ATACR vs NXS

Joined
Feb 3, 2016
Messages
9
Location
Northern California
I am having a .300wm built and have questions in regards to the two scopes listed:

ATACR 4-16x42 f1 with MOAR
NXS 3.5-15x50 with MOAR

It will be used out to 1200 yards max but would like the ability to use it up close as well. What are the benefits of the ATACR and would I be just as happy with the NXS?
The Windage Cover Cap is a bit of a turn off because I do believe It would end up lost quickly.

Thanks guys
 
If there are any advantages to the ATACR I believe they are limited to:

FFP (NXS is SFP)
Higher magnification
Smaller, more compact objective lense
Larger tube diameter
Larger outer eye piece diameter
Shorter overall length (by about 2 inches)
PTL power throw standard equipment

Frankly I think the $500 +/- price difference has more to do with the FFP feature than anything else. When you compare the side by side, feature for feature, I hold a preference for the NXS.
 
I believe probably the biggest advantage of the ATACR was left out. The glass. My NXS is great, but when I put it next to my ATACR Enhanced it doesn't hold a candle to it. That glass is AWESOME on the ATACR.

The 34 mm tube also allows more up adjustment. But you may not need it.

The windage cap shouldn't even be an issue. Nightforce provides a thread cover if you want to take that cap off and leave it off. I like the cap. You'll never need to manually adjust windage in the field..........
 
I like the shorter parallax knob on the ATACR also. I don't know why it has to stick out so far on the NXS.

Are you with the company that makes the scope levels?
 
Thanks guys for all of the responses. I am going to take a look at the spec sheets a little closer before I decide.


I like the shorter parallax knob on the ATACR also. I don't know why it has to stick out so far on the NXS.

Are you with the company that makes the scope levels?

No Iam not with scope level company. Actually working on camo patterns.
 
I have a 5.5-22 NXS and a 5-25 ATACR and I prefer the ATACR. The main advantages you will notice are the glass and the digital illumination on the ATACR. The digital illumination is awesome, I can't stand the illumination on the NXS. Both are great scopes, I just prefer the ATACR.
 
The ATACR is entirely too big, bulky, and heavy, IMO. While the NXS is far from lightweight, I'll take an NXS over an ATACR.

Same reason I don't like the RAZOR series Vortex scopes. Plus, I'm not a fan of that color they chose for it.
 
For the conditions you describe, I would go with the ATACR.

The ATACR 4-16x42 and the NXS both weigh 30 ounces. The ATACR is a little shorter at 12.6" compared to the NXS at 14". FOV at 100 yards at 16x for the ATACR is 6.9 ft vs. 7.3 ft for the NXS at 15x.

I've got a few ATACRs and a number of the NXS's, but I don't have an NXS in the 3.5-15. The NXS is an impressive line of scopes, but I'd have to give the nod to the ATACR. The glass quality is truly impressive. I feel that I get more light through the ATACR in low light conditions compared to the NXS's that I own.

Either way, either scope would perform well.
 
For the conditions you describe, I would go with the ATACR.

The ATACR 4-16x42 and the NXS both weigh 30 ounces. The ATACR is a little shorter at 12.6" compared to the NXS at 14". FOV at 100 yards at 16x for the ATACR is 6.9 ft vs. 7.3 ft for the NXS at 15x.

I've got a few ATACRs and a number of the NXS's, but I don't have an NXS in the 3.5-15. The NXS is an impressive line of scopes, but I'd have to give the nod to the ATACR. The glass quality is truly impressive. I feel that I get more light through the ATACR in low light conditions compared to the NXS's that I own.

Either way, either scope would perform well.

Agree with this.. the scopes you are considering are the same weight, so that's a moot point. the ATACR is much more compact. If you're even considering the ATACR, I would suggest you go with that.
Here are a few reviews if you haven't seen them yet. In the second one, I show a side-by-side comparison of the ATACR and compact NXS -- suprisingly, the ATACR isn't that much bigger.

Nightforce ATACR 4-16x42 F1 Review

Nightforce ATACR 4-16x42 F1 Rifle Scope Review
 
The ATACR is entirely too big, bulky, and heavy, IMO. While the NXS is far from lightweight, I'll take an NXS over an ATACR.

Same reason I don't like the RAZOR series Vortex scopes. Plus, I'm not a fan of that color they chose for it.
My apologies...I just re-read this, and realized I was getting the ATACR confused with the BEAST scopes.

My mind must have been elsewhere this morning...My bad.
 
I believe probably the biggest advantage of the ATACR was left out. The glass. My NXS is great, but when I put it next to my ATACR Enhanced it doesn't hold a candle to it. That glass is AWESOME on the ATACR.

The 34 mm tube also allows more up adjustment. But you may not need it.

The windage cap shouldn't even be an issue. Nightforce provides a thread cover if you want to take that cap off and leave it off. I like the cap. You'll never need to manually adjust windage in the field..........

I'll agree with you regarding the glass, I own (3) 3.5-15x56 NXS scopes and finally ponied up last Sept. for a 5-25x56 ATACR (Enhanced). Comparing any one of my NXS (set at same mag.) to the ATACR was VERY surprising! So much so that I have decided to sell at least 1 of my NXS scopes and replace it with another ATACR. Had I not seen it with my own eyes, I would have never believed I would see such a difference.
 
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