Leupold Mark 4 or NF NXS ?

inukshuk

inukshuk

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I've been checking these two out for myself and a friend and would like your input comparing experiences with the two. From my research so far they both have good CS and the NF would be a little clearer.
Leupy with the TMR reticle
Mark 4 6.5-20x50mm LR/T M1
Mark 4 8.5-25x50mm LR/T M1

NF with the MLR reticle
NF 5.5-22 x 50 NXS

Next is it worth it to go for the FFP version?
 
Get the NF for durability.

or

Get the Mark 4 for affordability.

If you shoot all the time up there, get the NF because I hear they will eventually last longer.
 
I was in the same situation,a short time ago,and I went with the nxs.The price difference is too small to be concerned with when you are spending that kind of money on a scope.
 
I have both MK4 and NXS scopes, both are excellent. The leupold is cheaper, the NF is perhaps ever so slightly brighter (and has illum ret), but also a lot bigger and heavier.

NF has a reticle not on their page, the NP-R1, that is probably my favorite one. It's like the MLR, but the lines are 1/2 the thickness, making for a very fine reticle.

My end results have been about the same with either scope, both have allowed me to shoot tiny groups and do well at long-ish range.

FFP only matters if you intend to actually use the reticle as a rangefinder.
 
The Mk4s are decent scopes but have several issues.
Leupold for whatever reason continues to instal milradian reticles with 1/4 moa turrets which never made sense to me. I look at it as having a foreign language reticle with english turrets. There is no way 1 milradian can be divided into 1/4 moa and come out with an even number.
Secondly warranty. The Canadian Leupold distributor will NOT handle any repair or warranty work on MK4s, and worse is the fact that if you do need repairs, YOU have to get the Cdn export permit and the apply for an IIC so Leupold USA can apply for an export permit in order to return your scope.

The advantages of NF scopes are that you can get them with moa reticles and moa turrets or if you have to go Milrad, they will instal at extra charge, 1/10 milrad turrets so the reticle and the turrets are both in the same increment of measurement.

I can not speak for all NF dealers but we keep open permits for Nightforce in BOTH directions, so if a scope I sell you fails or needs repairs you return it to me and it gets back and forth from the USA legally and with no bother to you.

The R1 reticle is in my opinion the best reticle available by any scope maker, the 1 moa divisions on the vetical line of the reticle make calling comeups, or use as accurate hold over very simple. The reticle is quite fine but easily visible.
The no added cost illuminated reticles are nice as well. The fact that unlike Leupold and S&B there are no wires inside the scope to illuminate the reticle, as NF has integrated their illuminated reticle into the side focus knob, is a huge bonus as the wiring and exposed rheostats used on secondary switching for illuminated reticles is the number 1 cause of scope failure in illuminated reticle scopes.
FFP is something you either love or despise, personally I find that having a reticle change size with magnification hard to use. The only real purpose for FFP is to be able to range at any magnification, I find my LRF is still 10 times more precise than any reticle will ever be.
 
Definitely go for the FFP. It has more uses than ranging, it lets you use your reticle for leads and hold-overs as well. This is sometimes more advantageous when time is critical. In addition, it allows you to measure your misses at any magnification. Also very handy.

alberta tactical rifle said:
alberta tactical rifle said:
Leupold for whatever reason continues to instal milradian reticles with 1/4 moa turrets which never made sense to me.
Click to expand...

Its because the hillbillies down here want a cool reticle like the Marines have, but don't want to learn the metric system like the Marines do.
Click to expand...
 
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alberta tactical rifle said:
The Mk4s are decent scopes but have several issues.
Leupold for whatever reason continues to instal milradian reticles with 1/4 moa turrets which never made sense to me. I look at it as having a foreign language reticle with english turrets. There is no way 1 milradian can be divided into 1/4 moa and come out with an even number.
Secondly warranty. The Canadian Leupold distributor will NOT handle any repair or warranty work on MK4s, and worse is the fact that if you do need repairs, YOU have to get the Cdn export permit and the apply for an IIC so Leupold USA can apply for an export permit in order to return your scope.

The advantages of NF scopes are that you can get them with moa reticles and moa turrets or if you have to go Milrad, they will instal at extra charge, 1/10 milrad turrets so the reticle and the turrets are both in the same increment of measurement.

I can not speak for all NF dealers but we keep open permits for Nightforce in BOTH directions, so if a scope I sell you fails or needs repairs you return it to me and it gets back and forth from the USA legally and with no bother to you.

The R1 reticle is in my opinion the best reticle available by any scope maker, the 1 moa divisions on the vetical line of the reticle make calling comeups, or use as accurate hold over very simple. The reticle is quite fine but easily visible.
The no added cost illuminated reticles are nice as well. The fact that unlike Leupold and S&B there are no wires inside the scope to illuminate the reticle, as NF has integrated their illuminated reticle into the side focus knob, is a huge bonus as the wiring and exposed rheostats used on secondary switching for illuminated reticles is the number 1 cause of scope failure in illuminated reticle scopes.
FFP is something you either love or despise, personally I find that having a reticle change size with magnification hard to use. The only real purpose for FFP is to be able to range at any magnification, I find my LRF is still 10 times more precise than any reticle will ever be.
Click to expand...

All Leupold warranties are dealt with by Korth Group out of Okotoks AB. In the case of the Mark 4 series they can repair the scope but do not have the equip on hand to purge them with nitogen. The cost of getting the equipment at this time is very expensive. Korth will examine the scope in question and in most cases will replace the scope if the repairs cannot be done locally. They can afford to do this as there are so few Mark 4 failures. We sell many brands of scopes including Nighforce and Leupold and have not seen any serious failures with either brand in recent times. Phil
 
ATR - Pretty much hit it on the head. The only disadvantage to the NF is that they don't have a FFP yet. I have a Mk4 but the only way I could get it even close to what I wanted was to have the custom shop put a M2 knob on my TMR. Everything about the scope is perfect (TMR, BDC, Single Turn, Magnification, etc) EXCEPT the damn knobs don't match the reticle so making adjustment on the fly is a little harder - if I know the range the BDC makes it happen quick but if it is at an unknown range it is trickier. I have owned 4 Mark 4's and actually sent back 2 (My current 3.5-10x40 M2 and a 4.5-14x50mm M1) because they had paint flecks on the glass interior and on the M2 they didn't actually change the adjustment to .5 MOA as ordered at the custom shop just changed the dial (I have no idea why the technician would have thought that just replacing the dial would have magically changed a 1 MOA adjustment to a .5 MOA either that or he thought I wouldn't have checked). Filling out the Export paperwork was a PITA. That being said they are excellent scopes. I almost went with a NF for my latest build but opted to get a S&B PM 2 instead - only because it came with everything that I wanted (matched reticle/turrets, double turn knob, Mil Reticle, top notch glass, and FFP) and I don't have to wait a couple of months for it.

The only thing I would disagree with Rick about the NF is that the NP series reticle being the best reticle. Not because the reticle itself is bad but because not a lot of spotting scopes come with this reticle; so unless your spotter can provide corrections in MOA vice Mils it is probably better to go with a Mil type reticle for compatibility. If your spotting for yourself then I guess it doesn't really matter. One thing I want to know is why NF still builds their scopes with the mag ring and ocular piece as a one part dealie? I hate rotating the BC caps around to change magnification; it is not a show stopper but man is that annoying.
 
Glock4ever said:
ATR - Pretty much hit it on the head. The only disadvantage to the NF is that they don't have a FFP yet. I have a Mk4 but the only way I could get it even close to what I wanted was to have the custom shop put a M2 knob on my TMR. Everything about the scope is perfect (TMR, BDC, Single Turn, Magnification, etc) EXCEPT the damn knobs don't match the reticle so making adjustment on the fly is a little harder - if I know the range the BDC makes it happen quick but if it is at an unknown range it is trickier. I have owned 4 Mark 4's and actually sent back 2 (My current 3.5-10x40 M2 and a 4.5-14x50mm M1) because they had paint flecks on the glass interior and on the M2 they didn't actually change the adjustment to .5 MOA as ordered at the custom shop just changed the dial (I have no idea why the technician would have thought that just replacing the dial would have magically changed a 1 MOA adjustment to a .5 MOA either that or he thought I wouldn't have checked). Filling out the Export paperwork was a PITA. That being said they are excellent scopes. I almost went with a NF for my latest build but opted to get a S&B PM 2 instead - only because it came with everything that I wanted (matched reticle/turrets, double turn knob, Mil Reticle, top notch glass, and FFP) and I don't have to wait a couple of months for it.

The only thing I would disagree with Rick about the NF is that the NP series reticle being the best reticle. Not because the reticle itself is bad but because not a lot of spotting scopes come with this reticle; so unless your spotter can provide corrections in MOA vice Mils it is probably better to go with a Mil type reticle for compatibility. If your spotting for yourself then I guess it doesn't really matter. One thing I want to know is why NF still builds their scopes with the mag ring and ocular piece as a one part dealie? I hate rotating the BC caps around to change magnification; it is not a show stopper but man is that annoying.
Click to expand...

US Optics makes a spotter that is moa, that matches the NF R1 reticle perfectly and is FFP so can be used to rane or call come ups at any power.

According to NF the reason that the whole ocular rotates is structure. They calim, and I don't know if the claim is true not being an engineer, is that the way they have constructed their scopes the ocular turning rather than just a ring adds significant structure to the eye piece and allows for better sealing of the scope.
Probably the best answer would be obtained by calling Kyle brown at NF
his number is 1800-732-9824
 
Depends what you want to do. I went with a Mark 4 on my LR Hunting rig that Rick built for me because it is considerably lighter than the comparable NXS. I have an NXS on my LE2B 308 where I don't mind the extra weight. The 300 didn't need another pound or 18 oz added to it.
 
BigUglyMan said:
Depends what you want to do. I went with a Mark 4 on my LR Hunting rig that Rick built for me because it is considerably lighter than the comparable NXS. I have an NXS on my LE2B 308 where I don't mind the extra weight. The 300 didn't need another pound or 18 oz added to it.
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The NF scopes definately are heavier and larger than the Mk4s.
32oz versus 22.5 for the MK4
I can see how 10 ozs would require alot more time on the stairmaster;) especially for us old guys:sniper:
 
Leupold Mk 4 are can be ordered with mertic turrerts (10 Cm to 1 Mill @100 meters)
Each rotation is 3 mils @ .5 cm per click
They sell here for around $1600- Calgary
There has also been some questions latley as to the consistancy of the optics / glass grades in Nightforce ::confused:
 
Mjohn7: Mk4 can only be ordered with .05 Mil adjustments (.5cm at 100m) which is a bit of an odd adjustment as most metric scopes come with .1 mil adjustments (1cm at 100m). Regardless only the 4.5-14x50mm can be ordered Metric at this point in time; otherwise you need to order it through the custom shop. As well, Leupold still doesn't offer a zero stop for their metric knobs. (Only M2/M3 knobs come with zero stop).
 
Glock4ever; I have the Mk4 4.5 x 14 in metric. Been using it over the past several months. Once you get use to thinking in cm and Mills (.5 cm = .195 ")instead of 1/4 " and MOA they work fine.
The zero stop would be an assest, for now I just remeber where my zero point is on my turret.
 
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