I have a full clancy custom 204 with heavy barrel . When I had rifle built I ordered the scope through Shane. I was thinking a Leupold VXL or Nightforce. Shane said both are a good choise but he recomended the Nightforce BR 6-32x56. The scope got lost lost in mail and Shane could only get hold of a 12-42x56 with NP1 rectile for the same price. Against my better judge ment I got the scope. The optics were great but the field of view was to small and 12 power to high as this rifle is a dedicated fox rifle under the spotlight. It was great for load develpment and shooting groups. Sold scope and got a leupold VXL 4.5-14x56 with G4 rectile. Have been shooting this scope for a month. Love the optic as clear as the Nightforce if not better. But I got the wrong rectile. It was what they had at the time. The cross hairs are a bit thick for those 250 to 300 yard shots and no where near good as the Nightforce for shooting groups.
Now I dont know if I should go back to a nightforce 4-15X56 NF with a NP2-DD rectile as I have been told that this rectile is great for varmint shooting at night or go with a Leupold VX3L 4.5-14x56 as I have been told by gun stores this would be better optics at night and I do like the the way they sit low on rifle for good check weld which promotes better shooting. The Nightforce is $1250 the Leupold $1750. All our shots are taken out window of ute or off the bonnent with a big pillow. I use a 170 lightforce with red celephane over spotlight as the foxes dont run as much.
I have 6 weeks of work and 6 farms total about 10 000 acres of Dairy and sheep farms that want me out to get after the foxes. I want to order this scope on Monday and any advise would be great
Hi matang,
I have looked through the vxl's but not the vx3l(these are supposed to be the best lens that leupold have fitted to their scopes.)Some of the optic forums in the US still think they are not worth the price they are charging.
I have never had a nightforce scope that does not perform under spotlights.I currently own 4.
The reticle on the leupold will be important as some find their fine duplex difficult to pick up.
The ir on the NF is beautiful to use under lights against difficult backgrounds.
I personally would buy the NF,because I haven't had a problem with one and I doubt that the vx3l will be a 40%(cost difference) improvement over the NF.
hope you like which ever you get.
Macca
Dont want to criticize and im sure you checked it first but a gun pointing at the young ones with a bolt closed isnt the sort of thing I would put up on the net. JMHO.
Thanks Macca. I have put my NXS on my Remmy 6BR which should be a ball tearer under the spotlight with the 70 grain NBT and the 12-42 would be good on my Stiller.
I'm using a NXS 8-32 on my .223 and it's working well. The NXS has a little more FOV than the BR and a little slimmer on a hunting rifle. My Reticle is a NP-1
This is an awesome varmint scope, more compact than the Nightforce, and great optics, I am a bit flexible with the price, 20 power top end is really necessary with a varmint rifle, and 6.5 bottom end has a great feild of veiw
Matang, I had the same VX-L on my .204. It is a tad undergunned in my opinion. A .204 deserves higher magnification then 14X. Mine now wears an NSX 5.5-22 X 56. Just about perfect. Ill Mil-dot reticle is nice too.
