Description
Last update on September 30, 2023 // Source: Amazon API
Rifle Scope Product Details
NightForce ATACR 5-25x56mm F1 ZeroStop .1 Mil-Radian DigIllum PTL Mil-R, Black, 34mm
NightForce ATACR 5-25x56mm F1 ZeroStop .1 Mil-Radian DigIllum PTL Mil-R, Black, 34mm C546
Rifle Scope Product Features
Internal Adjustments: Elev- 89MOA/26 MIL, Wind-60MOA/ 18MIL
Tube Diameter: 34mm
Eye Relief: 3.54″
Mounting Length (inches/mm): 6.3/160
Weight (ounce/gram): 30/850
About the NightForce Brand
NightForce is a premium company for firearm scopes, optics, mounts, and other add-ons used for firearms like rifles and long guns. They design and build their products by making the most of materials which are long lasting and resilient. This includes the NightForce ATACR 5-25x56mm F1 ZeroStop .1 Mil-Radian DigIllum PTL Mil-R, Black, 34mm by NightForce. For additional shooting goods, visit their website.
What You Need to Know About Rifle Glass
Rifle scopes allow you to precisely aim a rifle at various targets by aligning your eye with the target over a range. They do this through zoom using a series of lenses inside the scope. The scope’s alignment can be adjusted to account for numerous environmental elements like wind and elevation decreases to account for bullet drop.
The scope’s function is to understand precisely where the bullet will hit based upon the sight picture you are seeing through the optic as you line up the scope’s crosshair or reticle with the intended point of impact. The majority of modern-day rifle optics have around eleven parts which are found within and outside of the scope. These scope parts include the rifle scope’s body, lenses, windage and elevation dials, focus rings, and other elements. See all eleven parts of a rifle optical system.
Rifle Glass Styles
Rifle scopes can be either “first focal plane” or “second focal plane” type of optics. Choosing the best type of rifle optic depends on what type of shooting you plan to do.
Info About First Focal Plane Glass
Focal plane scopes (FFP) come with the reticle in front of the magnifying lens. This causes the reticle to increase in size based upon the level of zoom being used. The result is that the reticle measurements are the same at the amplified distance as they are at the non amplified range. One tick on a mil-dot reticle at 100 yards with no “zoom” is still the exact same tick at one hundred yards with 5x “zoom”. These types of scopes work for:
- Quick acquisition, far away types of shooting
- Shooting scenarios where computations are marginal
- Experienced shooters who understand their aim point “hold over” as well as “lead” equations for their weapon
- Shooters who don’t mind the reticle is enlarged and occupies more visual sight room than a SFP reticle
About Second Focal Plane Optics
Second focal plane scopes (SFP) include the reticle to the rear of the magnification lens. This triggers the reticle to remain at the same size relative to the amount of magnification being used. The effect is that the reticle dimensions evolve based upon the magnification chosen to shoot over longer distances due to the fact that the markings represent different increments which vary with the magnification level. In the FFP example with the SFP glass, the 5x “zoom” 100 yard tick measurement would be 1/5th of the non “zoom” tick. These types of glass are handy for:
- Far away styles of shooting where shooters have extra time to make ballistic calculations
- Shooting where most of the shots happen within much shorter distances and ranges
- Shooters who would like a clearer optic sight picture without area taken up by the larger size FFP reticle
Rifle Optic Zoom
The level of scope magnification you need depends upon the style of shooting you want to do. Practically every type of rifle optic gives some degree of zoom. The amount of zoom a scope provides is determined by the diameter, thickness, and curves of the lens glass within the rifle scope. The magnification level of the scope is the “power” of the scope. This indicates what the shooter is aiming at through the scope is amplified times the power element of what can usually be seen by human eyes.
About Fixed Power Lens Rifle Glass
A single power rifle optic or scope will have a magnification number designator like 4×32. This implies the magnification power of the scope is 4x power and the objective lens is 32mm. The zoom of this type of optic can not adjust because it is set from the factory.
Adjustable Power Lens Optics
Variable power rifle scopes can be changed between magnification power levels. It will note the magnification amount in a format such as 2-10×32. These numbers suggest the zoom of the scope could be set between 2x and 10x power. This also involves the power levels in-between 2 and 10. The power adaptation is accomplished by working with the power ring part of the scope near the back of the scope by the eye bell piece.
Power Levels and Range Correlations
Here are some recommended scope powers and the distances where they can be successfully used. High power glass will not be as effective as lower powered rifle scope glass because too much magnification can be a bad thing. The same concept applies to longer distances where the shooter needs sufficient power to see precisely where to best aim the rifle at the target.
Optic Lens Finishing
All contemporary rifle optic lenses are coated. There are various types and qualities of coatings. Lens covering is a crucial aspect of a rifle when contemplating high end rifle optics and targeting units. The lenses are one of the most important components of the optic given that they are what your eye looks through while sighting a rifle in on the point of impact. The covering on the lenses protects the lens surface as well as helps with anti glare from refracted sunrays and color profiles.
HD Versus ED Lenses
Some scope brands likewise use “HD” or high-definition lens finishings which use various methods, aspects, chemicals, and polarizations to draw out various colors and viewable definition through the lens. Some scope manufacturers use “HD” to refer to “ED” to signify the lens has extra-low dispersion glass.
Details on Single Covering Versus Multi-Coating
Various optic lenses can also have various coatings used to them. All lenses usually have at least some type of treatment or covering applied to them before being used in a rifle scope or optic.
This lens treatment can protect the lens from scratches while lowering glare and other less advantageous things experienced in the shooting environment while sighting in with the scope. The quality of a single covered lens depends on the scope manufacturer and how much you paid for it.
Some scope manufacturers similarly make it a point to specify if their optic lenses are layered or “multi” coated. Being “much better” depends on the producer’s lens treatment innovation and the quality of materials used in constructing the rifle scope.
Details on Anti-water Finishing
Water on an optical lens doesn’t support maintaining a clear sight picture through a scope at all. Many top of the line and premium optic makers will coat their lenses with a hydrophobic or hydrophilic finish. The Steiner Optics Nano-Protection is a good example of this type of treatment. It treats the surface area of the Steiner optic lens so the water molecules can not bind to it or develop surface tension. The outcome is that the water beads move off of the scope to keep a clear, water free sight picture.
Alternatives for Mounting Rifle Optics on Long Guns
Mounting options for scopes come in a few options. There are the basic scope rings which are separately mounted to the scope and one-piece mounts which cradle the scope. These various kinds of mounts also generally are made in quick release versions which use throw levers which allow rifle shooters to rapidly mount and dismount the glass.
Hex Key Rifle Scope Ring Mounting Solutions
Basic, clamp-on style mounting scope rings use hex head screws to position to the flattop design Picatinny scope mount rails on rifles. These styles of scope mounts use two separate rings to support the optic, and are normally constructed from 7075 T6 billet aluminum which are developed for far away accuracy shooting. This form of scope mount is effective for rifles which require a durable, unfailing mount which will not move despite how much the scope is moved about or abuse the rifle takes. These are the style of mounts you should get for a faithful scope system on a far away scouting or interdiction rifle which will hardly ever need to be changed or recalibrated. Blue 242 Loctite threadlocker can additionally be used on screws to protect against the hex screw threads from wiggling out after they are installed securely in position. An example of these rings are the 30mm style made by Vortex Optics. The set normally costs around $200 USD
Quick-Release Cantilever Glass Ring Mounting Solutions
These types of quick-release rifle scope mounts can be used to rapidly attach and remove a scope from a rifle. Several scopes can also be switched out if they all use a similar designed mount. The quick detach mount style is CNC crafted from anodized 6061 T6 aluminum and the mounting levers fasten solidly to a flat top style Picatinny rail. This allows the scope to be sighted in while on the rifle, taken off of the rifle, and remounted back on the rifle while preserving precision. These types of mounts come in practical for rifles which are transferred a lot, to remove the scope from the rifle for protection, or for aiming systems which are adopted in between several rifles. An example of this mount style is the 30mm mount from Vortex Optics. It usually costs around $250 USD
Sealing and Gas Purging for Rifle Optic Tubes
Wetness inside your rifle optic can ruin a day of shooting and your pricey optic by bringing about fogging and creating residue inside of the scope tube. Many scopes avoid moisture from going into the scope tube with a system of sealing O-rings which are waterproof.
Gas Purged Rifle Scope Tubes
Another component of avoiding the accumulation of moisture inside of the rifle optic tube is filling the tube with a gas like nitrogen. Considering that this space is currently occupied by the gas, the optic is less influenced by condition changes and pressure distinctions from the outside environment which might potentially enable water vapor to leak in around the seals to fill the void which would otherwise be there. These are good qualities of a good rifle scope to seek out.
