NXS vs Benchrest

  • Thread starter JRLesan@embarqm
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JRLesan@embarqm

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I'm wanting to buy a scope for an AR platform (flattop) but can't find a description of differences between the NightForce NXS 12X42 and the Benchrest 12X42. I do not compete, but always shoot off the bench up to (but never exceeding) 250 yards. I enjoy making small groups and would like to acquire a .308 AR as soon as I finish playing with my .223 and use the same scope and mount (LaRue LT104, unless you know of something better) on both rifles. I'd appreciate input before I pop a couple grand on the NXS. Thanks in advance...
 
way too much scope for the rifle.
what bbl and what twist ??

mike in co
aka
ar10ar15man
 
Two comments

mike in co said:
way too much scope for the rifle.
what bbl and what twist ??

mike in co
aka
ar10ar15man
Click to expand...

Well to begin with the original question. I own both an NXS and a BR NF scope. The NXS are a bit shorter than the BR models and have the parallax adjustment opposite the windage adjustments as opposed to one the front bell with the BR. The BR are also black while the NXS are a steel grey color.

As for too much scope aint that what the power zoom ring is for. My visiual acuity isn't what it used to be and I need at least 25 power to see bullet holes in a 100 yard target now and about 35 to 40 at 200 yards. To quote a late friend of mine who was also a BR shooter " You won't hit it son if you can't see it ".
Andy.
 
mike in co said:
way too much scope for the rifle.
what bbl and what twist ??

mike in co
aka
ar10ar15man
Click to expand...
"Too Much Scope?...???
I have used owned and shot each model scope you refer to.I think the NXS models are worth the xtra money... with side focus and less abruptive reticle stystem.
bill larson
 
Thankyou for the responses: please explain "less abruptive reticle system". On the Nightforce site, they list 4 available reticles for each scope with the CH2 being the most suitable (I think) for my purposes.
J.R.Lesan
 
JRLesan@embarqm said:
I'd appreciate input before I pop a couple grand on the NXS. Thanks in advance...
Click to expand...

If you're going to pop a couple grand on your next scope for noncompetitive use, you might want to look at one of these [just in case] the desire to compete might bite you in the future. Nothing like being prepared for a change of heart: http://deon.co.jp/march/ :cool:
 
JRLesan@embarqm said:
Thankyou for the responses: please explain "less abruptive reticle system". On the Nightforce site, they list 4 available reticles for each scope with the CH2 being the most suitable (I think) for my purposes.
J.R.Lesan
Click to expand...
I like the NRR-2 reticle.... if you shoot with a hat on..... the bill will hit the battery hump on BR models.....
 
so what bbl and what twist...... ????

if you like the best of everything get a march....

but
its like trying to race a yugo in nascar.......

very silly to put a 2500/3500 scope on a 1 moa gun.

he used the word "small" to describe his groups. small is a very relative term....in a br rifle a gun that ag's in the 1's is shooting small, in the ar world a rifle shooting 1moa is small and less than that is not rare but not common.
so lets find out what he is doing .....


mike in co
 
A friend has both models, and I have shot them both on his rifles. It seems to both of us that the parallax setting on the Benchrest model is more stable, once it has been set. I have friends that carry on about their side focus scopes, but for straight bench shooting where I am going to leave leave the parallax setting alone for an extended period of shooting at a particular distance, I prefer front focus. Another contributing factor is that I shoot left handed. Side focus knobs are on the wrong side for me.
 
"if you shoot with a hat on..... the bill will hit the battery hump on BR models..."

You'd have to retrain your brain to the change, but if you have, say, the fine crosshair reticle you can remount your BR scope 90 degrees anti-clockwise to put the battery hump out of the way.

Frank B.
 
mike in co said:
so what bbl and what twist...... ????

if you like the best of everything get a march....

but
its like trying to race a yugo in nascar.......

very silly to put a 2500/3500 scope on a 1 moa gun.

he used the word "small" to describe his groups. small is a very relative term....in a br rifle a gun that ag's in the 1's is shooting small, in the ar world a rifle shooting 1moa is small and less than that is not rare but not common.
so lets find out what he is doing .....


mike in co
Click to expand...

Even my old AR shoots 1/2MOA.
 
OK, barrel and twist: NIB unfired Colt accurized rifle with a 24" barrel and I don't know what twist but probably 1 in 7 but maybe 1 in 9. I don't really care at this point. I sold my last AR to my brother: one I had assembled from parts back in the early 80's. It did and still will shoot 10 shot groups in the .6's. at 100 yards. So, after peddling the thing to my brother for what I had in it (about $600.00, give or take) I got sellers' remorse and bought a Colt which I figured would make a good foundation, if nothing else. At this point, I'm looking for information on Nightforce scopes. Specifically, is the side focus and Zero stop worth an extra $600.00? Is there some other feature that the NXS has that I'm not aware of? When I get done with the Colt it will outshoot my brother's. At that point I'll probably take the scope off, sell him the gun and go to something else. Hope this answers your question, Mike in CO.
 
I have two NF BRs. Mi have had other scopes with parallax on the objective and a couple with side focus. The side focus scopes had some lash while the objective focus did not. The side focus cannot help but be more complex mechanically.

With that said, if I was in a game where I had to focus for different ranges on the fly, I would choose the side focus. At $600 difference, I'm not so sure.
 
JRLesan,

I own two 12x42 BR and one 12x42 NXS. Two of them have the NP-2DD reticle and one has the CH-1 reticle. All of these scopes are on bench guns that I shoot in competition mostly at the 200 to 500 yard distance and sometimes at 1000 yards.

My NXS has 1/4 min. adjustment and to me, that is a minor liability. The 12x42 NXS does not have "zero stop" so I have no experience with that feature. Yes, the NXS has side focus and it is quicker to only reach to the center of the scope to adjust it. However, the focus adjustment on the objective end of the BR models seems to me to allow you to tweak the focus to a finer degree. Could just be me. Either way, I have no regrets owning any of these scopes as they are light years ahead of any other optic that I had used.

I also own a Colt H-Bar Elite w/26" barrel. The gun is factory stock and shoots very well in my opinion. I can comfortably make the statement that if/when I want to shoot the smallest groups that the rifle is capable of shooting, I'd mount one of my Nightforce scopes on the gun and get the results that I would be looking for.

I think you would be happy with either.

Good shooting,
Jerry Ware
 
I use the NP2DD in my 12X42 BR model and love it for bench rest shooting. In regards to having to much power for the rifle, not possible in my book. You can up the power in that Yugo same as the scope.
J.Louis
 
yugos had terrible reliability...that was the issue..and no horse powder....

Louis.J said:
I use the NP2DD in my 12X42 BR model and love it for bench rest shooting. In regards to having to much power for the rifle, not possible in my book. You can up the power in that Yugo same as the scope.
J.Louis
Click to expand...
 
ok the rilfe has a 1/9 twist per colt's site.
this limits you to short 75 gr bullets or less....which will limit the distance you can shoot well at. your 250 range is fine.
its a production rifle and as such has a production chamber....not necessarily the best for accuracy.
yes you can put the scope on the rifle...get extra hi rings to keep from tilting head sidways to see thru the scope.

it will not make it shoot any better.....that is the point i was trying to make...you can spend a lot less and still meet the accuracy potential of the rifle.
most people here know i own/built/ and shoot ar's in benchrest competition.
i know a little about making them shoot well................small group from my ar10(308win br) is a 0.116 with bib 135's, my ar15 ag's right at 0.2 with 52's, and my 6mm beggs is still in work. they all have old school luepold 36x brd's.........
just saying more scope than the rifle needs..but it is your money

mike in co
 
An asset

mike in co said:
ok the rilfe has a 1/9 twist per colt's site.
this limits you to short 75 gr bullets or less....which will limit the distance you can shoot well at. your 250 range is fine.
its a production rifle and as such has a production chamber....not necessarily the best for accuracy.
yes you can put the scope on the rifle...get extra hi rings to keep from tilting head sidways to see thru the scope.

it will not make it shoot any better.....that is the point i was trying to make...you can spend a lot less and still meet the accuracy potential of the rifle.
most people here know i own/built/ and shoot ar's in benchrest competition.
i know a little about making them shoot well................small group from my ar10(308win br) is a 0.116 with bib 135's, my ar15 ag's right at 0.2 with 52's, and my 6mm beggs is still in work. they all have old school luepold 36x brd's.........
just saying more scope than the rifle needs..but it is your money

mike in co
Click to expand...

You can purchase a quality scope and it becomes an asset not a liability. It doesn't devalue just because it's bolted to a firearm that is worth a lot less than the scope. It can be taken off and bolted to anything you want later on. Chances are later on the scope will cost more than you purchased it for now.
Andy.
 
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