Nightforce turrets

[stevevan]

Given all the favorable comments on the Nightforce line of scopes I'm considering purchasing a 3-15x50 NXS as that seems to be the flagship for durability. My question is the exposed turrets for elevation and windage. Since they are not lockable and are exposed my concern is if they are reliable to stay in place. I will use it on a hunting rifle that gets put in and taken out of a scabbard, sometimes many times a day. Are those turrets reliable to stay in place with that kind of useage or are my concerns unwarranted? I'd appreciate any comments from those who have this scope and have experience with it during the rigors of a hunt. Thanks in advance.

 

[KurtR]

make it habit to check before shooting but they are solid and most of the time wont be bumped off.

 

[w8n4rutnmt]

Use a neoprene scope cover while in scabbard.

 

[doverpack12]

I would maybe look for something else that has locking turrets. There will be a time you cannot check before you need to make a quick shot. If you look around or talk to people who have hunted with scabbards the turrets will and do move. Best bet may be to find the older model SHV with a cap. Or there may be aftermarket caps of some sort. A few scopes that have come out recently have locking turrets and are tracking reliably.

 

[wannakillabigbull]

A few scopes that have come out recently have locking turrets and are tracking reliably.

Such as?

 

[stevevan]

Yes, if NF just offered a cap that would remove any possibility of movement and I guess more concern is with the windage turret. Being a lay person to a lot of this turret twisting craze I'm wondering the necessity of an exposed windage turret as it appears all the reticles that are offered in that scope have windage marks on the reticle.

 

[Schaaf]

Such as?

Off the top of my head the Leica ERi offers a locking turret.

 

[doverpack12]

Such as?

I don't have an all inclusive list but know for sure the Sig Whiskey 5 has a locking turret and has tracked reliably. Long Range Only sells the whiskey 5 after testing them pretty thoroughly and Justin Crossley reviewed one on here. Huskemaw doesn't lock but comes with a dust cap, the old model SHV comes with a dust cap, Tract Toric scopes are an option but probably haven't been proven enough for tracking to recommend yet. Leupold VX5 HD and VX 6 HD both lock and are getting pretty favorable reports of reliable tracking from some good long range shooters, but they probably need a little more time to be confirmed as well. There are a few more as well I believe.

 

[Formidilosus]

Given all the favorable comments on the Nightforce line of scopes I'm considering purchasing a 3-15x50 NXS as that seems to be the flagship for durability. My question is the exposed turrets for elevation and windage. Since they are not lockable and are exposed my concern is if they are reliable to stay in place. I will use it on a hunting rifle that gets put in and taken out of a scabbard, sometimes many times a day. Are those turrets reliable to stay in place with that kind of useage or are my concerns unwarranted? I'd appreciate any comments from those who have this scope and have experience with it during the rigors of a hunt. Thanks in advance.

Any exposed turret can move, while I have not seen a NF NXS have the tirrets slipped in extensive use, it is a part of then ore shot routine to check. Having said that, the 4-16x ATACR eliminates the possibility. It has a locking elevation turret and a capped windage.

 

[Kotaman]

Any exposed turret can move, while I have not seen a NF NXS have the tirrets slipped in extensive use, it is a part of then ore shot routine to check. Having said that, the 4-16x ATACR eliminates the possibility. It has a locking elevation turret and a capped windage.

I'm liking the ATACR more and more everyday. Very happy with my decision for this one to be my scope of choice on a new build. If they could some how lighten it up 5-10 oz., it would be the PERFECT hunting scope. Maybe a "non illuminated" option would do it...

 

[Lawnboi]

The shv 4-14 has capped turrets. But no zero stop. I think they upgraded the 5-20 shv to have an exposed elevation with a capped windage.

I like the looks of that atacr too, I really want a zero stop, but don't care for illumination

 

[KurtR]

I would maybe look for something else that has locking turrets. There will be a time you cannot check before you need to make a quick shot. If you look around or talk to people who have hunted with scabbards the turrets will and do move. Best bet may be to find the older model SHV with a cap. Or there may be aftermarket caps of some sort. A few scopes that have come out recently have locking turrets and are tracking reliably.

If the gun is in a scabard your not making a quick shot any way. Every time it is taken out you confirm your turret is on zero it takes less than second and with zero stop it takes even less to get it to zero

 

[Sam Millard]

NXS turrets don’t spin on their own. You’ll have nothing to worry about with that scope, even yanking it in and out of a scabbard. I’ve used that scope for a lot of years, and have never seen either turret off zero.

 

[luke moffat]

NXS turrets don’t spin on their own. You’ll have nothing to worry about with that scope, even yanking it in and out of a scabbard. I’ve used that scope for a lot of years, and have never seen either turret off zero.

After a year with my NXS I have to agree with this. Drug it all over last hunting season and the windage never moved. That said I still wish it had capped windage just for my piece of mind.

 

[stevevan]

I'm thinking like you Luke. Interesting to note that on NF website the description for their ATACR scope points out that it has a capped windage turret to " Prevent accidental slippage in the field".

 

[RosinBag]

I think you are worrying about a non issue. I have ran NF for the last 10 years and never seen one move and it was in plenty of areas it could have. That being said I always had a Gunwerks scope cover on it.

 

[Kotaman]

After a year with my NXS I have to agree with this. Drug it all over last hunting season and the windage never moved. That said I still wish it had capped windage just for my piece of mind.

Nothing that an ATACR won't fix!

 

[luke moffat]

Nothing that an ATACR won't fix!

Haha agreed...same with many other options as well for less $$$