A good, solid riflescope is a necessity for anyone who enjoys activities like hunting in the mountains or long-range shooting. It can mean the difference between hitting or missing your target or, even worse, wasting an opportunity to take a clean shot. But, with so many riflescope brands on the market, it can be challenging to pick the right one. That’s where Nightforce optics comes in.
Nightforce has built a reputation for producing top-notch optics that withstand extreme hunting conditions. It’s a brand that has continually pushed itself forward with a focus on unparalleled durability and exceptional performance. But how does it achieve that? We’ve asked our friends from this gun store to explain what exactly makes Nightforce optics stand out. These guys know what they sell very well, so enjoy reading!
Why Nightforce Scopes Are The Highest-Quality
Nightforce is synonymous with an unwavering commitment to quality, ensuring its products will last for many years to come – in the end, it understands that when buying a riflescope, hunters and shooters expect nothing but the best. Therefore, Nightforce is willing to invest more time and resources to make sure its products are of the highest quality.
Let’s start by discussing how scope tubes are manufactured. Nightforce scopes are machined from a solid piece of military-grade 6061-T6 aluminum alloy. The machining method results in a more rugged build and is far superior to extruding or forming because it involves cutting down the metal into its final shape and doesn’t require heating. As for the material, 6061-T6 aluminum alloy is known for its strength, light weight, durability, and corrosion resistance. In addition, it delivers excellent heat dissipation, making it ideal for scopes often exposed to high temperatures.
Now, let’s talk about windage and elevation adjustments. Inconsistent adjustments can result in inaccurate shots and frustration, not to mention unclean kills and lost opportunities in the field – and Nightforce knows that. That’s why they take extra steps to ensure consistent functioning. For example, Nightforce leaves every spring intended to maintain pressure on the adjustments in a polishing tumbler for two weeks. As a result, Nightforce springs have not a single burr or spot on their surface, ensuring the smoothest operation possible.
Moreover, in its NXS scope series, Nightforce uses superior titanium springs optimized for fatigue-free performance. These springs develop absolutely zero memory and don’t show any loss of repeatability, even when the setting is left unchanged for a long time.
Finally, the elevation adjustment screw on every scope is machined to 110 threads per inch – that’s amazing, considering that many scopes come with screws having fewer threads, which may result in backlash. Backlash is wiggling observed when the screw is pulled or pushed without rotation. That wiggling damages threads, and the scope stops tracking correctly.
Now, what about the lenses? First, to maximize light transmission, field of view, and exit pupil size for a given scope’s objective lens diameter, Nightforce builds its lens assemblies employing a multi-element design usually found on advanced telescopes. Furthermore, every lens of every Nightforce scope is hand-matched and hand-aligned to the other lenses, which allows Nightforce scopes to perform at their full potential. Usually, manufacturers are not willing to invest time and resources into optical indexing – that’s what this technique is called – but Nightforce doesn’t care as long as the final product is of the highest quality.
Also, Nightforce applies its proprietary multi-coating to all lenses that contact air to protect them from scratches and abrasion and make them anti-glare. The thickness of the coating is ¼ wave deposition, which means the reflective surfaces are spaced ¼ wavelength apart to cancel out the incoming wave by creating the outcoming wave of the opposite phase.
All Nightforce riflescopes are rigorously tested to ensure they will survive the toughest outdoor conditions. They are tested to 120 psi of pressure (which equals to pressure at a depth of around 275 feet), undergo a thermal shock cycle where the temperature drops to -40°F and then raises to 156°F, and recoil tested at accelerations beyond 1,250g. Other tests include forward- and side-impact, accuracy tracking, battery tests, and many more.
Unique Technologies of Nightforce Riflescopes
A common problem associated with scopes is returning to zero from radical elevation settings. So Nightforce has come up with several elegant solutions. Now, no matter how many elevation adjustments you make, you can return your scope to the original zero with one simple motion. For example, most Nightforce NXS scopes and all Nightforce ATACR and Competition scopes are fitted with the ZeroStop instant return-to-zero knob. The ZeroSet feature works similarly, and the ZeroHold allows you to dial below zero.
Nightforce scopes also feature various reticle illumination technologies. As such, the Digillum digital illumination tech, having red and green modes and five brightness settings, automatically turns off in one hour (can also be turned off manually). When turned back on, it will return your previously chosen brightness setting to be gentle to your night vision. Some scopes are supplied with the Daylight Visible Reticle Illumination with ten daytime settings.
Conclusion
Nightforce stands out from the competition because of its unwavering commitment to quality and precision. From high-grade materials to rigorous testing procedures, Nightforce riflescopes are built to withstand the harshest conditions and deliver flawless performance every time. So, investing in a Nightforce scope is worth it for anyone looking for sturdy, weather-proof optics.
