Rifle Scopes 1-8 options?

[The Colonel]

Well, I'm looking for recommendations on a quality 1-8 variable scope. Unfortunately, we are relegated to MOA due to the rest of our optics being in MOA, therefore the ATACR 1-8 is out. Based on what I've looked through, the NX8 is and option and the Trijicon Accupower 1-8 is another option. It will be on a 16" - 18".308 semiautomatic, with the intended purpose of shorter deployments (50-400ish yards), aerial platform shooting, vehicle assaults, and entries in emergency situations.

Suggestions and considerations, please. It's your tax dollars at work, so I can't go ridiculously expensive, but we will not settle for junk either. Currently, we are outfitted with Nightforce on everything else thats magnified. This optic will outfit our sniper team so I need recommendations on new and currently offered optics. We are planning on purchasing 10.

Thanks in advance.

 

[rtpguy]

Here's a sort of 'info thread' I wrote up when was going through the same thing not very long ago, although in this case, it's only FFP options, but I think I listed some 8-10 of them: https://www.snipershide.com/shooting/threads/1-8x-ffp-options.6803933/

 

[The Colonel]

perfect. thank you. ill check it out.

 

[Masada415]

I was on the same boat and decided to go with a Trijicon 1-8. The circular reticle at 1x is great for room entries, your eyes pick it up very quickly, kind of like an Eotech. It is also very bright when you turn the illumination. What I liked the most is that at 1x you have a very defined MIL reticle (or in your case MOA), and can make adjustments in .1 Mils. The scope is built like a tank too, very solid and consequently pretty heavy as well. Also one of the fewer scopes that is FFP.

The only thing I disliked about the scope is that at 1x there is quite a bit of "fish eye" at 1x and it is also not a true 1x scope, you can see slight magnification at all times. I had read about these issues since before I bought it, but when I weighed my other options I decided to go with the Trijicon and I am pretty happy with my choice. Hope you find something that works for your agency!

 

[SLG]

I have both the Trijicon 1-8, as well as the NX8. The NF is higher quality, and has a better reticle. It is lighter and shorter as well. The Trijicon has a slightly more forgiving eyebox. If your snipers are wired tight, they will have no issues using the NF on a 308. If they are not wired that tight, they may benefit from the more forgiving eyebox of the Trijicon.

If you have ever run a NF 2.5-10 on a 308, or can do so as a test, that will tell you what you need to know. I have no issues using the compact NF on a 308, and chose the NX8 over the ATACR 1-8, as I liked the features better. I think it is the best 1-8 on the market today, but that technology is still developing and I expect it will only get better.


eta: I don't mean to overstate the case. You don't have to be a great shooter to use the NF well, its just that the Trijicon is somewhat more forgiving. The NX8 has a better all around reticle, with an emphasis on speed, where the Trijicon has a slightly more precisie reticle for distance. I like the lighter weight of the NF, as well as the illum/reticle better so that is my choice. I wish NF would remove the three thick stadia lines. That would make the reticle much better for my eyes and needs.

It is also really hard to top the 2.5-10X24 with a Mil Dot reticle, if you want to favor precision slightly over speed. Either way, that scope and reticle is perhaps the best all around I've ever used. The lack of daylight illum has never hindered me before, and I like the precise nature of the reticle. To each there own, especially on the internet.

 

[longshot2000]

Lots of opinions that I agree with. Good posts @SLG , @Masada415 , @rtpguy .

For actual tactical / battle use, the list is short, most already mentioned.

--> Trijicon 1-8x MOA. For me and my mil/LE customers, it is a little on the edge of true tactical / commercial. Last time I read the reviews and looked through it, I do not think it is true 1x, but it is pretty damn close. I would probably only buy it if it were the only option available, based upon timing. Great scope, great reticle. Not really the scope I woud throw down the driveway (yes, one of my tests).

--> Nightforce NX8 MOA. Solid choice. Well thought out scope and reticle, available in MOA. It has true 1x. Very highly recommended, except that availability is scarce, and you will have a wait. Also, read the ATACR comments. These are different scopes. Both the Trijicon and the NX8 are scopes first, and short-distance red-dot second. The eyebox can be two-eye open, but not as user-friendly as the ATACR. Depends upon your timeline, and numbers you need.

--> Nightforce ATACR 1-8x. I know you said you want MOA, but a lower magnifications, the difference is subtle. This is an amazing point and shoot optic. 1st choice for any truly tactical on the job, life or death scope. The eyebox is forgiving. It is a red-dot ala` Aimpoint, then has the mag. You need to assess how much you need a true 1x two-eye open, easy to get on target, v. targeting at 8x. It is an easy learn from MOA to MIL, and my mil/LE customers are typically not using the full power of the 8x. If you are, then this might not be top of the list, since it is not MOA. I would not discount this scope. It is the best on the market today. That said, you will also wait a few months to get it.

--> Steiner PMXi 1-6x and 1-8x, very much like the NF ATACR, but again in mil, but it has the rapid-dot reticle, so more of a BDC type. Also, long wait. Worth mentioning.

--> S&B 1-8x, again, in mil, probably the best scope when it comes to market, but an even longer wait. Worth mentioning.

--> Nightforce 2.5-10x24mm MOA. This scope has been around a while. There is much back and forth debate on this scope v. the NX8. It is available in MOA, and is a solid scope that should be considered, and availability is good, through the right channels. I would seriously consider this scope if you need it now. If not, I would probably choose the ATACR, despite its failure to meet your MOA needs.

Here is a short write-up I did on scopes a few months back. Not exclusively on 1-8x, but very much highlighted. LONGSHOT's scope thoughts.

 

[SLG]

First attempt at adding pics...

 

[koshkin]

What kind of a budget do you have? That would help.
Also, are you looking specifically for a MOA-based reticle? or would a BDC type reticle of some sort work?

With the options mentioned here, I prefer NX8 to the Trijicon, but I have not spent much time with the NX8 beyond seeing it on a few people's rifles.

If you are looking for a short and light design, you should give March Shorty 1-8x24 a look as well. It is expensive though and the reticle is not as bright on 1x as Nightforce. It is very visible, however and the scope is just tiny. If you need rail space, you should consider it. This and the NX8 are easily the smallest of the 1-8x scopes.

As far as the budget goes, in terms of bang for the buck, I still like the Burris XTR II 1-8x24, although it has a BDC reticle, so it may not work for you.

ILya

 

[The Colonel]

I appreciate all the feedback, fellas. Its exactly what I'm looking for. I understand the transition from MOA to MIL is relatively easy and probably recommended, but we have two other weapon systems (the new .308 semi auto' to be the third) that are already MOA based. We have Nightforce 3.5-15 on our bolt guns and NF 2.5-10 on our MK12's. Plus a few other weapons, also with NF MOA scopes. The sheer volume of switching everything would be extremely cost prohibitive , so the MIL switch as of now likely won't happen for quite some time. Unfortunately, I get that handcuffs us a bit on which optic we settle on.

As far as MOA or BDC, I'm thinking MOA. We are trained in MOA, so thats the norm, but I do not think the BDC is an absolute no. It would be one consideration in determining the scope.

As for budget, we will be fiscally responsible but we will also pay more for a quality optic vs. trying to save money by settling on an inferior product. I'm thinking the $1500 range is reasonable and doable for the NX8. If the ATACR was available in MOA, we could probably argue for the scope and see where the cards fall, but thats not an option as of now.

I brought up the Burris, based on recommendations on the forum, but it quickly got shot down as an inferior optic, based on name recognition alone. My guys have a hard time relating the Burris optics offered at Big 5 to be the same quality as a proven tactical scope like NF, Trijicon, S&B, etc. It will take some strong recommendations and reasons why its better than some of the other options you guys are speaking about, to gain favor as our selected scope. And from what I'm hearing, it doesn't out perform the NF or Trijicon.

Again, fellas, thanks for the recommendations and information on the optics.

Brian

 

[koshkin]

I do not think XTR II outperforms NX8, but I preferred it to the Trijicon side by side. However, if name recognition has that much weight, that is important too. Still, judging and optic by name alone is usually a bad idea. If you are running everything Nightforce, perhaps sticking with Nightforce's NX8 is the way to go. It is in the right budget range anyway and is a nice optic by all accounts.

ILya

 

[VegasHKShooter]

I can’t think of a single reason that the NF NX8 wouldn’t be perfect for you and your team. First and foremost, it’s an INCREDIBLE scope. I had it out today. We were burning down steel plate racks at 15yds, then I would drop to prone and hold 5.25 mils in the reticle and bang steel at 600 yds. I know you want MOA, but you get the idea. I have run the NX8 hard. I’ve put many 1000’s of rounds through my NX8 equipped rifle. Seriously, from 10-600 and everything in between. I have dialed it, I have held in the reticle, you name it. That scope is THE HEAT.

As a side benefit, your guys seem to know and trust the NF name. Trusting your equipment goes a very long way. I think you would love it.

One more thing, at 10 scopes, the price difference would likely be about 10k. That’s a huge price difference.

 

[garmil]

Longshot why are you saying long wait for the s&b 1-8 is their a new model coming? The exos 1-8 is available now.