Re: Leupold Mk 4 Vs. Nightforce
My biggest complaint with Leupold is that they have not had much innovation over the last 15 years. That seems to be changing now,only time will tell. I still think they are great scopes.
The cost of an NF F1 3.5-15 is $2,290, the cost of a MK4 ER/T 4.5-14 is $1599 for a difference of $691. Clearly price wise they are not in the same catagory. For that $691 you get High Speed turret,with a zero stop and illumination. I like all three of those features, I just don't know that I like them $691 worth.
http://www.opticsplanet.net/night-force-nxs-f1-model-riflescope-zero-stop-feature-nxs1550f1.html
http://www.opticsplanet.net/leupold-mark...l-re-fbcab.html
I like Leupolds TMR reticle better than the MLR NF offers. I don't use the illumination on the scopes that have them enough to really worry about it. I can get out to 1,000 yards with two turns on with the M5 turrets. The zero stop is a nice feature, but again I wouldn't use it very often. I have done pretty well over the last 23 years without that feature on any of my work scopes. I like Leupolds smaller size. The glass on the ER/T is suppose to be better than the older MK4's. I always find glass to be a little subjective. I expect the MK4 to have good tracking, if not I will give Leupolds customer service a go.
Now I think both scopes are over priced. I know you will say how you can find both scopes cheaper. This is true, I get discounts from both Leupold and NightForce. I am not going to publish what they are but I will say, Leupolds discount is substantially greater, so the price difference becomes even more pronounced.
When you look at the actual cost of making either scope, I am willing to bet the production costs on both scopes are under $600. There is no way for me to prove that as niether company is going to publish the actual production cost. However,one of my other hobbies is astronomy. For some reason my dollar buys better optics on that side of the house and those scope makers are making a fairly good profit off me as well. For the price of a NF F1 I can buy the scope below from the same site for $2,399
http://www.opticsplanet.net/meade-lx90sc-telescope-10in-schmidt-cassegrain-w-uhtc.html
This scope comes with a heavy duty tripod, a gps as well as a computer to guide the scope. It is much more expensive to build as the glass lens are bigger yet held to a higher standard. The tracking on this scope can't even be compared to a NF or Leupold. It can track a star as it moves across the sky with almost no input from the user. It can correct any errors in its tracking, so that as you use it more it becomes more accurate. The list of features are on the page so I won't go on. Meade and optics planet both make a profit on this scope.
Why is a scope like a NF even in the same price range? Do you truly think "you get what you pay for" when buying a NF F1. I think all rifle scope are driven by what the company producing them can get from the consumer. I don't think we as shooters are very discerning but rather pay more for the latest flavor of Koolaid.
I think both NF and Leupold make nice scopes. I like some of the features of the NF better, I feel like I get gouged less with Leupold. I would like to see Leupold come out with more adjustments per revolution, zero stops and illumination, but even without them its a nice scope and I can buy it for significantly less than I can buy a NightForce. I don't think either scope will make me hit more targets, shoot smaller groups or get higher scores. I think I will be better off taking the money I save on the ER/T M5 and putting it towards ammunition and shooting my rifle.
The NF F1 is close enough in price to a USO that I would just order exactly what I wanted from them and call it good. I still may do that down the road, but for now there is a ER/T 8.5-25X50 with a TMR reticle and M5 turrets waiting at my home for me to try out when I come home in a few months. I thought it was the better buy. I don't expect everyone to agree with me, that is why they make chocolate and vanilla icecream. I happen to like both but don't want to pay the extra cost for one flavor, so I am going to settle for the best flavor for my dollar.