Rifle Scopes nightforce or USO?

[TOPGuN050]

hows it going?
just looking for some opinions, advice, and experience.

in the near future I am going to upgrade my optics. I currently run a vortex viper PST 6-24x50 ffp moa

that being said, I have been looking at the nightforce NSX with the MOAR and in ffp and also a USO 3.2-17 TPAL (not decided on a reticle).

while I know I can save a bit buying the NF I am not exactly worried about that. I am in the buy once cry once mode.

any help making my decision easier would be greatly appreciated.

 

[gminor]

If you seriously want to buy once cry once go get your self a Premier. You handle a Premier next to a S&B, NF, USO, and Leupold, and you will see and feel the difference and then lay down the cash for the Premier..

Then you will get to laugh at people setting up their zero stop with tools and stuff...

 

[TOPGuN050]

If you seriously want to buy once cry once go get your self a Premier. You handle a Premier next to a S&B, NF, USO, and Leupold, and you will see and feel the difference and then lay down the cash for the Premier..

Then you will get to laugh at people setting up their zero stop with tools and stuff...

I have seen a few people running the premier heritage but I have never personally had the opportunity to get behind one. considering I am an MOA shooter, do they offer an MOA/MOA option and are they FFP? these things may not matter to some people, but these are 2 things that I want when I upgrade. also, I have a preschool understanding of mils, something that I want to learn but haven't had the chance to get into it much.
thanks for the input, I will add them to the list of possibilities.

 

[JGilesEastTx]

Should we go ahead and make this a sticky? People are about to get passionate and downright discombobulated. Buy once cry once. People are going to say me me i know i know.... you might as well go to a store that has as many of the top models as possible and pick one out. Most likely it's going to come down to which scope you like best aesthetically as all the top brands are.... well tops brands. S&B, NF, PR, Henny, USO........ Now i get to the me me me me my hand is raised ahhh ahhhhh part. If i were going to get one it would be 5-20x50 PM II Ultra Short but that's because I like to bounce around and I don't want a giant USO. blahh

 

[TOPGuN050]

Should we go ahead and make this a sticky? People are about to get passionate and downright discombobulated. Buy once cry once. People are going to say me me i know i know.... you might as well go to a store that has as many of the top models as possible and pick one out. Most likely it's going to come down to which scope you like best aesthetically as all the top brands are.... well tops brands. S&B, NF, PR, Henny, USO........ Now i get to the me me me me my hand is raised ahhh ahhhhh part. If i were going to get one it would be 5-20x50 PM II Ultra Short but that's because I like to bounce around and I don't want a giant USO. blahh

yea I didn't think about everyone jumping on this and starting an argument. not my intentions anyway. as for the bouncing around, I wont be doing much of that considering I shoot mostly from the prone and not actually moving much. thanks for the input though

 

[Rob01]

Between those two I would go with the NF. The F1s I had tracked better, most important, and had better glass than the USOs I have had. Supposedly USO has stepped up their glass but not sure about the tracking. NF is a solid scope for a good price.

Have you also looked at the Vortex Razor? Good power range and good reticle choices.

 

[sib1948]

^^^I agree. Consider the Vortex Razor HD 5-20X. I love mine, but went mil/mil myself.

 

[TOPGuN050]

Between those two I would go with the NF. The F1s I had tracked better, most important, and had better glass than the USOs I have had. Supposedly USO has stepped up their glass but not sure about the tracking. NF is a solid scope for a good price.

Have you also looked at the Vortex Razor? Good power range and good reticle choices.

rob, how is the eye relief on the razor? on my viper, that is one of the things that pisses me off the most because it is so hard to get a perfect sight picture in all the different shooting positions in LR tac match.

also, what is the glass quality like on the razor? does it compare to the NF or USO? I did like the EBR2B reticle in those a lot I must say. lastly, how much "better" is the razor than the viper PST as far as glass quality?

I like the vortex warranty but I am sort of afraid that buying another one will bring some of the same problems that I have with my PST. maybe I am being stupid lining up the 2k razor with the 975$ PST but the thought that rolled through my head was how much better could it really be? we don't have any vortex dealers close to here so I cant go check one out and I have never even seen one at any of the shoots that I have gone to. any more insight on the razor would be greatly appreciated considering the features of the razor are pretty much what I am looking for in a scope, now its just making sure the glass is up to par I guess.

 

[poison123]

Between those two I would go with the NF. The F1s I had tracked better, most important, and had better glass than the USOs I have had. Supposedly USO has stepped up their glass but not sure about the tracking. NF is a solid scope for a good price.

Have you also looked at the Vortex Razor? Good power range and good reticle choices.

I can verify both the tracking and glass are on par with old school S&B scopes for USO.

 

[jtrax]

I can verify both the tracking and glass are on par with old school S&B scopes for USO.

^^ Agreed. On most of my rifles I have Schmidt 5-25's...on a few rifles I have Premier and March FFP's. Approx 2 months ago I decided to try a USO 5-25 (reticle Gen II XR as are my Premiers). Re: USO's generally, I've heard various opinions. I began testing the USO against all my other scopes. Bottom line is that the glass in my USO compares very favorably to Schmidt and my others. Tracking has been spot on and i do like the EREK system. I shoot 4-5 times a week mostly in the evenings. At 1,000 yds my USO resolves as good as my Schmidts.

I was impressed enough that I picked up another USO (3.2-17x44 with the 34mm tube) and the glass is excellent in it as well. I cannot offer an opinion on any scope I do not have experience using. So, if others in the past have a different opinion on USO glass quality then it seems to have been stepped up dramatically.

I've owned many scopes and have kept the ones I prefer to use. I've owned and have since sold Hensoldt, Nightforce, Leupold, Steiner, and others. There are many great scopes available. I can only opine on my preferences. Individually we must decide on our preferences.

 

[bward]

Between those two I would go with the NF. The F1s I had tracked better, most important, and had better glass than the USOs I have had. Supposedly USO has stepped up their glass but not sure about the tracking. NF is a solid scope for a good price.

Have you also looked at the Vortex Razor? Good power range and good reticle choices.

Tracking is dead on with all 5 of my USO's. I test at 100 yards with 10 mils of elevation and FFS. All are .100 or .101.

 

[Graham]

nightforce or USO?

Tracking is dead on with all 5 of my USO's.

Is the tracking dead-on, or is it dead on your USOs?

LOL!

 

[bward]

Is the tracking dead-on, or is it dead on your USOs?

LOL!

Haha, details will get you every time!

 

[Graham]

nightforce or USO?

Haha, details will get you every time!

And punctuation, sometimes.

 

[Rob01]

Hopefully you guys are the rule and not the exception now and USO got all the bugs worked out because 4 or my 5 USO scopes didn't track. Not even close but that was a few years back. I like John and hopefully they are better now.

Top, eye relief on the Razors I had was good. After they made the upgrade of the eye piece the whole eye box was better. Glass has been on par with the NF and USOs I have had. The Razor is a totally different scope than the PSTs. Built more robust with nice features. Lots of writings about them here. You can actually find them well under 2K used here as well and with their warranty buying used is not an issue. Maybe someone in your area with a Razor will see this and you can see one in person.

 

[lazy21]

Between those two I would go with the NF. The F1s I had tracked better, most important, and had better glass than the USOs I have had. Supposedly USO has stepped up their glass but not sure about the tracking. NF is a solid scope for a good price.

Have you also looked at the Vortex Razor? Good power range and good reticle choices.

Rob, I need to get you a USO!!!

 

[Rob01]

You mean a newer one right?

 

[lazy21]

Yes sir, you should really give them another shot. I think it will really change the way you think of them.

 

[pc3]

The thing I cant come at with a new PM11 5-25 is the new 2 year warranty, you pay a premium for the SB anyway over the other players, and for that they give you 24 months warranty. For a light user such as myself, along with the fact I'm not in the USA I'd rather have something that offers a longer warranty in case it is required. Given my current circumstances I may not use one enough in the first 24 months to really wring it out simply for time limitations; young family etc. I wanted another PM11 as I love them (except the tunnelling under 7x) and I have agonized over it but certain to go another option because of that 2 year warranty. Just to add I have had a Schmidt Bender Classic Variable go south out of the box, mag ring locked up, not a PM11 I know, but they are not infallible and I do not think they are as rugged as a plain Jane NXS either just have better glass and nicer turrets.

Do they justify the $500 premium over;

Steiner
Kahles
USO

Probably did before adjusting the warranty period to 2 years.

For the original poster I'd try a USO. I have a 3.8-22x44 and I love it. I have not looked through new ACTAR but own an F1 and like that as well, but I don't think the F1 is as nice as my 3.8-22 USO.

The EREK is really nice low profile and nice spacing.

 

[TOPGuN050]

thank you all for the replys, this has helped alot. i was up in the air yesterday and you guys have helped me narrow it down to USO or a Razor.

rob, thank you for clearing up the issues i have had with my vortex i am currently running. i was very worried about that eye box, field of view, and the light transmission considering my PST is pretty bad at those 3 things listed. on the other hand it tracks near perfect. very glad to hear that the razor is a big step above the PST. i guess an extra 1k gets you alot. as for having one close to here i can check out, i dont know of anyone but if someone that is close to butler PA and would be willing to meet with me it would be greatly appreciated.

as for the USO, my smith runs them and loves them. i talked with him the other night and we are going to bolt a 3.2-17 on my rifle for a test run which will help immensly in deciding.

once again, thank you all for the help on making my upgrade purchase a bit easier and for bringing a few new options to the table that i was not considering.

 

[mwroseberry]

Top gun I run a MOA/MOA USO 3-17 too. Let me know the next time you get up to TVP and I'll shoot with ya. I have a USO SN3 built in 2012 and I love the glass and have zero tracking problems. All glass I purchase from here on out will be from USO.

Good luck,
Merritt

 

[drjjl]

hows it going?
just looking for some opinions, advice, and experience.

in the near future I am going to upgrade my optics. I currently run a vortex viper PST 6-24x50 ffp moa

that being said, I have been looking at the nightforce NSX with the MOAR and in ffp and also a USO 3.2-17 TPAL (not decided on a reticle).

while I know I can save a bit buying the NF I am not exactly worried about that. I am in the buy once cry once mode.

any help making my decision easier would be greatly appreciated.

It's like 3 hours away from you, but you could always drive over to eurooptic, and be able to handle almost all of the premium brands listed in the thread below. I know it's a long drive, but what is 6 hours if you're willing to buy once, cry once and spend 3K+?

 

[PeterPHWS]

Best advice ^^^^.

 

[gminor]

I have seen a few people running the premier heritage but I have never personally had the opportunity to get behind one. considering I am an MOA shooter, do they offer an MOA/MOA option and are they FFP? these things may not matter to some people, but these are 2 things that I want when I upgrade. also, I have a preschool understanding of mils, something that I want to learn but haven't had the chance to get into it much.
thanks for the input, I will add them to the list of possibilities.

No MOA/MOA, yes MIL/MIL (easy to learn brother, don't sweat it), Yes FFP. Check these pages out in order.

1 - Primal Rights ? Primal Rights -- Premier Reticles - Tactical & Light Tactical

2 - Premier Tactical & Light Tactical Optics at Primal Rights - YouTube

3 - Primal Rights ? Primal Rights -- Under The Turret

4 - Premier 3-15x50 Tactical

 

[TOPGuN050]

It's like 3 hours away from you, but you could always drive over to eurooptic, and be able to handle almost all of the premium brands listed in the thread below. I know it's a long drive, but what is 6 hours if you're willing to buy once, cry once and spend 3K+?

heading over to eurooptic did cross my mind, I spoke with those guys a while back about a rifle and they told me to come on out and see it all. they seem like good guys to deal with.

 

[TOPGuN050]

Top gun I run a MOA/MOA USO 3-17 too. Let me know the next time you get up to TVP and I'll shoot with ya. I have a USO SN3 built in 2012 and I love the glass and have zero tracking problems. All glass I purchase from here on out will be from USO.

Good luck,
Merritt

thanks merritt, ill let you know next time we are planning a trip out there.