Hey guys,
I picked up a new scope this week, after spending many agonizing hours trying to decide on a 1-4 power optic. I haven’t spent a lot of hours using it yet, but I thought I’d give a brief review of my thoughts so far. Maybe this will help someone who is interested in this scope, but doesn’t have a place locally to handle it in person.
I recently finished a BCM “Recce” type build - 16" barrel w/ 12" DD Lite Rails. Prior to this NF scope, I had been using a compact ACOG 1.5x24, which I liked, but was more geared toward CQB. It worked almost like a red dot, and I liked the tough construction and lack of batteries. However, it didn’t have enough maganification for me for longer shots. I looked at many different 1-4 power variable optics, but ended up with the Nightforce NXS 1-4x24:
First, a bit about the reticle/illumination. One of the main complaints about this scope is that it does not have a daylight illuminated reticle. While this is true, I don’t think it is worth getting hung up on. In bright, broad daylight the reticle looks black just like any other scope. However, even in bright daylight, the reticle appears illuminated red when it is against a dark background, like shadowy trees. I am not going to try to argue that it is as quick as a red dot because it is not. However, it is still very useful on 1 power for two eyes open shooting, which brings me to my next point. Many people prefer the FC2 reticle, which is a circle with a dot inside, but I actually like and am using the NP1 reticle, which is closer to a standard crosshair. I like to have the thinner precision crosshair even knowing I am sacraficing some speed in close engagements. Here are a couple reticle shots - one at full illumination and one at half:
On of the first things I noticed when handling this scope was the weight. It is not lightweight, especially since I was used to a compact ACOG. However, it feels extremely sturdy. I thought I might have to give up some durability when switching from an ACOG to a variable power scope, but having handled the NF, I don’t feel that way at all. It is solid. Adjustments are smooth and give very positive clicks.
All and all, I am very happy with the scope, and would definately recommend it. However, no product is perfect, so understanding the downside is important. Here is my overall view:
Pros:
Excellent Glass
Extremely Sturdy
True 1x performance
Smooth adjustments and excellent craftsmanship
Cons:
Cost
Weight
No daytime illumination (in actual use, this is a smaller issue than you think)
Let me know if you have any questions, and here are some more pictures:
