Nightforce ATACR Rifle Scope – Review

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The Nightforce ATACR, like other rifle scopes from the company including the NXS may be bulky at 38oz but offers fantastic value for money. The weight may be attributed to the heavier and larger tube and superior ED glass.

General Traits

The length though is about three quarters of an inch shorter than the Nightforce NXS. The windage and height adjustment turrets are quick and easy to handle. They are also quite comfortable to read. The eye relief is at 3.54” and the Field Of View is quite impressive at 17.96’ on 5x magnification and 4.92’ on 25x magnification. Though its MOA is announced to be 120, when the elevation turret is detached and the zero stop is set to count the overall internal elevation, it indicates that it goes beyond an impressive 130. The adjustments can be done effortlessly and the final clicks are as quick and smooth as those in the middle. The magnification ring can be rotated securely and easily. Mounting can be done easily using the much lighter Nightforce scope rings in 1.125.

Specific highlights

  • Reticle: The image resolution and clarity at 60 and 100 and even 300 yards on a 25x magnification is exceptional. The reticle sub-tensions are 1” at 100 and ensure accurate and quick measurement of corrections. A simple box test will confirm the high basic tracking potential of the scope. Though certain scopes do not carry true to scale correction during diminished magnification, the ATACR shows the perfectly spaced sub-tension lines at 2 MOA and at half the power setting.
  • Parallax: The parallax adjustment in ATACR is rapid with minimal movement of dial which means that the focus is clear in quick time. With little practice it becomes an exceptional attribute to have in order to obtain the best possible sight picture.
  • Elevation Tracking: The elevation tracking is close to perfect with ATACR tracking in 1.047” per moa dialed in taking into consideration the type of rifle, the kind of ammunition used and the skill level of the shooter.
  • ED Glass: When compared with the NXS the ATACR has been designed to provide a higher level of clarity, color and image resolution. When tested under conditions of low light, the ED glass assures more image quality with enhanced brightness and clarity than the NXS does under similar conditions.
  • Reticle Illumination: Reticle illumination has greater use for those operations carried out under complete darkness or extremely low light. Although adjustments can be made to the intensity of the reticle illumination, it is most certainly not useful for midday operations. With minuscule reticles, illumination might not be a great addition as it distorts the image and mostly serves as an obstacle to completing an otherwise perfect shot.
  • The MOAR Reticle: The MOAR reticle comes with a thickness of about .140”. That might be more than twice that of NP-R1 but when compared to many other reticles in the market, it is pretty thin. The best attributes of the MOAR reticle with the floating cross reduced to.062” is that it has lines that are thick enough to guide you to the center point to bring in a high level of accuracy. It is this aspect that makes it one of the most sought after reticles among shooters.
  • Corrections: Nightforce subjects its scopes to a range of tests to ensure quality and one of its characteristics is consistency and dependability in corrections. The ATACR has been designed to make corrections that are steady and dialed right in. With perfect regulation of windage, it is certainly possible to obtain near perfect hits at even 1700 to 2000 yards.

One can safely conclude that even with the bulk and the thick MOAR reticle, the ATACR from Nightforce is a great choice for hunting. It is possible that Nightforce might go in for thinner floating reticles in future but for now, the MOAR certainly serves it purpose.