The Best Nightforce Scopes for Hunting Elk
A long-range, precise, and accurate shot is among the most satisfying feelings ever! A rifle scope allows you to zoom and lock in the target for an accurate shot. If you are a recreational shooter or a hunter getting a good rifle scope is of paramount importance for a nice accurate shot.
For the past 50 years, the rifle scope industry has evolved into more precise and somewhat affordable scopes for the ever-growing market. Reputable manufactures are all coming up with the best rifle scopes for their clients so finding a good scope can be a daunting task.
Hunting elk should be enjoyable and actually fun. They are bigger than deer with branch-like horns called antlers. For a precise, easy shot, you will need a rifle scope. A bull elk can move silently and at high speeds of up to 35 miles per hour.
This means that a hunter should be quick and vigilant while aiming at an elk. This is why getting a good scope is a necessity for hunting to avoid eye fatigue while following an elusive target.
Here is a quick list
| PRODUCT | IMAGE | PRICE |
| NightForce 8-32x56mm NXS Riflescope
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| NightForce SHV 5-20x56mm Riflescope |  |
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| NightForce Optics 5-25×56 ATACR ZeroStop Riflescope
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| Nightforce The Beast 5-25x56mm F1 Riflescope |  |
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| NightForce New 8-32×56 Precision Benchrest Illuminated Riflescope
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| NightForce Competition 15-55x52mm Riflescope |  |
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| NightForce NX8 Riflescope, 4-32x50mm, First Focal Plane.250 MOA, Moar Reticle, |  |
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| NightForce NXS5.5-22x56mm Riflescope – .250 MOA, ZeroStop, Moar Reticle |  |
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| NightForce SHV 4-14x50mm F1 Riflescope, Black.250 MOA,Illuminated Moar Reticle |  |
Best Nightforce scopes for Elk Hunting Comprehensive Review
The following are some of the best Nightforce scopes for Elk Hunting we have reviewed to help you make an informed Nighforce scope purchase.
#1) NightForce 8-32x56mm NXS Riflescope
As one of the best Nightforce scopes for elk hunting, the NightForce 8-32x56mm NXS Riflescope offers you numerous features for the best hunting experience. For starters, it is waterproof and fog proof. This allows you to hunt and successfully aim at an elk even when there is fog. The reticle on this Nightforce scope is illuminated allowing you to have a clear vision of your target even in low light conditions. Nightforce made sure to put a proprietary titanium beta erector spring. This technology helps in delivering three to four times spring pressure in comparison to other scopes in the market. The dependability and versatility of this Nightforce model makes it a choice for the best Nightforce scopes for elk hunting experience. This scope is fitted with a 56mm objective lens which helps in maximum light transmission. Features
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#2) NightForce SHV 5-20x56mm Riflescope
As one of the best Nightforce scopes for elk hunting, this scope is the most sort out by hunters and recreational shooters alike. It’s a very versatile scope. The versatility is well brought out by the abbreviation SHV, which stands for Shooter, Hunter and Varminter. It is fitted with tactical MOA turrets which makes it easy to adjust to your liking. This Nightforce scope is also waterproof and fog proof which means it’s ideal for elk hunting even when it’s foggy and you want to hunt. This scope is the best Nightforce scope for elk hunting as it is fitted with a 56 mm objective lens. This is great for maximum light transmission. The image quality on this Nightforce scope is very impressive. It keeps image distortion to a minimum. The Nightforce SHV 5-20X scope comes fitted with a side focus to help you adjust for parallax. Features
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#3) NightForce Optics 5-25×56 ATACR ZeroStop Riflescope
This scope is one of the best Nightforce scopes for elk hunting because of many reasons. It boasts of very many helpful features that give you quite an advantage while elk hunting. For instance, it comes with a large diameter objective lens which allows the riflescope to have high light-collecting power. This means the images will be of higher resolution and brighter. The ED optics, ED means extra-low dispersion, also helps this scope in light transmission. This Nightforce scope is equipped with parallax adjustment which helps in getting rid of optical illusion while aiming. It makes the crosshairs seem fixed on the target regardless of your eye movement. This feature is great for accuracy while aiming. It also has adjustments that are capped windage. This scope is easily the best Nightforce for elk hunting because it has enhanced with qualities that help in making a fast diopter adjustment. Features
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#4) Nightforce The Beast 5-25x56mm F1 Riflescope
This is one of the most revered rifle scopes there is. It was built for the military so you can be sure Nightforce went all out with this scope. Its features are very impressive making it one of the best Nightforce scope for elk hunting. It helps in very high accuracy especially in high-stress environments and also very great speeds. This scope is also fitted with a really impressive resolution and contrast. This means your target view will be very clear. This Nightforce scope is also fog proof and waterproof making it ideal for hunting even in foggy conditions. The scope comes with the first focal plane reticle which adjusts with changes in magnification. Nightforce did not spare anything when building this scope, fitting this scope with an illuminated reticle which makes it exceptional for a fast target acquisition even in low light conditions. For quick adjustments, it comes with tactical MOA turrets. This means you can quickly make adjustments to zero in on a target. The scope also features a 56 mm objective lens that allows maximum transmission of light which leads to a large field of view. Features
There are pros and cons for this scope which are highlighted below.
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#5) NightForce New 8-32×56 Precision Benchrest Illuminated Riflescope
This model boasts of very impressive features. As one of the best Nightforce scope for elk hunting, this scope’s multi-coated lens is great for distinguishing fine target detail at ranges that are extremely long. This scope also has target turrets that can be reset to zero after target sighting. Users of this scope have found that it is very good for hunting because of its accuracy and speed. This scope has helped users win awards making it one of the best Nightforce scopes for elk hunting. It is made to withstand outdoor conditions. This scope has been tested rigorously to ensure perfection while it’s in use. Nightforce constructed this scope with aircraft-grade aluminum which is two to three times thicker than other scopes in the market. This scope is fitted with an illuminated reticle that is good for fast focusing. The reticle is also glass etched which helps to deliver image contrast. The multi-coated lens that this scope comes with is useful for clearer images while shooting. Features
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#6) NightForce Competition 15-55x52mm Riflescope
Any shooter that uses this Nightforce scope has nothing but good things to say about it. It is equipped with hi-speed and zero stop which augments your shoots quality. The construction of this scope was so immaculately done that it is lighter than other NXS scopes. This means that the scope is very portable. The exceptional clarity of this Nightforce scope is made possible by the presence of ED glass and lens coating. This ensures a high clarity of images and makes the target highly visible. As one of the best Nightforce scope for elk hunting, this Nightforce scope has easy-to-read windage caps making it easy for you to modify them to your specific style of shooting. The Nightforce scope has very high light transmission capabilities in comparison to other scopes. Features
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Factors to consider when choosing the Best Nightforce scopes for Elk Hunting
Multi-coated lens: A multi-coated lens is important in a scope. It helps you, the hunter, to be able to enjoy hunting even in unfavorable conditions like low-light conditions. A multi-coated lens will help the images you are seeing while hunting to be clear and not blurry. Clearer images mean a clear shot regardless of light conditions.
Waterproof and fog proof: One of the qualities a great hunting rifle scope should have is being waterproof and fog proof. You should be able to hunt even under bad weather conditions like fog without worry. Your scope should be water-resistant to ensure the scope is safe in all weather conditions.
Magnification: This is one of the most important features in a scope. High magnification capability means you can target an elk that is far away but appears close. Having a clear image of the target and actually locking in on the target is made possible by a wide magnification range. You need different magnification settings for close-range and long-range shooting. A 3-9x 40 scope is ideal for close-range shooting while for long-range shooting 6-18×50 is perfect without distorting the image quality of the target.
Construction: A good hunting scope should be built with durable and quality material. Aircraft-grade aluminum is known to be used to build some of the best hunting scopes in the market. A good hunting rifle scope should be able to withstand a fall in say, a rugged terrain without damage.
Weight: One of the best qualities of a good scope is portability. A good scope should be easy to carry for hunting. This is for ease of movement while hunting. It should be worth noting that a heavy scope can be more durable and have more in-built features as compared to a light hunting scope. You should choose a rifle scope according to what your needs are as a hunter.
Eye relief: You need to be able to keep eye relief between three and four inches wide to avoid injury. This is the distance between your eye and the ocular lens of your scope.
Best Nightforce scopes for Elk Hunting FAQs
What does ‘SHV’ mean?
This stands for Shooter, Hunter, and Varminter. This is one of NightForce’s line of scopes.
What is the difference between first focal plane and second focal plane-?
The first focal plane basically means that the reticle is placed towards the front of the optic. This means when the magnification is increased, the size of the reticle increases with it. For the second focal plane, the reticle appears to stay the same even when magnification is adjusted upwards or downwards.
Final Thoughts
Nighforce scopes have proven time and again their performance levels are quite unmatched. They have dedicated resources and time to come up with reputable scopes for hunting. Even though we couldn’t review all Nightforce scope in one review, there are a lot more Nightforce scopes in the market. An elk hunter will have fun and enjoy the hunting experience while using one of these scopes.