Comments on: Nightforce NXS vs. Benchrest Model — Which is Best for You?

By: Rikky

Rikky — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 20:14:08 +0000

“Backlash” doesn’t occur in scopes of this quality.

By: Boyd Allen

Boyd Allen — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 23:33:14 +0000

A friend has both, and we agree that the BR does a better job as far as being able to be adjusted to a precise point of no parallax and holding that setting while shooting. It seems to me that side focus mechanisms are more liable to have a little backlash that can make their parallax settings less stable than those with front focus. This is not to say that the NSX does not have a natural market, or that some shooters will not prefer it, but for fine work, shooting targets at a fixed distance, I think that the BR models are better suited. of course my opinion as to the convenience of side focus scopes may be influenced by two things. I shoot left handed, and I have long arms, so reaching the front of a scope has never been a problem.

By: Rod Morton

Rod Morton — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 20:39:57 +0000

I think one of the biggest differences between the two models is eye relief. In the 12 x 42 models the eye relief for the benchrest model is 2.9 in vs. 3.8 in for the NSX. For rifles that have heavy recoil the benchrest model sometimes hits you in the face.

By: Don in VA

Don in VA — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:07:20 +0000

For me the field of view on the BR models is much smaller. For optics I think the Nightforce are good but not as good as Leupold Competition or IOR 36x. I have the 8-32X NSX.

Don

By: Matt

Matt — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 01:01:43 +0000

Excellent article. However, it was not mentioned that the Zero Stop feature is not available on the 8×32 and 12×42 NXS models. Now I may be wrong, but I believe this is the case.

By: Al Nyhus

Al Nyhus — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 21:06:59 +0000

The optics on the BR series are better than a comparable NSX series. Certainly, the side a.o. with it’s extra lens is responsible for some of the difference. Overall, I’ve never been too impressed with the NSX series optics.

By: Mike

Mike — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 00:35:21 +0000

Major qualifiers IMO are application and weight.
The NXS model is suited for field adjustments at varying distances(hunting). Both scopes sacrifice barrel steel for scope weight, and this would represent a compromise in BR.
So between the two, might as well go NSX.
For BR, I’d use a lighter scope(basically any other BR scope made).

EDITOR: Mike, you raise some good points, but remember the world of Benchrest is not just short-range with its 10.5 lb LV and 13.5 lb HV limits. For short-range Benchrest scope weight can definitely be an issue.

On the other hand, in the 600-yard Benchrest game with its 17-lb light gun limit, weight really isn’t a prime concern and the Nightforces (both BR and NXS) are probably the dominant scope choice for 600 yards (among the top tier shooters). For 1000 yards, it’s probably the same, though you’ll see March, Leupold, S&B, and some Sightrons. As for F-Class, aka “Belly Benchrest”, the weight is really not a limit in F-0pen at all with the 22-lb limit. In F-TR, weight might be a concern as the “top guns” are running larger and heavier bipods every season. I still reckon the Nightforce 12-42×56 BR model is the “default” scope of choice for both Benchrest and F-Class from 400 yards on out. The Sightron 10-50 has made inroads though and it is a LOT cheaper than a 12-42 power NXS. In the tactical game, the NXS competes with a lot of other choices, including Premier, S&B, US Optics, Zeiss/Hensoldt etc., but the NXS has a price advantage over US Optics and most of the European tactical optics.