Nightforce Optics has enhanced their elevation adjustments in this year’s lineup of high-magnification Nightforce scopes. Now you can get DOUBLE the elevation travel with a SINGLE TURN of the elevation knob. For an NXS with 1/4-MOA clicks, this means you can get a full 20 MOA of elevation travel with a single turn of the knob.
Bravo, Nightforce — this simple enhancement can make a BIG difference in the field. With most “high-performance” calibers, 20 MOA will get you to 700 yards or beyond. This means that the varminter can zero at all likely hunting yardages within the same revolution of the turret. That makes life much simpler, and reduces the chance of being way off in your elevation. No more confusion about which revolution you’re on….
Likewise, a tactical shooter, moving from near to far targets and back again, can likely stay on the same revolution at most target yardages. Even if you shoot out to 1000 yards, you will be able to get all the way out to 1K within two complete revolutions. This upgrade — doubling the elevation travel in each turret revolution — gives Nightforce scopes practical performance (inside 700 yards) similar to much more expensive scopes fitted with a single-turn or double-turn elevation systems (such as the U.S. Optics EREK knob). The new high-speed adjustment system will be offered in Nightforce’s 15x, 22x, 32x, and 42x series of scopes. Anticipated delivery date for scopes with the high-speed adjustment is May, 2010.
What About Retro-fitting Older NF Scopes?
Nightforce plans to provide an upgrade path for existing Nightforce scopes “eventually, but not right away”. The upgrade would allow installation of the “high-speed adjustment” system on older NF scopes. We don’t have any more specifics. Nightforce has NOT revealed how much the high-speed conversion would cost or when it might be available for pre-2010 scopes.
It’s big, it’s bright, and yes, it’s finally here in America. We’re talking about the Schmidt & Bender 12.5-50x56mm PM II/P scope, perhaps the most impressive long-range riflescope we saw at SHOT Show 2010. We first profiled this scope in April 2007, so it’s been a very long wait, but reasonable quantities of the big 12.5-50X PM II have finally reached American shores in reasonable quantities. The suggested retail price is a jaw-dropping $3199.00, but when you consider the whole package — clarity, sharpness, image contrast, color fidelity, click options, reticle options, ruggedness, and warranty policy — the S&B 12.5-50×56, has few, if any, rivals among ultra-high magnification scopes. This is a great scope, make no mistake about it, even if does cost as much as a custom-built rifle. Jason and I both agreed that, if there was one item we’d like to carry home from SHOT Show and mount on our rifles, it would be the S&B 12.5-50x56mm. This scope is as bright at 50X as other quality scopes at 40X.
The 12.5-50x56mm is is available with 1/4 MOA clicks, 1/8 MOA clicks, or mil-based clicks, and with normal or double-turn turrets. NOTE: S&B also sells a 12.5-50×56 version optimized for 10m-70m Field Target shooting. It has a silver finish and “Big Wheel” side parallax control.
New Features on 5-25x56mm PM II
In addition to the 12.5-50x56mm long-range scope, Schmidt’s engineers showed us the popular 5-25x56mm PM II sporting a new “desert tan” ceramic coating. (CLICK HERE for large photo.) For 2010, this scope features new turret options that provide extra feedback and security for the shooter. First, either or both turrets can be locked in place by pushing down on the turret sleeve. Just pull up to unlock. Second, a pop-up cap confirms when the elevation knob is on the second revolution. That makes easier to use the scope at night. Finally, every 10th click of knob rotation is a heavy, tactile “clunk”. This does help track your revs and is especially useful with mil/cm-based turrets. S&B offers a wide selection of reticles, and you can choose between either first focal plane (FFP) or second focal plane (SFP) options.
Here’s a little-known bit of information about Trijicon optics. Did you know that, for many years, Michigan-based Trijicon Inc. has discretely placed references to Bible passages on Trijicon optics products? Look carefully at the codes on the side of Trijicon optics and you’ll note Biblical references “hidden in plain sight” next to manufacturer product numbers.
ACOG Scope — ACOG4X32JN8:12
John 8:12 — “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'”
RMR Red-dot — RM01 2PE1:19
2 Peter 1:19 — “And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts[.]”
There are discrete Scriptural references such as these on every optics product Trijicon sells. It’s an interesting feature, we bet few of you knew about… until now.
We thought we’d seen the upper limit of riflescope magnification with the new 10-50x60mm Sightron SIII, the 12-50x56mm Schmidt & Bender PMII, and the 10-60×52mm March variable. Now March has raised the magnification bar — with a zoom scope boasting Eighty times (80X) magnification at max power.
That’s a lot of magnification for a spotting scope, much less an optic designed to sit on top of a rifle. We wonder how useful the 80X max power will really be. At 80-power the exit pupil is a tiny 0.7 mm — what we consider the very lower range of usability. A very small exit pupil makes the viewer’s head position ultra-critical; you’ll need to get your head aligned just perfectly. Still, the extra power may prove useful for ultra-long-range shooting or at middle distances when conditions are ideal (no mirage).
The new March 8-80x56mm Tactical/Long Range scope features 1/8 MOA clicks, a 34mm maintube, and 60 MOA of elevation. Weight is a reasonable 29.8 ounces (845 grams), while scope length is 16.0″ (shorter than many 40-power scopes). Five (5) different reticles are offered: 1/8 dot, 3/32 dot, 1/16 dot, MTR-1, and MTR-2.
In addition to the new 8-80x56mm, March will offer another tactical scope with a 10 times zoom range. The new March 5-50x56mm also has 1/8 MOA clicks, 60 MOA of travel, and comes with the same five reticle choices. At 15.67″ OAL and 29.3 ounces, the 5-50X is slightly smaller than its 80-power big brother.
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We’ll learn more about the new March ultra-zooms at SHOT Show next week, when we visit the Kelbly’s booth. We’ll try to get a good look at the 8-80×56 and let you know how all that power works in the real world. Stay tuned for our SHOT Show reports staring January 19th.
Sightron has released photos and specifications of its entire 2010 scope line-up. This includes the new (and much awaited) 10-50x60mm SIII Long-range scope.
With a “street price” under $995.00, the Sightron 10-50 could become hugely popular in 600/1000-yard benchrest and F-Class shooting. The big new zoom features a jumbo 60mm objective, 30mm maintube, and 1/8 MOA clicks. Nearly 17″ long and weighing 28.9 ounces, make no mistake, this is a BIG piece of glass. If the new 10-50x60mm SIII Sightron is as good as the 8-32x50mm LR SIII we tested in 2009, this should be a fantastic scope for the money.
When will we have test results for the new 10-50? Very soon, hopefully. Sightron has promised to send the first available 10-50x60mm SIII production-model scope to AccurateShooter.com for testing and evaluation. We’ll share our findings as soon as we can put the new 10-50 through its paces in the field.
Consumer Survey on Reticle Choices
Currently the new 10-50x60mm scope is offered with two reticle options: a Fine Cross Hair (FCH) and a Fine Cross Hair with Target Dot (TD). The first shipment contains roughly an equal amount of each. However, Sightron’s product planners want to learn YOUR favored reticle choice. Consumer preference will influence the future production allocation between FCH and TD models. So, if the majority of you folks want a particular reticle, that’s what Sightron will try to provide in future shipments. Please respond to the POLL below with your reticle choice.
If you use mass-production ring sets, other than Burris Signature Rings or SAKO Optilock Rings (which both feature polymer inserts), you can benefit from lapping your scope rings. Lapping your rings, when done properly, with the right tools, can improve the fit of the rings, reducing bending forces and stress on the scope. Properly-lapped rings are also less likely to leave prominent marks on your scope tubes.
Forum member Boyd Allen is a strong advocate of ring lapping for factory-produced ring sets. He’s tried various lapping tools and he believes that the Kokopelli system is one of the best available. Custom crafted in Kalispell, Montana by John Werre, the Kokopelli lapping system combines a specially-machined lapping rod with patented flat-ended scope alignment bars.
Kokopelli Lapping Tool
John Werre, Kokopelli’s owner, explains why his lapping tool works better than most others: “No one was making a lapping bar that would lap anything more than the bottom half of the rings and they were made of rolled stock and only a very short stroke was possible, rapidly wearing out the bar due to the limited area of use. I did something entirely different. I designed the bar to be used with the top halves of the rings in place and utilizing a long stroke thereby distributing the wear over the entire 12″ length of the bar. Why just do half a job?”
John adds: “Another problem was that the lapping compound would readily scrape off the bar, slide around and wear the bar out as fast as the rings. I added the spiral groove to stop the scraping off of the compound and later changed to a much softer steel and put a very rough, but carefully designed, finish to accept the lapping compound, actually allowing the grit to be driven into the surface of the bar. The nasty, scruffy rough finish is full of grooves and valleys of a depth designed to ‘catch’ the very sharp lapping compound, imbedding it into the bar. You then will wear out what you’re trying to lap rather than wear out the bar at the same time. The spiral grooves also cannot catch on the edge of the scope rings as can one which has annular grooves cut perpendicular to the axis of the bar in separate rings. I have very good reasons for every unique feature of my tools. Every aspect has a valid design behind it.”
Kokopelli Scope Alignment Bars
Kokopelli’s patented scope alignment bars have flat ends and work differently than alignment bars which use pointed tips. Kokopelli came up with a flat-ended design because alignment bars with pointed tips can yield a “false positive”, meaning the points can touch when the scope rings are out of alignment. To demonstrate, try this simple experiment. Take two ordinary pencils. With one pencil in each hand, hold them parallel with the pointed (lead) tips touching. Now simply move the outboard end of each pencil, while keeping the tips touching. You can see instantly that the tips can touch even if the pencils are way out of alignment. The same thing can be true of scope alignment bars.
With the Kokopelli scope alignment bars, each bar is an exact cylindrical projection of the interior of each ring. When you bring the bars together, if they don’t mate perfectly, i.e. if there is any gap between the flat ends when the bars are touching, then you know you have an alignment problem. Kokopelli claims that misalignments as small as .002″ can be detected. John Werre explains: “The bars actually are a three-dimensional projection of each ring ‘hole’. You’re looking at a solid representation of the hole through the ring. Put one bar in each ring and you can then compare the axial alignment of the ‘ring holes’ to each other. If the ends match and are flat together you have reconstructed the bars into one [cylinder] and the alignment is PERFECT.” Below, in Figure 1, you can see rings that are out of alignment. In Figure 2 you can see rings that are properly aligned. Interestingly, the misalignment illustrated in Figure 1 did NOT show up with pointed ring alignment bars. This amount of misalignment can create up to 3/16″ of scope tube bending (depending on ring spacing).
The function of the Kokopelli lapping tool and alignment bars are described in greater detail on the Kokopelli website. The lapping tool and alignment bars are sold separately, or as part of Kokopelli’s complete Accurizing Kit shown below. The kit, which combines Scope Alignment Bars, Lapping Bar, pointer rod, and lapping compound in a fitted box, costs $84.50 for 1″ rings, or $91.00 for 30mm rings. For more info, contact John Werre at Kokopelli Products, 3820 Foothill Rd., Kalispell, MT 59901; phone (406) 755-3220. NOTE: Kokopelli has maintained the same prices since 2003. However, due to increased costs of materials, John Werre plans to raise his prices by mid-January, 2010. You can get current pricing by ordering soon.
If you’re looking for “all things tactical”, including boots, cargo pants, packs, gloves, headwear, optics, rangefinders, and Pelican cases, U.S. Cavalry is a reliable source, with good prices. For the next two days, you can save even more on U.S. Cavalry gear. Enter Coupon CODE CJ10 during check-out to save 10% on orders of $99.00 or more. This deal expires at 11:59 pm on December 18th (Friday night).
The Redfield Gun Sight Company was founded in 1909 by John Hill Redfield. The company’s product line expanded from open sights to include riflescopes, mounts, binoculars, and spotting scopes. In 1998 Redfield closed its doors in Denver, Colorado, marking the end of an era. Redfield changed hands several times until April 2008 when Leupold & Stevens, Inc. purchased the Redfield brand name and associated intellectual property.
Leupold has revived Redfield, positioning the new Redfield scope line at the low end of the market. The latest generation of Redfield scopes are priced from $130.00 – $150.00 retail. Revolution™ riflescopes, the first products in the new Redfield line, are American-made at Leupold’s plant near Beaverton, Oregon. Revolution models include 2-7x33mm, 3-9x40mm, 4-12x40mm, and 3-9x50mm models, all with either 4-plex or Accu-Range reticles. The Accu-Range reticle provides hold-over points from 200-600 yards. Other product offerings will include imported Rebel™ and Renegade™ binoculars, Rampage™ spotting scopes and Raider™ rangefinders.
Editor’s Comment: We’re pleased to see the revival of a storied American optics brand. However, we wonder how much quality and long-term durability Leupold can deliver for $130.00, when Leupold is having trouble with quality control on its high-end scopes which sell for $800 or more. But Leupold & Stevens is a business first and foremost and its bean counters obviously feel there is money to be made in the low end of the market. This is like General Motors saying: “Well, since Cadillac can’t compete with Lexus and Mercedes, let’s sell more Geo Prisms”. We all know how well that strategy worked.
LINK: March 33-55x52mm ‘Eyepiece Zoom’ Scope
This is a revolutionary new high-magnification scope, with the zoom in the eyepiece. It provides all a BR shooter could want… from 100 to 1000 yards.
LINK: Hensoldt Zeiss 6-24x72mm SAM
This 6-24x72mm Hensoldt may be the most advanced rifle scope on the planet. With a price of $11,979.95, it is certainly one of the most expensive. Take a 360° tour with this cool video from Hensoldt Zeiss.
Nightforce Optics has enhanced their elevation adjustments in this year’s lineup of high-magnification Nightforce scopes. Now you can get DOUBLE the elevation travel with a SINGLE TURN of the elevation knob. For an NXS with 1/4-MOA clicks, this means you can get a full 20 MOA of elevation travel with a single turn of the knob.
Here’s a little-known bit of information about Trijicon optics. Did you know that, for many years, Michigan-based Trijicon Inc. has discretely placed references to Bible passages on Trijicon optics products? Look carefully at the codes on the side of Trijicon optics and you’ll note Biblical references “hidden in plain sight” next to manufacturer product numbers.
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The Redfield Gun Sight Company was founded in 1909 by John Hill Redfield. The company’s product line expanded from open sights to include riflescopes, mounts, binoculars, and spotting scopes. In 1998 Redfield closed its doors in Denver, Colorado, marking the end of an era. Redfield changed hands several times until April 2008 when 
Editor’s Comment: We’re pleased to see the revival of a storied American optics brand. However, we wonder how much quality and long-term durability Leupold can deliver for $130.00, when Leupold is having trouble with quality control on its high-end scopes which sell for $800 or more. But Leupold & Stevens is a business first and foremost and its bean counters obviously feel there is money to be made in the low end of the market. This is like General Motors saying: “Well, since Cadillac can’t compete with Lexus and Mercedes, let’s sell more Geo Prisms”. We all know how well that strategy worked.
