Why Are Nightforce Illuminated Scopes Special?

Have you ever used the Nightforce Illuminated reticle? If not then you must use it at least once and then decide whether to buy one or not. Only reading the Nightforce illuminated reticles reviews will not help you.

The Nightforce NXS 12-42x56 riflescope is a serious tactical scope for the serious target shooter. It is a physically large scope with a 30mm main tube and a 56mm objective lens. The windage and elevation adjustment knobs are large for convenient fingertip adjustment and it features a side mounted parallax correction knob. A sunshade is supplied with every scope. With sunshade attached, you have a 16.125" long scope that weighs 34 ounces. It is no lightweight.

Aside from the magnification, the only significant difference between the two scopes is the amount of internal adjustment for elevation and windage. The NXS 12-42x56 has less adjustment, which is easily compensated for with a 20 MOA mount rail. The choice between the two scopes is a matter of preference, not quality.

These scopes are constructed to be durable and reliable under all conditions. Nightforce uses the terms "rugged" and "precision optics" to describe their scopes. That is a pretty bold statement given that most instruments which are built to extremely high tolerances with absolute alignment are delicate instruments. However, the folks at Nightforce have proven that their scopes are an exception to the rule. These riflescopes are not delicate and their precision sets a high standard of excellence.

The tubes are machined from bar stock of aircraft-grade aluminum alloy. They are not extruded or formed as are most other scopes. The tube walls are two to three times thicker than most other scopes. That translates into less stress, greater thermal stability and an incredible shield for the optics inside.

Every air-to-glass surface is multi-coated to tolerances of 0.000005 inches and exceeds every Mil-Spec abrasion test. The benefit of this extreme care becomes apparent in low-light conditions.

The lenses of all Nightforce illuminated scopes are matched and aligned by hand to insure optimal performance. This is referred to as optical indexing and it provides the highest possible performance and resolution. This is a time-consuming and labor intensive process, but well worth the results.

Here are some specs for the Nightforce NXS 12-42x56mm and 8-32x56mm scopes:

• Magnification: 12-42x (8-32x)
• Objective lens diameter: 56mm
• Ocular lens diameter: 36mm
• Main tube diameter: 30mm
• Overall length: 16.1" (15.9")
• Weight: 34 ounces
• Eye relief: 3.8"
• Internal adjustment range: 45 MOA elevation, 35 MOA windage (65 MOA elevation, 45 MOA windage)
• Click value: .25 MOA
  Reticles: All NP reticles, CH-1, CH-2, CH-3, MLR, Mil-Dot