do I really need a nightforce?

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lonewonderer

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Recently recieved a remington 5r in .308.

I was thinking of saving up about $2000-2600 for a nighforce nxs or f1. However, at this price range I could also get a cheap
leupold riflemen ($400) and a flir thermal monoscope ($1800 - just a cool thing to have).

I wanted to practice long range shooting (1000 yards) but there's not many opportunities for that in Saskatoon; our local range only goes out to about 200 yards. I love shooting but it's a new hobby for me and I'm just not sure if it's right to go off the deep end so early with a nightforce. From what I've read, one should buy the best scope they can afford but would this apply to my situation too?
 
You dont need a nightforce. But you should at least spend a grand. The Bushnell elite 30mm 6-24 HDMR is what i use and it works amazing. Make sure you get mils tho...not MOA
 
The question is not do you need one, the question is do you want one. If you are just going to buy the Nightforce anyways in the future you should just buy it now and save the money. That's probably what I would end up doing... might as well admit it and bite the bullet.
 
Yes. You need a Nightforce.

Used ones come up in the EE all the time for around $1600-$1800. I've ditched all my cheapy scopes and moved to NF. One 5.5-22x56 (NP-R1) for my .223 and a 5.5-22x50 (mildot) for my .308. Also have a 1-4x24 on my SR-15 and a 2.5-10x24 on my NR ACR.

You won't regret it... it's holds value and is build like a tank.
 
I have 0 experience with them so i cannot give an opiinion. But i can tell u that if u are going to drop 2500 plus on a scope. Ill vouch for Schmidt and Bender PM2 with P4f reticle. I cannot afford them. But i use them everyday.
 
no friends with farms?
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this is what I was thinking..I thought you flatlanders could shoot from one side of the Province to another? No disrespect. :cool:

seriously though, there might be other options than nightforce but I wouldn't go too cheap if you want to shoot 1000 right away. maybe spend some more time here and research some other options that guys are using. I hear the Sightrons are pretty good glass for the money. i started off with about a $400 dollar scope and it was fine for a while. but I was chasing bullets a lot once I started trying at 1000 because of poor tracking abilities. I ended up selling it and upgraded to around the $1500 mark and am very happy with better optics and excellent tracking for the longer ranges.
 
swissinn said:
I have 0 experience with them so i cannot give an opiinion. But i can tell u that if u are going to drop 2500 plus on a scope. Ill vouch for Schmidt and Bender PM2 with P4f reticle. I cannot afford them. But i use them everyday.
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You want a S&B, you'll be paying more then $2500.
 
The only problem with really decent glass is that once you use it and get used to using it, nothing else is good enough anymore.

There are other options out there that are in the same range in quality as the NF. Some are more expensive and some are cheaper.

I have a love affair going with IOR Valdada offerings at about half the price to the same price, depending which model.

Zeiss, high end Leupolds, maybe the Vortex and Sightron. I've looked through and am impressed with the sharpness and clarity of the Vortex and Sightron offerings but I'm not impressed with their adjustments and repeatability of those adjustments. That is my humble opinion only. Other folks love them. I feel they aren't much better than the Bushenell 6500, which I also have a lot of respect for as well as their adjustments and repeatability.

Positive, repeatable adjustments are very important at longer ranges, not so much at shorter ranges.
 
If you want a really good underated budget scope, get the bushnell 8-32. Awesome value for thte $500 it costs. If you want to spend a little more, get a Sightron. I have the 10-50, also awesome.
 
Immediately ditch the idea of the flir thermal monoscope glass if it's for the sole purpose of just it being "cool" and get the NF - NO QUESTION!

Also, it takes a lot of practice to shoot well at 1000 yards, so 200 yards for starters will be plenty enough.
 
Buy once---Cry Once is the saying I try and live buy. Buy the NF and you wont regret it. If you start cheep and work your way up it will cost you a lot more in the end. The NF scopes hold there value and if you do end up wanting to get rid of it you wont loose that much or any depending on where you pick it up.
 
Just FYI there is a 900m military classifcation range 30KM south of the city that can be used if you join the club there.

We used it last weekend all the way out to 500m with a hodge podge of guns people brought. We were hitting gongs at 500m with my iron sighted m14. It was great fun.

Shawn
 
What does needing one have to do with anything? ;)

I sure don't "need" one but really glad I bought my 2.5-10x32 NXS, it is lovely to use so far. I would like to get a PTL for mine as it's last year's model that didn't come with one.

Another vote for "just get one" if you can swing it, you will not be the least bit disappointed.
 
I think I'm going to cave in and just get the Vortex PST 4-16X50 FFP at about $1000. Nightforce equivalent is $2600 and the main difference is
- more adjustablity
- better glass
- can withstand higher recoil (so I could use it on a 50 cal if I ever get one in the future)

I really think the Vortex is underrated, it has every feature I was looking for (good magnification range, ffp, illuminated reticle, zero stop, matching turrets). I could still save up for the Nightforce but it's not worth another $1600 just for better glass and a stronger scope since my needs will only be limited to hunting and weekend target shooting.
 
lonewonderer said:
I think I'm going to cave in and just get the Vortex PST 4-16X50 FFP at about $1000. Nightforce equivalent is $2600 and the main difference is
- more adjustablity
- better glass
- can withstand higher recoil (so I could use it on a 50 cal if I ever get one in the future)

I really think the Vortex is underrated, it has every feature I was looking for (good magnification range, ffp, illuminated reticle, zero stop, matching turrets). I could still save up for the Nightforce but it's not worth another $1600 just for better glass and a stronger scope since my needs will only be limited to hunting and weekend target shooting.
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Just my honest opinion...

I had a Vortex PST 6-24x50. "Nice scope" i thought. That is until I sold it and the buyer told me the reticle rotated when he zoomed. I shot about 100 rounds of .223 with it mounted, and it broke. Same deal with a Razor 1-4x I had. Yes the warranty is great. But if you're trying it say it's 'comparable' to a NF, I'm sorry to say you are SADLY mistaken. Clarity on the top end of magnification is not even CLOSE. Once you compare side by side, you'd quickly see they are not in the same ballpark.

As I said before you can find a used NF in the EE all day for between $1600-1800. Less than twice the money, and at least 3x the optic that Vortex is. You say Vortex is under-rated. I used to think so (and still think their Viper Binoculars ARE underrated), but now I'm in the 'Vortex is OVERrated' camp.

You won't be sorry if you buy a NF. 3.5-15x50 is probably what you're looking for. You MIGHT be sorry if you buy a Vortex. I had two, and was sorry I bought either one.
 
Any reason why you're set on FFP? Unless youre shooting at unknown distances with a time limit- just use a rangefinder. :) That with a ballistic computer (KAC Bulletflight is my go-to app), and you'll get first round hits on target at pretty much anything under 1000yards. And further, but I haven't tried. :)

Maybe I'm not tactical enough, but for ME I don't realize any benefit from FFP other than the reticle changing size...which I personally find annoying. ;)
 
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