• Watch Out for Scammers!

    We've now added a color code for all accounts. Orange accounts are new members, Blue are full members, and Green are Supporters. If you get a message about a sale from an orange account, make sure you pay attention before sending any money!

Rifle Scopes Schmidt and bender durability and toughness, how durable are they? how does it compare to NF and every other brand?

Reading through this thread has made my day!!!!

Give that man a Cookie...………...mflmao!!!!

Another +1 for S&B and while I feel for the guy above from Austraila the customer here in the States is top notch. I had the same grease issue with a match coming up, spoke to a Rep at S&B and they had my scope back to me within days. Came back to me in a box packed with swag for padding!!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: sethwilliamd
Nothing on this planet has ever achieved 0 Kelvin (-459 degrees F). If NF had actually managed to achieve this physically impossible feat they'd be the most valuable company on earth selling super conductors based electronic systems, not rifle scopes.

I think its more correct to say -273 degrees C, as kelvin is Celcius based.

0 Rankine is what you would say must you use degrees F.
 
It helps for sure , thank you. I’m also hoping to get some real world opinions from those that have used and owned both

You also fail at inserting gifs and jpegs in your posts...........
 
You also fail at inserting gifs and jpegs in your posts...........
992DECE4-63A3-4F54-9991-61BEE6AE302C.gif
 
  • Haha
Reactions: 308pirate and lash
I have a NXS 3-15 and a S&B 3-12. Both are tough but the S&B feels stouter...I have nothing scientific to base this off of. The S&B has tighter turrets and heavy, distinct clicks and super distinct MTC clicks. The NF has very crisp and audible clicks as well but not as heavy as the S&B. Zero stops on both are a good hard stop. S&B image looks warmer and shows browns better, NF looks colder and shows the blues in images better...both are still great images.

If I had to pick one it would be the S&B but again...I have nothing against the NF and wouldnt blink if NF was the only option.

Pick the one that has the reticle you want and go from there.

EDIT: noticed you said "every other brand" Id hands down take either over a vortex, bushnell, burris, etc. I havent tried a TT but the Premier I owned was the NF and S&B equal so I'm sure its up there also. I own a vortex razor g2 and am looking to replace it with another S&B or NF. The Razor is a good optic but its not an S&B or NF. Their warranty is great, but I prefer one I dont have to use.
People do use S&B warranty. There is a thread running right now where guys are shouting out about how good S&B’s turnaround is. ?
 
  • Like
Reactions: ken226
Just wish ATACRs had second rev indicators and locking turrets. Thanks Leupold....

When the company that everyone loves to bag on for lack of innovation is ahead of the company that everyone holds in such high regard...
 
  • Like
Reactions: ken226
I wasted 10 minutes of my life reading this drivel, Who do I see to them back.
If you smoke. Stop, you'll get that 10 minutes (and more) back at the end.

If you don't smoke. Start. Then stop. Quitting smoking adds years to your life. Do this anytime someone wastes your time. You can live forever...
 
Have owned both SB and NF. The three NF I previously owned were all NXS series scopes. I sold them because of the poor glass. The new NF ATACR scopes all have good glass now, but I wouldn't buy one until they offer a reticle I like. My opinion is NF is behind the power curve with their reticle designs, and the few NF reticles I did like are now discontinued. I can personally attest to SB durability. I've had several mishaps with rifle/scope falls and impacts, with the one pictured below falling 4-ft onto a porcelain tile floor and landing on the elevation turret, and after a simple re-zero, continued to perform.
I've had to use my SB warranty twice, once for a floating piece of epoxy in view of the reticle which did not effect operation, and a tracking issue on a new scope. My understanding, the grease splatter and oil spot issue that was previlant a couple years ago was a result of a subcontractor providing a grease lubricant that was not fully to SB spec, which you cannot blame SB for. I've also sent scopes back to SB for other non-warranty repairs, and every time the service was quick and top notch.

18-lbs rifle falling 4-ft, and hitting turret.
IMG_20190801_193856560.jpg
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: sethwilliamd
Had a NF 5.5-22x56 have it's erector get stuck. I dialed all the way up and down a few times then it worked??? Yes the glass on these older scopes wasn't anything special. Had 5 NF brand scopes and other than this one problem they worked fine.

Had to send a S&B back because the clicks went away, but the erector was still working, actually won that match as this was happening which surprised the heck out of me??!! That was the only problem out of 3 S&B's.

I think you can't go wrong with either brand. Like mentioned, it doesn't matter how much a scope costs, it can still break.
 
Check this video from Dank Lord of Optics

The image differs slightly between manufacturers, some have better contrast while some might give you slightly finer detail. Some work better in dark than others as well. At the price point of these I wouldn't save effort to see them in real life before buying, preferrably being able to look through at them outdoors in usual poor weather. All of them are tough enough, if you break any of them you probably should sharpen your bayonet.
 
When the company that everyone loves to bag on for lack of innovation is ahead of the company that everyone holds in such high regard...

Leupold should have put MK8 glass quality in the MK5 line but they didn't do anything even close and as a result the MK5 glass doesn't compare to the ATACR 7-35.
 
Leupold should have put MK8 glass quality in the MK5 line but they didn't do anything even close and as a result the MK5 glass doesn't compare to the ATACR 7-35.

Nor does the cost of the Mk 5 compare to the ATACR when comparing similar models.
 
Nor does the cost of the Mk 5 compare to the ATACR when comparing similar models.

True different strokes for different folks. MK5 glass is in the bottom end of highend glass and I don't buy glass in that tier.
 
True different strokes for different folks. MK5 glass is in the bottom end of highend glass and I don't buy glass in that tier.

And so...why are you concerned with what Leupold should have done? Asking for a friend...
 
Honestly, I was just curious, since you stated you only use Tier 1 glass, why you even commented(?)...

Cept NF ain’t tier 1 no mo. ?

That’s ZCO/TT/Henny territory now.

Its all relative. I don’t use anything below those.....including atacr.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: MarinePMI
Well fuck me, I guess I better send this mk5hd back that I don't even have yet and bought used. I wasn't impressed with the ATACR glass.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MarinePMI
Update: I received the 3-20 ultra short I had on order, upon opening the box and looking through the scope I immediately notice a black blob internally on the reticle. I immediately checked over the rest of the scope and found no feeling to the turrets until you hit a full mil. I called europtic and they seemed Unconvinced at first, of a problem. they sent me a video of how the turrets should sound and I sent one back of mine. After seeing the video they are sending me a new one. I have to say s&b is off to Auspicious for me.
 
I am sure what will likely be an oft repeated trip from the safe to your coffee table and back will not cause undue stress on the turrets. Just be sure you don’t use too much armorall.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: lash
While S&B are good scopes. ZCO should own that market because of the insane prices S&B wants for their optics.
 
While S&B are good scopes. ZCO should own that market because of the insane prices S&B wants for their optics.

They likely will if they can retain their $3600 price. Everyone else is raising the prices making it a bargain for what you get comparatively.
 
Update: I received the 3-20 ultra short I had on order, upon opening the box and looking through the scope I immediately notice a black blob internally on the reticle. I immediately checked over the rest of the scope and found no feeling to the turrets until you hit a full mil. I called europtic and they seemed Unconvinced at first, of a problem. they sent me a video of how the turrets should sound and I sent one back of mine. After seeing the video they are sending me a new one. I have to say s&b is off to Auspicious for me.

WTF is going on over at S&B quality control? Doesn't anyone look through the scopes before putting them in a box?
 
  • Like
Reactions: ken226
The Schmidt & Bender PM II 3-12X was chosen by the United States Marine Corps to be their sniper rifle optical sight of choice 13 years ago and it's still serving.

Does that answer your question?

Free grammar lesson: plurals do not have apostrophes.
Go 308 pirate go.