By Joe Ferronato
While hunting mule deer in Montana several years ago, my rifle took a tumble—an inevitable outcome when you hunt a lot. Thinking nothing of it, after checking for any visual damage, I continued the hunt. Later that day, I was in position for a shot on a great buck. Patiently waiting for the right opportunity, I took in the moment with confidence that I’d get a shot and be able to punch my tag. When the buck turned broadside, I squeezed the trigger and, to my dismay, saw no reaction from the buck. I reloaded and sent another. This time, the buck and his does retreated over the hill. Both shots went high and to the right, cleanly missing the deer.
It was what I consider a chip shot, and though I usually comply with the belief that “it’s the Indian not the arrow,” I knew something must be off. Instead of pursuing, I backed out, and checked zero. It was high and to the right, the scope got knocked off in that little tumble. This is the only time I have had an equipment failure ruin my hunt, and it made me look at my gear and only consider taking high-quality optics into the field. Now that I have scopes I trust, I’ve fallen down mountains and beat the crap out of my gear but have never missed an animal—okay, that last part is a complete lie, but every time I’ve missed now, it was definitely the Indian.
My first time using Nightforce optics was with a good friend and top-tier PRS shooter, who uses the scopes exclusively. Now I’ve used the ATACR scopes in the field and in PRS competitions and was very happy with the quality. I’m still fairly new to the NX8 line of scopes, but just like with the ATACRs, I’ve been impressed with the quality and functionality.
The NX8 line caught my interest due to a couple of factors. First, it’s more of a hunting-oriented optic since it’s lighter and a bit lower profile with its 30mm tube rather than the ATACR’s 34mm. Specifically, the 4-32×50 F1 model is impressive due to the immense magnification range while only weighing in at 28.6 ounces. Second, the NX8s come in at a lower price point than their big brother.
The tradeoff is this: With the smaller tube, light transmission will diminish when cranked up to 32X, meaning that image quality will follow suit—especially in poor lighting scenarios. In my mind, that’s not a problem as I don’t plan to use the highest magnification range unless I get in a pissing match at the range with my buddies.
Why? Well, whether you’re in a hunting situation or shooting PRS-style matches, that high-end magnification likely won’t be your best option. Maybe the light isn’t right, or more likely, punching in that close to your target will enhance the visible scope shake and make for worse shots. Trust me, when you’re under a timer in a match, the perceived motion in your scope is increased tremendously—just like when you’re lined up on a big buck or bull. There may be times where someone is taking a long shot while hunting, the conditions are perfect, and they have a rock-solid setup, that the 32X will shine—but I don’t, and never will, consider myself a long-range hunter.
Beyond the scope’s magnification abilities, it has everything you need as a hunter. First thing is it’s robust—I doubt you could break this scope if you tried. Even the competition-style elevation turret, which is completely exposed, seems like it would hold up to a beating. The .1 MRAD adjustments are tactile and accurate, and the turret is easy to manipulate. It also features a zero stop, but that is one of my only dislikes about that platform. To adjust the zero stop, the user needs to navigate a sea of set screws while maintaining zero—it’s not the most user-friendly operation I’ve experienced, but it works.
Looking through the optic, it has great quality glass and I chose the MIL-XT reticle which allows me to use holdovers rather than dial if the scenario calls for it. It is a Christmas-tree style, but it doesn’t seem crowded when looking through the optic. You can get the same reticle in the Configurable Field Spotting Scope which allows spotter and shooter to operate as one unit looking at the same target picture—a quality system.
Cost: $2,150
Pros: Good glass; massive magnification range; accurate adjustments; built like a brick shithouse.
Cons: The zero stop is a pain in the ass to set.
