Need Advice on Nightforce Scope to buy ?

[manitou210]

I am going to get my feet wet in F class and it seems from attenting a shoot at Connaught Ranges this, summer that a lot of my American neighbours where using Nightforce scopes, and said they are the best.
what reticale would be the best choice,any help would be nice or maybe there are other options for scopes

Thanks Cheers to everyone for holidays

 

[Lbart]

In my opinion there is no best reticle. The best reticle is the one YOU prefer. The better F-Class shooters use a number of different ones, some like dots and others crosshairs of some type. Most of my F-Class shooting is done with the NPR-2 and CH-1 NF reticles. I use the NF 12-42x BR model.

Larry Bartholome

 

[Forum Boss]

For the long course,800,900,1000) it's nice to have the 12-42x when shooting for that half-moa X-ring. Same thing with the 1/8-moa scope adjustments--give you more precise control over your elevation at long range.

Many of the better competitors choose to hold off in some wind conditions. Therefore you'll want a reticle with some kind of stadia marks.

Available reticles are found here: http://www.nightforceoptics.com/?catid=4&viewitem=151

Popular reticles for F-Class are: NP-R2, CH-1, CH-2, MLR . But there are other options worth considering. As Larry said... the best reticle is the one YOU prefer.

 

[Preacher]

The NP-R2 is very handy for shooting in the wind, for hold off's...
Other than that I like the NP-2DD for just about everything.

 

[shcal]

I understand that Nightforce has an NP-R1 reticle, I think I read it on one of the posts, however I don't see it on their website. It is my understanding that it differs from the NP-R2 in that its vertical hash marks are divided by 1 moa rather that 2 moa. Can anyone confirm this?
shcal.

 

[wi50]

I've got a couple with NP-R2 reticles, and one with a NP-R1, and one with the MLR. As far as what reticle is best for F-class, beats me. There's nothing wrong with a fine crosshair. If you know how big the aiming black is on a target you have a pretty good idea how much to dial for a correction, during sighters, I usually don't tough the knobs during a string.

As far as a 5.5-22 or a 8-32, extra mag. is nice to see mirage, but it also makes it easy to loose track of your target and crossfier. Everyone has an opinoin. Figure out what you want and look for a nice used one, if you buy right, you won't loose anything.

 

[Cochran]

Just my opinion but there are two things I don't like about Nightforce scopes:

1: Damn, they're heavy. I guess in some way that must be good but you gott'a cut a lot of barrel off to make weight when you're shooting a scope that weighs close to a pound more than most others.

2: They make a benchrest scope but they only put the benchrest reticles on the NXS scopes that have 1/4 minute clicks vs 1/8 and cost around $500 more. What kind of deal is this? It's not like it won't fit since you can special order the CH reticles from Bear Basin for an additional $170 or so. Just seems like a ripoff to me.

3: OK, actually three things. Why does it have to light up? I've never turned any of mine on... OK maybe when the first one showed up just to see if it worked.

I'll keep buying them anyway, which I guess entitles me to complain. I use the NP-R2 reticles but learned the hard way not to try holding off using the hash marks. Get it wrong once and turning the knob seems really smart.....

One word 'marketing'. The NF BR model was never designed as a benchrest scope. Everybody has short memories or maybe I'm just old but when they came out they were designed as varmint hunting scopes. The lighted range finding reticles and huge light gathering objective lenses were advertized as a must have for shooting coyotes and such after dark. There was no mention of them being called a BR model. Soon the 1k benchrest guys started using them and they started selling alot more to target shooters than varmint hunters. When NF introduced the NSX as a tactical scope they started calling the old model the BR model. Lets face it, if you were designing a BR scope from the ground up it would have 1/8 min clicks, fine crosshairs or dots and no illumination.
That being said they are damn fine scopes.I've got two.

Jeff

 

[dreever]

Can't say about F-Class since I've never shot it, but for Score Benchrest and Ground Hog Shoots I like the NP2-DD.
My advice would be go to some matches, ask to look Through some Nightforces with different reticules at actual targets and then decide which one looks best to you. I think it all comes down to personnel preference and what you are comfortable with.

Gunamonth: You don't have to cut off a lot of barrel for benchrest if you go with the Edge stock. Mine was 25.5 inches with an Edge and Nightforce BR and I had 10 ounces of Tungsten rod in the butt and it was still under the HV weight of 13.5 pounds. I think F-Class is 22 pounds so weight of scope probably won't be an issue for him.

Danny

 

[Preacher]

Cochran-- You must be older than most, these Varminter scopes haven't been around in a while, but they sure do a job. This one has the NP-1RR but it's awful busy in there.

 

[Shooter32]

Preacher i will be glad when you decide to get ride of that scope where i can get my hands on it to !!

 

[Tcon260]

As everyone has said, reticle selection is a personal choice. My choice is a reticle that is not "busy" with all of the various hash marks.

We use the CH-2 and NP-2DD. As far as holding off, we use the rings on the targets. Sometimes we have to "preload" the scope with a few MOA as required to stay holding on the paper.

Ted

 

[JimmyO]

I've got the Varminter 3.5-15X56mm do you think 15X is good enough for 1000 yd. I live in Phoenix.

 

[wi50]

Jimmy,
I've shot lots of 1000 yd targets with a 16X, it works just fine. 15 won't put you out of the game

 

[manitou210]

Thanks guys for the wealth of info you gave me, truly awsome some fine site, you have

Cheers to all for Holidays and the New Year be great for all