Steiner 3-18 T6XI vs Nightforce 2.5-20

[fdkay]

I'm looking to scope a new hunting rifle.
Both of these scopes intrigue me.
I appreciate the lighter weight (not by a whole lot) of the NF. But the short overall length might give me some issues, requiring a higher set of rings.
It is a medium action build.
I am lso considering the new Tract 2.5-15 illuminated FFP hunting scope, as it is really all I need, except I would prefer the greater exit pupil of the 50 or 56 mm objective.

 

[dirtybores]

Not exactly apples to apples, but I traded an atacr 4-16 for a t6xi 3-18 and have zero regrets. The rifle sees a good amount of range use, and I think the t6xi is a pretty perfect do-all optic. However: sporting a 56mm bell, locking instead of capped windage, and somewhat aggressive turret knurling, I might opt out on a dedicated hunting rig to slim/smooth the profile.

I bet both optic's exit pupil reached the saturation threshold, and mounting height vs length with both the atacr and t6xi would have been a wash if I was trying to get them down low.

 

[gr8fuldoug]

Steiner T6Xi's are the best, IMO, scope line that Steiner has come out with since their Nighthunter series years ago

 

[Birddog6424]

That Steiner is a very nice optic. And in truth, I've never felt like the NX8 was worth their asking price.

 

[Glassaholic]

About to come out with a review of the Steiner 3-18x56 with ATACR 4-16x42, Schmidt US 3-20x50 and some other scopes. NF and Schmidt are somewhat baseline scopes, a big focus of mine was to compare low light performance expecting the 56mm objective to show a distinct advantage as light got low. You’ll see more details in the review but i was surprised to observe the advantage being a lot more minuscule than i thought it would be. Keep in mind another limiting factor is restricted exit pupil size - short body high erector (like 8x magnification) can and will limit exit pupil at lower magnification. Most manufacturers will publish exit pupil (if at all) at the highest magnification which can be a bit misleading because at max mag the rule of objective diameter divided by the magnification applies, but as you dip down into lower mags the exit pupil does not follow the same formula so while you might think the NX8 2.5-20x50 at 10x would have an exit pupil of 5mm (50 / 10) that is likely not the case so the advantage of the 50mm objective may not be as much an advantage as one might think. I would venture to say the Bushnell 4.5-18x44 would likely have a larger exit pupil than the NX8 due to the design of both scopes - the LRHS being longer and having a 4x erector vs 8x gives it an advantage with exit pupil at lower magnification even though it has a smaller objective. Another area that the Steiner definitely excels in is a forgiving eyebox and wide FOV. So while I like the NX8 if you need a super short scope with large magnification range, it may not be the best choice for other applications due to the compromises involved with it’s design intent.

 

[5RWill]

About to come out with a review of the Steiner 3-18x56 with ATACR 4-16x42, Schmidt US 3-20x50 and some other scopes. NF and Schmidt are somewhat baseline scopes, a big focus of mine was to compare low light performance expecting the 56mm objective to show a distinct advantage as light got low. You’ll see more details in the review but i was surprised to observe the advantage being a lot more minuscule than i thought it would be. Keep in mind another limiting factor is restricted exit pupil size - short body high erector (like 8x magnification) can and will limit exit pupil at lower magnification. Most manufacturers will publish exit pupil (if at all) at the highest magnification which can be a bit misleading because at max mag the rule of objective diameter divided by the magnification applies, but as you dip down into lower mags the exit pupil does not follow the same formula so while you might think the NX8 2.5-20x50 at 10x would have an exit pupil of 5mm (50 / 10) that is likely not the case so the advantage of the 50mm objective may not be as much an advantage as one might think. I would venture to say the Bushnell 4.5-18x44 would likely have a larger exit pupil than the NX8 due to the design of both scopes - the LRHS being longer and having a 4x erector vs 8x gives it an advantage with exit pupil at lower magnification even though it has a smaller objective. Another area that the Steiner definitely excels in is a forgiving eyebox and wide FOV. So while I like the NX8 if you need a super short scope with large magnification range, it may not be the best choice for other applications due to the compromises involved with it’s design intent.

Looking forward to that review Bill.

 

[FuhQ]

I'm looking to scope a new hunting rifle.
Both of these scopes intrigue me.
I appreciate the lighter weight (not by a whole lot) of the NF. But the short overall length might give me some issues, requiring a higher set of rings.
It is a medium action build.
I am lso considering the new Tract 2.5-15 illuminated FFP hunting scope, as it is really all I need, except I would prefer the greater exit pupil of the 50 or 56 mm objective.

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[Glassaholic]

Pick your price range...

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Zeiss Conquest V4 Rifle Scope 6-24x 50mm Illuminated ZMOA-1 Reticle

The Conquest V4 riflescopes are for hunters and shooters whose lifestyle and adventures involve traditional and long-range hunting, as well as shooting...

www.midwayusa.com

I think the Zeiss LRP S5 holds the record for worlds tallest turrets

 

[Grubber]

I think the ATACR is better, but it’s also more expensive and less magnification.

 

[FuhQ]

I think the ATACR is better, but it’s also more expensive and less magnification.

I own an ATACR F1 5-25x56 and an LRP S3 6-36x56… The Zeiss glass is far superior.

 

[FuhQ]

I think the Zeiss LRP S5 holds the record for worlds tallest turrets

Nah, I think Athlon has them beat.

 

[Fret]

I think the Zeiss LRP S5 holds the record for worlds tallest turrets

Might be a toss up with the Tract.

 

[fdkay]

Might be a toss up with the Tract.

I think the NF Beast has them all beat

 

[Glassaholic]

^^^ I think a video of scopes with the tallest turrets are in order running through the jungle and clothes lines and such and getting all hung up on everything in sight. Maybe even knocking a guy off a shooting bench... "Sorry man, it's my huge turrets".

 

[ArmchairOperator]

1. Is there a capped windage option for the T6xi? 2. If no, what is the max diameter and height of the T6xi windage turret?

 

[gr8fuldoug]

1. Is there a capped windage option for the T6xi? 2. If no, what is the max diameter and height of the T6xi windage turret?

The T6Xi’s don’t have a capped option since they come with turret locks.

The diameter of the Windage turret is 1.55 in., the height is 0.65 in, and the outermost part protrudes 44.244mm from the centerline of the scope tube