Recommendations for a heavy duty scope, low mag

[andyaz]

Looking for a scope recommendation. I am leaning toward the nightforce 2.5-10x32 currently. Never had a Nf but heard they’re tough.

It needs to hold zero in very rough conditions, long miles on rough trails out of UTV/ATV while predator calling cats.

Needs to be low magnification and high FOV. Im not looking to spend more then about 2K. Won’t be dialing much with it.

 

[Antares]

They don't make the 2.5-10x32 anymore, but they make the NXS 2.5-10x42.

 

[andyaz]

good point if I cant find a used one I ill have to step up to that. I think it has a smaller fov though

 

[Alex Genereux]

I agree nxs 2.5-10x42 as well

 

[6.5x284]

Could also look at some of the Trijicon 1-6/1-8 options and NF 1-8 options depending on range. I imagine most shots are tree'd cats and pretty close once the dogs do their work or if a cat comes into a call. I have the NXS 2.5-10 and it's great but FOV seems a little less than some others I have without actually measuring anything.

 

[justinspicher]

I’m a huge NF fan, the 2.5-10x32 is an awesome scope, but hard to find. My suggestion would be a NF NX8 1-8x for your purpose, if a nightforce scope is what you want.

 

[keystone112]

I have a Trijicon Credo HX 1-6x24 on my 308. Might be worth a look.

 

[Samson7x]

NF 1-8 might work well for you. FFP so on 1x, looks like a red dot which would be great for close range stuff.

 

[jjjones7]

If you don’t dial much you can also look at the NF SHV 3-10. It would save you some $ and has the MOAR reticle for holdover

 

[Fishermen0105]

If you don’t dial much you can also look at the NF SHV 3-10. It would save you some $ and has the MOAR reticle for holdover

The capped turrets might be a plus too on the shv 3-10 if you don’t plan to dial much. I had one on my 284 for awhile and it was great. I ended up swapping it for an nxs 2.5-10 for the added features. The nx8 1-8 sounds great too like others have said.

 

[JCMCUBIC]

The NXS x32's are only available as a used option now.

Of current production NF scopes that would probably meet your low power/reliable/large FOV requirements, I use the NX8 1-8's, the NXS 2.5-10x42, and the SHV 3-10's. All three have been reliable for me. When comparing pro/con on them I look at it as follows:

NX8 - most compact and lightest of the group at 17.6 oz. FOV on 1x is excellent. I have to change focus settings if going over 6x...essentially 1-6 at one and a turn of the eyepiece (I marked mine for reference) to get perfect focus on 7 and 8x. Daylight visible illum. Illum can be a bit to bright in low light, the reticle is a great design for quickness but the inner dot/ring is heavy and can cover a fair bit of target...to the point of making it tough to thread a needle between limbs....really wish there was a fine inner xhair option. I've only used the exposed elevation version in mil and moa - nice stop and turret but adjustment are either .2 mil or .5 moa. Suffers in low light compared to the NXS and SHV.

NXS 2.5-10x42 - pretty good FOV at 2.5x at 44'. Great resolution but the parallax needs to be adjusted depending on power/distance to get that great resolution. Good power range, SFP reticle isn't my preference. The reticle options great for precision but not the quickest to pick up in cover. Decent in low light and the illum can be set fairly low to help in low light but it isn't daylight bright. Probably the toughest of the 3. Adjustment dials are a good design, low and unobtrusive, ZeroStop is great, well designed power throw lever. Heavier than NX8, lighter than SHV - weights 20.5 oz. Best of the 3 in low light...probably best of the 3 in most categories except FOV (nx8) or daylight bright illum...and SFP vs FFP is that's important to you.

SHV 3-10 - smallest FOV of the 3 (34.9'). Same glass as NXS, illum is brighter than NXS so it can be seen in daylight but not as bright as NX8. Illum is a touch to bright in low light on lowest setting for my preference. Forceplex reticle is quicker to pick up than the reticles in the NXS...MOAR is same as MOAR in NXS except only the inner xhair is illuminated. No parallax adjustment, the depth of focus seems to be larger than the NXS but it also doesn't allow the same superfine level of resolution on the point of aim as the NXS. Is heaviest of the 3 at 22.2 oz. Capped windage and elevation.

I'd really love a FFP version of the NXS with capped windage and the NX8 reticle with a fine inner xhair rather than the heavy circle/dot. Illum set to low levels vs daylight bright and only the inner xhair illuminated. This might very well be THE compact hunting scope for most all around hunting to 600 yards where the user wishes to dial elevation and hold windage. I wish they'd do it...but they don't.

 

[Formidilosus]

the reticle is a great design for quickness but the inner dot/ring is heavy and can cover a fair bit of target...to the point of making it tough to thread a needle between limbs....really wish there was a fine inner xhair option.

DM-x reticle. What they should have had from the start.