300PRC Scope - NX8 2.5-20x50 or 4-32x50?

[Okanogan]

I've got both scopes. I have the 2.5x20 on a .308 and the 4x32 on a .224 Valkyrie. (Both F1) I find the eye box on the 4x32 to be a little more finicky than I like for a hunting rifle which is why I have it on the Valkyrie. The 2.5x20 is plenty for me on the .308 and is more compact and I have used the .308 for big game hunting.
The .300 PRC has a lot more ability to reach out so the advice to look at the 4x32 may be what you want depending on where you hunt/shoot. Between the two, I would probably opt for the 4x32 for a 300 PRC if I thought I would mostly be shooting longer range. If you could try out the 4x32 first, that would be ideal. If you can't get a test drive with the 4x32, then you might want to be prepared to play a little with your check piece height and such to suit whatever shooting positions/ equipment you use.
As noted above my scopes are F1 and not F2. If you go F2 and don't plan to go to full magnification, then you will have other issues to deal with if you plan to hold over. If you go F1, then both the scopes will have pretty fine reticle thickness at the low end of the range, which would make close in running shots in dim light harder. My last 10 years of hunting has been sitting and shooting with a rest with near max magnification and the F1 works well for me in this application.

 

[jarnold37]

I've got both scopes. I have the 2.5x20 on a .308 and the 4x32 on a .224 Valkyrie. (Both F1) I find the eye box on the 4x32 to be a little more finicky than I like for a hunting rifle which is why I have it on the Valkyrie. The 2.5x20 is plenty for me on the .308 and is more compact and I have used the .308 for big game hunting.
The .300 PRC has a lot more ability to reach out so the advice to look at the 4x32 may be what you want depending on where you hunt/shoot. Between the two, I would probably opt for the 4x32 for a 300 PRC if I thought I would mostly be shooting longer range. If you could try out the 4x32 first, that would be ideal. If you can't get a test drive with the 4x32, then you might want to be prepared to play a little with your check piece height and such to suit whatever shooting positions/ equipment you use.
As noted above my scopes are F1 and not F2. If you go F2 and don't plan to go to full magnification, then you will have other issues to deal with if you plan to hold over. If you go F1, then both the scopes will have pretty fine reticle thickness at the low end of the range, which would make close in running shots in dim light harder. My last 10 years of hunting has been sitting and shooting with a rest with near max magnification and the F1 works well for me in this application.

I guess maybe I take some things too seriously. Long range hunting is a good example.It seems to me, that to use a rifle scope combination that is able to shoot up close running shots in dim light is not a rifle to be used for shooting an animal humanely at long ranges. Personally, I will not shoot at a running animal at any distance even with perfect light. I came to the conclusion years ago that a "do-all rifle" is lacking in one area to be better or benefit in another area. For long range I realize that holdover is adequate, and can send a round downrange a little quicker, but it is not as precise as being sure of range distance, having a good rest and dialing to exact distance and holding on. If there is not enough time to do this, I dont want the shot no matter what it is. I shot at a running deer once and blew its leg off and it got away. Never again. A friend jumped up a very nice buck and shot as it was running. The same buck was spotted a week later, with no bottom jaw, trying to drink from a puddle. I guess to each his own. That is just my take, dont hold it against me

 

[Jud96]

My vote is the 4-32x. It's very similar price and weight. In my opinion, there's not much difference between a 2.5x and a 4x, but 20x vs. 32x is a whole other ball game as another member pointed out. Having the capability to turn the scope way up is a benefit. Even if you don't ever "need" 32x to make a shot on a game animal, it's always nice to have it if you're trying to count points or get a better picture of something. Just my thoughts.

 

[Litehiker]

The nice thing about the 32X scope is that at the top magnification even with the best scopes some distortion can occur. So keeping it no higher than say, 30X means you avoid that distortion.
Eric B.

 

[Zen Archery]

For hunting purposes I'd go with the 2.5. Not being able to find your target through a scope is not fun. Particularly if it is moving in and out of the bush. 1x100 and zoom up is good for hunting. The only time this changes for me is when you are small varmint such as prairie dog hunting.

 

[JLB5482]

NX8 2.5-20x50 or 4-32x50
Which scope to mount on a 300PRC? Because the 300PRC can deliver a violent punch at a long distance, I'm leaning toward the 32. However, the 20 is just as good and a bit more compact in length. Any reasonable thoughts on this? WWYD?

I have a NIGHTFORCE NXS 12x42 on my 300 PRC.

It has a custom turret on it by Kenton Industries.


Its set up for the Berger 200.20X

 

[The Oregonian]

For hunting purposes I'd go with the 2.5. Not being able to find your target through a scope is not fun. Particularly if it is moving in and out of the bush. 1x100 and zoom up is good for hunting. The only time this changes for me is when you are small varmint such as prairie dog hunting.

I'm with you…2.5x vs 4x when whitetail hunting can be a big difference. 37 ft FOV vs 26 ft. But if shooting in open country then it likely doesn't matter.

 

[backwoodsshooter]

if you're eyesight is terrible like mine, get the higher magnification.

you'll thank yourself down the road

least my experience lol

 

[simone]

For hunting purposes I'd go with the 2.5. Not being able to find your target through a scope is not fun. Particularly if it is moving in and out of the bush. 1x100 and zoom up is good for hunting. The only time this changes for me is when you are small varmint such as prairie dog hunting.

I really don't get it. How can you struggle finding an animal in the scope with a 4x SFP? Maybe it's just the fact that i shoot since i was a kid but for scopes and spotting scopes is the same, two eyes open, when you have the target, close one eye and voilà, target is in the centre of the FOV. I can struggle a few seconds when using my zeiss spotting scope sitting and leaning on my knees at 40x because i was too lazy to crank it down to 20× but at 4x man. I can see a big advantage in going significantly lower than 4x if you wanna shoot running animals, something i don't do.

 

[Phil Rizzo]

Unless you are getting younger, having the extra magnification may very well prove valuable in the future.
Plus you can spot impacts better without a separate spotting scope, in certain situations. Like the ladder test I did today @ 300.

 

[wasskeet]

I could be wrong as I haven't looked thru either of these, but I expect the eye box of the 4-32 set at 20 power to be better than the 2.5-20 set at 20. That would be a big deal to me - maybe not everyone though.

 

[oneshotkyle]

2.5-20 no doubt. Have used mine to shoot out to 1900yds. All the extra magnification of the 32 won't help when I creates more mirage cranked up

 

[Hotmail]

I could be wrong as I haven't looked thru either of these, but I expect the eye box of the 4-32 set at 20 power to be better than the 2.5-20 set at 20. That would be a big deal to me - maybe not everyone though.

Image quality is a lot better on the 4-32x50 at 20x as well. I ordered 2 more during the last sale awaiting backorder.

I looked through the 2.5-20x50 F1 and couldn't see the fine and nearly hairlike invisible FFP reticle below 8x. If I were to buy a lower magnification NX8 it would definitely be a SFP F2 version not the FFP F1. Totally unusable reticle below 8x.

Biggest wow factors this past year for me were the Vortex Razor Gen 3 and Arken EP5. If weight isn't an issue the newest Arken EP5 may be good enough. If weight and price isn't an issue I'd highly recommend the Vortex Razor Gen 3 which I prefer over than the NX8. The eyebox and FOV are really huge on the Razor Gen 3 and EP5. Hard to go back to looking through most other scopes for me now.

 

[randy181421]

My nx8 works great on my 7prc