Nightforce Optics has just released a new first focal plane (FFP) scope, the 3.5-15x50mm F1. This scope, developed with input from the U.S. Military, should be ideal for tactical applications. The scope is available with Zero-Stop windage and elevation knobs calibrated in 0.10 Mil-Radian increments. When combined with Mildot or MLR reticles in the first focal plane, the Milrad knobs permit easy and precise ranging and holdovers. (Turrets with 1/4-MOA clicks are also available.)
The big news is the first focal plane engineering — something new for Nightforce. The advantage of the first focal plane design (also called “front focal plane”) is that the reticle size remains constant relative to the target’s dimensions at ALL magnifications. With a first-focal-plane reticle, the ranging marks, such as mildots, stay in synch with the target image at any zoom level. This allows the shooter to range targets and judge hold-offs at any magnification. As Zak Smith explains: “In variable power scopes, a first focal plane (FFP) reticle configuration means that the angular measure of the reticle features stays constant. No matter what magnification [the scope] is set at, 1 MOA will be 1 MOA and 1 MIL will demarcate 1 MIL.”
This scope is made in the USA. It is in short supply right now but Mike at CSGunworks.com has two units in stock, priced at $2290.00 including MLR reticle, Milrad turrets, and Nightforce UltraLite Rings. Those two scopes will sell quickly but Mike should have more inventory before Christmas. Call Mike at (916) 670-1103 for availability (price subject to change).
Ken from Nightforce Optics has announced that supplies of the new 3.5-15×50 F1 will be very limited for the next 4 to 6 months because Nightforce is fulfilling U.S. Army contracts. Ken notes that: “this new model riflescope, in the Mil-Spec version, is currently in use by several U.S. Army Special Forces groups.” Ken provided these details about the new Nightforce F1:
Product Information for the NXS 3.5-15x50mm F1
Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price is $2,410.00
Standard Features Include:
1) ZeroStop
2) Illuminated reticle
3) Side parallax adjustment
4) Set of Nightforce Ultralite 30mm medium rings, (limited time only)
Reticle Options:
1) Two mil-radian reticles are currently available: The Mil-Dot and MLR
a. Thin-line subtended measurement equals .250 MOA
2) Proprietary MOA type reticles will be available in the future. (Within the next four to six months)
Adjustment Options:
1) .250 MOA elevation and windage adjustments, ZeroStop
2) 1.0 MOA elevation and 1/2 MOA windage adjustments, ZeroStop
3) .10 Mil-Radian elevation and windage adjustments, ZeroStop
Ken adds: “Considering the fact that we will only offer the Mil-Dot and MLR reticle options in the short term, we believe the Mil-Radian adjustment option will be the most popular of the models listed above for the short term.”
First Focal Plane vs. Second Focal Plane Optics
If first focal plane design is better for ranging, one might ask “why aren’t all scopes made this way?” Well, there are tradeoffs. When shooting at known distances, if you’re trying to aim with extreme precision on a tiny X-Ring, you don’t want the cross-hairs to appear thicker as you turn up the magnification. With first focal plane reticle configuration, the reticle increases in thickness, as viewed by the shooter, as magnification increases. This means that, at higher powers, the reticle lines and mildots/hashmarks may obscure very small targets at long range. For a more complete discussion of the pros and cons of first focal plane vs. second focal plane designs, read Optics for Practical Long Range Rifle Shooting by Zak Smith.
Jim Kelbly recently let us know that a new March Scope will be entering production soon, a 5-32x52mm. This scope will be available, exclusively from Kelbly’s Inc., in December 2008. The new 5-32x52mm will be the second variable-focal-length scope in the March line-up, complementing the superb March 10-60x52mm zoom. Our friend Joe Friedrich recently received one of the 10-60X March zooms and he has compared it with Leupold comp scopes and his own 45x March. “You won’t believe it”, Joe told us “but I think this thing is brighter than my 45X March when set at the same magnification. As for the Leupolds… well, there’s no comparison. This 10-60X is a fantastic scope.”
The new 5-32×52 scope features 60 MOA of elevation and 40 MOA of windage adjustment, with 1/8th MOA clicks. Max field of view (at 5-power) is 4 degrees, and eye relief is near constant, at 3.34″ to 3.89″ over the entire zoom range. Three reticles will be offered: Fine Cross-Hair, Fine Cross-Hair with 1/8” OR 1/16” dot, and the new MTR-1 tactical ranging reticle. The scope has a 30mm main tube, is 16.02″ long, and weighs 25 ounces. The 5-32x52mm March will be priced at $2400.00, or $2600.00 with MTR-1 reticle. For more info, call Kelbly’s at (330) 683-4674.
New MOA-based MTR-1 Ranging Reticle
Kelbly’s is also introducing a new MTR-1 ranging reticle for March scopes. Though dubbed a “tactical” reticle, it does NOT have military-style mil dots (for use with milrad scope clicks). The reticle is a fairly fine black crosshair with vertical and horizontal “hash marks” at 2 MOA intervals (when set at 20X magnification). Both the horizontal and vertical directions have a total of 20 divisions each. These hash marks can be used to hold elevation and windage for long-distance target engagement.
For American shooters, who typically think in inches and MOA, the MTR-1 reticle should proove “user-friendly” for horizontal hold-offs at long range since one MOA roughly translates to 1″ per hundred yards. For example, if you are shooting at 600 yards with the scope set at 40X, and your sighter ends up 12″ wide of your point of aim, that’s 2 MOA so you can simply move over one hash mark. This is a quite different than mildot ranging, but we think many competition shooters and varmint hunters (as opposed to military snipers) will find it easy to use. (On the 10-60X52 March scopes, you can also use this reticle at 40-power. At that setting, one hash-mark span equals 1 MOA.)
The MTR-1 reticle can also be used for ranging. For example, if a target of a known height of 12″ is seen through the scope and appears to match one hash-mark division, then you can calculate your distance as follows. Dividing 12″ by 2 MOA equals 6, which means the distance to the target is 600 yards. For benchrest shooters, the hash marks can be used to easily estimate the size of a group (provided of course, you are shooting at a known distance and can see the bullet holes).
Forum member Richard H. (aka “DesertLefty”) has found a great bargain — a quality Kowa spotting scope for $850.00 — that’s $455.00 off regular retail. The Kowa TSN-771 scope with 25X long-eye-relief eyepiece is ideal for High Power and prone shooters. It has a waterproof, angled body with an advanced focus system to decrease image movement when focusing.
Richard reports: “Champion Shooters has a great deal on the new Kowa TSN-771 scope with 25X LER eyepiece. Just $850 + shipping. That’s $455 off their regular price.
I received mine yesterday. Looks good. Haven’t got to the range yet, but my ‘backyard test’ reveals that color and contrast are excellent. Edge-to-edge sharpness is very good. The dual-focus works well and the slide-out sunshade is nice. My only gripe so far is that it doesn’t have an adjustable eyecup. It comes with a stiff, thick eyecup that works well without glasses, but makes the scope hard to use with eyeglasses when the eyecup is installed. The eyecup is removable, however the fit is so tight that it not easy to remove. You won’t want to be switching back and forth. That said, the view using eyeglasses without the eyecup was good. Enough eye relief to see the entire field of view. The eye position might be a bit more sensitive than my buddy’s Leica 77mm, but that’s just a first impression, not a side-by-side comparison.”
Editor’s Note: No other online vendor can touch this price on a Kowa TSN-771 with 25X eyepiece. The lowest price we found elsewhere was $1100.00 with NO eyepiece.
Here’s another outdoor industry business consolidation, another big fish swallowing little fish. Beretta Holdings, through its Burris division, has acquired Germany’s Steiner-Optik GmbH. Steiner, a respected maker of optics, particularly binoculars, is based in Bayreuth, Germany, and now employs 120 workers. Steiner will be integrated into the Beretta Group through its optics subsidiary, Burris, based in Colorado. So now the Germans will be making binoculars for a US-based company owned by Italians.
Why did this acquisition take place? Steiner has not been very successful in the North American market. Steiner’s President and CEO, Carl Steiner, needed the help of an international group with strong distribution and plenty of marketing clout. Beretta Holdings doubtless believes that the addition of Steiner, a “prestige” optics name for over 50 years, will help Burris compete against high-end brands such as Leica and Swarovski. This is a good thing for Burris. Steiner has a record of innovation: Steiner produced the first pocket-sized binoculars, the first commercial binoculars with rubber armor, and the first binoculars with an anti-UV protective lens coating.
Burris General Manager, Steve Bennetts, said both Burris and Steiner have strong brand identification, and he suggested that the two companies will soon coordinate their product development efforts. We suspect this means the high-end optics will carry the Steiner name while mid- and low-cost optics will be sold as Burris products.
Beretta’s companies offer a vast range of products, with optic devices representing an increasingly important component. Current companies owned by Beretta Holdings include: Beretta, Benelli, Burris, Franchi, Meccanica Del Sarca, Sako, Stoeger, Tikka, Uberti Replicas.
The new-generation Leica Ultravid 10×42 HD Binocular has been named “Best of the Best” by Field & Stream magazine. Field & Stream’s “Best of the Best” award selects winners based on design, dependability, and value. The Ultravid 10×42 is offered in both basic and HD (“high definition”) versions. The premium HD model features Fluorite-Ion Lenses for reduced chromatic aberration and enhanced color rendition plus state-of-the-art lens/prism coatings that transmit 3% more light. External lenses have an “AquaDura” hydrophobic coating that sheds moisture.
The Leica Ultravid HD binocular was introduced in 2007. The new Ultravid HD offers a marked increase in depth of field, contrast, and light gathering while retaining a compact size. Leica Ultravid HD binoculars are offered in a variety of models: 8×32, 10×32, 7×42, 8×42, 10×42, 8×50, 10×50, and 12×50. The Award-winning Ultravid 10×42 HD is available from SWFA.com (item 40294) for $2295.00. The “regular” (non-HD) 10×42 Ultravid (item 40262) is considerably less expensive at $1,479.95.
10000Birds.com Review:
“Optically [the Ultravids] are without doubt the best binoculars I’ve ever used — clear, sharp, and with no fringing at all. Thanks to the use of lightweight materials like magnesium for the housing and titanium for the central hinge shaft I no longer feel like I’m carrying a boulder around my neck after a day in the field, and the neck-strap is as comfortable as expected. I’ve used them on five continents already, at high-altitude, in strong sunlight and at dusk, in light rain and strong winds, and they have performed exceptionally well every time. They don’t fog-up, they don’t let in dust and — as the manufacturers booklet suggests — you can clean them by running them under a tap!”
Birdwatching.com Review:
“Because of its superb optical resolution and contrast, the Ultravid belongs in any list of the top binoculars of the world. Look through a Leica Ultravid, and you’re immediately struck with how bright and clear the image is from the center of the generous field of view to the outer edges, and how true and free from bias are the colors.”
Great Optics but Just Too Expensive?
The Washingon Times had an interesting take on Field & Stream’s “Best of the Best Awards”: “If you just hit the lottery and money is no object, the best top-of-the-line binoculars, say the experts at Field & Stream, are the German Leica Ultravid 10x42mm HD at $2,095. The best mid-priced binocs were Leupold’s Mojave 10x42mm at $480. Okay, so [the Ultravids] are the best, but I’ll never throw away my 20-year-old Bushnell binoculars I paid a little over $100 for. I love ’em. Seriously now [despite what F&S says] … we’re idiots if we buy the most expensive item when another performed just as well.”
Sinclair International, a leading vendor for precision reloaders and competitive shooters, has added Nightforce Optics to its inventory of products. Nightforce scopes remain the first choice of most top long-range shooters, including F-Class National Champions. The Benchrest and NXS models offer high magnification (up to 42 power), clear, sharp optics, and very reliable and repeatable windage and elevation adjustments. Nightforce also offers a large variety of reticles. How good is the glass? With a 12-42 Nightforce BR or NXS, in ideal conditions, you can see 6mm bullet holes “in the white” at 600 yards (not razor sharp mind you — but enough to see shot placement on a white background). We just confirmed this ourselves this past weekend. Of course, viewing conditions truly have to be absolutely “perfect” (no mirage) to see 6mm holes at 600 and such conditions are normally short-lived, but the resolving capability is there with the high-magnification Nightforces.
Sinclair’s pricing is competitive with other authorized Nightforce vendors. For example, the
12-42x56mm Nightforce BR scope (item 72-1040/45) is $1306.00 while the 8-32×56 Benchrest model (item 72-1030) is $1211.00.
Shown above are some of the most popular reticles, but others are offered. CLICK HERE to view Nightforce’s complete selection of reticles.
Need a Laser rangefinder? Here’s a chance to win a new Leica CRF 900 Rangefinder. Jon Jackoviak, owner of The Optic Zone, www.theOpticZone.com, has just announced a new contest. To enter, go to The Optic Zone’s new Optic Central Forum, register there, and make a minimum of 5 posts in the next few weeks. There is no cost to register in the Optic Central Forum.
On September 30th, there will be a drawing. All qualified persons will have a chance to win a new Leica CRF 900 Laser Rangefinder. As Jon explains: “All you need to do to have a chance to win is go to OpticCentral.com, register and post a minimum of 5 entries. Winners will be drawn randomly on September 30th with all registered members who have a minimum of five (5) posts being eligible.”
The standard light source for the Hawkeye Borescope works just fine. However, some users prefer a brighter light with a more pure white tint. A “whiter” light, folks have found, does a better job revealing traces of copper and small imperfections in the bore. Gradient Lens Corp. offers a high-tech Xenon “SuperNova” light source that provides ten times more light than the standard lamp. This works great, but the SuperNova lists for $225.00. Now there is a much more affordable option. Forum member Alf suggests: “I’d skip the SuperNova. Just go to Wally World and buy the $5.00 LED light upgrade for the mini-mag. Batteries last 10 times longer and the light is a whiter white, not a yellowish hue.”
Forum member Drano38 was the first to report on the inexpensive LED options for the Hawkeye Borescope: “I saw Maglite now has a 3-watt LED Mini-Maglite®, so I picked up one. The bulb bell is a little longer, and has more threads, but the thread pattern is the same. A quick comparison down the barrel showed much brighter and whiter than the Maglite shipped with the borescope. Is it worth about $24.00 for a brighter light? I think so. The LED Mini-Maglite flashlight is about 3/8″ longer than the regular, but it can still be [fitted into the borescope case].
Price Comparison: $24 for Mini-Maglite LED vs $225.00 for SuperNova Xenon
Forum member Gunamonth reports: “I’m not so concerned about brighter but whiter would make it a whole lot better. The color from the regular incandescent Mini-Maglite is kind of yellowish-orange which makes a lot of stuff seem like copper. I had considered buying the Nova light source until I saw this post by drano38 about a 3 watt LED version of a Mini-Maglite. It solves the problem of the regular incandescent bulb having a yellowish color that makes copper hard to see. The LED light is very white.
Thanks drano38. This is one of the best tips on this site. I was considering buying the Hawkeye Xenon SuperNova light to get rid of the yellow color of the standard lamp but the LED Mini-Maglite does the same thing for $200 less. Home Depot has the LED Mini-Maglite for for less than $24. Now the copper looks like copper and the stainless doesn’t.”
NOTE: While an LED MagLite does offer a brighter, whiter light, the Hawkeye SuperNova Xenon light source is even brighter yet. It is ten times brighter than the standard (non-LED) Mini-Maglite and it has a rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery. If cost is not an issue, the SuperNova is the most powerful light source for the Hawkeye.
Proper eye protection is a “must” for all shooting sports. Even when shooting rimfire guns you should wear eye protection. A wide variety of styles and shapes are available. However, any shooting glasses you choose should provide ANSI Z87+ safety standard impact protection. We see many shooters that just wear ordinary glasses with non-tempered glass lenses. That’s not wise. Ordinary glass lenses can shatter on impact.
You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get superior quality shooting glasses. The UVEX line of safety glasses are durable, comfortable, and inexpensive. Featuring interchangeable lenses, UVEX glasses meet ANSI Z87.1-2003, CSA Z94.3 and MIL-STD-662 standards. Uvex safety glasses are the world’s top-selling protective eyewear brand.
The popular UVEX ‘XC’ style, shown above, comes in a variety of styles, starting at $8.50 per pair (clear lenses). The most expensive you can buy are still under $12.00. Replacement lenses range from $2.50 to $8.50.
The UVEX Genesis, shown below, is our favorite model. It features extended side shields and has been rated #1 for comfort by an independent testing group. The Genesis, starting at $7.65 per pair, has an elastomer brow guard, and soft, pliable nose pads making it very comfortable to wear for extended periods. It meets the Mil V0 ballistic test for impact. Like the ‘XC’, the Genesis features interchangeable lenses (including Clear, Amber, Espresso, Gold Mirror, and SCT glare-reducing lenses), and four different frame colors (black, brown, Vapor Blue, and Patriot RWB).
You can buy UVEX glasses at gunshops or on the internet. You’ll find great prices on UVEX safety glasses (and replacement lenses) at DiscountSafetyGear.com, Cooper Safety, and Tasco-Safety.com. Tasco Safety also carries many other stylish, ANSI Z87.1-approved safety glasses, including the Edge Dakura ($9.25 for Clear, Amber, Smoke, and mirrored lenses), and the Smith & Wesson 30-06 by Olympic Optical ($7.50).
Here’s something that can save you lots of time and aggravation on a varminting trip. This little $70 gizmo is great for varmint hunters and any one who needs to make a quick shot in shifty wind conditions. Instead of the traditional 1/4-MOA hash marks, the Kenton windage turret features markers corresponding to the wind drift your rifle will encounter at various distances.
Kenton Industries’ Tuned Windage Compensator (TWC) has built-in windage marks for 10 mph cross-winds at 100-1000 yards. How do they do that? Well the knobs are calibrated either for specific calibers/loads, or they can make custom knobs using your observed field data. The knobs can compensate for various wind speeds (2-20 mph) and angles (15°- 90°), by applying some simple conversion ratios. As a general rule, with a “full-value”, i.e. 90°, crosswind, the wind drift will go up or down in direct proportion to the change in windspeed. That means, for example, at a given distance, a 10 mph crosswind will push the bullet twice as much sideways as a 5 mph crosswind.
Two versions of Kenton’s TWC knobs are offered. The $69.95 TWC #1 features calculated ballistics for your caliber and barrel length. The $79.95 TWC #2 or #3 feature customized windage settings based on bullet BC, environmental conditions, elevation, and ballistic information you provide.
Kenton also makes an elevation-compensating TTC knob, that can be customized to your rifle. With this elevation turret, yardages are marked in 50-yard increments, and you can literally just “dial in your distance”. However, to work effectively the TTC knob must be tailored to a particular load (velocity and bullet). Moreover, actual bullet drop will differ with changes in altitude, temperature, and shooting angle — so it’s not as simple as it sounds, and you may need multiple knobs if you shoot a variety of loads.
New MOA-based MTR-1 Ranging Reticle
I received mine yesterday. Looks good. Haven’t got to the range yet, but my ‘backyard test’ reveals that color and contrast are excellent. Edge-to-edge sharpness is very good. The dual-focus works well and the slide-out sunshade is nice. My only gripe so far is that it doesn’t have an adjustable eyecup. It comes with a stiff, thick eyecup that works well without glasses, but makes the scope hard to use with eyeglasses when the eyecup is installed. The eyecup is removable, however the fit is so tight that it not easy to remove. You won’t want to be switching back and forth. That said, the view using eyeglasses without the eyecup was good. Enough eye relief to see the entire field of view. The eye position might be a bit more sensitive than my buddy’s Leica 77mm, but that’s just a first impression, not a side-by-side comparison.”
Why did this acquisition take place? Steiner has not been very successful in the North American market. Steiner’s President and CEO, Carl Steiner, needed the help of an international group with strong distribution and plenty of marketing clout. Beretta Holdings doubtless believes that the addition of Steiner, a “prestige” optics name for over 50 years, will help Burris compete against high-end brands such as Leica and Swarovski. This is a good thing for Burris. Steiner has a record of innovation: Steiner produced the first pocket-sized binoculars, the first commercial binoculars with rubber armor, and the first binoculars with an anti-UV protective lens coating.
Here’s something that can save you lots of time and aggravation on a varminting trip. This little $70 gizmo is great for varmint hunters and any one who needs to make a quick shot in shifty wind conditions. Instead of the traditional 1/4-MOA hash marks, the Kenton windage turret features markers corresponding to the wind drift your rifle will encounter at various distances.
