Nightforce or Sightron???

[Williwaw]

I shoot 22lr, prone, 50 yards and have a list of four scopes I am considering. The most expensive ones are double the price of the least. Not insignificant but I'm ignoring the difference because when I factor in the entire price of the new rifle skimping on the scope means I get less out of the rifle and ammo and ammo and ammo ...

Sightron SVSS ED 10-50x60

Nightforce Comp 15-55x52

NF Precision BR 12-42x56

Sightron SIIISS Comp 45x45

There is a wide weight range here but I'm not trying to make weight. In fact I wonder if a heavy scope isn't better for accuracy/precision, resists torque, puts mass between the supports ie. bipod and bag.

I hear about guys dialing back the magnification in heavy mirage. I currently have a Sightron 36x42 so that is not an option. I have learned to aim at the wavy target. Is reducing mag a personal thing or is it widely accepted as advantageous.

Same with dialing back side focus to read mirage/wind. Is that something people do at 50 yards. I can see it in CF 1000yd stuff but is it a thing a 50 yards.

Any cautionary words regards tracking and holding zero for any of these, My impression is that at this price level they all achieve an acceptable standard.

The 45x45 Sightron has 1/10 moa clicks. The rest 1/8. Nice but not a big deal???

Does anybody have anything to say about eye relief/eye box on these scopes, any tougher or easier than average?

Finally, and most importantly, how is the glass, how sharp are they? My 36x42 is all I have ever spent any time behind. Nine times out of ten I can score as I shoot and the view through the scope is part of the attraction for me. For me, a better view is more fun, Also, I expect the better image is less tiring.

Thanks for reading guys and thanks in advance for the replies.
Wishing everyone a good, safe, fun season of shooting, whatever your discipline.

 

[Peahi2]

I’ve recently did heavy research on scopes for my rimfire just recently. I ended up buying a Midas tac 6-24x50 and a xtr iii 5.5-30x 56. Both have been sweet for 100 yards 22 LR shooting. I have other scopes like Leupold, nightforce, and vortex on other rifles so I was looking at those makes as well.

The Athlon and the Burris fit the bill from all the research I did... snipershide guidance did me right! And for me, I liked them even more after using them for a while. For 50 yards I think there are tons of options and you don’t have to spend so much.

 

[Williwaw]

I’ve recently did heavy research on scopes for my rimfire just recently. I ended up buying a Midas tac 6-24x50 and a xtr iii 5.5-30x 56. Both have been sweet for 100 yards 22 LR shooting. I have other scopes like Leupold, nightforce, and vortex on other rifles so I was looking at those makes as well.

The Athlon and the Burris fit the bill from all the research I did... snipershide guidance did me right! And for me, I liked them even more after using them for a while. For 50 yards I think there are tons of options and you don’t have to spend so much.

Thanks for the reply. You are right of course, in fact there is no real need for anything more than what I have ...36x42 Sightron. On the other hand my goal is to always improve and if possible turn the unprecedented(for me) one-off best ever score into a more frequent occurrence. Right now I have a couple 400's, 32 and 36x's, shot two months apart. Everything had to be right for me a achieve those results. I have dozens of 397 and up. Half a millimeter on a couple rounds out of 40 can be the difference.

Again, you are quite right, I am shopping well down the curve of declining returns. I'm just looking for some advice on these specific scopes so that I can make the best choice amongst them for me and my application.

 

[Peahi2]

Gotcha. I think at 50 yards though, to send all your rounds into one hole is gonna be your ammo and the wind at the moment. It sounds like you have the skill for sure no doubt. Seeing the aiming point clearly can be done with less magnification. I can already “see” my pulse at 100 yards at 30x lol. I’m not even talking about the motion artifact from breathing. I don’t think that would be helpful to marksmanship fundamentals at 50 yards. You wouldn’t want to be subconsciously snatching shots in between heart beats lol.

I get it though. I’m a magnification whore with crappy eyes lol. There are people who say they can shoot sub moa with 9x scope. That’s not me. My leupold mk v at 18x did not leave me satisfied at 100yds on my 22. For me magnification is king, to a point. I think we are on the same wavelength.

 

[Fret]

You might look at the March High Master scopes. They are probably the best target scopes out there but they cost a lot.

Riflescopes: Over $3000 / No Price Limitations » OpticsThoughts

I like to shoot 5 shot groups at 100 yards with .22 and 6mm centerfire rifles. I use Vortex Golden Eagles and Sightron 45X scopes. They are pretty similar in resolution at 100 yards and work pretty well for me and don't cost too much. I think the Sightron 45X has similar glass to their 10-50x ED scopes. I know the Nightforce guys rave about the 15-55X Comp but I've never looked through one.

 

[Williwaw]

Thanks guys, keep it coming.

I'm basically shooting prone benchrest if that makes any sense. I may be brushing the rifle but I am off it as much as my clothing allows. The adjustable cheek riser will be removed on the new stock and the rings high.

The real imponderable here is how much less fatigue there is with clearer glass if in fact any of these options are clearer than what I have now.
That, and if either the side focus or variable magnification are any help against mirage at 50 yards.

Peahi2, you are right about ammo. I decided early on that the ammo game wasn't one I wanted to play which is why I like the larger F Class target. Fret, it might not be advisable for me to look at March ... I gotten used to not sleeping alone.

 

[Travelor]

I have been using Weaver T-36's for years with great success both in F-Open RF and BR RF, even CF out to 1000 yards. I have Turbo's Suhl's Anschutz's and now Vudoo V22 and V22S along with Rem 40X's and Win 52's. I can afford and do have NF scopes but they weigh a lot perched on top of our RF rifle actions.

Just as an FYI, I use a Vortex PST Gen II on my V22 for NRL type shooting due to the 25 MOA turret.

I tend to think we "over thinks" our rimfire scopes in attempts to buy our way to shooting "nirvona".

 

[Criver600]

Prone, out of a sling? I've shot NRA small bore prone for years. The NIghtforce NF Precision BR 12-42x56, is as good as a Benchrest scope gets. And I've shot quite a few matches with one, incredible sight picture 1/8" Moa clicks are money, the negatives are 56mm objective requires tall rings and its heavy. My favorite scope for small bore prone is a Leupold BR24-G, gets you down lower on the rifle and works great. Worth the hunt to find one used.

 

[hafejd30]

I have the NF comp 15-55 on my fclass 284. We shoot 600 or 1,000 yard comps. Excellent scope and really like the size of the reticle. I know some others out there have super fine reticles which may work very well for you

The NF glass beat the Vortex golden eagle and NF bench rest I’ve used

Haven’t used for 22 comps tho

 

[flatland1]

I have a Sightron SIII 45x45 on the V-22S I built, and have been impressed with the clarity/image quality from the start. However, as good as the glass is in this SIII, I'd sure like to see if the optical quality is enough better in the SV-series scopes with their ED glass to make a difference. In fact, I was just looking around at SV scopes on Sightron's website, and then came over here (home away from home..lol) to see if I could find any reviews on the SV line. Not knocking the NF scopes at all - have seen too many positive reviews on them to discount. But - if Sightron's SV line with ED glass is noticeably better than the SIII 45x45, I feel I'd be pretty happy at that level without spending the extra $$$ that a NF BR scope would set me back...

 

[Williwaw]

I have a Sightron SIII 45x45 on the V-22S I built, and have been impressed with the clarity/image quality from the start. However, as good as the glass is in this SIII, I'd sure like to see if the optical quality is enough better in the SV-series scopes with their ED glass to make a difference. In fact, I was just looking around at SV scopes on Sightron's website, and then came over here (home away from home..lol) to see if I could find any reviews on the SV line. Not knocking the NF scopes at all - have seen too many positive reviews on them to discount. But - if Sightron's SV line with ED glass is noticeably better than the SIII 45x45, I feel I'd be pretty happy at that level without spending the extra $$$ that a NF BR scope would set me back...

Here you go Flatland1 and thanks to everyone.

Comparing the Sightron SVSS 10-50X60, Schmidt & Bender 12-50X56, and March 5-55X56 Tactical | Mystic Precision

 

[Williwaw]

Prone, out of a sling? I've shot NRA small bore prone for years. The NIghtforce NF Precision BR 12-42x56, is as good as a Benchrest scope gets. And I've shot quite a few matches with one, incredible sight picture 1/8" Moa clicks are money, the negatives are 56mm objective requires tall rings and its heavy. My favorite scope for small bore prone is a Leupold BR24-G, gets you down lower on the rifle and works great. Worth the hunt to find one used.

Not sling, bipod and rear bag. I actually shoot completely off the rifle, trigger only contact, free recoil. I have so much respect for you guys that can steady a rifle. My wobble zone is about the size of the side of a small barn. I appreciate your input.

 

[viking78]

This Falcon is same as Sightron.
Japan made.

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I have had both, Sightron and this Falcon.
In Finland Falcon is 500e cheaper, because the Sightron has the "brand" on it´s side.

 

[big ted]

TRY LOOKING WHAT IS WINNING AND NOT CHANG THE WORLD BUY NF . BY FAR THE BEST ON THE LINE .THE OTHER SCOPSE ARE GOOD BUT NF WINS HANDS DOWN.

 

[flatland1]

I went ahead with the purchase of a Sightron SVSSED 10-50x60 several months ago. Put it on my Vudoo V-22S in a McMillan Kestros adjustable stock, and have shot it a fair amount off a Stiller joy-stick one-piece rest. Haven't shot as much as I'd have liked to, but it's definitely not holding me back in this application. Am in the process of building another V-22S, only this one will be going into a Doan Trevor English walnut prone stock for sling-shooting smallbore prone. I've yet to make a choice between bbl blanks that will go on this rifle, but will certainly go with something lighter than the truck-axle contour that Remington used on their 40XB, which I shot quite a bit when I got my 1st one of those rifles from the CMP almost 20yrs ago. It was stable as a rock in prone, but it also put a heckuva load on my support (left) elbow. A Krieger sendero would be much lighter, even if finished at 26", and a Benchmark or Shilen in Shilen's R5 contour would be lighter still. I've got a Shilen ratchet in R0 contour, but that's getting closer to as heavy as the Rem bbl was. Whatever - the SVSS is a BIG scope, and at nearly 3lbs, probably heavier than I want for sling shooting. I still have the SIII 45x45, but that seems like far too much magnification for sling shooting, especially for a 70yr old shooter with high blood pressure. I'd love to get another SVSSED because of the geared parallax adjustment, but the SIII 10-50x60 makes more sense, as it's a bunch lighter. Could also go with a SIII 8-32x56, which would be lighter still. In my experience with several SIII 6-24x50 & 8-32x56 scopes, the only downside compared to the SVSSED is their rather stiff parallax adjustment, which I could deal with by getting a 3-D printed clamp-on knob. Still not as nice as the SVSSED's geared parallax, but certainly workable - and much lighter for sling shooting. I've shot a bit of smallbore with a nice old Unertl 16x 1-1/2" target scope, and on a day with good light, it's plenty good enough for me, which makes considering the SVSSED seem like a big dose of overkill, even though I really like the one I have.

 

[FuhQ]

Yall are really putting $2,500-$3,500 scopes on .22LR rifles to only shoot 50 yards? Hell, even 100 or 200 yards?

Damn...I'm in the wrong business. I need to start selling NRL gear online. I didn't realize it was that prolific.

 

[chevy_man]

I'd lean towards the sightron myself, but my indoor fixed distance smallbore is wearing a 6-24 SII big sky with 1/8 dot and adjustment. If I remember correctly the SII BS had comparable glass to the SIII. It's plenty enough to see everything, even indoors with crap light.