Rifle Scopes NF ATACR 4-16x42 light transmission

[Airlifter89]

Just bought a Seekins Havak with a Bushnell LRHS 4.5-18. I don’t mind the scope but really would like to top the rifle with a NF.

I am stuck on FFP so that limits me to the ATACR 4-16x42 or 5-25x56 (not an SHV fan). I really like the weight and size of the 4-16x42 but I’m concerned that the objective is to small for low light hunting. Have any of you guys with 4-16 experience ever run into a problem with low light?

 

[Bandit31]

I have not. IMO, it does really well in low light. I was quite surprised when I first got mine.

 

[SLG]

All NF scopes handle lowlight very well, relatively speaking, but the 4-16 ATACR really shines at night.

 

[B-P-UU]

Not that I'm advocating it, but you'll be able to shoot before legal shooting times

 

[BCX]

Predators at night

 

[BCX]

I believe 6 power on a 42mm objective gives you the max allowable light a human eye can use. I killed a bear in Maine w a 6 power on a 42mm at the last legal min. I couldn't see the bear w my eyes.

 

[PreparedShewter]

I've got two 4-16's that I have been using for going on 3 years. The 42mm objective is certainly not a limiting factor. I was a little skeptical myself when buying it although I was willing to sacrifice some performance for the slimmer appeal.
Low light performance is excellent!
When I ordered my second one about 2 years ago, I asked Sonny (MIL/LE guy) if they would ever make a 50mm. He said they are always monitoring dealer and consumer feedback and they very well could in the future, but that the 42mm performs like a 50 as it is with the utilization of ED glass.

 

[Wyzrd]

This last season, I used my 4-16 F1 Atacr to watch a couple of bucks fighting from about 370 yds away, from about 5 mins before sunset, until about 10 minutes after sunset, and the details I could still see were impressive! Like others have stated, the 42mm objective doesn’t handicap in any way at all. That scope has awesome glass, tracks spot on, and is IMHO, the perfect scope for a hunting rifle!

 

[stwcattle]

I been using the NF 4-16x42 ATACR on hunting rifles since its introduction. The scope is of high quality will not disappoint nearing end of legal light.

 

[Trigger Monkey]

Back in the winter I did a review on my 4-16 ATACR and one of the things I wanted to see was how well it performed in low light. I took it out a couple evenings right around sunset and waited to see how long it took before it got to the point where I wouldn't have been comfortable taking a shot.

This is what it looked like in the day time, the window is at about 320 yards. The next picture is at about 15 minutes after sunset with the magnification set on 8X. The last picture is at about 30 minutes after sunset with the magnification still set at 8X. Although it's unlikely that I'll be doing much shooting in low light it's good to know the optic won't be a limiting factor.