NXS Zero Stop VS NO Zero Stop

[DRS]

I am looking to buy a Nightforce NXS for long range hunting. I don't have much experience at long range shooting. You guys with long range experience would you choose the NXS with zero stop and .250 clicks or no zero stop and the finer .125 clicks?
Thanks

 

[Bear Camp]

Definitely WITH zero stop and 1/4 moa if you plan on dialing the scope much.

 

[Bishop]

After buying 2 nightforce scopes with zero stop, I would never buy a scope without zero stop for long range if it was within my price range to get one with zero stop. It is just so comforting knowing you can blindly turn your scope down to its zero point without even looking.

If it was going on a rifle that wasnt going to be dialed for elevation then it doesnt really matter. But in my personal experience I would never buy a non zero stop scope ever again for long range shooting where I was going to dial elevation.

 

[alf]

I've had several without ZS I use for LR on 40 MOA bases. After getting a zero, I just crank the scope down to see how far off the bottom I am, and write it on the bottom of the stock with a sharpie. Most fall between 18-23 MOA off the bottom.

Works OK if you're on the cheap, but I'll do HS ZS if I can....

 

[NWmissouriman]

I'd definitely get Zero Stop. Even if you don't dial much, you will appreciate it. I rarely dial on my coyote rifle, but I have had the turrets move just from bouncing around the vehicle, dragging them through the sticks in the dark, etc etc. For me, it is certainly peace of mind.

 

[Farmerbrown]

Definitely the zero stop, high speed, 1/4" moa. I had two older low speed non zero stop scopes for a long time, but ended up getting one with the zs and then selling the two older ones and trading them for the zs.

 

[cblackwell]

DRS, after a very tough Coues deer hunt this year I learned something. And that is I will never own another exposed turret rifle scope that does not have a zero stop period. that few extra dollars would have been money well spent. hope this helps in your decision.

 

[majohnson]

There are ways of tracking your zero point, however having the zero stop takes the probability of making a mistake when dialing down. High speed turrets make adjusting that much easier. Shooting a 6.5CM, even shooting to 1000yds I have yet to need a full turn of elevation.

 

[MMERSS]

I have both and can't say one is more reliable than the other for my purposes.

For example, with the 32X NXS one will not have the elevation adjustment range compared to the 22X NXS (100 vs 65). The 32X equates to approximately 30 MOA elevation adjustment without an MOA mounted base. With a 20 MOA base one should have approximately 50 MOA of adjustable elevation. This leaves approximately 15 MOA of potential downward adjustable elevation. With the 20 MOA highspeed turrets I can't dial past 0 more than once without bottoming out on elevation adjustment. I simple dial my scope down to where I start to bottom then dial back up to 0. This is practically the same principle as the ZS for my needs, just with about 15 more MOA required turning back to 0.

With the 22X NXS you will have approximately 70 MOA adjustable elevation and 30 MOA downward adjustable elevation on a 20 MOA base. This would require spinning past 0 once before bottoming out. If you are aware of this, you simply spin back up past 0 once then stop on the next 0. Without a 20MOA base one would expect to spin past 0 twice before stopping at the next 0. This would be "quite abit of spinning" in my opinion making ZS worth the purchase.

I do like the ZS on my 22X but in all practicality with a MOA base it's not necessary for my needs nor justifies the extra cost. I'm not turning back to zero in the dark and it doesn't take that much more time. For my 32X I do not see the advantage of ZS with an MOA base. Just my experience and observation.

My choice for ZS is reestablishing 0. I can do the same without as explained above. For others they prefer ZS for additional reasons.

 

[yobuck]

Are they necessary? absolutly not. they are a rather new creation. lots of successfull
long range shooting took place a long long time before they came along.
that said i dont know any at least honest people who wont admitt to losing zero.
stupid mistake, but it happens. there are other options to the expensive versions
offered by the factory also. just sayin.

 

[blkdog]

I have the NXS without a zero stop and I also have the G7 by Nightforce with the zero stop and I will tell you I will not buy another long range scope without it! Most mid to high end scopes have some kind of zero stop, ie. Vortex Huskamaw. S&B US optics etc. There must be a reason. We set our zero stops eight to ten clicks pasty zero and then come back up in order to be on the same side of the threads. Probably not really needed except for extreme range and to make us feel like we are doing all we can do.