I want to try one of these on my SCAR17. Left on my own I'd just get the NF one (atacr 1-8x24). But I have zero experience in this magnification area. I'm trying to see if I can go from my current SCAR17 setup(s) (one with aimpoint, one with Atacr 4-16x42) to a common optic on both. I'm looking for some guidance. j

I've never used a 6 or 8, just 1-4 (I have Meoptas). If it's true 1X and truly daylight visible under all conditions, 1X is just like using a dot.

I've never seen the NF ones, but I have used other brands that claimed to be daylight visible but really weren't, not in all conditions. (as it turned out not in the conditions I would use them most lol)

While I don’t have personal experience I’ve heard fantastic things about the Vortex Razor HD Gen 2 along with the Eotech Vudu. Before dropping the coin on anything check out both offerings. YouTube is a great resource for reviews, comparisons, etc.

I’ll also add that my next rifle will have a low powered variable on it. I view them as the best of both worlds. With a quality LPV you receive a daylight bright illuminated reticle which with practice is as quick as a red dot. Add to that the ability to crank up the magnification to increase longer distance accuracy and you’ve got a win IMO.

I have the NF NX8 on one of my rifles.

A variable optic will never be a 100% replacement for a red dot. Even at 1x you still need to have proper eye relief.

That being said... the NX8 is pretty damn good at 1x. There is some very slight fish eye around the edges (very slight) - but it's little enough that it doesn't bother me any.
I had a chance to look through the ATACR 1-8 a few months back too. It's just "slightly" better than the NX8. The fish eye in the NX8 does not exist on the ATACR.

The trade off between the two of course is that the ATACR is larger/heavier.

With regards to the illuminated reticle.... that thing is BRIGHT.
It is easily viewable on a bright sunny day when you crank it up.

If you're in the Raleigh, NC area and would like to see my NX8 just let me know.

In this category, I would recommend the Vortex Razor HD Gen2 - E 1-6x24, the NF ACTAR 1-8x24, or a Kahles 1-6x24.

I have used the Razor 1-6x24 and have the budget model on a BCM AR (the PST Gen 2). On an AR, I really can't tell the difference between the two, but on a SCAR 17 I'd go with the Razor just for durability. They are both day light bright, absolutely.

The ACTAR is supposed to be awesome by all reports and the Kahles 1-6 also get rave reviews and are daylight bright, but I don't have anything other than passing, none firing time looking through them.

I have used a 2.5-10x24 NF on my SCAR 17 and currently have an Aimpoint M4S, but when it goes back to a LPV optic, it'll be a Vortex Razor 1-6-E model on top.

I am a big fan of the Leupold Multigun scopes.

LINK


I also like the Bushnell Elite DMR

LINK

I have a Razor HD Gen II 1-6 although it is on a 556.

The SCAR .308 has a reputation for pounding g optics in to submission. I have no idea but it seems to be the case. The Razor is brutally rugged I it’s build. The turret dials are huge and are very positive and tactile. The zoom lever is like closing a hatch on a sub, you need leverage for any quickness. Get the throw lever.

The glass is as clear as I have seen on an optic. The dot is daylight visible. The only gripe I have is the weight. It’s the older 25.5 oz model. It is noticible. I’m debating gettin an E model and using this as a backup or selling.

If 1-6 SFP is ok, go with the razor. If you need 1-8 FFP, I would look at the Trijicon also.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: smithnsig,

quote:

Originally posted by RHINOWSO:
In this category, I would recommend the Vortex Razor HD Gen2 - E 1-6x24, the NF ACTAR 1-8x24, or a Kahles 1-6x24.

This is the correct answer. I have the Kahles k16i and NF ATACR 1-8. Several friends have the NF nx8, S&B 1-8 short dot (sfp model), Vortex Razor HD.

None of the 1-x options are going to be perfectly 1x. They will be close, but not perfectly 1x at all distances. The s&b short dot 1-8 with CC mode is the very closest 1x of all the options, but the illumination is not amazing, nor is the reticle IMO.

The Razor HDII is excellent but too heavy. It can be had for under $1k now that the lighter HDII E is out. I like mostly everything about the HDII other than the weight. It’s a pig. Excellent glass and illumination, but a pig.

The nx8 is crazy short and light. The illumination is the brightest of all the 1-x variable options. I personally notice a bit of peripheral distortion (fish eye) in the nx8, which is apparent on 1x. It’s not terrible. The exit pupil and eyebox are tight on 8x. The nx8 pushes the envelope on how small a 1-8 can be made. The peripheral distortion on 1x and tight exit pupil and eyebox on 8x are simple facts of optical physics given its size. It’s an excellent optic for what it is - a very short, light 1-8x optic.

I’m a big fan of the k16i and atacr. Both are very close to 1x after you set the diopter. Both have daylight bright illumination. The kahles has a huge eyebox, a huge FOV, and simply outstanding glass. The atacr has a bit tighter eyebox and FOV, but a better reticle for distance work and wind holds.


My advice - buy the ATACR.

quote:

Originally posted by smithnsig:

If 1-6 SFP is ok, go with the razor. If you need 1-8 FFP, I would look at the Trijicon also.

The Trijicon glass and illumination are a far cry from that of the k16i, Razor HD, NF NX8, and NF ATACR. It is not in the same league. A friend had one. I would not own one unless it was purchased way under market.

Just to throw another one out there....

Swaro 1-8X24. That glass is AWESOME!!! And the red dot is true day light bright.

You won't regret this purchase.

Andrew

quote:

Originally posted by El Cid 92:
Just to throw another one out there....

Swaro 1-8X24. That glass is AWESOME!!! And the red dot is true day light bright.

You won't regret this purchase.

Andrew

You won't regret the purchase until your SCAR 17 breaks it! I just got my 1-6x Z6i back from Austria after my SCAR 17 wrecked it. Great glass yes but now I can't trust it on that rifle and I'm left with an expensive extra scope.

Whichever scope you buy I strongly suggest a very stiff and strong mount like a SPUHR. It's possible that receiver flex might have a something to do with why 17's are tough on scopes.

Mine now has a S&B 1-8 in a SPUHR mount........dj

Another suggestion for the Vortex Razor 1-6.


Pre-E model if you want to save a few hundred bucks.


E model if you want it to be lighter.


Mine has been flawless through 4 or 5 seasons of 3 gun. Chucked in dump barrels, bumped on barricades, in the rain, in the heat. It just works like it is supposed to all the time.

How does Trijicon VCOG 1-6 x 24 measure up? Worth it?

quote:

Originally posted by JoshNC:
The Trijicon glass and illumination are a far cry from that of the k16i, Razor HD, NF NX8, and NF ATACR. It is not in the same league. A friend had one. I would not own one unless it was purchased way under market.

I had an Accupower 1-4x24 which I scored for $500 and for that price, it's a really nice scope; but compared to a Vortex PST Gen 2 1-6x24, it doesn't do a whole lot great for it's street price of $600-700. I shot my PST Gen 2 today on my BCM and its a lot of optic for $600, but I wouldn't put it on a SCAR 17.

I wanted to like the Accupower 1-8x but after seeing it at SHOT, it just has too many downsides for what I want in a 1-6/1-8 optic.

After I sell a few things, it'll either be a Razor -E or an ACTAR on my SCAR 17, or I'll get a NX8 for an AR and move the NF 2.5-10x24 back to the SCAR.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
How does Trijicon VCOG 1-6 x 24 measure up? Worth it?

Now that the price has come down to $1500-ish, VCOGs seem to be gaining popularity but you have to buy off on a caliber & BDC (like with an ACOG), which doesn't seem as popular these days as people move scopes to different rifles or the as the popularity of varied calibers floating around ARs has increase (300BLK, 6.5, 224, etc).

I don’t have any experiences with the above, but considering the NX8 (non actar, price is rather high on actar for me) still doing some research.

Is the Leupold MK6 1-6x no longer in the running?

I have a Leupold VX-6 1-6 on mine and really like it.

quote:

Originally posted by Tgrshrk99:
I have a Leupold VX-6 1-6 on mine and really like it.

I do too, I think it’s best bang for the buck for that weight and price point, cool...

quote:

Originally posted by hk91308:
I don’t have any experiences with the above, but considering the NX8 (non actar, price is rather high on actar for me) still doing some research.

Over on SniperHide, the general consensus is the NX8, with it's tighter eyebox, is more appropriate / usable on lighter recoiling rifles (AR15s), while the ACTAR is more suited to 308 semi-autos.

quote:

Originally posted by hrcjon:
Left on my own I'd just get the NF one (atacr 1-8x24). But I have zero experience in this magnification area. I'm trying to see if I can go from my current SCAR17 setup(s) (one with aimpoint, one with Atacr 4-16x42) to a common optic on both.

I first saw an ATACR 1-8x last year in a two-gun match in New Mexico sponsored by Nightforce. IIRC three NF employees shot in the match, and after the match number of us fondled and briefly shot their rifles. The ATACR 1-8x is an amazing optic -- glass is clear, controls feel good, the red dot is definitely daylight visible, the reticle is the first one I've liked on a FFP LPV scope.

I compared stage experiences with the NF rep who shot the ATACR 1-8x, as he noticed I shot the carbine portion with a NF FFP NXS 3.5-15x. Our ARs were reasonably similar -- I had a Wilson 18" and IIRC he had a LaRue 16".

The match had 10 stages, split between carbine and precision rifle targets. Each stage had 10 carbine targets -- reduced-size paper IPSCs (@ 5-25 yards from shooting position), clay pigeons hung on sticks (10-20 yards), small-ish steel hung from t-posts (3" to 5" circles & diamonds, roughly 80-120 yards), larger flasher steel on stands (8" to 12" circles, 200 to 450 yards), and full sized IPSC steel (500-ish yards).

I can guarantee that shooting with the 1-8x was easier than my 3.5x for targets with 25 yards. His transitions would have been faster than mine, however we both pretty much cleaned our close targets. I do recall that twice I lost 1/2 point for a shot being just outside the A zone line -- something I would have seen with a scope has a parallax setting that goes closer than 45 yards, or possibly with a lower powered scope.

For the steel in the 80-120 yard ballpark, there was likely no difference between our optics. The NF rep stated he powered up to the 6-8x ballpark, I powered down to 10x or less. Both of us had our scopes zeroed at 100 yards, so we were holding dead on.

The NF rep didn't dial the longer distances, but instead used the holdover dots on the FC-DM reticle. He stated he walked a few shots into the targets (I suspect quite a few), as he didn't have mil elevation dope for his AR. I got the impression that the NF rep did fine with the steel flasher targets in the 200-300 yard range, but struggled on those beyond 300.

My scope flat out kicked it for the longer targets. My best carbine stage had 4 pieces of steel in a wide array, with distances of 190-260 yards. Then 3 steel at 300-350 yards, then 2 more steel at 400-420 yards. The final target was a IPSC beyond 500 yards. Took me 14 rounds to clean the stage -- 1 extra hit on a 250-ish yard target because the RO was looking at a different target, 2 misses from wind holds on longer targets, and I needed second strike on the long IPSC because the magnetspeed flasher didn't flash on the first impact. I dialed one elevation for the first 4 targets, one for the next three, another for the next two, and held at the top of the IPSC for the final target.

The NF rep stated he was well into his second magazine to complete that stage, so he definitely had issues. Could have been a combination of elevation, windage, and/or magnification.

Bottom line -- consider what type of shooting you intend to do. An Aimpoint, an ATACR 1-8x, and an ATACR 4-16x are dramatically different optics -- with dramatically different intended use.

quote:

Originally posted by RHINOWSO:

quote:

Originally posted by hk91308:
I don’t have any experiences with the above, but considering the NX8 (non actar, price is rather high on actar for me) still doing some research.

Over on SniperHide, the general consensus is the NX8, with it's tighter eyebox, is more appropriate / usable on lighter recoiling rifles (AR15s), while the ACTAR is more suited to 308 semi-autos.

Great info and makes sense, thanks RHINOWSO.

It’s a long term project, but this next optic would be for my SCAR17, SR25 rifles.