4-20 ATACR

[huntnful]

It has been a pleasant experience to have zero head scratching moments with a gun/optic since day one. I am sold on the durability and repeatability. This after 11 days of packing my rifle around the mountains. I do not baby my stuff, and I strap it TIGHT to my pack, just like this for all pack-ins and pack-outs.


Top strap on top of the front ring. Rear strap choked around grip. 2300 miles total just riding on the backseat and a ton of bumpy ass roads. I went to check zero today, just in case.

And a group at 920 yards with a 9MPH wind holding 1.2 mils


Just a positive review and glad I listened to the data and the testing.

 

[JollyRoger]

ATACRs are sweet. I’ve got a 4-16 that’s been flawlessly durable and reliable for a few years now.

What reticle did you go with? Also… what is that rifle set up?

 

[wind gypsy]

What is that spindly looking peice of bone you’ve got strapped to the pack?

 

[huntnful]

ATACRs are sweet. I’ve got a 4-16 that’s been flawlessly durable and reliable for a few years now.

What reticle did you go with? Also… what is that rifle set up?

It’s got the Mil-C Reticle in it.

It’s a 300 Norma Improved
BAT Vesper action
KS1-Adjustable stock
26” Benchmark Med Palma 9.5 twist
Hawkins Hunter Mags
TT Special at 1.5lbs

225 ELDM at 2950fps

 

[huntnful]

What is that spindly looking peice of bone you’ve got strapped to the pack?

Hahaha had to strap him down tight so he didn’t blow away in the wind

 

[SouthPaw]

It’s got the Mil-C Reticle in it.

It’s a 300 Norma Improved
BAT Vesper action
KS1-Adjustable stock
26” Benchmark Med Palma 9.5 twist
Hawkins Hunter Mags
TT Special at 1.5lbs

225 ELDM at 2950fps

Which lead-free bullet are you shooting in CA this season?

 

[Macintosh]

What are folks thoughts on the 4-20 vs the 4-16 for a crossover hunting optic? Looks like 4-16 has some additional reticle options and is lighter by almost half a pound so it's the obvious choice for me, but for a gun that does double-duty the 4-20 could be a good choice. I've heard people talk about tunneling with this model, what's the deal with that? Any other quirks?

 

[huntnful]

What are folks thoughts on the 4-20 vs the 4-16 for a crossover hunting optic? Looks like 4-16 has some additional reticle options and is lighter by almost half a pound so it's the obvious choice for me, but for a gun that does double-duty the 4-20 could be a good choice. I've heard people talk about tunneling with this model, what's the deal with that? Any other quirks?

The 4-20 tunnels pretty terribly below about 7X. You would think the image would get better/fuller at lower power, but it’s trash unfortunately. Not sure what’s up with that in their design. I walk around with it on 6X.

 

[Macintosh]

Is the 4-16 different in that regard?

 

[PlumberED]

Nice group at 920 yards. I’d really like to try one of the 4-20 ATACR on my 22-250.

 

[huntnful]

Is the 4-16 different in that regard?

I have no experience with the 4-16 unfortunately

 

[B23]

Curious, did you consider the NX8 4-32x50 at all or was the 4-20 ATACR the only one you wanted? I'm on the fence between these two for a new 25 SAUM build and can't decide. Can't really go wrong with either though.

 

[huntnful]

Curious, did you consider the NX8 4-32x50 at all or was the 4-20 ATACR the only one you wanted? I'm on the fence between these two for a new 25 SAUM build and can't decide. Can't really go wrong with either though.

I’ve owned an NX8 4-32. That’s a great optic for the weight. I feel like the ATACR is just slightly better optically and functionally. And the weight penalty wasn’t a big issue for me personally

 

[B23]

I’ve owned an NX8 4-32. That’s a great optic for the weight. I feel like the ATACR is just slightly better optically and functionally. And the weight penalty wasn’t a big issue for me personally

Yeah, any good optic that I'd put in the same league as the NF I have or am looking at are heavy, that's just a given, and lighter weight stuff is ok, depending on the intended purpose of the build, but I've never really been one to worry about a few ounces here or there so the weight savings of one versus the other is a none issue for me too.

I'm more of a F2 guy so only being able to get the ATACR 4-20 in F1 may not be a deal breaker for me but it doesn't overly thrill me either. I have a 5-25 ATACR F2, it's probably my favorite optic, if NF made a 50mm version of it, forget about it, it'd be a done deal but I reallllly don't want another 56mm scope which is why I've narrowed it down to the NX8 4-32 and ATACR 4-20, I just need to make a decision on one or the other and be done with it but I keep going back and forth on those two.

Hell, I've even gone so far as to ask my wife, who knows absolutely nothing about them, which one she thinks I should get. Wives always have opinions about things whether they know anything about them or not, right, but she was zero help with her "I think you should get whichever one you want" reply. Maybe I should trick her and just get both.

Thank you, appreciate the feedback.

 

[Slamfire94]

The 4-20 tunnels pretty terribly below about 7X. You would think the image would get better/fuller at lower power, but it’s trash unfortunately. Not sure what’s up with that in their design. I walk around with it on 6X.

the tunneling is one of the only things holding me back on buying this scope.. I've read elsewhere that it only tunnels from 4-5.5 which seems ok. would love to see an ATACR specific video showing this.

 

[huntnful]

the tunneling is one of the only things holding me back on buying this scope.. I've read elsewhere that it only tunnels from 4-5.5 which seems ok. would love to see an ATACR specific video showing this.

I’ve since sold it and switched to the 3-18X44 Tenmile or I would have been happy to take a video or a couple of photos for you. For what’s it’s worth, I feel like I only gained positives by switching to the trijicon and gave up nothing but a more crisp turret on the ATACR.

 

[Slamfire94]

now you've got me leaning away from the ATACR... the tunneling is the main hang up. I can also get a pretty dang good deal on SWARO or a Trijicon. maybe I should consider a 3.5-18 x5i. for less than the ATACR would be,,

 

[huntnful]

I wouldn’t recommend Swaro over the ATACR. Durablility and dependability is the most important. I only use Swarovski spotters and binos. They’re lacking in the scope department IMO

 

[Slamfire94]

I wouldn’t recommend Swaro over the ATACR. Durablility and dependability is the most important. I only use Swarovski spotters and binos. They’re lacking in the scope department IMO

I agree but its hard to pass on an X5i new in the box for $1900. What scope do you recommend instead? Just go with the ATACR and deal with tunneling? A lot of the hunting I do is also in the southeast so low mag, FOV, and Low light performance is important as well.

 

[huntnful]

I agree but its hard to pass on an X5i new in the box for $1900. What scope do you recommend instead? Just go with the ATACR and deal with tunneling? A lot of the hunting I do is also in the southeast so low mag, FOV, and Low light performance is important as well.

The 3-18X44 trijicon tenmile is my recommendation for sure at this point. Save 10oz and $1500 over the ATACR and give up nothing optically, and it seems to be extremely durable also.