Nightforce 5.5-22×56 NXS Rifle Scope Review
I have been using this scope for over six months now and am very happy with it. The optical quality of this scope is more than adequate for all field shooting situations out to extreme ranges.
This is a big scope that weighs 32oz, and may feel top heavy if mounted on a lightweight rifle. The scope has 56mm objective lens and works very well in poor light. On a clear moon lit night, it easy to see animals in a clear paddock.
The reticle can be illuminated by pulling out the left hand side parallax adjustment knob and if you whish to adjust the brightness of the reticle that is also possible. The parallax adjustment is in easy reach and I feel this is the most handy position.
Elevation adjustment is a claimed 100 MOA but with my scope zeroed at 100 yards with a 20 MOA rail. I have 61 MOA of up elevation and 35 MOA of down elevation adjustment available to me over the tested full travel. Windage adjustment is a claimed 60 MOA.
Both elevation and windage turrets have large clear markings but the total turn markings are very small. I found this to be too small and would like to see larger numbers to make it easier to read. The windage turret is marked from 0 to 5 MOA and back to zero again. So care must be taken when resetting back to zero. The model that I have does not have the zero stop feature.
The reticle that I chose is the R1 type. This MOA reticle with MOA turret adjustment, is a good fit for long range rifle. Set on 22 power, this reticle has 20 MOA of elevation etched into the glass in 1 MOA increments below the centre of the cross hair and 10 MOA above. Windage etching is in 2 MOA increments with 20 MOA each side. There is also 5 MOA available on the end blocks of the reticle, this came in handy for one particular shot.
People wanting more adjustment can set the scope power at 11 power and this effectively doubles the size of the reticle relative to the target. I even used the scope set on 5.5 power once as I needed the 80 MOA available on this setting.
Turret adjustment is very accurate and has a positive feel to it with audible clicks. This is a range it, dial it, shoot it scope. I have full confidence in its ability having shot it at distances that cover its full range of available adjustment. It always returns to zero perfectly.
Mounted on a steel Nightforce 20 MOA rail with steel Nightforce rings, this makes for a very solid set up.
This Nightforce scope is not cheap. They are currently being advertised at RRP Price: $2570 but can be found for about $2200 so shop about.
Related posts:
- Millet TRS 4-16×50 Rifle Scope Review.
- New from Nightforce
- H & S Project Rifle part 3 – Fitting the scope.
Category: Norman Nelson's Column, Reviews
