Thread: Nightforce NX8 2.5-20 for allrounder rifle?

Hi Taka,

I think the answer to your question depends a lot on how you hunt, where you hunt and how you do your holds / dial.

I've been using NF and Leupold optics for 19 years and only use NF optics now on hunts. That said, I have been very impressed with a couple Leupold Mk5 HDs and rate their optical clarity in low light conditions.

I currently have two NF 2.5 -20 NX8's, FFP with Mil-XT reticles. I primarily hold when using these scopes as that method works well for how and where I hunt when targeting deer, pigs and Tahr. I have taken one Chamois at 450m with the 6.5CM and the NF 2.5 -20 attached in extremely low light conditions where I could no longer make out on the animal in my Vortex binos or Leupold spotting scope. I have also compared the low light performance of the NF 2.5 -20 NX8 to a NF 5 - 25 ATACR I had and believe the NX8's I tested performed better than the 5 - 25 ATACR. I also have a 7 - 35 ATACR on my 7 PRC long range rig and from the limited comparisons to date, I believe the 7 - 35 ATACR to perform better in low light conditions and have better optical clarity overall compared to the 2.5 -20 NX8.

I sometimes use the 2.5 - 20 FFP NX8 for bush hunting, but like people have pointed out, the reticle is super small when at 2.5x. To mitigate this issue I illuminate the reticle which essentially turns it into a "red dot" optic. However, this could be considered risky because you are relying on battery power for your bush stalks and I have never been a fan of red dot optics for that reason.

Ref FFP vs SFP - if you are used to dialling, I would go SFP and conversely go FFP if you are used to holding.

Lastly, if you are going to invest in something like a NX8 (which are not cheap), I recommend also investing in a bubble level, good rings and get your scope mounted by someone who has torque tools and knows what they are doing.

Hope that helps,

JT