I recently built a new custom rifle and found myself in need of an optic to match. The rifle that was being replaced had been wearing a Leupold VX-3HD which unfortunately had had zero retention issues. This wasn’t the first VX-3HD that had issues holding zero. I have experience with a Nightforce NXS 2.5-10×42 that has been bombproof and combined with Nightforce’s reputation I decided to try another Nightforce. The Nightforce NX8 4-32×50 F1 fit the bill so I ordered one and have been hunting and shooting with it for months now.
Philosophy of Use
First of all, there are several reasons that I decided to go with the 4-32×50 over another version of the NX8 or an ATACR. Many people are probably thinking that 32x magnification is excessive for hunting. They are correct. However, BC has many 6 point or better seasons for elk as well as over the counter sheep tags. Judging and animal for legality is done through the spotter, but it is useful to have the extra magnification to be absolutely certain that you have the correct legal animal in the scope before shooting as both elk and sheep are herd animal. The extra magnification is also appreciated when zeroing the rifle off of a bench.
Another reason to choose the Nightforce NX8 is weight. While not a lightweight scope at 28oz, it is still significantly lighter than any of the ATACR models. I compete in NRL Hunter matches and have used my NXS 2.5-10×42 previously. Keeping the weight down is necessary to make the 12lb light division. Additionally, in challenging lighting conditions or really long stages there are occasions that I wanted for more power than 10x.
Feature Set and First Impressions
The Nightforce NX8 4-32×50 is a first focal plane optic and my copy came equipped with the Mil-C reticle. The scope has adjustable parallax, push button illumination, an exposed elevation turret and a capped windage turret. The elevation turret has a zero stop but no zero lock. A zero lock would be a good addition, but in practice the turret stayed zeroed save one time. The time that it was knocked off zero the rifle had been thrown between the seat and the door in the truck and had ridden that way for over an hour on rough gravel roads. Fortunately I noticed it was off when we got to our hunting spot and I reset the zero.
Out of the box the scope felt well constructed, as a scope in this price range should. The parallax and magnification adjustments are well dampened. The turret feel is positive, although not quite as crisp feeling as a Vortex Razor or Athlon Cronus. Surprisingly, the windage turret had very positive clicks for a capped turret. The miniature throw lever on the magnification ring is a delight. It is small enough so as not to snag but helps to change magnification quickly. That said, if you don’t like throw levers it is removable.
Field Use
After fairly extensive use in the field and 5500km loose in the truck the NX8 has held zero without issue. This was unsurprising as the NX8 is one of the few scopes to pass the Rokslide drop testing. I have shot out to 600 yards with this scope and it has adjusted correctly. The glass quality is what you would expect at the price point – much better than necessary for a hunting scope. The scope is very bright at lower powers, but the image definitely dims as the magnification is increased, especially above 15 power.
A common complaint of the NX8, and other high magnification ratio scopes, is a tight eyebox. While the eyebox was a little tight at max magnification, I found the eyebox fine in the practical ranges of magnification. Likewise, parallax needed to be carefully adjusted at the max magnification but was forgiving over most of the magnification range.
In hunting use the Mil-C reticle is really optimized for daylight conditions and longer range shots. The reticle is very fine which gives a precise aiming point and allows for accurate wind holds. However, the reticle is so fine it is essentially unusable at low power during dawn and dusk. This is a problem inherent to high magnification ratio FFP scopes, although intelligent reticle design can help. The illumination makes the scope usable but adds complexity requiring you to turn it on and off and add spare batteries to your gear.
Closing Thoughts
Overall, the Nightforce NX8 is a well executed and put together scope. It retains zero, tracks well, and has great glass. The reticle and features lend to a diverse set of use cases, from hunting to match shooting. The main issue with the NX8 is that the scope is really in it’s element from 8-24 power. Beyond 24 power the finicky parallax and tight eyebox make the scope slow for hunting scenarios. Below 8x the reticle is too fine to be useable without illumination in many field conditions.
In closing, the NX8 is one of my all around favourite scopes currently on the market. If they made a version with a zero-lock and a better general purpose reticle it would be a perfect general purpose hunting scope. As it stands, it is still a very good hunting scope as long as the shooter sets magnification and uses the illumination intelligently and the popular reticles are excellent for match use.