5.5-22 or 8-32 scope ?

[konnari]

Would you buy a 5.5-22x56 or a 8-32x56 Nightforce scope to mount on a .223 Varmint rifle ?
Which magnification would serve me better for varmint hunting and target practice ?

[stubblejumper]

I use scopes in the 4x to 14x range for varmint shooting and target practise,athough some people prefer scopes in the 6x to 20x range.

[HEAD0001]

IMO that is way too much glass. There is no need for the large objective lens. As far as power is concerned it really depends on your specifics. Normally whe varmint hunting-if the sun is out and you are shooting a good bit then mirage is involved. Normally any power over 16X becomes very difficult to use if mirage is involved.

Power over 16X is not necessary for hunting. But power over 16X is nice to have if shooting a long distance(over 300 or 400 yards). But if you want to see you bullet holes at that distance then you better buy the best glass you can. Cheap glass at a higher power is basically useless IMO. Tom.

[thndrchiken]

My two varmint rigs wear an Elite 3200 5x15x50 and a Buckmasters 6x18x40 you really don't need that much glass for a 223.

[Ridge Runner]

well are you going to dial the distance? the turrets are bullet proof, but its alot of $$ just to mount and shoot to MPB range. personaly I use loopy mark 4's, 500 bucks cheaper and not a whole lot of difference, from what I understand. A guy on LRH said it best, if you've never owned a NF you'll never miss it with a mark 4.
The difference in the 5.5x22 and the 8x32 is a lot of turret travel, 105 MOA in the NXS versus about 70 in the BR model, if your not shooting 1000+ yards I wouldn't buy the NSX.
RR

[konnari]

Yes, I was thinking of the NXS model mostly for 2 reasons; first because of the turrets and second the Benchrest model only has 8-32 and 12-42 models. Which I consider way too much of a magnification for my purposes. But maybe I will have to look closer at the Mark 4 model ! Would you rate it as better than Nightforce scopes ?

[Ridge Runner]

no the loopy mark 4's are not better, but they are very good glass, and made in the USA so that makes them more desirable to me.
RR

[stubblejumper]

The Mark4 scopes are assembled in the USA,but they use Asian lenses.Check over at Snipers Hide as well to get more opinions on long range scopes.The Nightforce scopes are recommended over the Mark 4 by most people at that site.My choice was very easy,since the Mark 4 prices are within $100 of the Nightforce NXS in Canada.

[Ridge Runner]

stubble, they buy glass, not lenses, they use the glass to make lenses, just like the rest of the makers do.
RR

[stubblejumper]

stubble, they buy glass, not lenses, they use the glass to make lenses, just like the rest of the makers do.

If it really makes you feel better,they use lenses made from Asian glass.