Hey guys I've got a question that hopefully someone can clear up for me. Since the benchrest scopes by NF have less elevation than the NSX models, the 6-32 has 50 moa and the 12-42 has 40 moa, how do you guys use these scopes out to what I would think is their intended range of 1000+ yards when they have so little adjustment? Do you just slap a huge base on it and sight it in at like 600yds or something? What if you want to shoot to a mile or further, then what a different scope? I'm trying to decide on what scope to put on my LR bench gun and I like the price, quality and just about everything else about the BR model except the small amount of adjustment. I was trying to stay some what on the cheaper end but I still want a quality piece of glass, any advice is appreciated.
Rifle Scopes NF Benchrest Scopes
- Thread starter MrLebowski
- Start date
Re: NF Benchrest Scopes
You are on the right track. It is nothing more than a big math problem and a bunch of trade offs:
- limited travel
- get a flater shooting cartridge
- get more cant on your base
- get a graduated reticle and use a point above the center cross hairs for a 100 yard zero
- spend more $ and get the NXS (or even better an S&B)
and on and on...
You are on the right track. It is nothing more than a big math problem and a bunch of trade offs:
- limited travel
- get a flater shooting cartridge
- get more cant on your base
- get a graduated reticle and use a point above the center cross hairs for a 100 yard zero
- spend more $ and get the NXS (or even better an S&B)
and on and on...
Re: NF Benchrest Scopes
The NF benchrest scopes are extremely popular in short range benchrest, long range benchrest, and F-class. Why the limited amount of travel isn't a problem for these uses is that a BR rifle or F-class rifle is almost always shot at the same distance. For example, if you are setting up for F-class, a 20 moa base will give you enough elevation to shoot in the 600 yd or 1000 yd matches. If you are trying to have more of a tactical scope and shoot varying distances these aren't the scopes for you.
The NF benchrest scopes are extremely popular in short range benchrest, long range benchrest, and F-class. Why the limited amount of travel isn't a problem for these uses is that a BR rifle or F-class rifle is almost always shot at the same distance. For example, if you are setting up for F-class, a 20 moa base will give you enough elevation to shoot in the 600 yd or 1000 yd matches. If you are trying to have more of a tactical scope and shoot varying distances these aren't the scopes for you.
Re: NF Benchrest Scopes
Thanks guys I thought thats what they did, it sucks that the more power you have the less travel you get, when really you need more travel the more power you have. I guess it's a trade off like everything else, I just don't understand why NF doesn't build the BR scopes on a 34 or 35mm tube instead of the 30mm. That would add a bunch of elevation and would make them much more appealing, I would think.
Thanks guys I thought thats what they did, it sucks that the more power you have the less travel you get, when really you need more travel the more power you have. I guess it's a trade off like everything else, I just don't understand why NF doesn't build the BR scopes on a 34 or 35mm tube instead of the 30mm. That would add a bunch of elevation and would make them much more appealing, I would think.
Re: NF Benchrest Scopes
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MrLebowski</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I just don't understand why NF doesn't build the BR scopes on a 34 or 35mm tube instead of the 30mm. That would add a bunch of elevation and would make them much more appealing, I would think. </div></div>
Well, then they wouldn't be BR scopes. Doing so would add to their already substantial cost, and not really gain anything for the intended market. For example, on my F-Class gun with a 20moa base, a NF 12-42 BR, and with a 100 yard zero, I have enough elevation to make it to 1000 yards, which is the furthest that gun is intended to shoot. What would more travel get me?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MrLebowski</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I just don't understand why NF doesn't build the BR scopes on a 34 or 35mm tube instead of the 30mm. That would add a bunch of elevation and would make them much more appealing, I would think. </div></div>
Well, then they wouldn't be BR scopes. Doing so would add to their already substantial cost, and not really gain anything for the intended market. For example, on my F-Class gun with a 20moa base, a NF 12-42 BR, and with a 100 yard zero, I have enough elevation to make it to 1000 yards, which is the furthest that gun is intended to shoot. What would more travel get me?
Re: NF Benchrest Scopes
Well if you only plan on shooting to 1k and you are happy with that set up then YOU would gain nothing. I stated in my origional post that I want/need a scope with fine adjustments & high magnification for shots out to and past a mile. Can I make these kind of shots yet, NO but eventually I would like to try too and I'd like the scope I purchase to be able to go out that far. Actually I just thought of how more adjustment could benifit you, you wouldn't need that 20 moa base if you had more adjustment, not a big advantage but an advantage none the less. I also actually think the BR scopes are very modestly pirced considering what you get and I'd be willing to pay more for one with a bigger tube. I never said they shouldn't offer a 30mm tube version like they do now but if they offered a 30mm version and a 34 or 35mm version, then I would buy one of the larger for sure and I'm sure others would aswell.
Well if you only plan on shooting to 1k and you are happy with that set up then YOU would gain nothing. I stated in my origional post that I want/need a scope with fine adjustments & high magnification for shots out to and past a mile. Can I make these kind of shots yet, NO but eventually I would like to try too and I'd like the scope I purchase to be able to go out that far. Actually I just thought of how more adjustment could benifit you, you wouldn't need that 20 moa base if you had more adjustment, not a big advantage but an advantage none the less. I also actually think the BR scopes are very modestly pirced considering what you get and I'd be willing to pay more for one with a bigger tube. I never said they shouldn't offer a 30mm tube version like they do now but if they offered a 30mm version and a 34 or 35mm version, then I would buy one of the larger for sure and I'm sure others would aswell.
Re: NF Benchrest Scopes
For the $1,400-$1,800 or so that a Nightforce BR or NXS 12-42 costs, you can get magnification or elevation, but not both. For both you have to move up to S&B prices, and even then it doesn't seem that anybody makes a scope with ~100moa of elevation at those magnifications.
Given your parameters, the Schmidt & Bender PMII 12.5-50x56 would seem to most closely fit the bill, can be had with 1/8moa, 1/4moa, or 0.025 milrad knobs, and ~65-75moa of elevation (apparently more with the 0.025 milrad knobs, but that seems impracticably fine), albeit for $3,200.
Other scopes to to consider are the March BR 10-60x52, Tactical 10-60x52, or the X series 5-50 or 8-80x56 scopes, which all have 60moa of elevation, but again are all in the S&B price range.
With respect to the 20moa base, I would still use one even if my scope had enough elevation to get to a 1000yd without it, if only so that the erector will be more optically centered (i.e. better picture quality) at 1000. Before I got the NF BR I used a Premier 5-25 and still used the 20moa base for that reason.
For the $1,400-$1,800 or so that a Nightforce BR or NXS 12-42 costs, you can get magnification or elevation, but not both. For both you have to move up to S&B prices, and even then it doesn't seem that anybody makes a scope with ~100moa of elevation at those magnifications.
Given your parameters, the Schmidt & Bender PMII 12.5-50x56 would seem to most closely fit the bill, can be had with 1/8moa, 1/4moa, or 0.025 milrad knobs, and ~65-75moa of elevation (apparently more with the 0.025 milrad knobs, but that seems impracticably fine), albeit for $3,200.
Other scopes to to consider are the March BR 10-60x52, Tactical 10-60x52, or the X series 5-50 or 8-80x56 scopes, which all have 60moa of elevation, but again are all in the S&B price range.
With respect to the 20moa base, I would still use one even if my scope had enough elevation to get to a 1000yd without it, if only so that the erector will be more optically centered (i.e. better picture quality) at 1000. Before I got the NF BR I used a Premier 5-25 and still used the 20moa base for that reason.
Re: NF Benchrest Scopes
You actually get less adjustment with the .25cm adjustment on the big S&B. The 1/8 moa adjustments give you the most elevation for some reason.
You actually get less adjustment with the .25cm adjustment on the big S&B. The 1/8 moa adjustments give you the most elevation for some reason.
Re: NF Benchrest Scopes
Ya I dont have the money to spend on a S&B, I think I'm going to have to give up on the 1/8moa turrets or .025mil until I really need them. Maybe some time down the road I'll upgrade to better glass but for the price and with all the options you get it looks like the 6-24 Viper PST is best choice for me right now. With a canted base it should get me out asfar as I'll need and it's FFP Mil/Mil so thats a big plus.
Thanks guys
Ya I dont have the money to spend on a S&B, I think I'm going to have to give up on the 1/8moa turrets or .025mil until I really need them. Maybe some time down the road I'll upgrade to better glass but for the price and with all the options you get it looks like the 6-24 Viper PST is best choice for me right now. With a canted base it should get me out asfar as I'll need and it's FFP Mil/Mil so thats a big plus.
Thanks guys
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