Nightforce NXS 1x4 VS Leupold VX6 1x6

[batsoff]

Hoping you guys can push me over the edge on one of these options as I'm between these 2 for my next optic.

- Will mostly use the optic on 1x like a RDS.
- FOV and eye box forgiveness are the 2 most important things to me.
- Reliable (the MTAC 1x4 was my intro into optics, but mine has lost zero several times and I no longer have confidence in it).

Not terribly concerned about daylight bright illumination or reticle choice, I'll learn to shoot whatever I get. Rarely do I shoot past 300 yards.

Your feedback is appreciated!

-batsoff

[WS6]

I have yet to use a LPV that could compete with the NF 1-4 for eyebox on 1x, including MK6, Razor, K16i, Z6i, and VCOG.

[Coal Dragger]

I have an NXS 1-4X24. As stated the eye box is very forgiving, plus Nightforce makes a very tough scope. Another bonus is the little bugger is short and light.

[WS6]

I have an NXS 1-4X24. As stated the eye box is very forgiving, plus Nightforce makes a very tough scope. Another bonus is the little bugger is short and light.

I still prefer my leupold mk6 to everything I've tried thus far. The red dot is nuclear, the eyebox is decent but not great. The glass is excellent but not stellar. But the reticle, turret features, weight, footprint , and durability are peerless.

[RAM Engineer]

How's the illumination on the NXS?

[TMS951]

I have both. We'll actually two vx6 and one nxs.

The leupold is lighter, and has a equal or more forgiving eye box.

The leupold has a larger ocular lense and a slimmer 'frame' around it. I don't what the real term is but you see a thicker black circle around the ocular lenses of the nxs. The line is the scope body.

I like the motion sensing of the leuplod reticle light. I often forget to turn off my nxs.

While neither scope has failed me I believe the nxs is much tougher.

The Leuplold is cheaper, one I bought for about 1000$ and the last one I was lucky to find for 799$.

Obviously the vx6 goes to 6x which is better.

Both have and equal 1x interns of actually being 1x.

[batsoff]

Thanks All... this feedback is very much appreciated.

Fairly certain I'm going with the NXS.

TMS951... thanks for the detailed review. Confirms a lot of what I see online and in video reviews.

Keep the feedback coming!

-batsoff

[Coal Dragger]

How's the illumination on the NXS?

It isn't daylight bright. Frankly the reticle is bold enough that during the day I feel no strong need for illumination. Your preferences may of course be different.

[WS6]

I have not messed with the VX6 really, but compared to the MK6, the NXS takes a back seat in almost every way except eyebox.

-The NXS to my eyes has some serious chromatic aberration.
-The diopter forces me to see a SLIGHT double-image or blurr up close with both eyes open, if I focus it for clean and crisp 100 yard imagery. Or I can take blurry 100 yard imagery for up close perfection. For whatever reason, I must compromise on which image will look perfect. Both eyes open, or one eye using it at long range and 4x. The MK6 does not have this issue for me, and appears to be a perfectly true 1x across the room.
-The reticle of the NXS is much more user friendly without illumination than the MK6's is.
-The NXS illumination dissappears almost completely on a sunny day unless you are looking into shadows, and then it's a very deep dark red that is worthless for speed, but will denote "reticle here/target not here" when your eye is searching for a reticle on a black target in a dark shadow, etc. so it IS useful.
-The circle-dot of my FC-2 reticle is inferior to the "RDS 1 glowing dot" of my MK6, for ME, but some people LOVE circle-dot type reticles. Sadly, you cannot get an FC-2 anymore.
-The NF and the MK6 weigh the same thing, and are both tough as hell.

Optically, the MK6 blows the NXS out of the water for resolution, CA, abberation, proximity to 1x. Illumination-wise, it also slaughters it. Weight-wise, it's a tie. Footprint, the NXS wins slightly. Eyebox is the only optical property the NXS has going for it.

[WS6]

I have both. We'll actually two vx6 and one nxs.

The leupold is lighter, and has a equal or more forgiving eye box. Interesting! The MK6 definitely has a tighter eyebox, 20mm objective is the culprit.

The leupold has a larger ocular lense and a slimmer 'frame' around it. I don't what the real term is but you see a thicker black circle around the ocular lenses of the nxs. The line is the scope body. This is one thing I think the NXS is THE WORST at.

I like the motion sensing of the leuplod reticle light. I often forget to turn off my nxs. This is an issue the MK6 has had in Afghanistan. Troops forget to turn them off.

While neither scope has failed me I believe the nxs is much tougher. I am still irked that NF won't sell civilians their mil-spec 1-4's, which are MUCH tougher than the civilian ones, and have better glass.

The Leuplold is cheaper, one I bought for about 1000$ and the last one I was lucky to find for 799$.

Obviously the vx6 goes to 6x which is better. AGREED! I can't go back to 4x, now.

Both have and equal 1x interns of actually being 1x.

I have had issues on 1x with the NXS. YMMV for sure on this one! Buy for YOUR eyes. FWIW, I found that the MK6 required 0 adjustment out of the box for me. It was perfect as-is, so I know my eyes aren't somehow "odd" if they match factory settings.