Nightforce Magnification opinions

[brocksw]

I've decided to swap out the Z5 on my Sako 7 mm Rem for a Nightforce NXS. My only hiccup is trying to figure out which mag range to get....3.5-15x50 or 5.5-22x50.

This a Sako Finnlight so it's not a dedicated LR set up. However, I think the gun is more than capable of putting one in the chest of animal at 900.

The 3.5-15 would seem more logical for a field rifle with no serious intentions to spend a lot of time at 1k plus type ranges. However, I've always liked lots of magnification.

Is there a caveat I'm not thinking about here? Very marginal size/weight differences. Almost all my scopes are in the 3-18 power range.

I do plan on getting a more dedicated LR set up... Either a bergara hmr or Tikka ctr in 6.5...maybe the 5.5-22 can be reserved for that? Hell I can put a 5.5-22 on them both I guess...

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[Kotaman]

In a hunting situation 15x is plenty.

 

[FlyGuy]

I dont have a ton of experience, but for what its worth... I recently purchased an NXS for a hunting rig that I also want to stretch out my range with. I first went with the 3.5x15x50ZS, but after it arrived I discovered the reticle (LV5) was not an MOA hashmark but actually a Ballistic compensating reticle that didnt match my drops at all. I'm short on time so I couldn't wait for a reorder, drove out to Cabelas to exchange with what was in stock and ended up with the NXS 5.5-22X50ZS. Got to spend just a little time behind it today and I think I'm going to be very happy with it. On paper I was concerned about the relatively high min magnification, but i don't see it being a problem now that it's in my hands.

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[RosinBag]

I have the 5.5-22 and love it and it is a dedicated hunting rifle.

 

[WCS]

I have one rifle that wears a NXS 5.5-22 and another that has a 3.5-15. While I do love the 5.5-22 for ringing steel at long distances it rarely sees the field, partially due to that particular rifle's weight, but also because the 3.5-15 will do almost everything the 5.5-22 will do when hunting. At the moment I have a .300 WBY waiting on a scope and I'm leaning towards putting a 2.5-10 x 42 NXS on it since it will be a gun that gets carried a fair amount.

 

[wapitibob]

I use the 5.5 x 22, couldn't give me another 15x max scope.

 

[brocksw]

Maybe I'm crazy to want to put a nightforce on a Finnlight.

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[brocksw]

Nah... F it... 5.5-22x50 it is. I really thought about it and my only penalty is 10 feet in FOV at 100 yards. 17 feet vs 27 feet. It may bite me one day... But for now...

Another thing... I usually like to leave my spotting scope in the truck when I carry a rifle unless I have a tagless partner... That 22x will be a nice "replacement". Can always change it up later.

Thanks boys!

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[brocksw]

One last question... Eye relief... This is going on a 7 lb rifle... Is eye relief going to be a problem? At 22x?

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[choovhntr]

I have been running one on my Cooper 92 in 300 mag for the last year +. It was on an a-bolt before that which weighed ~ 2 lbs more. I personally haven’t had to much of an issue with eye relief but my rifle has a break on it. I also mounted the scope a little further back then usual so I don’t have to lean in super far at full magnification and so ejected brass would clear the windage turret better. My buddy on the other hand doesn’t have a break on his 300 x bolt, and has gotten scoped a couple times at full magnification. I guess it’s going to depend on how you hold the rifle. As far as the 5.5x min power goes, the only times I’ve wanted less is still hunting and pushing ditches/cover where the odds of jump shooting a deer at close range is high.

 

[brocksw]

I have been running one on my Cooper 92 in 300 mag for the last year +. It was on an a-bolt before that which weighed ~ 2 lbs more. I personally haven’t had to much of an issue with eye relief but my rifle has a break on it. I also mounted the scope a little further back then usual so I don’t have to lean in super far at full magnification and so ejected brass would clear the windage turret better. My buddy on the other hand doesn’t have a break on his 300 x bolt, and has gotten scoped a couple times at full magnification. I guess it’s going to depend on how you hold the rifle. As far as the 5.5x min power goes, the only times I’ve wanted less is still hunting and pushing ditches/cover where the odds of jump shooting a deer at close range is high.

What grain bullets you shooting out of your 92? I'm trying to get a feel for the recoil you're dealing with. I'm shooting 162s loaded to max with no brake... Recoil isn't bad but Def would be something to be aware of if eye relief is drastically lower than my Z5 was.

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[wind gypsy]

3-15 for the low end, ffp, and because 22x is too much for sfp.

 

[Kotaman]

My dedicated light mountain rifles and my coyote AR’s carry the shv 3.5x10’s. 10x is usually more than enough in a hunting application even at distance. I shot a Caribou this year at 602yards and thought 10x was plenty, especially on a target that is on the move.

My long distance rig is another story as it carries the 5.5x22x50 NXS.

 

[brocksw]

Someone turned me on to the atacr 4-16x50.
I noticed the atacr has "less eye relief"...according to nightforces website. 3.5" vs 3.9"... Seems odd.

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[Kotaman]

Someone turned me on to the atacr 4-16x50.
I noticed the atacr has "less eye relief"...according to nightforces website. 3.5" vs 3.9"... Seems odd.

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The atacr is an amazing scope. I’m putting the 4-16x42 on a new build.

 

[dotman]

My dedicated light mountain rifles and my coyote AR’s carry the shv 3.5x10’s. 10x is usually more than enough in a hunting application even at distance. I shot a Caribou this year at 602yards and thought 10x was plenty, especially on a target that is on the move.

My long distance rig is another story as it carries the 5.5x22x50 NXS.

I really like that shv 3.5x10 but wish it had a zero stop. Thinking about replacing it with a Sig Whiskey 5 3-15.

 

[choovhntr]

What grain bullets you shooting out of your 92? I'm trying to get a feel for the recoil you're dealing with. I'm shooting 162s loaded to max with no brake... Recoil isn't bad but Def would be something to be aware of if eye relief is drastically lower than my Z5 was.

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I have shot everything from 165 cheap o fusion up to 215 abm hybrids. Those are my favorite btw but had some other rounds group a little better. If I could get anymore abm I would shoot them all day long. All being said still never had an issue with the breaked lw rifle. To be honest I never even think about the eye relief anymore. It’s more about controlling muzzle flip with the light gun. I believe the z5 will treat you better on the eye relief area if you are worried about it. I actually almost went that route but I wanted something that tracks true. I hear those,among most other scopes in that category, don’t track well so the nxs has stayed. My best advice is to be true what your real life uses and capabilities are. I have this big/ heavy scope on my lw gun because I thought I would grow into it and that I was better than I really was. It’s there still because it’s the only one I trust out of my arsenal to track true. That being said, with that setup I’m truly only good enough for game out to 600 or so and could get away with a much lighter more pack friendly scope. I’ll probably buy a LR rifle this year that is a little heavier and the nxs would go on it as I feel with the 600 yd limit currently with my lw setup I could easily get away with a 14x scope that weighs 8-10 oz less.

 

[dotman]

I have shot everything from 165 cheap o fusion up to 215 abm hybrids. Those are my favorite btw but had some other rounds group a little better. If I could get anymore abm I would shoot them all day long. All being said still never had an issue with the breaked lw rifle. To be honest I never even think about the eye relief anymore. It’s more about controlling muzzle flip with the light gun. I believe the z5 will treat you better on the eye relief area if you are worried about it. I actually almost went that route but I wanted something that tracks true. I hear those,among most other scopes in that category, don’t track well so the nxs has stayed. My best advice is to be true what your real life uses and capabilities are. I have this big/ heavy scope on my lw gun because I thought I would grow into it and that I was better than I really was. It’s there still because it’s the only one I trust out of my arsenal to track true. That being said, with that setup I’m truly only good enough for game out to 600 or so and could get away with a much lighter more pack friendly scope. I’ll probably buy a LR rifle this year that is a little heavier and the nxs would go on it as I feel with the 600 yd limit currently with my lw setup I could easily get away with a 14x scope that weighs 8-10 oz less.

SHV glass is as good as Z3 & Z5 imo. It’s the same glass that’s in the NXS from what I understand.

 

[micus]

I have a 3.5-15x50 nxs on my finnlight. It is the bees knees. Everything is covered. 3.5x in the timber and 10-15x for farther than 90% of people can shoot in open country. I shot my old 3-9 bdc to 6-7 hundred yards regularly on gongs. The 15x I easily good to 1200 not that I'd ever consider shooting at anything living at that range. If you hunt in the timber at all I'd go lower power. Just my .02

 

[Fire_9]

I would run the 15x. 22x is a lot of mag in a SFP scope. If you prefer to dial for wind instead of hold with your reticle it's not as big of an issue.