I purchased a Nightforce ATACR a few months ago but I had heard that there were a few problems with some of the first runs. It seems that when you are shooting in low light such as near last few minutes that the scope has some focus issues and has some orange type tint so seeing your target at only 100 yards was a problem. I have two other scopes from NF a NXS 5.5-22x56 and a NXS 5.5-22x50 npr1 reticle. First began shooting the NXS on 22x to zero my 308 , perfectly clear sighted in, barrel getting hot, so pick up my 300 win with the ATACR set on 25x would not focus, color of target and background orangish white, work on the focus, parallax nothing , dropped power to 22x same thing, turned power down to 18x started to clear up! Picked up my 308 with the NXS 5.5-22 and on 22 power it was clear as it could be, much clearer than the $2400 dollar ATACAR with the better ED glass. Now I'm not happy called NF and was told they had no problems. So sent the scope back five weeks ago through a dealer and now finally NF reports back no problems at all. BS! I have used many Zeiss, Swarovski , Khales ffp and never this problem. Hopefully they send back a newer scope from a newer batch that fixed this, what I'm wanting to know is there anyone out there that has had the same problem? When it comes back it better be fixed because I am already ill about this!! I hate dropping that much money and getting a product that has terrible performance. I know I'm not the only one but please send me some replies on this, thank you.
Rifle Scopes Nightforce ATACAR 5-25x56 problems
- Thread starter Willie Miller V
- Start date
The way a scope is built gives a good indication of what type of problems can occur - not just NF - but any scope.
Parallax or focus rings can stop working and reticles can fail to move - but having a scope develop a temporary colour tint at a given power is something I don't think will be associated with the scope manufacture. I don't see how it could happen. To cause an orange tint would need a lens coating that itself was tinted this colour and this tint would be a "constant" throughout the power bands. A temporary condition caused in certain low light conditions has me thinking that this was caused by extraneous reasons outside of the scope?
Did anyone squirt WD40 or any fine vapour based lubricant on the action/bolt near the scope at any time? Did you take off the sunshade and clean the front and rear lenses? I have put rifles back in a cabinet and before doing so given the barrel and action a coating of WD40 to prevent rust from damp air. Squirt enough of this stuff and it doesn't just go where you aim but can form a bit of a "cloud". If this were a fine "film" on the scope lens then that would show up at higher magnification more than at a lower setting.
If not you perhaps a dealer gave the scope a clean after it was handled?
What you describe seems to me more like a film of something on the lens than the lens coating. Colour created by the coating would be a "constant". It would refract light in this colour spectrum all the time. An opaque chemical film on the glass on the other hand could be seen through at lower magnification and would increase in distortion at the higher settings.
It may be that once the lenses were properly cleaned the issue went away.
Parallax or focus rings can stop working and reticles can fail to move - but having a scope develop a temporary colour tint at a given power is something I don't think will be associated with the scope manufacture. I don't see how it could happen. To cause an orange tint would need a lens coating that itself was tinted this colour and this tint would be a "constant" throughout the power bands. A temporary condition caused in certain low light conditions has me thinking that this was caused by extraneous reasons outside of the scope?
Did anyone squirt WD40 or any fine vapour based lubricant on the action/bolt near the scope at any time? Did you take off the sunshade and clean the front and rear lenses? I have put rifles back in a cabinet and before doing so given the barrel and action a coating of WD40 to prevent rust from damp air. Squirt enough of this stuff and it doesn't just go where you aim but can form a bit of a "cloud". If this were a fine "film" on the scope lens then that would show up at higher magnification more than at a lower setting.
If not you perhaps a dealer gave the scope a clean after it was handled?
What you describe seems to me more like a film of something on the lens than the lens coating. Colour created by the coating would be a "constant". It would refract light in this colour spectrum all the time. An opaque chemical film on the glass on the other hand could be seen through at lower magnification and would increase in distortion at the higher settings.
It may be that once the lenses were properly cleaned the issue went away.
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Sounds like a fluke to me. I haven't read anything about problems with the glass, focus or anything to that effect. When i was waiting on a MOAR ATACR my dealer said they got a bad batch of parts specific to the MOAR scope that held up production (this from my dealer, NOT nightforce) but nothing about glass. The wait was so bad i went with the MIL-R instead. No issues with glass whatsoever.
PCR/XLR/TAC338 http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz53/bodywerks/IMG_20130816_111453_255_zps1b498f0d.jpg http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz53/bodywerks/IMG_20130816_111325_951_zps290ebdd0.jpg
PCR/XLR/TAC338 http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz53/bodywerks/IMG_20130816_111453_255_zps1b498f0d.jpg http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz53/bodywerks/IMG_20130816_111325_951_zps290ebdd0.jpg
I cleaned the scope lense with a scope cleaner and the scope cloth that came with it. It is not so much the color but more of the scope just not being clear and I had my NXS 5.5-22x56 on 22 power at the same time side by side and it out performed the ATACR at 25x, 24x,23x,22x the scope finally cleared up at 18 to 19x. Go figure? I want this scope, I know it has better glass, ED, it was compared to regular TV to HDTV. That is one of the reasons I bought it other than all of my other NXS scopes being super.
In my opinion if I have two rifles side by side each with a NF scope, one a NXS on max 22x magnification 56mm lense 30mm tube, the other is a NF ATACR on 22x to max 25x with a 34mm tube , shouldn't the newer, better scope at least be as clear if not better? I think so if not give me my money back or at least another NXS with the reticle I want in the first place. If there was a production issue with a few of these scopes, own up to it, admit it, fix it. But of course I've been told they put the scope through testing and they could not find anything wrong. I did not write the serial number down, so if it is fixed or no problem that's great! But what if I get it back and it has the same issue, then what?
Willie Miller V, I am speaking from personal experience here. Take a deep breath and calm down. Nightforce is a very good stand up company. If there is a problem they will not just send you a new scope with out telling you. They may not go into in depth details about what was wrong but they will own up to it. I have complete confidence that you will come away from all this satisfied with the out come. Best of luck to you.
When I bought my ATACR I took along my Zeiss Diavari 6-24 x 72 and compared them both. The ATACR was ahead on clarity and depth of view/detail at 25x. The current lens coating on these scopes is recognised as being better than anything they have done in the past - not just by me but others who have multiple scopes to compare it to. For me my Zeiss scope was the best I had out of a good stable of scopes such as USO, Leupold, other NF models and previously owned S&B and March scopes which I had moved on.
To me your issue sounds like a chemical film on the lens which is opaque and showed up at higher magnification. If it were not this ... then I don't know what it could be but I do think that NF will honour any warranty claim if they are at fault.
Guy's I certainly appreciate all of the input that you all have given me. I have been lucky to put high end optics on my rifles, I have also believed in you get what you pay for as well. This is the firs time I have posted anything on this forum as for one I am a newby in only joining a few months ago. I also believe that you can always learn something new now matter how much you know. I trust in Nightforce even though I have had others such as Zeiss Diavari, Swarovski, and Leupold. But to me if the Men and Women in our Armed forces trust them, enough said! I just was getting a little freaked out after dropping that much down on a scope that was not performing the way it should, I got it for a GA Precision that is in the process of completion. Can't wait for that as well. I'm sure one way or another it will be fixed I am just not a very patient person when it comes to this. I have been around guns, scopes and hunting in the outdoors for more than 35 plus years, so thanks again for the input.
If you get it back and have the same problem, put them side by aside and take through scope pics. It sounds like the issue was significant enough to easily identify a problem so a camera should pick it up.
PCR/XLR/TAC338 http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz53/bodywerks/IMG_20130816_111453_255_zps1b498f0d.jpg http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz53/bodywerks/IMG_20130816_111325_951_zps290ebdd0.jpg
PCR/XLR/TAC338 http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz53/bodywerks/IMG_20130816_111453_255_zps1b498f0d.jpg http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz53/bodywerks/IMG_20130816_111325_951_zps290ebdd0.jpg
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