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If you’ve been shopping for rifle scopes or even browsing rifle scopes for a future purchase, there’s a good chance that you’ve heard of or come across the Nightforce brand of scopes. Nightforce has been in business since 1992, and the official company name is Nightforce Optics. One of the more common questions that I see and am asked about concerning Nightforce is where can I find used Night Force scopes for sale.
Now I completely understand why that is a popular question as Nightforce scopes are not cheap. Their entry-level line of scopes has a street price of $850 or so, with their top-of-line scope models, have a street price as high as $3300 or so.
With those costs, I get why people would want to save some money by shopping for a used Nightforce scope versus a new one. However, not every used Nightforce scope is a good deal, so you still need to know the market on the specific Nightforce model you wanted to avoid overpaying on the used or pre-owned market.
So, let’s go over a few places where one might be able to find a used Nightforce scope for sale:
eBay
When it comes to preowned gear, eBay hands down the largest market for those items. They have a thriving sporting goods section that includes many new and pre-owned rifle scopes for sale. For example, I searched eBay for used Nightforce scopes and saw 29 listings. Now that’s not a ton, but there are opportunities there to grab a preowned Nightforce model.
If you do decide to shop on eBay for a used or preowned Nightforce, here are a few suggestions:
(1) Read the entire description and look at all the images in the auction to ensure that what you are bidding on is what it is labeled as. I’ve seen many errors in eBay listings regarding reticles, brands; you name it.
(2) Check the shipping charges to make sure they are reasonable, and you’ll need to figure them into the overall purchase costs.
(3) Take a second to review seller feedback to ensure you’re dealing with a reputable seller.
Here are examples of a few used Nightforce scopes that are currently for sale on eBay right now:
Forum Classified Sections
Many shooting-related forums online feature or offer a classifieds section where forum members can list and buy items for sale. Several of these forums have specific sections for Optics or glass, and you can sometimes find some outstanding deals on used scopes.
The downside with this approach is that you typically have to be a member of the specific forum to communicate with the seller of the item. Therefore, you have to check these forums regularly to keep an eye out for the Nightforce scope model you want.
Here are links to a couple of my favorite forums to shop for glass:
Snipershide: https://forum.snipershide.com/forums/optics-buy-sell-trade/
Rimfire Central: https://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/vbclassified.php?do=category&categoryid=9
The Outdoor Trader: https://www.theoutdoorstrader.com/forums/accessories.259/?tag=optics
Gun Auction Sites
Gun auction sites can potentially be another good source of used scopes. Most shoppers at those sites are looking for firearms, so the level of competition from other buyers can be significantly less than what you may see on an auction site like eBay.
Much like eBay, the downside to gun auction sites is that you continually have to check those sites to see if what you want scope-wise has been listed.
I’d also say that the same shopping suggestions I made above for eBay will apply to gun auction sites as well.
The largest and most well-known gun auction site is Gunbroker, and they do have a section for optics.
Gunbroker: https://www.gunbroker.com/Gun-Scopes/search
Local Gun Listing Sites
An example of a local gun listing site would be a site like Armslist, where sellers list items for sale (usually guns and gun-related items) and designate an area where they are located. Then sellers from that area see the listings, and the two parties usually meet in a face-to-face transaction.
Like most any other method f purchasing pre-owned scopes, Armslist has its pros and cons. The pros are you can find some good deals, and you can most likely avoid shipping charges. The con is that you have to meet a stranger face to face, and some people just don’t like that.
You’ll have to decide if the Armslist format is right for you, but I’ll also add that several sellers on Armslist are also willing to ship, so I wouldn’t rule out shopping on Armslist across the U.S. versus in just the area where you live.
Armslist: https://www.armslist.com/
I’ve found some excellent scope deals on Armslist, and the sellers were willing to ship. In those scenarios, I’d recommend trying to pay via Paypal or some other electronic method where you have a recourse if the sale goes sideways.
Here are a few questions that I’ve commonly asked or commonly see regarding buying a used Nightforce scope:
What’s the best place to find a used Nightforce scope for sale?
Like I mentioned above, I’d start with eBay and then work my way down the other selling venues I mentioned above. If you keep your eyes open, there are some excellent discounted deals to be found on used Nightforce rifle scopes.
What’s your opinion on buying refurbished Nightforce scopes, and can you suggest the best location to find these refurbished models?
I own a refurbished Nightforce scope and have shooting buddies who also own a few. My experience with the one refurbished Nightforce scope I own has been outstanding so far as the scope functions perfectly, and I bought it for a killer deal.
The nice thing about buying the refurbished models is they have been checked out and inspected or repaired at Nightforce, so they are good to go. Plus, they are covered under Nightforce’s outstanding warranty.
As for a source for refurbished Nightforce scopes, I do know a few locations, but I’m going to wait and do a separate write-up about it as I get lots of questions about refurbs.
What do you use as your best spot for finding used Nightforce scopes for sale?
While eBay is a good source, I tend to have the best luck and find the best deals on forums and Armslist. Now, obviously, the shopping on forums approach takes some effort but can pay off with some killer deals on Nightforce gear.
I like the idea of buying used to save some money, but what about the Nightforce Optics warranty on used scopes where you are not the original purchaser?
Now I don’t work for Nightforce Optics, so I obviously can’t actually speak for them. However, my experience has been that Nightforce honors the warranty on any scope regardless of whether or not you’re the original buyer or the 10th owner.
I’ve sent in at least five used Nightforce scopes into them in the last few years to be checked out or repaired (all were bought used), and Nightforce inspected, tested, and repaired (at least in the case of two of them) all of them.
I personally wouldn’t let that be a reason for not buying a preowned Nightforce scope, but that’s just my humble opinion.
What is your opinion of used Knight Force scopes?
I can’t tell you how many times someone emails me asking about “Knightforce” scopes. I understand why it might be misspelled, but the correct spelling is Nightforce.
Rather than just repeat myself, I suggest reading my comments about used or pre-owned Nightforce scopes.
Is it a good idea to buy used Nightforce scopes?
The decision to buy or not buy a used scope is really up to the individual. I know folks who only buy used and others who won’t buy anything but new stuff, so I’ve seen both ends of the spectrum. That being said, I’ve pretty much had good luck buying used scopes. I can only recall one or two situations where buying a used scope didn’t go as planned.
Shopping for used Nightforce scopes is no different than shopping for anything else used or pre-owned. If you don’t know the market, you can still make a bad purchase or pay too much. That’s why it’s imperative to know the used market for the particular Nightforce scope you are looking at.
But to answer your question: If you want to potentially save some money that shopping the used market can be the way to go, but, again, you have to know the market, so you make good, educated purchases.
I’ve been working in the firearms and sporting optics industry for over 20 years, with a personal and professional interest in all things related to rifle scopes, Through a combination of work experience, formal training, and personal experiences, I have extensive experience mounting, testing, and evaluating different rifle scope models across most major optical brands.