Are you searching for the best Nightforce scope for hunting? We will share the top options to help you narrow your search.
When it comes to hunting, every single hunt is a challenge. Whether you are a beginner or a skilled hunter, equipping yourself with the correct hunting tools will increase the chances of taking down the game you are hunting and going home with some meat.
Today, the market offers various hunting scopes from different brands, but none beats the Nightforce scopes. Nightforce scopes are built with hunters in mind. They offer the ultimate precision in any hunting environment, and having one as your hunting optic will make you a better hunter.
Choosing the Best Nightforce Scope for Hunting
Magnification
Magnification is an important part of every scope. It plays a huge role in determining how far you can shoot. When selecting, pick a scope that works best for you regarding the hunting distance and environment.
Any Nightforce scope with no more than 10x maximum magnification will be ideal for short and medium-range hunting. On the other hand, you will need a unit with more than 10x magnification for long-range hunting.
Aperture
Aperture is also known as the objective lens. For hunting, the larger the aperture, the better. It will maximize light collection when hunting in low-light settings and ensure that the images generated are bright and rich in detail.
A large objective lens also provides a large visual field, so you will easily locate the game and keep track of them as they move.
Eye Relief
The eye relief of scope refers to the distance from your eye to the scope’s eyepiece. The larger the eye relief the scope has, the better. It will not just ensure that you observe targets comfortably, but it will also keep your eye safe from high-recoiling rifles. Go for a unit that offers 3.5-inches eye relief or more.
Weight
Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned hunter, it is best to get a scope that is light in weight. A light scope offers multiple benefits other than being portable. It is accurate and simpler to mount, sight, and shoot. Light scopes also have the added advantage of being able to disperse recoil efficiently.
Durability and Weather Resistance
Hunting involves exposure to various hard weather and environmental conditions. Ensure the Nightforce scope you choose is built to withstand rugged use, shockproof, waterproof, and fog-proof, ensuring reliable performance in harsh environments.
Nightforce offers a multitude of premium scopes for hunting, it can be daunting to find a unit that is right for you. Here are the best models if you are looking for the best Nightforce scope for hunting. Let’s take a look.
Best Nightforce Scopes for Hunting
1) NightForce 8-32x56mm NXS Rifle Scope
First up is the NightForce 8-32x56mm NXS Rifle Scope, the best Nightforce scope for hunting long-range. Featuring a broad 8-32x magnification power, this scope is your ideal solution for medium to extreme long-range hunting.
It is designed to yield outstanding image clarity under every zoom setting. This is thanks to the large 56mm aperture that also provides a much-required large visual field. Furthermore, this scope is fully waterproof and weather resistant, so you can hunt confidently in any environment.
This rifle scope is also eyeglass-friendly. It boasts an accommodating 3.8 eye relief allowing optimal user-comfort with or without eyeglasses. Moreover, it has a lightweight design that ensures ease of transportation, and with the 30mm body, it will be easy to mount it on a wide range of rifles.
Above all, the scope is rigorously tested for perfection and has an illuminated reticle that simplifies hunting in low-light settings.
Features
- Second focal plane reticle
- 8-32x magnification range
- Adjustable parallax
- 30mm main tube
- Fully waterproof and weather resistant
- Aircraft-grade aluminum construction
Pros
- Exceptional optical integrity
- Lightweight and durable design
- Reticle illumination
- Decent eye relief
2) NightForce SHV 5-20x56mm Rifle Scope
The NIGHTFORCE SHV 5-20x56mm scope is designed for versatility across multiple shooting disciplines. Having this scope as your hunting optic will help you make the most of your hunting rifle and have a more rewarding hunting excursion.
The SHV is ideal for both varmint hunting and big game hunting. The massive 56mm objective lens offers a large field of view to help make target identification a breeze. It also ensures that the images generated have outstanding clarity, crispness, and color accuracy at every zoom setting.
The scope also performs admirably well, even when hunting in low-light settings. It features center-only illumination for the reticle for accurate aiming in virtually all lighting conditions. It also has a ZeroSet elevation feature that makes sighting-it in a breeze and a side parallax adjustment knob easily accessible from any hunting position.
Features
- 5-20x variable magnification range
- ZeroSet technology
- Full 80 MOA of elevation adjustment
- Second focal plane reticle
- 30mm body tube
- Rubber lens covers
Pros
- Decent eye relief
- Lightweight design
- Excellent image crispness and clarity
- Versatility
3) NightForce NX8 4-32x50mm Rifle Scope
The NIGHTFORCE NX8 F1 Scope is the 30mm scope ideal for virtually all hunting applications. It has a wide 4-32x zoom makes it suitable for hunting game at short to long ranges, and a first focal plane reticle that optimizes shooting accuracy at long distances.
High optical performance awaits you when you get this scope. All air-to-glass surfaces feature broadband multi-coating to enhance light transmission and alleviate light loss through reflection. This yields bright and clear image views from dawn to dusk. Besides, the lenses are optically indexed to deliver high-quality image views.
Another outstanding thing about the scope is its durability. The 30mm tube is machined from a solid bar of 6061-T6 aircraft-grade aluminum alloy, making it virtually impervious to damage. It also comes with a spring on the elevation and windage adjustments knob to ensure smooth operation all through.
Features
- First focal plane reticle
- Adjustable parallax
- 30mm main tube
- Vast 4-32x magnification range
- 1 MOA elevation and windage markings
- Broadband multi-coating
Pros
- Digillum reticle illumination
- Lightweight and portable design
- Durable construction
- Crisp clear optics
4) NightForce NXS 5.5-22x50mm Tactical Rifle Scope
The NightForce NXS 5.5-22x50mm Tactical Rifle Scope is another top-notch scope for long-range hunting. With it, you can take an accurate shot for a target 2,000 yards away.
It provides a vast 5.5-22x magnification power and a large field of view, making the target location a snap at medium and long ranges. It also boasts a long eye relief of 3.74 inches to ensure that you look for game comfortably with or without eyeglasses and an illuminated reticle that optimizes shooting accuracy in dismal environments.
When it comes to construction, this optic has ruggedized housing that is sturdy enough to take in whatever you throw at it. It has also been tested and proven to perform under rain, fog, snow,, and other precipitation.
In addition to everything else, the unit has a lightweight design that disperses recoil from heavy caliber weapons and ensures that you can easily carry it in the field.
Features
- Vast 5.5-22x magnification
- 30mm main tube
- Second focal plane reticle
- Proprietary titanium beta erector spring
- LED illumination
- 100 M.O.A of internal adjustment
Pros
- Exceptional optical integrity
- Robust and reliable construction
- Reticle illumination
- Good eye relief
- Light and portable design
5) NightForce SHV 4-14x50mm F1 Rifle Scope
Next up is the NightForce SHV 4-14x50mm F1 Rifle Scope. This all-around rifle scope offers practical solutions for nearly all your hunting and target shooting adventures.
With the variable 4-14x magnification power, the unit is ideal for short- and long-range hunting. It provides rapid target acquisition for long-range targets in a wide field of view at every magnification setting. Furthermore, the scope features an illuminated first focal plane reticle to boost shooting accuracy in low-light hunting environments.
This rifle scope is built to last. Its rugged aluminum body is sturdy and rigid enough to withstand any punishment. Better it, the adjustment control knobs are intuitive, easy to use, and accessible from any shooting position.
For added convenience, the scope comes with a fast-focus eyepiece that makes reticle focusing a walk in the park and a ZeroSet function to help you quickly and easily return to your zero settings.
Features
- Fast focus eyepiece
- Variable 4-14x magnification
- ZeroSet function
- Adjustable parallax
- Power zoom ring
- Aluminum construction
- 30mm main tube
- First focal plane reticle
Pros
- Illuminated reticle with 12 brightness settings
- Lightweight design
- Easy to operate
- The reticle is clean and ideal for hunting
- Great glass
6) NightForce SHV 4-14×56 .250 MOA Rifle Scope
Another best Nightforce scope for hunting on our list is the NightForce SHV 4-14×56 .250 MOA. The scope is designed to deliver reliable performance and great precision even under the harshest and unforgiving conditions.
It features a variable zoom power ideal for taking shots close to long ranges. A large 56mm aperture that optimizes resolution and low-light performance complements the broad zoom range. Additionally, the scope comes with a zero-tolerance lens, which keeps all the optical elements in place in all conditions.
In terms of construction, it has a 30mm main tube crafted from aircraft-grade aluminum. The construction makes the scope sturdy enough to stand repeated recoil for heavy-caliber weapons, shock, and severe temperature changes.
With all these high-end features, you are guaranteed unmatched performance and reliability you can count on.
Features
- 4-14x magnification range
- Second focal plane reticle
- Zero-tolerance lens
- 30mm body tube
- 56mm aperture
- Shock and recoil resistant
Pros
- Excellent build quality
- Lightweight design
- Great reticle
- Glass is clean and clear as crystal
7) NightForce 2.5-10x42mm NXS Compact Rifle Scope
Lastly, we have the NightForce 2.5-10x42mm NXS Compact Rifle Scope. This ultra-light, compact, and versatile rifle scope is a top performer that will not only meet but also exceed your expectations.
It has a variable 2.5-10x magnification suitable for hunting game in various distances and environments. The parallax is adjustable from 25 yards to infinity, and with the power throw lever, you are guaranteed instant magnification adjustments.
Moreover, the scope offers multiple reticle options which are illuminated. This gives you the flexibility to choose a reticle based on the situation. Besides, having an adjustable brightness setting makes the scope ideal for use in various lighting conditions.
To add on everything else, this product offers generous eye relief that helps with rapid target acquisition and a design that is easy to use even for beginners.
Features
- Side parallax adjustment
- 5-10x variable magnification range
- Second focal plane reticle
- 42mm aperture
- Power throw lever
- 30mm main tube
Pros
- Night vision compatible
- Reticle illumination with multiple brightness settings
- Light and compact design
- Numerous accessories included
See Also
- Best Long Range Scopes
- Best Vortex Scope for Ruger Precision Rifle 6.5 Creedmoor
- Best Scope Rings for Vortex Viper PST Gen II 5-25×50
Best Nightforce Scope for Hunting FAQs
1) What do numbers on a scope mean?
The numbers on a scope represent the magnification power and the size of the objective lens. In a 2.5-10×42 scope, for example, the 2.5-10x is the adjustable magnification power. The 42mm, on the other hand, is the diameter of the objective lens in millimeters.
2) Are Nightforce scopes any good?
Yes. In the optics industry, Nightforce scopes are arguably the best in durability, sturdiness, and optical performance. They have some of the best ergonomics, designed to offer great accuracy regardless of shooting range.
3) Where are Nightforce scopes made?
The USA. Nightforce Optics is an American-based brand that manufactures a wide range of high-quality optical instruments including scopes. It is based in Lavonia, Georgia, and the factory headquarters are in Orofino, Idaho.
4) What is the best scope magnification for hunting?
The best scope for hunting should have a versatile magnification meaning that it should be able to tackle close and further targets because the target isn’t stationary during hunting. The best magnifications for this are 2-12x or 3-9x.
Conclusion
Remember that the best Nighforce scope for hunting will greatly depend on the game you are hunting, the hunting environment, and the distance. Hopefully, this guide has given you the information you need to make the right buying decision.
With the right scope, you can rest assured that your hunting expedition will be better. Use our guide above and pick the best scope for your needs.
See Also