Nikon “Black” optics

[AtlMedic]

looking around I came across the Nikon Black line of optics. I remember hearing that they were supposed to be a slightly higher end lineup and the prices seem pretty good but I don’t know a lot about optics admittedly. Anyone have any experience or opinions?

@Laufen @cmshoot @Red Dawn

 

[Red Dawn]

To be honest @AtlMedic I haven’t had my hands on one yet. I’ll read up tho and see what I can find you got me curious now.

 

[Red Dawn]

I’d be willing to bet @ReservoirDawg10 or @chance has seen one prolly at competition

 

[ReservoirDawg10]

I’d be willing to bet @ReservoirDawg10 or @chance has seen one prolly at competition

Not yet. The FFP models haven't quite made it into people's hands yet

 

[Laufen]

looking around I came across the Nikon Black line of optics. I remember hearing that they were supposed to be a slightly higher end lineup and the prices seem pretty good but I don’t know a lot about optics admittedly. Anyone have any experience or opinions?

@Laufen @cmshoot @Red Dawn

I haven’t handled or shot one, but I’d expect some decent Japanese glass, batch testing as far as qc goes, good coatings and a perfectly serviceable scope for most applications outside of match shooting and duty applications. They have a very limited choice of reticles, and they don’t look to be very “smart” by today’s standards. They have a zero stop feature which is nice, but it doesn’t look like they have an abundance of internal adjustment. Not a fan of the fast focus eyepiece or uncapped windsge knob. Looks like a nice choice for the money all said. I’d choose it over a comparable vortex all day.

 

[EugenFJR]

I haven’t handled or shot one, but I’d expect some decent Japanese glass, batch testing as far as qc goes, good coatings and a perfectly serviceable scope for most applications outside of match shooting and duty applications. They have a very limited choice of reticles, and they don’t look to be very “smart” by today’s standards. They have a zero stop feature which is nice, but it doesn’t look like they have an abundance of internal adjustment. Not a fan of the fast focus eyepiece or uncapped windsge knob. Looks like a nice choice for the money all said.

LOL!! Beer snob, and now a optics snob...
Tell Nightforce they need to design a optic for the .50 machine gun. It needs to be easy to use and zero, because soldiers are dumb, and not really gun queers. The first line in the BDC needs to be at 500m out to 1300m. I'll be happy to take it on the range and test it for them. I'm actually pretty serious about this...

 

[Laufen]

LOL!! Beer snob, and now a optics snob...
Tell Nightforce they need to design a optic for the .50 machine gun. It needs to be easy to use and zero, because soldiers are dumb, and not really gun queers. The first line in the BDC needs to be at 500m out to 1300m. I'll be happy to take it on the range and test it for them. I'm actually pretty serious about this...

The problem with a bdc reticle is that conditions are always changing. Is it calibrated for a high and dry desert atmosphere, or humid lowlands?. The reticles are designed to be employed after your calculations have been made, and not clutter up your field of view with irrelevant aiming points. Our mid tier nxs happily gobbles up 20mm Vulcan recoil. Zeroing is simple, same as any other scope.



I’ve always been an optics snob lol.

 

[chance]

I’d be willing to bet @ReservoirDawg10 or @chance has seen one prolly at competition

I dont even own a magnified optic at this point. I know very little about precision shooting unfortunately.

 

[EugenFJR]

The problem with a bdc reticle is that conditions are always changing. Is it calibrated for a high and dry desert atmosphere, or humid lowlands?. The reticles are designed to be employed after your calculations have been made, and not clutter up your field of view with irrelevant aiming points. Our mid tier nxs happily gobbles up 20mm Vulcan recoil. Zeroing is simple, same as any other scope.

View attachment 37260

I’ve always been an optics snob lol.

PM me your number. I'm serious about finding and fielding a simple optic for a .50 BMG .

 

[Laufen]

PM me your number. I'm serious about finding and fielding a simple optic for a .50 BMG .

I’m going to ask my buddy upstairs in mil/gov about it. Also, we only sell through dealers or direct to mil/le via their purchasing channels.

 

[EugenFJR]

I’m going to ask my buddy upstairs in mil/gov about it. Also, we only sell through dealers or direct to mil/le via their purchasing channels.

Okay cool. I'll have to talk to some of my senior NCO's, and or officers. But PM me your number when you get a chance.

 

[ReservoirDawg10]

I haven’t handled or shot one, but I’d expect some decent Japanese glass, batch testing as far as qc goes, good coatings and a perfectly serviceable scope for most applications outside of match shooting and duty applications. They have a very limited choice of reticles, and they don’t look to be very “smart” by today’s standards. They have a zero stop feature which is nice, but it doesn’t look like they have an abundance of internal adjustment. Not a fan of the fast focus eyepiece or uncapped windsge knob. Looks like a nice choice for the money all said. I’d choose it over a comparable vortex all day.

And the Mil-r or MOAR are "smart?" Poking aside, Nikon really hasn't hasn't put much effort into the reticles. Most don't really need an overwhelming Horus reticle, but some christmas tree is nice when done properly. Especially for the group of shooters they are targeting with their new FFP models. That said, loads of shooters still gravitate towards the P4 and MSR reticles for their practical simplicity. 25 mils of elevation is perfectly acceptable out of a 30mm tube. Capped knobs are for the birds. Locking windage is much more useful and you don't have to fumble around with parts of your scope and keep track of them once you take them off to make adjustments.

BDC reticles suck. Nothing more than a marketing ploy. The world has to align in one's favor for them to be accurate.

I think for the price point (guessing around $600 street price), the new Nikons are a win, as long as they track properly. Only time and users will be able to determine that though. If they don't track, they are trash though, don't care what glass is in there. Look what happened to Steiner's following with the tracking issues they had on their T5Xi's.

 

[Laufen]

And the Mil-r or MOAR are "smart?" Poking aside, Nikon really hasn't hasn't put much effort into the reticles. Most don't really need an overwhelming Horus reticle, but some christmas tree is nice when done properly. Especially for the group of shooters they are targeting with their new FFP models. That said, loads of shooters still gravitate towards the P4 and MSR reticles for their practical simplicity. 25 mils of elevation is perfectly acceptable out of a 30mm tube. Capped knobs are for the birds. Locking windage is much more useful and you don't have to fumble around with parts of your scope and keep track of them once you take them off to make adjustments.

BDC reticles suck. Nothing more than a marketing ploy. The world has to align in one's favor for them to be accurate.

I think for the price point (guessing around $600 street price), the new Nikons are a win, as long as they track properly. Only time and users will be able to determine that though. If they don't track, they are trash though, don't care what glass is in there. Look what happened to Steiner's following with the tracking issues they had on their T5Xi's.

Yeah, the moar and milr are very basic,but there are other options in scopes that are directed at the types of users that can benefit from additional options. I dig a capped windage knob because I don’t dial wind, and once it’s set I want the assurance that it’s not going to move. It’s all about your style and preference though, you’re spot on

 

[Hayata]

Okay cool. I'll have to talk to some of my senior NCO's, and or officers. But PM me your number when you get a chance.

What's old is new again?

 

[EugenFJR]

What's old is new again?

LOL!! I'm sure that was a authorized optic...

 

[cmshoot]

I have no hands on experience with these.