If you don't plan on spinning turrets then there's no reason to get a nightforce and add the extra bulk and weight and there's better glass out there for the money. I really don't think the swaros are any better than a zeiss conquest but they cost more.
i think the ior recommendation is a good one but I'd go with a larger objective for night hunting and get the illuminated version.
...... I've currently got and use both scopes you mention....
I have the 3.5-15x50 Nightforce NXS on my AR and I have a Z6 3-18x50 Swarovski with the Ballistic Turret set-up on my 6.5x47 Lapua McWhorter bolt gun... They are both great scopes but if I were asked to pick a favorite I wouldn't hesitate to pick the Swarovski based solely on quality of the glass.... Both are equally rugged and durable... I am not the least bit concerned with either scope's turrets inadvertently being moved.... Both have well defined detents for each click of adjustment.... I concur with several of the other posters before me as defining the Nightforce as leaning a bit more toward the tactical style of use where as the Swarovski tends to be the more hunting user-friendly of the two.....
I can't see how you could possibly go wrong which ever one you choose....
Originally Posted By: Hobo27 They are both great scopes but if I were asked to pick a favorite I wouldn't hesitate to pick the Swarovski based solely on quality of the glass.... Both are equally rugged and durable... I am not the least bit concerned with either scope's turrets inadvertently being moved.... Both have well defined detents for each click of adjustment.... I concur with several of the other posters before me as defining the Nightforce as leaning a bit more toward the tactical style of use where as the Swarovski tends to be the more hunting user-friendly of the two.....
I can't argue with this...
I've had three NF's (2 - 3.5-15's and a 2.5-10) as well as a Swarovski Z5 with the BRX reticle and glass wise I'm not good enough to tell them apart. The Swaro was smaller and lighter, more slim-line and made more sense for dedicated hunting (besides the very thin cross hairs). The NF's are the cats meow for longer range knob turning.
Two different tools for two different purposes but equally good in their own individual attributes...
Nobody has ever accused Swaro of being overly rugged or durable. That's because they aren't. No way a Swaro is as tough as a NF. Not even close........
Well I decidecd on the Schimdt and Bender classic 4-16 X 50 30MM tube #7 reticle in the first focal for the custom Sako 22-250. Ordered it today through Optics Planet. I owned one of these several years back and made some outragious shots at night with it. I was straped and had to sell it along with the rifle it was mounted on so I'm real familiar with this glass. This scope is rugged, solid. These scopes are the best I've ever looked through day or night. There is no denying Schimdt and Bender quality all they produce are rifle scopes. I don't need illumination I've night hunted over 30 years without it. I don't need external turrets to play with. What I need is a solid sight and thats exactly what this is. Grizz
I went with the Swarovski Z6 2-12 with the BRX reticle.. very pleased with it. You can't go wrong with either and since you went Schmidt & Bender, I can only tell you good choice in optics..
Anything over 200 yards IMO Tim. What say you? And I've kilt them alot further than that at night. I hope this does not develope into a debate about identifying animals at night. I decided to use, and just ordered Conetrol mounts with the projectionless rings for the custom Sako heavy barrel 22-250 with the Schimdt Bender glass. Just got off the phone with the man in Seguine Texas. I have these on two other Sakos. They are expensive but they look cool and more importantly if you ever used them you know it's like the scope is welded to the rifle. Besides, I never seen a armored car chase a hearse.
I want to get away from the bases with the large windage screws in the rear. Not alot of choices when it comes to rings and bases for Sako. Went to the Range today. I wanted to zero my Sako hunter sporter weight 22-250 cause I upgraded the optics on this one a while back. I shot some Nosler custom ammo 22-250 with the 55 grain ballistic tip. Five shots .765 center to center at 100 meters. Decent for a sporter shooting factory. Grizz
Grizz,
Yes I would agree 200+ is getting out there in the dark. My fartherst was a yote last winter in Tx 296 yards IIRC. Shot with a .223 ai 60gr vmax broadside complete pass through. Leupold on 10x, it looks like a 1/2 mile in the dark lol.