Question for Night Force Gurus

[cwood3]

I'm looking at the Night Force 12-42x56 in both Benchrest and NXS models. It appears that the BR is about $500 cheaper than the NXS. In reviewing the specs, the differences don't seem $500 difference. The BR reticule is illuminated and the NXS isn't. 20 MOA vs. 45 MOA elevation adjustment. Click .125 vs, .25. Kinda strange because it seems that the features I want are in the cheaper scope,unusual for me). I just want to know as much as I can if I'm going to choose a $1300 Night Force over a fixed 36X $500 Sightron. BTW, my rifle is 6BR, purely target, no hunting. 100-1000 yds.

HELP!!!!
Thanks.

CW

 

[BJILEG]

Take the BR model.I have four and I'm selling all my other scopes..There will be times you will want to dial down the power.And last of all you can sell your Nightforce in 4 years for what you paid for it,,,period

 

[Preacher]

cwood3--
Why would you think the NXS don't have a illuminated reticule ?
Both of mine do.....
I have a few 12x42x56 BR's and they do all I need doing at any range I plan on shooting.
I do like my Sightron S3 8x32 more every day, as much as I hate to say it...
but I doubt it will retain the value of a Nightforce in 4 years .......

 

[billmo]

All three of my NXS NF scopes have illuminated reticles. Bill

 

[cwood3]

My mistake, they do both have headlights.

CW

 

[Bkluke]

I have the 12x42x56 BR and love it. The NXS has a side focus which is nice, the BR model does not, however IMO if you have a target gun, once you are in focus you're set. Which ever one you choose you will have an awesome scope. :thumb:

 

[SooStan]

+1 on what DMoran said. The limited amout of elevation usely requires a 20 minute base to get to 1000 yds. when using the BR model. I think there is one less piece of glass in the BR model because of the front focus and less mechanical parts vs. the side focus. That could be the reason for less cost. I have a Zeiss, Leupy Mk 4 and a NF 12x42 BR. For strickly range work the BR is great. For field work where a quick focus is important the side focus is nice to have. I would buy another NF with out hesitation.

 

[cwood3]

I think I have myself talked into the 12-42 BR. Good to hear the positive confirmation. What will be really interesting is to see how often I use lower powers. After this build, I'm going to get right onto another. Based on my experience with the first one, I may or may not go fixed power...time will tell. BTW, the reason for a second build is that my 15 yr-old son has promised me that he won't come back home to live with me after he completes college if I give him this first 6BR.......uh-huh.......

Thanks.
CW

 

[243Mendoza]

I like the NXS because of the 10moa/turn and easy to read numbers. Hard to make a reading mistake although it does happen but less often.

 

[memilanuk]

I've got a couple NXS,3.5-15x50mm & 5.5-22x50mm, both w/ the R1 reticle) and a BR,12-42x56mm w/ CH3 reticle).

The thing I don't like about the BR is the slightly smaller range of adjustment,compared to the comparable power NXS), and the smaller number of MOA per revolution,6 vs. 10). The front parallax adjustment is supposedly easier to 'fine-tune' due to the wider range of movement. I haven't had any problems w/ the 5.5-22x NXS thus far, so I don't know if I buy into that.

What I don't like about the NXS is the windage turret is labeled 0-1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1-0, instead of 0-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-0. I haven't yet used the NXS in a circumstance where that made a difference; I have used the BR in situations where I would have to watch that very carefully. One of the ranges around here is notorious for shooters having to do wind corrections in revolutions, not clicks or minutes. Others seem to get by okay with it, so I may be worrying over nothing.

I've put a lot of miles on that BR 12-42x in the last year or so, both highway miles and rounds the only major problem I had is one of the internal stops came unglued and started rattling around inside the tube, and blocking part of the light path. A quick trip back to NF fixed that,and changed the reticle from the original 2DD to the CH3 thats in there now).

I'm one of those people who almost never turns the scope down from max magnification for anything other than to see a wider field of view, like finding my target After that... 42x is my friend, unless the mirage gets really, really, really bad,only happened once, and turning the power down didn't help my scores any either).

I've got a NXS 12-42x56 w/ the CH3 coming... should be here Monday, just in time to get it mounted and sighted in before heading to Canada!

 

[243Mendoza]

...
What I don't like about the NXS is the windage turret is labeled 0-1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1-0, instead of 0-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-0. ...

Monte, both NXS that I have have the 0-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-0
windage knobs.

 

[Preacher]

Both my 5.5x22x50 and my 12x42x56 NSX's are numbered 1-9 also.......

 

[memilanuk]

I have three,my 12-42x just came in yesterday) NXS scopes, all with windage turret caps that look like this: NXS Windage Turret

Trust me, I *wish* they came w/ 0-9 rather than 0-5-0... maybe its an option and I can order new caps from NF? Guess its worth checking. I ordered the first two, the 3.5-15x50 and the 5.5-22x50 last winter right before the price hike, and this one as mentioned just got here. Maybe yours are earlier production models?

Edited to add: I talked w/ the other guys I shoot with... theirs are all 0-9 as well, purchased both before and after mine. Wonder how I got 'lucky' on three separate occasions? There has to be someone else out there w/ the 0-5-0 turrets, right???

 

[memilanuk]

I called Nightforce to get the answer straight from the horse's mouth, as the saying goes...

Apparently, due to 'customer demand', they changed the NXS windage turret to the new 0-5-0 style.

And since then, they've gotten a *lot* of calls wanting the 0-9 style turret caps, which they don't sell/offer anymore.

I'm not sure what it would take to get them to switch back, or at least offer both caps as options,there's a thought - with a $1900 scope would it kill their profit margin that much to include a spare windage cap?), but I lodged my complaint, citing shooting at long ranges and having to stop and think 'is that on 3 or 7?' was not perhaps ideal.

Anywho, there ya go.

Monte

 

[smike308]

Was the change to the "new" turret just on the NXS model, or both BR and NXS?

 

[brfun]

this might be an option for your turrets. it only shows an elevation but might be worth looking into and asking about windage as well.
http://www.dlsports.com/turret.html

 

[memilanuk]

Mike,

No, I didn't ask about the BR series.

brfun,

Maybe I'm missing something,they don't give much in the way of good close-up pictures of those turrets)... what exactly are those supposed to do besides add 5 set screws to your turrets? The description doesn't tell me much about how they work, etc.

 

[brfun]

milanuk
i agree the pictures are bad that is why i suggest a call to them to find out for sure. but it looks to me for one the turrets are larger and from what i understand you engrave or mark them to fit you needs.

Once your temporary distance markings are precisely written on the turret, you should remove the turret and permanently inscribe the markings. Recommended markings for 100-1000 yard are simply the numbers 1-10, with 15,25,35,45, etc., between the main numbers to indicate 50 yard intervals.The turret can also be engraved with your cartridge load information. Multiple turrets can be completed for different temperature ranges, altitudes, and environmental conditions

like the one on today's daily bulletin i have also seen some that would custom make turrets for the NF and Leopold's.
Brian

 

[falconpilot]

AS far as the difference is price between the NXS and BR..The NXS does have the side focus, but the main difference is in the turrents. If you'll look at a Nightforce cutout of both scopes, you'll see that the BR model uses brass turrents, and the NXS uses Ti "spring arms". What I've been told is that the Ti springs are suppose to really help in positive tracking/clicking...I own both, and never had a problem with either, although I do prefer the NXS as on a day when the mirage is really running, you can easily and quickly roll the focus knob back toward you taking the target just a little out of focus, allowing you to get a really good read on the mirage. Also, don't forgot to roll toward you and not away, as if you do, you'll get a reverse reading on the mirage. Unlike the lastest batch of Leupolds, you don't have to roll all the way back to infinity, and then refocus, as Nightforce has ever had any lashing problems that I've heard about.