Rifle Scopes Scope Decision for First GAP 308 NF/Leupold

[Wildwillalaska]

I am certainly not new to custom rifles or longer distance shooting, but have traditionally been on a hunting platform with hunting optics. I play/practice with a couple 338 WM's at the range out to 600 yards and have a 300 RUM that i have grouped out at 700 yrds, but do not shoot it much at all. Both have Leupold B&C scopes.

I have a "new-to-me" GAP 308 due in next week and need to figure out a good scope for the rifle. It will be a primary range/practice gun and want a quality scope. I am torn between a Nightforce and Leupold.

Overwelmed between the damn options. If Nightforce, do I need zero-stop, quick adjust, which of the gazillian reticles. If Leupold, should I just go with a longrange or varmint reticle in the VX-3 LR, or Mk4?

I do not have experience yet with adjustible turrets so will need to learn the system whether it be MOA or Mil. There are just so many options its hard to put them altogether into the proper equation resulting in what I need.

I am looking mostly at NF & Leupold as I want to stay under $2K, and $1,500 would be better.

Any input between the two, which options and reticles from folks that have hands on experience would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Will

 

[MK75]

Re: Scope Decision for First GAP 308 NF/Leupold

If I may introduce a third option; I have always been a fan of Swarvoskys Z5 with the Pre-Set Turrets.
Otherwise I have and love my Leupold with the B&C Reticle. I don't think you can really go wrong with the K.I.S.S. moto or either of the choices you mentioned.

 

[Wildwillalaska]

Re: Scope Decision for First GAP 308 NF/Leupold

Big fan of Swaro's, have several pieces of tehir superior glass that have seen a lot of use over the years. But admit I have not really played with any of their turret scopes at all.

The fact that they are good choices, and offer so many damn options is what makes it so tough.

 

[samnev]

Re: Scope Decision for First GAP 308 NF/Leupold



I'd get a Nightforce with a MOAR reticle. Zero stop isn't necessary but is sure nice to hats as are the high speed turrets.

 

[Alpha211]

Re: Scope Decision for First GAP 308 NF/Leupold

Have both a mark 4 and a nxs nightforce prefer the nightforce but it is heavier if dont want to do mil calcs the npr2 with moa adjustments has worked well for me neither of mine have zero stop so can't be of any help there plenty of comparisons on this forum

 

[Sandbogg]

Re: Scope Decision for First GAP 308 NF/Leupold

You cannot go wrong with a gently used NF F1 mil on mil with MLR2.0
The FFP, zero stop and high speed make life very easy!


If you are on a budget the SS 5-20 is a very good scope as well.

 

[Coloradocop]

Re: Scope Decision for First GAP 308 NF/Leupold

Everyone I know who hasn't wanted to drop the coin for something like a USO/S&B/Premier scope has been happy with Nightforce. I think they make a good, robust, reliable product.

Leupold seemed to be the gold standard of the last generation, and some people still seem to like them. Other friends (and online reviews) haven't been as fond of them, but your mileage may vary.

As far as MOA/MIL systems, I know very few people who are really strongly suggesting that only one or the other is best. I'm an inch guy here in the last inch-based country in the world, but I prefer mil scopes just because it is easy to calculate/count off of a base of 10. Maybe that's a silly reason, but whatever. Anyway, the real important thing (in my mind) is that you make sure your turrets and reticle are using the same system. The genius who came up with the idea of a mil-reticle and moa-turrets should have lost his job. I've yet to have anyone give me a conclusive reason why that happened, except to say that it was a military decision (someone made that decision, why they did is beyond me).

Stated simply: the importance of matching your turret and reticle can become obvious if you take a shot, observe that you miss, say, 1-mil low, and then want to dial that correction on your elevation knob. If your mil-reticle scope had MOA turrets, you'd now be calculating. With matching turrets you just dial up 1-mil. Either system works, just match them.

I seem to recall that Nightforce is one of the companies who uses MOA turrets with Mil reticles (I could be wrong about that, since it has been a while since I looked at one of those scopes). I do know that you can get a matching set with that company, on one system or the other, but I also believe you can mismatch your reticle and turret if you so choose.

Although it may go without saying as far as reticles are concerned, just make sure you get a reticle that has some sort delineation for your holds (MIL or MOA marks). If you've never had adjustable turrets, odds are that you may have only ever used a duplex style reticle in a hunting scope. Having a scope with a bit more information on the reticle becomes quite valuable in distance shooting.

Zero-stops are nice. Not needed for many applications, but they are nice. I think they come in particularly handy when you're shooting at distances that require you to go into the second UP rotation on a turret... makes returning to your zero point quick and easy, without a lot of thought about which turn you're on. That's where it works nice for me, but your mileage may vary.

 

[Wildwillalaska]

Re: Scope Decision for First GAP 308 NF/Leupold

Thinking of Leupold as gold standard of the last generation---that's likely an absolute. Also one of the reason's I am so torn. The first center fire rifle that was actually mine, not one I carried afield of my fathers, but mine, wore a little 2x7 Leupold. Between the age of 10 and 16 that darn think was in a three wheeler accident, accompanied me on one fall from a thankfully low tree-stand and countless other bumps and knocks along the way. It never lost its zero.

The darn scope has been on 5 or 6 different rifles through college and adulthood. Still have it and the original Remington ADL 30-06 it came on for my birthday. I have a couple Swarovski scopes and one Zeiss, but everything else is Leupold. Never let me down. That said, playing with a NF at a local shop yesterday, I sure like the damn thing. Looked at both a 3.5-15 mil-dot and a 5.5-22 zero stop with a ton of hashes for elevation and windage. Wish they had a Mark 4 to compare the turrets but no luck.

Right now, despite my almost 30 year love for Leupolds, thinking I'm leaning towards the NF.

Thanks for all the info guys.

Will

 

[sib1948]

Re: Scope Decision for First GAP 308 NF/Leupold

Look at the March F 3-24, but would need to save a little more ($2260) shipped from Kelby Rifles. Only US distributor, but good guy. Read Fireguyty's review here on the Forum. Perfect LR scope which should last you forever and you'll never look back.

 

[Coloradocop]

Re: Scope Decision for First GAP 308 NF/Leupold

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Will in Kenai</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Thinking of Leupold as gold standard of the last generation---that's likely an absolute. Also one of the reason's I am so torn. The first center fire rifle that was actually mine, not one I carried afield of my fathers, but mine, wore a little 2x7 Leupold. Between the age of 10 and 16 that darn think was in a three wheeler accident, accompanied me on one fall from a thankfully low tree-stand and countless other bumps and knocks along the way. It never lost its zero.

The darn scope has been on 5 or 6 different rifles through college and adulthood. Still have it and the original Remington ADL 30-06 it came on for my birthday. I have a couple Swarovski scopes and one Zeiss, but everything else is Leupold. Never let me down. That said, playing with a NF at a local shop yesterday, I sure like the damn thing. Looked at both a 3.5-15 mil-dot and a 5.5-22 zero stop with a ton of hashes for elevation and windage. Wish they had a Mark 4 to compare the turrets but no luck.

Right now, despite my almost 30 year love for Leupolds, thinking I'm leaning towards the NF.

Thanks for all the info guys.

Will </div></div>

I don't think you'll be unhappy with Nightforce. Things evolve, and although I remember lots of fond talk of Leupold scopes as a kid, it seems like Nightforce has gained an edge in the type of shooting that most of us do. Don't get me wrong, there are probably plenty of happy Leupold customers out there, it just seems like there are more Nightforce guys.

The only guys I know who really seem to knock Nightforce are the ones who've upgraded to the very top level scopes. Even then, most complaints are merely that the top level scopes have slightly better glass (again, Nightforce has pretty darn good glass, too). Nightforce scopes seem to be reliable, precise, repeatable, and well-supported by their manufacturer, which I think are the primary considerations with scopes, given that everyone's glass is pretty good these days. Frankly, I'd have probably picked up a Nightforce myself, had my woman not offered me a S&B as a Christmas present (I'd have very likely bought the 5.5-22 Zero-stop NF myself, had I not been given a S&B).