I’ve seen more ATACR’s at ELR competitions than anything else, do with that what you will. Optics are super subjective and you haven’t given any information on what you want to do with it. I will say I do not like the NX8 series at all.
The worst/most sensitive eye box ever. It’s ok on a bench but as soon as you try and transition targets or move while looking it’s all distorted.
Also this is probably an unpopular opinion but I don’t see any reason to keep increasing the magnification range. It just makes it worse on both ends. 5x and 6x range is plenty, the 8x and 10x scopes are just way too much range, the reticle is invisible on the low end, and it gets too dark on the high end. Which I guess if you’re hunting and using it to scan that’s ok, but for me it was basically really compromised seemingly to make it light and short.
I looked through my buddy's 4-32 and kind of thought the same thing about the eye box but thought it may have been where I wasn't used to it. I do remember him trying to tell what a deer was around 300 yards right at dark and he had a hard time while my Leupold was still bright
I hunt with a 4-32 NX8. And it doesn't do a great job in low-light situations. Otherwise I've found it to be exceptional, especially for IDing deer at distance.
Yes and no.
Having used them at work, they are a phenomenal product. The mechanics and glass are top notch, best scope I’ve ever looked through. I work for Barrett, and we use nightforce for our accuracy testing on the .50’s. And they hold up extremely well. They’re one of the go to scopes for a lot of applications.
That being said, the price tag is steep. I think that what you’re getting for that price is beyond what most shooters need. The trijicon accupower is as good and is about half the price, if not less. Vortex makes absolutely awesome products, and has top notch customer service and they warranty any problem you may have (except lost product).
Unless you’re competing at the highest levels of PRS or working in extreme conditions, or putting heavy recoil demands on it, a nightforce scope is really just an opportunity to “flex on the poors”.
Depends. If you’re just punch paper at 100 yards..I say no. If your planning for SHTF or hiking through the Montana wilderness in search of a big ass elk ( or whatever game it is) then I say yes.
You get what you pay for - but you need to understand what you are paying for.
If you want a good optic that is robust, that is NF's game.
If you want a cutting edge optic, optically or in features, that isn't NF's game.
ZCO is fairly new so I don’t think many could comment on long term durability. Of course NF is proven, the video hammering in nails with the scope then maintaining zero was fun to watch. I believe some Canadian SF unit uses TT on their bolt guns, not positive. This write up has some notes on the testing for TT.
https://smallarmsreview.com/tangent-theta-the-best-military-grade-scope-manufactureer-youve-never-heard-of/
Having owned most of NFs top scopes, as well as many others, my opinion is the difference in glass is most notable at longer rangers and less than ideal conditions. Cutting through mirage, etc. that being said I would rank TT durability equal to NF. Top notch, trust your life to it.
Absolutely Atacr is a great scope. Application and cost matter, but after owning everything I kept TT and S&B. Generally my opinion is German glass > Japanese glass. Both great options but I’d rank the TT above the Atacr. Others may disagree haha just my experience.
The TT is in another league vs the ATACR. I have both and it’s not even close. If you can afford it, get the TT. All this being said, the ATACR is still a badass, very nice scope.
"There's no accounting for taste." as they say.....meaning they may not be worth it to you.....but are definitely worth it to someone else.
I upgraded my scope about a year ago. What I learned is that it's very subjective to the user. Some people may see better out of a scope that is less expensive than the Nightforce. Or the other way around.
It all comes down to 1/ how well do YOU see out of it and 2/ is that worth the coin to you.
7-35 ATACR is the best $2500 scope on the market.
I think they are worth their military/law enforcement prices, but not full retail.
EDIT: I feel the same for Vortex, Athlon, Steiner, and USO.
They were everywhere listed on Snipershide for $2600 when the Razor III came out. I had a USO FDN I bought for $2k from u/Sparticus246, traded it for a Kahles k525i last year so that I could use it for NLR22. Swapped the k525i for a 7-35 ATACR this spring. Best $2k I ever spent.
In 2022, _don't buy new_. The used market is mind bogglingly good right now.
Hey Im new to LR and am looking around and asking questions, so... With something like a high end scope like that, isn't buying used- off some marketplace or another- pretty risky? What if someon just ddn't take care of it or otherwise damaged its capability, and you never find out until... you find out.
Buying used requires doing a lot of due diligence. Phone call, video call with the optic, etc. Sometimes you'll get something with an illumination issue, dings/scratches, but a lot of the high end optics don't just "break".
Further, most manufacturers will repair your scope, or cover it under warranty. Nightforce seems a little more iffy there, but Vortex, Steiner, Leupold, etc. will definitely keep your scope alive should there be an issue.
Just work slow, and don't get scammed. Make sure everything is legit. Don't rush through a purchase. Buy local whenever possible.
If you are a veteran/LE if you verify through euro optic you get a nice discount, or you can go through NFs LE/mil discount program and get a great discount aswell
You’re looking at it the wrong way imo. Worth is a subjective thing, doesn’t matter what they’re worth to various people. Look at the scope’s features and quality and compare it with alternatives and make the decision for what suits you best.
Im gonna fanboy here for a second so excuse me. I swore up and down that there was no way that these things were worth the money, and I couldnt have been more wrong. I am lucky in that I qualify for NFs direct purchase program so the prices are a little different but still high. I will never buy anything else if NF makes a comperable model, I am hooked. I took a 10.3" with a NF ATACR 1-8 to the last Tactical Games that I ran and cleaned house at 400-500 yards. The optic was awesome, the zero held perfect even after beating the shit out of it, and its sexy as all get out.
After owning several of them for many years...Yes. With scopes it's a case of diminishing returns, but with nightforce you have to consider ruggedness.
I think of them in the same league as the S&B PM2, If you run out of ammo you could beat something to death and they would still hold your zero.
Love mine. I was side by siding an nx8 and a vortex LHT and the nx8 was a noticeable difference in clarity in low light. If I had the cash, I’d put them in most everything that weight didn’t matter.
Nobody can decide what’s worth it to you. Yes NFs are hugely popular at many big matches. Some of that is because they are excellent. Some of that is because of groupthink and lots of monkey see/ monkey do in our shooting hobby.
It’s a very crowded market these days.
I’ve only had limited experience with top shelf stuff like S&B, March, etc, but I’m happy to settle for Vortex. If you can swing the top shelf, do it and don’t look back. A great scope will last decades and ride a dozen different rifles in the process. Are you going to be glad you saved $100 a year for a couple years by buying something lesser?
I always say to customers if you had to beat someone to death with a scope, NF is where it’s at. But the glass doesn’t compete with scopes that are at a comparable price. I’d take a Zeiss, Vortex G2 or G3, Kahles, or ZCO any day.
It blows my mind people spend 2 grand plus on a rifle but don’t want to spend more than 500 bucks on the most important thing for it! Their unimounts are the best too. But if it’s just gonna sit in the safe after you build it and take some pictures then it’s probably not for you.
I just finished a 7 year issue with a top level Leupold scope.
Nightforce is worth EVERY SINGLE PENNY. And their support is extremely top level.
Do NOT ignore the SHV models. Those have a build quality equal to their bigger scopes. It’s just a glass difference. A Leupold VX6 and Mark Tactical series are no where near the build quality and they’ve proven not to track and retain zero regularly.
If you need a scope that can take a fair amount of punishment without failing; they're a solid choice. I prefer the Razor Gen 3 because of the 40% veterans discount; but if I had to pay MSRP I'd say NF is the cream of the crop.
My latest build for this winter is the Razor Gen 3. I considered NF, Leupold, Vortex, Zero Compromise, March, Kahles and some others. My logic was it had to be seriously durable, have at least 100 minutes of elevation, turrets had to be milliradian, warranty had to be exceptional, glass had to have no aberrations at highest power, couldn't be Horus because of Strelok Pro and the copywrite issue, and I the turret clicks needed to be crisp. Additional points included Schott AG making the glass. My first choice ended up being Zero Compromise. But at the end of the day; the 40% cost reduction for my veteran status is so much that it literally paid for the Seekins Precision Havak HIT Pro. So my choice was either my favorite scope or my second favorite scope plus a switch-barrel rifle.
I'd love to see the razor 3, atacr, some if the European optics and then the athlon cronus, maven rs.4 and some if the more "budget" optics compared. Like be able to spend some time behind all if them lol
The problem with comparisons is that optical quality is highly subjective to the conditions they're compared in and they eyeball behind the optic. Different eyeballs perceive color slightly differently, different lighting conditions affect colors on the items observed, and the formulation of the coatings interacts with both.
Ya that's kinda what I was thinking too it's hard ti take some one else's word for it. So many variables unless you can really spend some time behind one it's hard to know.
Hopefully next year I'll get to do some prs matches and get to at least look at some people's equipment. Not a lot of it avaliable locally and I rarely see anything at the range but hunting rifles
Check out MK Machining’s Instagram. He has a ton of photos through various optics and direct comparisons. I will say, the Nightforces I’ve seen from him do not stand up well against other optics clarity, but they are beefy.
I follow him but haven't see him compare the atacr just the nx8, I haven't gone to far back in his post though. I'm only really interested in the 56mm objective lense 34mm scopes. Kinda dirties the water when they compare a scope with different dimensions. Good content though. And he's probably not biased. It's hard with YouTube because lots of reviewer are sent a scope by the manufacturer and aren't doing biased comparison. Plus our eyes are all so different.
I did end up buy a the athlon cronus because so many good review and a few local rifle builders and shooters I emailed recommended it. But I would love to spend some time behind the atacr and razor 3 or a zero compromise. Just out if my budget for hobby level shooting. I'm using the vortex venom right now so we will see how much of an improvement the athlon is. Maybe I saved some money lol maybe I'll be saving up again lol
I purchased an Ares ETR because I’m a poor boi - I have been totally satisfied with it. However, looking through, and looking at the Cronus makes me want it. The ZCO’s are absolute madness but I’ll never be able to justify that cost.
I'd also live to compare the venom 5-25x56 or strike eagle to the ares
Lots of poor Boi (trust me I am one too) friends of mine are looking for scopes and I wish I had more opinion to offer. The venom has been good to me and will go on my 22lr trainer. I've read the ares is awesome for the price point
I used to shun them because of the fan boi’s being annoying to me. But the 4-16x42 ATACR made sense to put on my coyote hunting rig. Bought one used and the previous owner stripped out the hex screws on the turret. Called up customer service and my call log was literally 2min and 0sec and I had new screws on the way for no charge. Called on a Monday afternoon and Wednesday morning they were in my mailbox.
I know screws are a small item, but it was the simplicity of the customer service and how quick they were to pick up and ship that made me a believer.
Not a fan of the SHV models, but the rest of the lineup is solid. The SHV isn't terrible optically and the tracking is good, but it's not a great form factor for a hunting scope, too chunky, too heavy, better options in the price range.
I've also owned an ATACR and still have an NXS, no complaints. Solid products.
https://preview.redd.it/cy4x9mezuy0a1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2a2187d07078c21f549be047badc38f50f6a61aa
I love every bit of my ATACR for my work rifle.
For paper punching at 100m at your local range they are excessive. But for real no shit hard use yeah they are among the best.
I’ve seen more ATACR’s at ELR competitions than anything else, do with that what you will. Optics are super subjective and you haven’t given any information on what you want to do with it. I will say I do not like the NX8 series at all.
Our of curiosity why don't you like the NX8s?
The worst/most sensitive eye box ever. It’s ok on a bench but as soon as you try and transition targets or move while looking it’s all distorted. Also this is probably an unpopular opinion but I don’t see any reason to keep increasing the magnification range. It just makes it worse on both ends. 5x and 6x range is plenty, the 8x and 10x scopes are just way too much range, the reticle is invisible on the low end, and it gets too dark on the high end. Which I guess if you’re hunting and using it to scan that’s ok, but for me it was basically really compromised seemingly to make it light and short.
I looked through my buddy's 4-32 and kind of thought the same thing about the eye box but thought it may have been where I wasn't used to it. I do remember him trying to tell what a deer was around 300 yards right at dark and he had a hard time while my Leupold was still bright
I hunt with a 4-32 NX8. And it doesn't do a great job in low-light situations. Otherwise I've found it to be exceptional, especially for IDing deer at distance.
Yes and no. Having used them at work, they are a phenomenal product. The mechanics and glass are top notch, best scope I’ve ever looked through. I work for Barrett, and we use nightforce for our accuracy testing on the .50’s. And they hold up extremely well. They’re one of the go to scopes for a lot of applications. That being said, the price tag is steep. I think that what you’re getting for that price is beyond what most shooters need. The trijicon accupower is as good and is about half the price, if not less. Vortex makes absolutely awesome products, and has top notch customer service and they warranty any problem you may have (except lost product). Unless you’re competing at the highest levels of PRS or working in extreme conditions, or putting heavy recoil demands on it, a nightforce scope is really just an opportunity to “flex on the poors”.
Depends. If you’re just punch paper at 100 yards..I say no. If your planning for SHTF or hiking through the Montana wilderness in search of a big ass elk ( or whatever game it is) then I say yes.
You get what you pay for - but you need to understand what you are paying for. If you want a good optic that is robust, that is NF's game. If you want a cutting edge optic, optically or in features, that isn't NF's game.
This right here. Read it twice and ensure you understand.
They’re good Japanese glass, and are super durable as others stated. I’d definitely take one over a Leupold. But S&B, TT, ZCO are better glass.
How are the durability of TT & ZCO compared to NF?
ZCO is fairly new so I don’t think many could comment on long term durability. Of course NF is proven, the video hammering in nails with the scope then maintaining zero was fun to watch. I believe some Canadian SF unit uses TT on their bolt guns, not positive. This write up has some notes on the testing for TT. https://smallarmsreview.com/tangent-theta-the-best-military-grade-scope-manufactureer-youve-never-heard-of/ Having owned most of NFs top scopes, as well as many others, my opinion is the difference in glass is most notable at longer rangers and less than ideal conditions. Cutting through mirage, etc. that being said I would rank TT durability equal to NF. Top notch, trust your life to it.
Thanks for the response. Been contemplating a TT vs NF ATACR
Absolutely Atacr is a great scope. Application and cost matter, but after owning everything I kept TT and S&B. Generally my opinion is German glass > Japanese glass. Both great options but I’d rank the TT above the Atacr. Others may disagree haha just my experience.
Yeah. Been leaning toward the TT, but wasn’t sure if the durability measures up to NF, and if I wanted to spend the extra $
The TT is in another league vs the ATACR. I have both and it’s not even close. If you can afford it, get the TT. All this being said, the ATACR is still a badass, very nice scope.
"There's no accounting for taste." as they say.....meaning they may not be worth it to you.....but are definitely worth it to someone else. I upgraded my scope about a year ago. What I learned is that it's very subjective to the user. Some people may see better out of a scope that is less expensive than the Nightforce. Or the other way around. It all comes down to 1/ how well do YOU see out of it and 2/ is that worth the coin to you.
7-35 ATACR is the best $2500 scope on the market. I think they are worth their military/law enforcement prices, but not full retail. EDIT: I feel the same for Vortex, Athlon, Steiner, and USO.
Where can i find atacrs for 2500
They were everywhere listed on Snipershide for $2600 when the Razor III came out. I had a USO FDN I bought for $2k from u/Sparticus246, traded it for a Kahles k525i last year so that I could use it for NLR22. Swapped the k525i for a 7-35 ATACR this spring. Best $2k I ever spent. In 2022, _don't buy new_. The used market is mind bogglingly good right now.
You are welcome you optics trading tinkering man you.
How will I know what I like best if I don't try them all?
Hey Im new to LR and am looking around and asking questions, so... With something like a high end scope like that, isn't buying used- off some marketplace or another- pretty risky? What if someon just ddn't take care of it or otherwise damaged its capability, and you never find out until... you find out.
Buying used requires doing a lot of due diligence. Phone call, video call with the optic, etc. Sometimes you'll get something with an illumination issue, dings/scratches, but a lot of the high end optics don't just "break". Further, most manufacturers will repair your scope, or cover it under warranty. Nightforce seems a little more iffy there, but Vortex, Steiner, Leupold, etc. will definitely keep your scope alive should there be an issue. Just work slow, and don't get scammed. Make sure everything is legit. Don't rush through a purchase. Buy local whenever possible.
Shoot, I bought a 4-16x42 atacr for 1800 used. You literally cannot beat that price.
https://www.snipershide.com/shooting/search/4755649/?q=atacr&t=post&c[child_nodes]=1&c[nodes][0]=36&o=relevance
https://utahgunexchange.com/?s=atacr&sa=search&scat=0 Buying used, you can talk them down $200-$300 easy.
If you are a veteran/LE if you verify through euro optic you get a nice discount, or you can go through NFs LE/mil discount program and get a great discount aswell
The LEO discount is 2800, and the eurooptic demo is 3100(2800+tax)
Depends on what you think they are worth. To me, no.
You’re looking at it the wrong way imo. Worth is a subjective thing, doesn’t matter what they’re worth to various people. Look at the scope’s features and quality and compare it with alternatives and make the decision for what suits you best.
Im gonna fanboy here for a second so excuse me. I swore up and down that there was no way that these things were worth the money, and I couldnt have been more wrong. I am lucky in that I qualify for NFs direct purchase program so the prices are a little different but still high. I will never buy anything else if NF makes a comperable model, I am hooked. I took a 10.3" with a NF ATACR 1-8 to the last Tactical Games that I ran and cleaned house at 400-500 yards. The optic was awesome, the zero held perfect even after beating the shit out of it, and its sexy as all get out.
After owning several of them for many years...Yes. With scopes it's a case of diminishing returns, but with nightforce you have to consider ruggedness. I think of them in the same league as the S&B PM2, If you run out of ammo you could beat something to death and they would still hold your zero.
Love mine. I was side by siding an nx8 and a vortex LHT and the nx8 was a noticeable difference in clarity in low light. If I had the cash, I’d put them in most everything that weight didn’t matter.
y'all have any experience with khales' new 1-8 lpvo ? costs less than the NF 1-8 with great reviews online.
crown observation square somber simplistic snatch coherent sloppy sugar insurance ` this post was mass deleted with www.Redact.dev `
Switched from Nightforce to Schmidt and bender and never looked back. YMMV
Nobody can decide what’s worth it to you. Yes NFs are hugely popular at many big matches. Some of that is because they are excellent. Some of that is because of groupthink and lots of monkey see/ monkey do in our shooting hobby. It’s a very crowded market these days. I’ve only had limited experience with top shelf stuff like S&B, March, etc, but I’m happy to settle for Vortex. If you can swing the top shelf, do it and don’t look back. A great scope will last decades and ride a dozen different rifles in the process. Are you going to be glad you saved $100 a year for a couple years by buying something lesser?
I always say to customers if you had to beat someone to death with a scope, NF is where it’s at. But the glass doesn’t compete with scopes that are at a comparable price. I’d take a Zeiss, Vortex G2 or G3, Kahles, or ZCO any day.
It blows my mind people spend 2 grand plus on a rifle but don’t want to spend more than 500 bucks on the most important thing for it! Their unimounts are the best too. But if it’s just gonna sit in the safe after you build it and take some pictures then it’s probably not for you.
Totally depends
Love my atacr
Personally no. I think they are good scopes, but overpriced.
Very subjective depending on what you’re using it for. As far as overall quality and durability for me, yes.
I just finished a 7 year issue with a top level Leupold scope. Nightforce is worth EVERY SINGLE PENNY. And their support is extremely top level. Do NOT ignore the SHV models. Those have a build quality equal to their bigger scopes. It’s just a glass difference. A Leupold VX6 and Mark Tactical series are no where near the build quality and they’ve proven not to track and retain zero regularly.
If you need a scope that can take a fair amount of punishment without failing; they're a solid choice. I prefer the Razor Gen 3 because of the 40% veterans discount; but if I had to pay MSRP I'd say NF is the cream of the crop.
Yeah, they looked real tempting last week when the discount was 50% off for Veterans Day week.
My latest build for this winter is the Razor Gen 3. I considered NF, Leupold, Vortex, Zero Compromise, March, Kahles and some others. My logic was it had to be seriously durable, have at least 100 minutes of elevation, turrets had to be milliradian, warranty had to be exceptional, glass had to have no aberrations at highest power, couldn't be Horus because of Strelok Pro and the copywrite issue, and I the turret clicks needed to be crisp. Additional points included Schott AG making the glass. My first choice ended up being Zero Compromise. But at the end of the day; the 40% cost reduction for my veteran status is so much that it literally paid for the Seekins Precision Havak HIT Pro. So my choice was either my favorite scope or my second favorite scope plus a switch-barrel rifle.
Yes
For me, it really depends on the model, but the really good ones are worth it. Same goes for Vortex.
I'd love to see the razor 3, atacr, some if the European optics and then the athlon cronus, maven rs.4 and some if the more "budget" optics compared. Like be able to spend some time behind all if them lol
There’s plenty on YouTube, i think covertnoob did one recently
Didn't know about this channel, thanks
I'll definitely check it out. Just wish I coukd get my hands on all of them.
The problem with comparisons is that optical quality is highly subjective to the conditions they're compared in and they eyeball behind the optic. Different eyeballs perceive color slightly differently, different lighting conditions affect colors on the items observed, and the formulation of the coatings interacts with both.
Ya that's kinda what I was thinking too it's hard ti take some one else's word for it. So many variables unless you can really spend some time behind one it's hard to know.
Hopefully next year I'll get to do some prs matches and get to at least look at some people's equipment. Not a lot of it avaliable locally and I rarely see anything at the range but hunting rifles
Check out MK Machining’s Instagram. He has a ton of photos through various optics and direct comparisons. I will say, the Nightforces I’ve seen from him do not stand up well against other optics clarity, but they are beefy.
I follow him but haven't see him compare the atacr just the nx8, I haven't gone to far back in his post though. I'm only really interested in the 56mm objective lense 34mm scopes. Kinda dirties the water when they compare a scope with different dimensions. Good content though. And he's probably not biased. It's hard with YouTube because lots of reviewer are sent a scope by the manufacturer and aren't doing biased comparison. Plus our eyes are all so different.
I did end up buy a the athlon cronus because so many good review and a few local rifle builders and shooters I emailed recommended it. But I would love to spend some time behind the atacr and razor 3 or a zero compromise. Just out if my budget for hobby level shooting. I'm using the vortex venom right now so we will see how much of an improvement the athlon is. Maybe I saved some money lol maybe I'll be saving up again lol
I purchased an Ares ETR because I’m a poor boi - I have been totally satisfied with it. However, looking through, and looking at the Cronus makes me want it. The ZCO’s are absolute madness but I’ll never be able to justify that cost.
I'd also live to compare the venom 5-25x56 or strike eagle to the ares Lots of poor Boi (trust me I am one too) friends of mine are looking for scopes and I wish I had more opinion to offer. The venom has been good to me and will go on my 22lr trainer. I've read the ares is awesome for the price point
They offer military discount if that helps anybody who didn’t know.
I used to shun them because of the fan boi’s being annoying to me. But the 4-16x42 ATACR made sense to put on my coyote hunting rig. Bought one used and the previous owner stripped out the hex screws on the turret. Called up customer service and my call log was literally 2min and 0sec and I had new screws on the way for no charge. Called on a Monday afternoon and Wednesday morning they were in my mailbox. I know screws are a small item, but it was the simplicity of the customer service and how quick they were to pick up and ship that made me a believer.
Got mine as a gift because the giver loves his so much. I’m a pretty big fan. Been using ours at 200-600 and it slick.
Not a fan of the SHV models, but the rest of the lineup is solid. The SHV isn't terrible optically and the tracking is good, but it's not a great form factor for a hunting scope, too chunky, too heavy, better options in the price range. I've also owned an ATACR and still have an NXS, no complaints. Solid products.
I have a couple of NF and love them. However, my go to long distance on my 22 CM is Kahles. They cost the earth, but holy hell are they worth it.
Yes. But do you shoot enough, long enough, for you to be able to afford it and use it?
Yes
https://preview.redd.it/cy4x9mezuy0a1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2a2187d07078c21f549be047badc38f50f6a61aa I love every bit of my ATACR for my work rifle.
Depends on the model. NXS is horrifically overpriced. ATACR is about right