Need opinions on this set up

[Tim K]

I have to totally disagree with this comment. I have a Nightforce NXS 5.5-22X. The holdovers are only accurate at 22X which is too much on a hot day. The mirage is awful. I was told I should get the 15X when I purchased my scope, but I thought I needed the extra power. I really wish I would have listened. My next scope will be the 3.5-15X FFP scope from Nightforce. 10X will easily get you to 1000.

I know many people who shoot long range with the 15X Nightforce. It's plenty.

Maybe a 15 is plenty for your style of shooting, but the rifle in question is equipped with a 9X. Come shoot steel dogs with us with a 9X and lets see if you like it.

I don't hold for elevation, I dial, so the reticle only being accurate at max power is irrelevant to me. The fact that your 2nd focal plane scope doesn't work at various magnifications doesn't invalidate the idea of buying a higher power scope and dialing it back to cope with mirage. For your style of shooting a FFP scope would be better suited than the NF you are using. The prices of those scopes are coming down and the number of choices is increasing. You might consider looking into trading off the NF. That's a pretty hot scope and is in big demand. I see them going used for nearly the cost of new.

To the OP, I still think that 3X9 is unsuitable for long range/small targets.

[Hoser]

To the OP, I still think that 3X9 is unsuitable for long range/small targets.

I am with Tim. But a lot of it has to do with the type of shootig you are doing and the target size.

You can always dial a high powered scope down to get a bigger field of view to help see more mirage and other things, but if your scope stops at 12 or 15...

I spend most of my time around 18-20 while shooting. While working target ID or during a calm day and rock solid position, I will dial up as high as I can go.

My varmint rifle has a Leupold 6.5-20 that Premier boosted to 12-40. It is a hammer on PDs and coyotes when they get out there past 400-500 yards.

The winning F-Class shooters (Prone w/ bi-pod at 800-1,000) and 1,000 yard 50 BMG shooters are using Nightforce 12-42s for the most part.

Field shooters are using a lot of 3-15s, 5-22s and 5-25s.

[ColoWyo]

Maybe a 15 is plenty for your style of shooting, but the rifle in question is equipped with a 9X. Come shoot steel dogs with us with a 9X and lets see if you like it.

I don't hold for elevation, I dial, so the reticle only being accurate at max power is irrelevant to me. The fact that your 2nd focal plane scope doesn't work at various magnifications doesn't invalidate the idea of buying a higher power scope and dialing it back to cope with mirage. For your style of shooting a FFP scope would be better suited than the NF you are using. The prices of those scopes are coming down and the number of choices is increasing. You might consider looking into trading off the NF. That's a pretty hot scope and is in big demand. I see them going used for nearly the cost of new.

To the OP, I still think that 3X9 is unsuitable for long range/small targets.

I totally agree with the fact that a 3-9 is too low. I've shot the pd match numerous times. Of course that was a couple of years ago before I had a kid.

The reticle being accurate is very relevant to me and anybody who shoots timed events. I don't really consider the pd match a timed event since you can get all set up before the timer starts. While I dial for the verticle, I don't for the wind. I really don't feel that dialing for windage is a good idea especially at timed events such as the safari and the raton matches where the time can actually be an issue. Especially the steel safari. That's when having a ffp would be nice. 22X at the Safari and down at Raton can be too much. I know the value of my scope and how dialing back to deal with mirage works. As much as I'd like to trade it, I'm still looking at close to a grand to upgrade to the scope I really want after I sell this one. Unfortunately, my new big ass house requires landscaping. If I got a new scope instead of some rocks, I might end up dead.

[Yota]

Thanks for all the feedback guys. I had a hard time getting touch with him. He changed his mind on the scope and wanted to sell a 10x fixed. For the rifle he was firm on price, wish he told me that before I went out to meet him, his ad stated obo. Anyhow, I passed on it. I can get new for about $600.