions are reliable.

[zwickeyman]

All this glass quality talk makes me feel the need to remind everyone that the ONLY two attributes that matter with a scope is reliability of tracking and zero retention. Every scope on the market and certainly the ones in this price point have adequate optical clarity to put rounds on target during legal hunting light but only of those other two functions are reliable.

I do understand what you are saying. Reticle is more important to me than glass quality but you are right and the only reason Im moving on from 3 VX5's is reliabilty. They have never let me down on an animal but why chance it. I put a lot of trigger time in and same with load development and I bust my ass so if I ever miss I want it to be my fault not the scopes

[Karl Blanchard]

All this glass quality talk makes me feel the need to remind everyone that the ONLY two attributes that matter with a scope is reliability of tracking and zero retention. Every scope on the market and certainly the ones in this price point have adequate optical clarity to put rounds on target during legal hunting light but only of those other two functions are reliable.

I do understand what you are saying. Reticle is more important to me than glass quality but you are right and the only reason Im moving on from 3 VX5's is reliabilty. They have never let me down on an animal but why chance it. I put a lot of trigger time in and same with load development and I bust my ass so if I ever miss I want it to be my fault not the scopes

For sure and I hope you didn't take my statement as critiquing you specifically.  Just saw an opportunity to make a general statement I feel is important to point out for anyone reading this. 

[zwickeyman]

All this glass quality talk makes me feel the need to remind everyone that the ONLY two attributes that matter with a scope is reliability of tracking and zero retention. Every scope on the market and certainly the ones in this price point have adequate optical clarity to put rounds on target during legal hunting light but only of those other two functions are reliable.

I do understand what you are saying. Reticle is more important to me than glass quality but you are right and the only reason Im moving on from 3 VX5's is reliabilty. They have never let me down on an animal but why chance it. I put a lot of trigger time in and same with load development and I bust my ass so if I ever miss I want it to be my fault not the scopes

For sure and I hope you didn't take my statement as critiquing you specifically.  Just saw an opportunity to make a general statement I feel is important to point out for anyone reading this. 

No offense taken at all. I appreciate the input

[b23]

All this glass quality talk makes me feel the need to remind everyone that the ONLY two attributes that matter with a scope is reliability of tracking and zero retention. Every scope on the market and certainly the ones in this price point have adequate optical clarity to put rounds on target during legal hunting light but only of those other two functions are reliable.

Bingo!  That's why I always suggest to folks if they can find a good clean used NXS with zero stops and save themselves around a grand or more depending on the model that's just that much more they can spend on components or other stuff.

[zwickeyman]

Im picking up a used Leica Amplus and a used NXS. Ill run them through the paces and see what I like dont like and how they track

Thanks again for all the input and suggestions

[Sakko300wsm]

You will love the NXS! What reticle?

[zwickeyman]

Its the 5.5-22X50 MOAR

The Leica is the Amplus 6 3-18X44 L 4w

[jrebel]

We have the same nightforce on my duaghters 6.5 creed.  Excellent scope!!

Curious to here the review on the Leica. 

[zwickeyman]

I'll let you know

[High Climber]

Are any of these scopes noticeably better or worse at staying fog free in wet conditions?

[Sakko300wsm]

I have never had any of my Nightforce scopes fog up. Never owned a Leica scope , but have never had my Leica bino / range finder fog up either

[b23]

Its the 5.5-22X50 MOAR

Bang for your buck that particular scope is about as good as it gets.  If you're coming from a more basic reticle like a duplex or similar the reticle in that NF may seem a little busy at first but it won't take long and you won't really even notice it but if you spend a little time to learn it and how it applies to the rifle you have it on you'll come to love.

If every rifle I owned had that scope on it, well, there'd be worse things to complain about that's for sure.

[pickardjw]

In the latest S2H podcast, Form ran through all of the scopes that have passed or partially passed (partially failed you could say) the drop eval. Any of their podcasts with Form on them are 100% worth the listen. I also liked the one with the Hornady guys.

https://shoot2hunt.com/
https://rokslide.com/forums/forums/rifle-scope-field-evaluations.133/

A quality scope that is likely to maintain zero is no use if it moves around in the rings, so I also follow his scope mounting procedure. Though I believe he's seen issues with 18 in/lbs in several of the drop evals and torque values above the manufacturer recommended often fix the issue. Think he goes at least 22 in/lbs, if not 25+.

https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/scope-mounting-to-maintain-zero.78482/

Lots of guys on Rokslide running the SWFA's for hunting. Biggest problem with SWFA right now is they are out of stock on many items and not allowing backorders, indicating they may be updating some designs. But they have been pretty secretive so no idea what's really going on there.

I'm looking at going with the Maven RS1.2 MIL to replace my Zeiss v4. Though he did tease a scope or scopes "in the works" at the end of the latest podcast...

[zwickeyman]

In the latest S2H podcast, Form ran through all of the scopes that have passed or partially passed (partially failed you could say) the drop eval. Any of their podcasts with Form on them are 100% worth the listen. I also liked the one with the Hornady guys.

https://shoot2hunt.com/
https://rokslide.com/forums/forums/rifle-scope-field-evaluations.133/

A quality scope that is likely to maintain zero is no use if it moves around in the rings, so I also follow his scope mounting procedure. Though I believe he's seen issues with 18 in/lbs in several of the drop evals and torque values above the manufacturer recommended often fix the issue. Think he goes at least 22 in/lbs, if not 25+.

https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/scope-mounting-to-maintain-zero.78482/

Lots of guys on Rokslide running the SWFA's for hunting. Biggest problem with SWFA right now is they are out of stock on many items and not allowing backorders, indicating they may be updating some designs. But they have been pretty secretive so no idea what's really going on there.

I'm looking at going with the Maven RS1.2 MIL to replace my Zeiss v4. Though he did tease a scope or scopes "in the works" at the end of the latest podcast...

Great info