Talk me out of an nx8.

[338weatherby]

HSmithTX,

I do love to barter. Always seems like charity with the guy in question, but (that means everything I said before but doesn't mean squat) we always help each other out.
I don't mind the figure in the least. Something about a thick calf shank has always turned me on. I'm all too well aware of better glass; I have some of it; range buddies, some with more into the sport/ addiction than I have in all my worldly possessions, that let me drive 10k+ rigs with glass I can't justify for my uses.

I do love shooting the 308 for long range stuff. Have to work for it, but so many before me already did all the hard work before me. My buddy in respect, has more full safes than I have guns; with all his toys I don't think I've ever seen him on a range without a .308, usually his old 40x that's seen more barrels than I have seen kitty cats (VHS, DVDs, & internet excluded). Looking forward to all the glass time I want behind a tremor3, I think it'll be awesome small game hunting prarie dogs, coyotes & hogs. Z

338weatherby,

What do you have them on & what are you shooting at? I've only had the nx8 on paper & steel. Z

I've got a 2.5-20 F1 on a 20" 30N in a XLR chassis. Hunting rig, nice and compact

A 4-32 F1 on a 7 saum, again, hunting rig although it's quickly come my favorite range gun for punching paper

4-32 F1 on my 338 LM improved, another hunting rig.

I've got between 140-200 rounds down each of these and find the tracking and repeatability to be true. I don't have anything "higher" up the food chain so to speak to compare glass to, but these have been great for me.

Hope that helps.

 

[Z-Gunner]

A1C,

You have an nx8 on an ultralight in 300 prc? How's it hunt? Regretfully sold a 300rum mountain light loss years ago & have been contemplating a 300prc to replace it.
Know it's drawbacks & pitfalls being a stumpy 8x scope & can deal with it.
So far beyond a gateway drug, I now have restraint. Do still have a couple of US Optics & a Steiner that I love. I've spent more on glass in the last 20 years than I have trucks. Never really lost money on one either as all but one were second hand from friends, heck I've made money on most. Z

 

[A1C]

Z-gunner,

I have this gun in a long action Zermatt Origin, TT special trigger, proof carbon 26" 1-9" RH from Evolved Ballistics.
I don't have reamer specs with me. I had it in a KRG Bravo but a year ago switched it to the MDT HNT26 carbon w/some magnesium (folding) chassis and titanium brake. It's super lightweight for me as I prefer a 10-13lb rifle for shootability but this was for a backpacking setup. I'm not sure exact weight but with the NX8, brake and folding chassis is around 8 3/4 lbs ish.

Berger 215s are non-existent which is what this was for so I've been shooting 225 ELD ms with H1000 and ADG brass and 215m primers.

It shoots good now but I've worked a lot this last year with shooting a couple of these ultralight setups and have gotten better.

The 225 isn't the ideal bullet for this chamber but I've got it shooting:
@ 100 yds 3 shot groups

Just over .5 minute is the avg group give or take
.3s being my best groups (maybe one in 5-6 groups).

I also shoot a ton more SA vs LA but I'm getting better.

300 PRC is no 300 RUM but if you're comparing 300 PRC vs a SAAMI 300 WM I'd pick 300 PRC all day but a CUSTOM 300 WM performance wise is going to be pretty similar to the PRC… without getting political.

I do buy into the case design efficiencies of the cartridge which isn't a big deal to a lot of people as I load everything I shoot except rimfire and my FX.

I finally got my first box of backordered 215 Berger's but have several other loads that I'll work on first… so I hope it can shoot better but it will be at least end of spring before I get to it. Compared how I started with the 225s though it's shooting much, much better.

Don't want to highjack the post but if you want more info we can PM.

 

[BEEMAN]

Feenix,
A couple of life lessons have always done right by me: treat others, especially elders, with respect; never leave a woman dissatisfied; both equally important.
Met my buddy years ago at a local range. Sir, may I please, & thank you kindly were words out of my mouth in the first two minutes of meeting him. Been a good friend to me ever since. Z

Beeman,
A 23" 280 ackley sounds the bee's knees for a mountain gun. I've considered that cartridge many a time, but have yet to jump down the wildcat rabbit hole. Z

I've only had the 280 AI for a year. No kills with it yet. It's not really a wildcat anymore. I use Petersen brass in mine. Not super light weight. No mountains here in Manitoba.

 

[LkeAF]

Sorry I can't talk you out of the NX8. I also have the 4-32 and it works great for me. If you got a killer deal worked out with your friend why not get it? I know some guys don't like the eye box. Say the glass isn't the best etc. But for the money they are a solid scope, with good bang for the buck and not super heavy.

Agree with BEEMAN. And I'll add the legendary NF ruggedness. I have two NX8 4-32s. Took one of them out for cow opener with my wife last year. Opening morning it was dropped (hard, flat, loud landing) on scree rocks from shoulder height and then that afternoon it was dropped and fallen on top of by a clumsy human (me on both counts ) in similar scree terrain. A few hours later, my wife put one in the boiler room of a nice cow @ 475 yds. A couple of days later I took it to the range, confirmed zero, then rung steel at 500, 750, & 825 yds. Then returned to zero. At a point, I'll take durability and consistent return to zero over small weight savings or improvements in glass. For me it does that and it's plenty good out to 1K+.

 

[Gamesniper19]

Personal experience. Great scope up to about 24 power which for most ppl is more than enough. Any higher power and you begin to lose resolution and light transmission. To me, this is important because losing res and light at distance that might require 26+ power is an issue whether shooting steel or critters.
NF are rugged as heck but how many of us use our expensive scopes the way the military does and need that? IMO go get a Kahles and never turn back - gotta spend a bit more but at any power, any legal light, and in almost any normal shooting condition it will outperform the NF, unless we are talking the ATACR

 

[brentc]

The NX8 4-32 is the better of the NX8s and would most likely serve you well for many years. The 2.5-20 is an eyesore for several reasons.

There are better scopes available than the 4-32, but not at sub 30oz and at the $2K price point.

 

[WapitiBob]

Got my NX8 32x last week, better than my NXS in every way and a sigh of relief after looking thru a swfa ss for the last year.

 

[Txcowboy50]

I have an NX8 4x32 SFP with dual scale reticle (32x and 16x) I like setting it a 16xfor hunting but cans use up to 32x at the range. Very clear optics.

 

[Can2Juan]

I started with the cheaper SHV 5x20 , 4 of them . Then I one day after buying a new Mark v bee I was shopping for another shv when I did the a comparison with NX8 4-32 F2 I was sold . Ive been super happy making super clear shots on targets too 1200 yards . Sorry can't help, I will but another one soon. I got mine when MileHigh puts on it's sale. Got it for 1899.00 .

 

[chutinlead]

I've got a 2.5-20 on my NRL Hunter 6.5CM and love it. I talked my dad into a 4-32 for his 22LR trainer and it works great.

I'm doing a terrible job of talking you out of it.....