How far would you shoot with a 2.5-10 power scope ?
- Thread starter Joko111
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Depends on the target size. IPSC? I'd be comfortable out to a 1000 yards provided enough of a tree or the ability to dial that much.
Game sized targets .... I’ll be hunting with it and then shooting 12 inch steel at 600
I’ll be hunting with it so game sized targets .... deer .... and then I’ll use it for smaller targets like groundhogs .... but also I have a 12 inch plate at 600
Depending on the round, I’d feel comfortable at 1k+ if the tracking and glass is good. At 600, 10x would be a non issue.
I’d never take a shot at a deer at either of those distances regardless of magnification.
I’d never take a shot at a deer at either of those distances regardless of magnification.
10x is fine for target shooting inside 1000 yards provided the glass and tracking are good and the target isn't tiny.
The distance at which I'd be comfortable taking a shot at a deer is more a function of the caliber, the weather conditions, the terrain, the back drop, can I get closer, etc and not really related to the magnification of the scope.
The distance at which I'd be comfortable taking a shot at a deer is more a function of the caliber, the weather conditions, the terrain, the back drop, can I get closer, etc and not really related to the magnification of the scope.
I don't think deer at normal hunting distances would be an issue. Varmint shooting however would depend on distance. Small target and long distance usually calls for a thin reticle and higher magnification.
Something bowling pin sized at 300 yards isn't a big deal at 8-10 power, at 500 it can be.
You have shot it to 700 tho? I don’t see myself needing to shoot that far .... but sounds like if I need to I’ll be able to
I’ve used that Nightforce out to 900. I had trouble resolving steel plates at that distance, though beyond 750 it became difficult to spot misses with 5.56mm anyway. If Nightforce had made that scope in FFP I’d still have it.
I’ll look into the lht .... the lrhs2 only comes in 4.5-18 and that scope is just to long imo coming in at 14.4 inches
I won’t be doing much target shooting and won’t be going past 600 pretty much ever .... I think it sounds like it would work
If the reticle works for you and SFP doesn’t bother you, then it’s a decent albeit outdated scope for the price.
For hunting deer and shooting ground hogs that scope will work fine, more magnification isn't always better.
How far does the cartridge you are shooting provide humane quick kills on the game you are hunting and give you a reasonable margin of error for movement, wind and range estimation errors?
What kind of game, where and what environment are you hunting in?
For a lot of hunters, the low end is actually more important than the high end. But that can vary greatly.
What kind of game, where and what environment are you hunting in?
For a lot of hunters, the low end is actually more important than the high end. But that can vary greatly.
I will note once again, magnification does not help you shoot, it help you to SEE. People shoot with iron sights at 1000 all the time. The question is, can you identify an aiming point and hold on it?
500 yards for whitetail ... hunt a Christmas tree farm with very open lanes out to 5-600 yards .... there are groundhogs that I shoot as well all the way out to the back
Deer probably fine, groundhogs you are going to want a lot more magnification.
Great video ... looked like a walk in the park ... and he was able to spot a miss at 1100 with 10x
In good conditions the NSX 2.5-10 had worked well for me out to ~800 yards. It's mounted on a 16" AR and that's the absolute limit of that rifle/cartridge for me.
The biggest limitation has been the simple mil dot reticle. 1 mil is pretty coarse and makes holding for wind challenging past 500 yards. 0.5 mil subtensions would make it much more usable on small targets at distance. Obviously if you're shooting something with less drift than .223 this is less of an issue.
The Mil-R reticle in theory helps but when I looked at it in a 2.5-10x42 it seemed way too busy and hard to read quickly.
I still like the NF Mil Dot reticle since it's clean and quick to use. For <500 yards and on larger targets it's more than adequate.
The biggest limitation has been the simple mil dot reticle. 1 mil is pretty coarse and makes holding for wind challenging past 500 yards. 0.5 mil subtensions would make it much more usable on small targets at distance. Obviously if you're shooting something with less drift than .223 this is less of an issue.
The Mil-R reticle in theory helps but when I looked at it in a 2.5-10x42 it seemed way too busy and hard to read quickly.
I still like the NF Mil Dot reticle since it's clean and quick to use. For <500 yards and on larger targets it's more than adequate.
8, 6, 5, 4, and 3" KYL target at 545 yards, taken with my phone through a Leupold on 10X.
I was able to hit all but the 3" with a 223 using 77 RDF.
I have shot silhouettes at 1000 using a 1-8X but it isn't easy.
I was able to hit all but the 3" with a 223 using 77 RDF.
I have shot silhouettes at 1000 using a 1-8X but it isn't easy.
For hunting, the rule of thumb is 1x for every 100 yds. I've taken a Mark 4 3.5-10 for prairie dogs and never felt limited and we shot to 600 at least.
With the current options today, the only reason to go with a 2.5-10 is if you are trying to keep weight in check. Otherwise, get a good 3-15 and enjoy the 50% increase in upper end magnification. 3x on the bottom end is extremely useable.
With the current options today, the only reason to go with a 2.5-10 is if you are trying to keep weight in check. Otherwise, get a good 3-15 and enjoy the 50% increase in upper end magnification. 3x on the bottom end is extremely useable.
I’m trying to keep the rifle sub 8 lbs ... that’s pretty much the reason I landed on the nxs 2.5-10 .... that and durability and solid solid tracking
The other thing is I have some seekins low rings so I would like a 42 or 44 mm obj ... and I want a scope that is 20 oz or below
Have not heard anything but good stuff about them .... I’ll be ordering the scope soon
SWFA ultra light will help you keep weight down, or the Razor 2-10, pretty light and small. I have one on my brush gun.
I have shot Long Range High Power at 1000 yards on 10x. My scope goes to 15x but the rifle was set up for supported prone, directly behind the rifle and I was shooting with a sling. I had to zoom out a bit to eliminate scope shadow and get a good sight picture. The aiming black is big (4 MOA), shooting a 1 MOA-X ring. I can see “X” in the ring.
10x top end of the NXS is fine but for your uses the vortex lht 3-15 would probably be a much better option if you don’t mind it being SFP. The NXS is a durable scope but the glass quality is subpar compared to a lot of other options on the market. You may very well find yourself wishing for better glass if you are trying to shoot groundhogs at distance.
I’m not a huge vortex fan unless it has razor in its name but I do have and older LH and a newer LHT. Both are on lightweight magnums and have held up great and track perfectly. The glass on both of those are much better than the NXS glass and they are right around the weight you are looking for.
I’m not a huge vortex fan unless it has razor in its name but I do have and older LH and a newer LHT. Both are on lightweight magnums and have held up great and track perfectly. The glass on both of those are much better than the NXS glass and they are right around the weight you are looking for.
I used to do a fixed 10x out to about 1100 on a 12"x24" plate regularly.
I've gone out to 1k with 2-10 PST gen II with .223. Last Quantified Performance match in Blakely, Georgia, at the Arena training center, one of our squadmates made an 1166 yard impact during a course of fire with a 1-10 Razor gen III running 5.56 ar15 platform. He did dial-up since he was out of reticle (capped turret). Nonetheless, I found that pretty impressive. I don't recall if it was a 16" or 18" barrel, though. I know he was considered General precision and believe they're capped at 18" barrels.
I am more than convinced based off your post so far that you couldn't ethically take game at the distance that most can comfortably shoot a 10x, so the question is rather moot. Honestly dude....after all of your post here, go buy a cheaper option here in the PX and just go shoot. Figure out what shooting on 10x is like. Figure out what a 30oz optic feels like. Figure out what features you actually want. After that, sell the budget optic for the price you bought it for, and then go buy the nicer optic with confidence.
To stay on topic, 10x at 1000 isn't impossible with the NF 2.5-10x24. The 42mm model would make life a lot easier.
To stay on topic, 10x at 1000 isn't impossible with the NF 2.5-10x24. The 42mm model would make life a lot easier.
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