Nxs 2.5-10 on a longer range hunting rifle?

Joko111

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Apr 25, 2021
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I have a proof elevation rifle with a nxs 2.5-10x42, I just ordered a manners pro hunter stock, has anyone used this scope on a longer range hunting rifle with a vertical grip? Afraid it’s a little bit too small of a scope for this setup
 
Out to 800 yds on steel and 500-600 on game, deer specifically
If you can see and identify the target then you have enough magnification. If you are counting points at 600 yards then it may or may not be enough magnification.

I’ve hit 12” steel plates at 900 yards easily with a scope on 5x. It was a brightly painted white target in the clear so the magnification was adequate.
 
I have 2 for out to 600 yards. Love them for the features, durability, and mainly the weight. If the scope weight allows you to hit your max rifle weight, then go for it. Worst case, sell it for 100 bucks cheaper. It'll go quick
 
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Shooting steel is no problem at the 800yd range. Shooting deer sized game at 500-600yds is fine if you are up to it. The scope won't be holding you back at all. I had a nice 4pt blacktail at 475 or so. The scope was not the limiting factor.

But as @wade2big pointed out you will have a hard time counting points at that range. Our mule deer area we hunt it a 3pt minimum but where we hunt blacktail and whitetail they are any buck. So I almost always pack a small spotting scope to count points while mule deer hunting. The Nightforce is good enough to see there is a rack and judge height/width but there are some monster clean 2 by 2 deer that we have to watch out for.
 
Zero stop

Mil/mil turret to reticle
Capped windage
Christmas tree reticle
Price (significant savings)
Effortless zoom once used a bit
Very good glass (Nightforce glass is gtg too)

Oh, and FFP too.

Well the NF has a ZS, mil/mil option, effortless zoom, and very good glass. Reticle preference, capped windage, and FFP being better for hunting is all personal preference. How much of a cost savings is the credo anyway? Street price on the NF is substantially cheaper than MSRP. So what are we actually talking here? A few hundred bucks?
 
The Credo 2.5-10 x 36 is a great scope especially for the $$. But to be clear it does weigh a bit more, has a bit less elevation adjustment, is lacking AO and only has one mil reticle to choose from when compared to the NF.
Not a slam to the Credo, they are great scopes, I am looking for a deal on another one right now.
 
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Yes, a few hundred bucks cheaper price for a better scope.

And for the hunting ranges the OP is talking about, FFP is better.


A few hundred bucks isn't much when we're talking scopes over $1000 and "better" is subjective. FFP being better for hunting is also subjective, especially when dealing with 10x top end.
 
The ffp vs sfp is likely a non issue for a 10x scope. If your shooting any distance where you need the reticle to be true you will already be on 10x. It's more of a issue where you won't be at max magnification, over blown on this scope. I'd rather have a larger reticle on 2.5x. But it is personal preference so I won't blame anyone for their opinion.

I wouldn't mind a capped windage knob, but I'll take the Nightforce over the credo every day.
 
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I have the NF compact and im good to about 400 yds with it.When I was a younger man with good eyes it was alot farther.How good are your eyes and what distance would you feel comfortable taking a shot at game.It is a very nice scope.
 
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I’m running that same rifle, I threw a 4-16 x50 atacr F2 on it, I absolutely love it… personal preference on the focal plane, for a hunting rifle I like second for close in fast shots. I can’t use an illuminated reticle where I’m at so trying to pick up the crosshairs on 4x in a first focal plane in low light is a bitch.

Rifle is right at 9 lbs
 
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I run two of the 2.5-10x42 compacts. Killed many elk, deer, bear, speed goats. Great hunting optic and it will do everything you ask of it.

I'm not just guessing.... ;)

FullSizeRender.jpgIMG_6423.jpgAimee 2020 elk.jpgIMG_2738.jpgIMG_2646.jpgIMG_2559.jpg
 
Out to 800 yds on steel and 500-600 on game, deer specifically

For a very long time sniper rifles used mostly fixed 10x and 3.5-10x optics, some still do.

10x is plenty of magnification for that unless you're talking itty bitty targets. I used 10x SWFA's and 10x USO's/Unertl's when I first got into LR shooting and hit a lot of LR targets with them. I have a 2.5-10x42 NXS I recently got on a switch barrel rifle I set up for the same thing. I haven't hunted with it yet beyond shooting a few groundhogs with it on another rifle but I've shot it just beyond 800 yards with my 223 barrel and had no problem spotting hits and missing. I really like the optic overall, they only thing I find myself really wanting is a tree reticle but I can live without it. It's just a super solid yet pretty simple optic.
 
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I’m running that same rifle, I threw a 4-16 x50 atacr F2 on it, I absolutely love it… personal preference on the focal plane, for a hunting rifle I like second for close in fast shots. I can’t use an illuminated reticle where I’m at so trying to pick up the crosshairs on 4x in a first focal plane in low light is a bitch.

Rifle is right at 9 lbs
Any pictures? I’m thinking about the atacr now, maybe the 4-16x42
 
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I have the older x32 version witha mildot reticle. The glass is more than adequate for shooting steel out to 1000 yards.

I use it for hunting every year. I'll disagree with the poster above on FFP. If I'm shooting 500 yards I'll be cranked up to 10x. Otherwise hold under/over out to 300 is pretty simple. For shots in the woods under 75 yards I appreciate the SFP reticle being visible and simple.
 
The Trijicon Credo 2-10 is a better scope and more cost effective.

I've compared them side by side and no it's not a better scope. It's got the advantage of the tree reticle but that's it. The parallax on the NXS is a huge plus, the Credo had a considerable amount of parallax error beyond 400 yards. The NF also has way nicer glass, turrets and illumination and it weighs less. The Credo is a great optic at the sub $1K but it has its compromises and the tree reticle doesn't make up for all of them. The NXS cost me about $450 more after discount and is definitely worth the cost difference.

If there was a hard budget of $1000 or less then the Credo is a good buy.
 
@Joko111 if weight is a concern at all the 2.5-10 is 20oz vs. the ATACR is 30oz plus

ATACR is incredible as well. The 34mm tube is great, eye box and eye relief are solid. And more reticle options
Weight isn’t a huge worry, of course I don’t want to be carrying around a stupidly heavy hunting rifle but if the scope is that much better for a longer range hunting scope then it’s worth some additional weight imo, I’m 20 lol if I can’t carry a 10 lb rifle I’m doing something wrong
 
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The 2.5-10 is fine for what you want to do. Other than mil/moa, illumination, reticle...etc, You also need to decide if you want adjustable parallax or fixed parallax.

I had a NF SHV 3-10x42 (without adj. parallax) on a 300 WM and had no problem hitting 6" plates at 600 yards. You just need to ensure that you are straight behind the scope.

The NXS 2.5-10x42 has side adjustable parallax and will be more forgiving when adjusted for distance.

Hope this helps.
 
I went with the gap camo, I was looking at the Tommy bahama, looks good, I’m doubting my decision with gap as well lol

I had a couple EH1's in GAP camo, it's a nice pattern in the elite shell. I'm a sucker for green and grey though which is why I leaned towards Tommy Bahama this time. I'm looking forward to getting the PH and comparing it to my HNT26
 
I had a couple EH1's in GAP camo, it's a nice pattern in the elite shell. I'm a sucker for green and grey though which is why I leaned towards Tommy Bahama this time. I'm looking forward to getting the PH and comparing it to my HNT26
IMG_8256.png

These are the ones they had in stock the other day, wish the gap paint job was a little less splattery looking like the other 2… still nice
 
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View attachment 8151959
These are the ones they had in stock the other day, wish the gap paint job was a little less splattery looking like the other 2… still nice

That's a good looking stock. Do they not come with the picatinny forend rail? I was under the assumption they did, I didn't specify when I ordered mine. What BA are you putting in it?
 
That's a good looking stock. Do they not come with the picatinny forend rail? I was under the assumption they did, I didn't specify when I ordered mine. What BA are you putting in it?
Yeah I asked them, just were not installed in those pictures, but yes they do come with the stock, origin with a proof sendaro, Hawkins hunter dbm
 
Yeah I asked them, just were not installed in those pictures, but yes they do come with the stock, origin with a proof sendaro, Hawkins hunter dbm

OK, I wasn't sure but that's good to know. That would be a sweet setup with a 2.5-10. I'm going to use the PH with my 737R to build a light target/varmint rifle with a 4-32 NX8 or 5-25 MK5.
 
I've compared them side by side and no it's not a better scope. It's got the advantage of the tree reticle but that's it. The parallax on the NXS is a huge plus, the Credo had a considerable amount of parallax error beyond 400 yards. The NF also has way nicer glass, turrets and illumination and it weighs less. The Credo is a great optic at the sub $1K but it has its compromises and the tree reticle doesn't make up for all of them. The NXS cost me about $450 more after discount and is definitely worth the cost difference.

If there was a hard budget of $1000 or less then the Credo is a good buy.

strange, when i was smacking an ipsc at 900 with my 18" SPR, i didnt notice any parallax issues.
 
strange, when i was smacking an ipsc at 900 with my 18" SPR, i didnt notice any parallax issues.

Just because you hit a target at 900 yards doesn't mean its optimal. I've connected at a grand with a 1-4 NXS but it was far from what I'd call precise.

The credo 2-10 had more parallax error compared to the Vudu 1-10 on 10x and shooting the vudu and NXS both at 550 yards there was absolutely a noticable difference. The OP wants to use it for big game hunting to 600 yards which ideally means hitting the heart which is roughly a 6-8" target. The Credo has a 3.5" or .16mil parallax error at 600 yards, yeah I'll dial that variable out and not have to stack that on top of a wind call and shooter error too. Credo is a good optic and has its place, but it's not here.
 
If you can see and identify the target then you have enough magnification. If you are counting points at 600 yards then it may or may not be enough magnification.

I’ve hit 12” steel plates at 900 yards easily with a scope on 5x. It was a brightly painted white target in the clear so the magnification was adequate.

nice shooting, thats crazy! how many times out of 10?

i have a vx6 1-6x and struggle to get a steady image at 550yds on a white 12” steel plate i have positioned in the desert on a hillside.

i’ll have to take a peak at what 900 looks like thru 6x next time out