Nightforce BR 12-42x56 for F/class?

[Fast14riot]

I'm building a semi-budget friendly 200y-1000y gun and am budgeting roughly $1000 for optics. I have Sightron SIII scopes and like them, but thought I might try to step into the Nightforce game, the 12-42 BR I see on the secondary market going for roughly 1000-1200 bucks.

Would the 40moa travel be a hindrance over something with 50moa+ travel? It's a 260AI, will be shooting 140 class bullets around 3kfps. Of course a canted scope base will be used.

Thanks in advance.

 

[NA Woody]

NF 12-42 BR is an excellent scope with sharp optics as well as holding zero etc.
In your price range you will not find a better scope.
I've had one for years and it's been on multiple guns....and still going strong.

 

[coldboreshot]

Good choice. I've seen more side focus scopes fail vs adjustable objective ones. More reliable.

 

[memilanuk]

They are awesome scopes. I was one of those lamenting the shift away from A/O scopes.

The relative lack of adjustment was a bit of a PITA with a 308 @ 1000, running a 155.5 @ 3000 fps. Basically, Burris Signature Zee rings with the inserts are your friend in this scenario. You can use them vertically, horizontally or some combination thereof to get your mechanical no-wind zero where you want it, while still having enough room to dial for big winds.

Probably less of an issue for you with that cartridge/caliber than it was for me with that wiffle-ball we were using back then

 

[6MMsteve]

12x42 is a rock solid scope, great scope, for the price best scope ever made

 

[Fast14riot]

They are awesome scopes. I was one of those lamenting the shift away from A/O scopes.

The relative lack of adjustment was a bit of a PITA with a 308 @ 1000, running a 155.5 @ 3000 fps. Basically, Burris Signature Zee rings with the inserts are your friend in this scenario. You can use them vertically, horizontally or some combination thereof to get your mechanical no-wind zero where you want it, while still having enough room to dial for big winds.

Probably less of an issue for you with that cartridge/caliber than it was for me with that wiffle-ball we were using back then

I know what you mean, I put a 36x on my 24" 6br and had to use Burris zee rings to get to 1K pushing a 107 barely over 2800.

 

[jr600yd]

Great scope. I’ve had one for years and have no complaint. If their is a drawback to them it’s their weight. They are a heavy scope.

 

[memilanuk]

I know what you mean, I put a 36x on my 24" 6br and had to use Burris zee rings to get to 1K pushing a 107 barely over 2800.

I didn't realize I had a zero moa rail on my 'other' 223 FTR gun until I ran out - just barely - of elevation @ 600yd a few weeks ago. Dug around, found a spare 20 moa rail and problem solved.

Which was good, because I *really* did not want to dust off the Burris rings. I have old Berger bullet boxes each full of different sizes of the ring inserts. Definitely a love-hate relationship.

 

[BowWow]

Sounds like an excellent choice. I have the 8x32 version, I can't say anything bad about it.

 

[Fast14riot]

Great scope. I’ve had one for years and have no complaint. If their is a drawback to them it’s their weight. They are a heavy scope.

This gun will be getting a 30" med Palma barrel, weight will come in around 14-16lbs I suspect.

 

[Sandstorm]

If your shooting F-Open weight is your friend here in my opinion.
Build your Rifle close to the weight limit and youll be better off

 

[Fast14riot]

If your shooting F-Open weight is your friend here in my opinion.
Build your Rifle close to the weight limit and youll be better off

It'll be a fun gun, not my main rig, but I'll shoot it in club matches. Don't necessarily want this one at 22lbs.

 

[rdb8847]

Who has the best price on these?

 

[Walt Schmidlin]

I use both a 12-42 and a 8-32 on a 260Rem, 123gr to 142gr at 2950 with a 20MOA rail, 600-1000yds.
Very clear optics, uncluttered reticle, repeatable clicks.

 

[HTSmith]

I bought my first target scope 7 or 8 years ago. It was a Sightron 10-50x60 SIII because it got good reviews and I could afford it. Four years later I bought another used target rifle and needed a scope. I compared a friend's NF 12-42 BR to my SIII 10-50 (set at 42 power) using this chart https://accurateshooter.net/targets/usaf1951.pdf
I was able to resolve more with my Sightron and the adjustments had been very reliable, so I bought another SIII 10-50. This was just two individual scopes and my old eyes and doesn't prove anything--but the possibility exists that you might not be getting an upgrade. Just one person's experience.

 

[J.d. Popkes]

12x42 is a rock solid scope, great scope, for the price best scope ever made

I agree with that. It’s correct. But the a/o alone was enough for me to sell all 4 of mine. Prone with a/o is a deal breaker. But you have to spend 2x as much to get as good of a scope with side focus. I think it’s a BR scope like it says on the box.

 

[Sandstorm]

Another on to try like Tim Smith suggest is the Sightron. Its been solid for me over the years.
and the price is decent too. ( 10-50x60 ) my new fav is the SVSSED...but its $

 

[Fast14riot]

Another on to try like Tim Smith suggest is the Sightron. Its been solid for me over the years.
and the price is decent too. ( 10-50x60 ) my new fav is the SVSSED...but its $

I have a few and really like my Sightrons. If I can't find a NF scope I want at the time I try to buy, I will gladly put a SIII on it.

I agree with that. It’s correct. But the a/o alone was enough for me to sell all 4 of mine. Prone with a/o is a deal breaker. But you have to spend 2x as much to get as good of a scope with side focus. I think it’s a BR scope like it says on the box.

A/O is a consideration, but I have some older glass that has A/O and it hasn't really bothered me, as long as its not a super stiff adjustment ring. If your shooting sling prone, yeah, I get that it would be a total pain. Sadly, I can't shoot sling prone anymore due to spine issues.

 

[J.d. Popkes]

I have a few and really like my Sightrons. If I can't find a NF scope I want at the time I try to buy, I will gladly put a SIII on it.



A/O is a consideration, but I have some older glass that has A/O and it hasn't really bothered me, as long as its not a super stiff adjustment ring. If your shooting sling prone, yeah, I get that it would be a total pain. Sadly, I can't shoot sling prone anymore due to spine issues.

If you’re able to put up with a/o you’re set, the br scopes, for what they sell for are great. Nobody ever has problems with them, they just don’t have features that some people want.

 

[Trevor60]

I ran a Nightforce BR for a couple season in F/TR few observations

Scope has 40 moa elevation, this can cause issues at both ends of the travel. If you put a 20moa rail you have bottomed out the elevation turret depending on your ASL location it may prevent you from getting a 100 yard zero.

Windage 6moa. The limited windage causes issues remembering / calculating the amount of windage on the scope. If you have greater than 6min of wind you are one full revolution. A big wind change or a couple hrs in the butts and remembering becomes an shooting component allot of shooters don't want to deal with and they search for a different scope.

Objective focus on the bell, works great and the 56mm focus bell has greater fine tuning then the side parallex turret. However, shorter shooters do not like the focus out on the end of the scope, they have to break position to adjust when shooting prone. i am tall with a 36inch sleeve i had no issues adj the scope in position

P.S. I still own the scope but i bot a March 8x80. For F/TR shooting 308win the 6moa windage was a hindrance. The March has 10moa.

Trevor