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suprane
Optics GrassHopper Joined: December/12/2014 Location: TX Status: Offline Points: 5 |
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Posted: December/12/2014 at 07:55 |
Have a custom compact .260, base ( waiting on rings size ) and about to scope it. Was all set on Mark 4 tactical ( which a friend won in a company raffle and is willing to sell ) but also thinking of Nightforce 2-10x32 NXS, or 2-10x40 NXS compact or Trijicon 3-9x40. ( all under 12.8" ) Which one and why ? Are all etched reticles ? And anyone have experience with the glass of these compared ? Thank you and appreciative, as this is my last rifle and scope combo. I am retired, less money and have saved up and sold almost all my inexpensive rifles, scopes to get enough money to put together a "once-in-a-lifetime" dream.
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A5Camo
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cheaptrick
MODERATOR Joined: September/27/2004 Location: South Carolina Status: Offline Points: 20844 |
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Welcome to Optics Talk.
To better serve you, please tell us what you intend to use the rifle for. I assume hunting, if it's a .260.
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suprane
Optics GrassHopper Joined: December/12/2014 Location: TX Status: Offline Points: 5 |
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Cheaptrick, that is correct. I cleaned house, paid some debt and retired. With the funds left I am going to have one rifle for WT deer, varmints, and targets. I settled on a .260 because I had a single shot pistol/scope I was fortunate to shoot ( owned by a buddy ) and that thing was extremely accurate in a 14" barrel. So my rifle will be at or under 18" and so the .260. Now want a compact excellent glass scope to top her off. I want etched reticle, SF, not above 15x, as short of length as possible. The Nightforce NXS seems to be the one, but it is eating into the remaining funds. I saw the Trijicon and it's a bit longer but has some unique features and the price is much less. Also have made a deal on a Leupold Mark 4 M1 Tacticle 4.5-14x40. A buddy won one, wanted to sell and I bought. It was a special deal just for a friend ( he thought he owed me some favors ) but I am not wanting large tacticle turrets, so bought to sell unless when I see it, it just reaches out and chokes me. So my question was are all three etched reticles. I believe I have found some answers by cruising this site, but do you have experience with all these. I have never looked through any of them. I am about 300miles from a shop where I could see them first hand. That's about it.
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A5Camo
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graywolf.260
Optics Apprentice Joined: April/03/2011 Location: MT Status: Offline Points: 57 |
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I could be wrong but don't think the compact NF has (or really needs) side focus. Up to 10X for hunting you may not want to bother with sf and you could get a lighter more compact scope like Swarovski 3-9x36 or Zeiss conquest 3-9x40. Do you want a ballistic reticle or turrets? That will also narrow your choices.
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koshkin
MODERATOR Dark Lord of Optics Joined: June/15/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 13182 |
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If you plan to use this for a general purpose hunting rifle, then keeping the objective in the 40mm range is probably a good idea.
With Nightforce, the 2.5-10x42 NXS Compact is a very nice scope. It is not cheap, but a very nice option. I am not a huge fan of Leupold Mark 4 scopes. I like their newer Mark 6 and Mark 8 quite bit, but not the Mark 4s. Between that and the Nightforce, I would take the Nightforce. Just out of curiosity, why are you looking for the shortest possible overall length? Also, both the Mark 4 and the Nightforce would certainlhy work well enough as hunting scopes, but they are really designed for tactical applications, hence the exposed turrets, etc. If I were setting up a "last and final" hunting rifle, I would be looking at a scope intended for hunting to start with. Your options would open up a fair bit. Somewhere at the top of my list would like be the Kahles KXi 3.5-10x50. It is superb in low light with exceptional optical quality: http://swfa.com/Kahles-35-10x50-Helia-KXi-Riflescope-P60696.aspx It is not cheap, but is definitely an alpha scope. For a fair bit less money there is a bunch of Meopta scopes that are quite excellent: |
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Rancid Coolaid
MODERATOR Joined: January/19/2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9318 |
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I own and use both the Trijicon 3-9 (on a Tikka T3 hunter) and the NightForce 2-10x42 (on a Sig 716), both are great, but both are quite different in application. As Koshkin says, the NF is a tactical scope, it would work great on your 260, but will have exposed turrets (which snag on more stuff than capped - and can turn accidentally) but will have illumination that is always on and ready for use. In contrast, the NF can be quickly adjusted for range and wind, and has a reticle better suited to adjustments without touching the turrets at all. The trijicon is very svelte and, for the money, in my opinion, there is no better low light scope - except the much bigger Trijicon 2.5-10. Their illumination is the best, their glass is very good, and their only weakness is the reticle selection. NF's greatest strengths are their reticle selection and ruggedness.
The NF is appreciably more expensive, whether worth the extra $$ depends on your needs and wants. If you don't turn turrets and you aren't making long shots, get the Trijicon and put the saved money into range time. |
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anweis
Optics Master Joined: January/29/2006 Status: Offline Points: 1148 |
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I have looked through and shot with more than 10 Nightforce scopes, from 32 mm to 56 or so mm. I own none. I am amazed by their mechanical precision and their optical performance. They are great wonderful scopes. That being said, there isn't a single Nightforce scope that i would take WT deer hunting because i don't think that any of their reticles are suitable for me and my hunting style and location. If i look over their reticle offerings i still think that these are mostly target and military style reticles. Maybe i miss something, maybe they have updated offerings,. I hunt a lot in brush, forest, fields, my hunting shots are at most 200 yards. I think my longest ever kill on deer was about 130 yards, 29 minutes and 55 seconds after sunset on a very dark cloudy evening. To me, it's important that the reticle be very easy and fast to see and aim with in tangled brush and low light. I also want an easy "eye box" . More often than not, this is required by most WT hunters. I also want optics that do not flare and black out on me when the sun or light is at a weird angle.
I am absolutely happy with 3 different Zeiss Conquest scopes, 1 is 32 mm and the other 2 are 42 mm. All have the plex no 20 reticle. If i wen't happy i would have replaced them, i am at that stage in life were i can. I have Swarovski binoculars and spotting scopes, did not see the need for their rifle scopes, but their 36mm scope will be great on your rifle. Meopta scopes are excellent as well, and there are no flies on the Leupold VX 3 scopes. I would probably choose the Nikon Monarch 3 2-8x32 for your light rifle. This scope is light and compact, it will not unbalance and make your rifle bulky and top heavy. The optics adjustments, and reticle are just as good as the Zeiss Conquest and it's not too expensive. Very good and generous eye relief and eye box positioning. Easy and fast to aim with and hit while hunting, with the Nikoplex reticle. If you are asking about low light, worry not. For the past year i have hunted a lot in very low light with a small Nikon Monarch African 1-4x24 (twenty four mm) I had no problems shooting coyotes, deer, and wild hogs. Last coyote i shot was at midnight, under full moon, at 200 yards away. If a 24mm does the job, a 32 will do even better. Their BDC reticle is not the best in twilight, but will work for your 500 yards shooting targets with the .260 |
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