Simple, Durable, Dialable, SFP Scope

[mjspeers]

How does class quality compare between the NXS 2.5-10 vs the SHV 3-10? Enough improvement to justify the cost?

 

[Ram94]

How does class quality compare between the NXS 2.5-10 vs the SHV 3-10? Enough improvement to justify the cost?

From what I understand the glass is the same.

 

[pirogue]

I’m kind of surprised at these recommended 9X and 10X, on the high end, for 1000 yd shots.

 

[Marshfly]

I’m kind of surprised at these recommended 9X and 10X, on the high end, for 1000 yd shots.

With a good reticle it's absolutely fine. We shoot steel at 600 yards with the 6x SWFA regularly.
Less zoom makes for significantly less wobble in the scope and will increase hit rate surprisingly.

It feels weird at first to use less zoom than max but the first time you are able to watch an animal run through the scope because you are at a reasonable zoom level it all starts to make sense.

 

[mjspeers]

From what I understand the glass is the same.

Any first hand experience with both?

 

[JNDEER]

In large sample sizes and absolute abuse, nothing has as low a percentage of failure as NF NXS, NX8, or even probably SHV’s.

The question should probably be- do they meet a standard for reliability and durability to make a scope failure a very low probability? The answer to that is yes.

Would you rank the NXS/NX8 ("possibly SHV") the same as an older SWFA SFP 3-15 scope or better in terms of actual % of risk of failure?

 

[Bluumoon]

Correct. And you either use the reticle at full power- the problem with SFP, or you see the hit/miss and hold the same amount that you saw off.

Thanks. What would you consider a use case for something like a NXS 5.5-22 in SFP? Normal use is hunting out to maybe 600 and shooting steel eventually to 900-1000 yards. I have a prairie dog gun it could sit on, but have a 5-20 SWFA that is a more likely candidate.

My simple rational says I'd have to dial wind if not on full power and then correct. I've been practicing the dumbed down math wind holds and shooting at "lower power" for most things, but not above learning something new.

 

[Formidilosus]

Thanks. What would you consider a use case for something like a NXS 5.5-22 in SFP? Normal use is hunting out to maybe 600 and shooting steel eventually to 900-1000 yards. I have a prairie dog gun it could sit on, but have a 5-20 SWFA that is a more likely candidate.

There’s not one for me. The 5-20x SWFA is a much better scope for the same use.

My simple rational says I'd have to dial wind if not on full power and then correct. I've been practicing the dumbed down math wind holds and shooting at "lower power" for most things, but not above learning something new.

Dialing wind is the heaviest of concessions, wind is not constant or steady. Math to figure out what each tick mark represents at different powers is also a near certainty that it will be screwed up under stress.

 

[willfrye027]

I guess my head has been in the sand in regards to Schmidt Bender, but they seem to have some options that might also fit my bill. Are they “Nightforce” good? Haven’t seen any in the Form drop tests. So I’m just curious. I see they are used by militaries across the world, which I know doesn’t always mean much.

I can tell you what I’ve used for simple/reliable sfp. I’ve had an SHV 3-10 on my “ultralight” 30-06 for a couple years. Most of the kills have been offhand, leaning against a tree, kneeling, etc. for a while I had the swfa ultralight on there and did make a 520 yard shot on a buck, but it was difficult using the holdovers. For 300 yards or so it’s fine..not ideal but fine. So I switched to the 3-10shv with duplex. I will occasionally practice with it out to 600 or so dialing for elevation. In light wind conditions it works great for that. Kentucky windage is not ideal but it works fine for small wind holds. It would be more precise to have FFP/mils, but I can still get the job done and for that rifle don’t want a 26oz scope.

The other scope I’ve had a little experience with have been the trijicon Huron 3-10. Glass seems better than the nightforce and they were/are $300 on eurooptic. Haven’t dialed much or dropped them but they seem to track correctly so far.

You can always get the SHV, play around with it, and sell it or move it to a different rifle if you feel like it’s not working well for your uses. It’s a great scope to own can’t really go wrong having one.

 

[H82miss]

I have "the big mamacita" NF SHV 5-20x56 on my Bergara B-14 hunter 6.5 Creedmoor. It has an exposed elevation turret and seems to dial very accurately so far. It also has the non-illuminated forceplex reticle, which I prefer. It's a BIG scope, but I really like it. I'm usually a Leupold fanboy and the SHV is my first NF, but it won't be my last.

 

[General RE LEE]

Zeiss Conquest V4 4-16x44 with Z-Plex reticle.

 

[peaceful_ruler]

Meopta MeoSport R 3-15x50 RD SFP...its new for '22 and is the best value scope out there, IMO.