I'm debating between

Nikon 6.5-25x44 in the RRA hiriser mount
Or
Leupold 6..5-24  in a more expensive mount.

But I'm trying to answer the question

What does the Leupold option buy me that I don't get with the Nikon option?

If you have other suggestions for scopes/mounts, please suggest them

Quoted: What does the Leupold option buy me that I don't get with the Nikon option?

It gets you the most popular choice in scopes by some of the finest long range shooters on the planet.

The "world-record-holder" of the longest ranged kill, A Canadian sniper in Afghanistan which replaced the old record held by Carlos Hathcock was NOT using a Nikon, he was shooting a LEUPOLD.

Take a gander at the military sniper pictures shown on this site. How many Nikons do you see on sniper rifles? Most are using LEUPOLDS, for good reason, IMO.

It's your scope, you should buy what you like, me I buy LEUPOLD.

Mike

There's a big difference between anecdotal and 'reality'.  That's what I'm trying to get answered.
How many people have paid 1000+ for a training course and ammo and time off work and then come back and said "You know, that just wan't that great, I could have done the same thing paying $500 at a smaller school and a little extra practice."  

Hence my asking "What does the Leupold buy you that is NOT in the Nikon", I'm looking for measurable, repeatable items that can be objectively compared.


Leave the 'egos' at the door.  Exactly how is the leupold option better than Nikon?

I'm not interested in wasting my money to find out that NIKON (which as I have looked at them and thru them and they have great optical clarity and contrast, n'fact my binocs are Nikon) scopes cannot provide the solid consisitency, repeatability and zero holding abilities of the Leupold.

When and if I ever see a Nikon scope a old as my 15 year old Leupold that has gone for more than 5 years straight and never been "re-zeroed" by an owner that shoots from 100 to 1000 yards and everywhere in-between on a weekly basis and SEE with my own eyes that it is dead on the money every time, at every range, THEN I will believe that it might be possible that NIKON is worth my money.

Until then I will assume that most of the hawkers of Nikon, Nightforce, IOR and other brands, don't have a back yard that looks like this:



and don't use them and depend on them with the same level of confidence that I and many, many others that love long range shooting enjoy.

At that time, you will also begin to see the other brands showing up on the rifles of long range shooters.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying they aren't capable,  I'm just saying they are NOT worth wasting my money on, not when I can get a "proven" performer simply by sticking w/ Leupold.

My new GenII recticled 6.5x20x40mm Leupold from Premier Recticle, has mil-dots "etched" in the first plane which makes ranging at any power possible, whether or not the Nikon offers that as an option, I have no idea.

You asked what Leupold has that Nikon don't, IMO that's the REPUTATION as being A PROVEN TOP PERFORMER in long range optics.

Don't knock it or me for providing what your asked for. If you don't like the answer don't ask the question.

Mike

with the nikon you dont get a nice scope, a american made scope, a fourth generation family owned company, quality, repeatability, and clarity, go with the leupold, you wont regret it.

cory

"solid consisitency, repeatability and zero holding abilities of the Leupold."

That's what I was looking to find out.

Now a question of VARI-X III, or VX III

Still a question of rings?  will the RRA hi riser rings be sufficient, or do the badger rings warrant the extra cost

if you are looking for something a little more affordable, i would go with the leupold PRW rings. i wouldnt get the armalite mount, becuase the rear ring on it stops the scope before the ring sitting forward can be useful. and as for scope i would look at the leupold pr 4.5-14x40, it has the 30mm tube, side focus, covered turrets, and available with a mil dot reticle. thats what im putting on my RRA 18". and if your shooting over 200 yards, with the 223 the mildot really comes in handyespecially with the wind drift of the little bullet. IMHO.

leupold also has an excellent warranty