for shots on whitetail 750 yards++. The set up from last year will be my #1 this coming season and I've got a lot of country to look at. For my application this NF checked all the boxes. From bore sight to center punching the 1" dot was 4 shots from my Tikka Roughtek 7mm Rem Mag. I looked at a lot of deer this weekend through this scope. At dark, early morning, as far as 750-900 yards, in the brush, out in open......................

Light gathering was equal to my Leupold VX5 HD, 3-15 x 44. It's bigger and heavier but not enough to matter to me. The reticle is heavy and seems to take up a lot of space but again, not enough to matter to me. I really need good clarity at long ranges, dependable zero and 100% confidence when I dial it to the distance I range the target. I'll order my dial and shoot it at distance now that I have a good zero and have chrono'd my velocity. I'll get this on steel at some distance and be ready come November. From the limited shooting I did this weekend and the animals I saw through it I'm feeling pretty good about it.

All that said, I'll probably see the monster at 100 yards at 0900 with great light. Price was $1250.00, special ordered from Scheels. They didn't have the reticle I wanted, no problem, they made a call, I paid, had it in a week.

How are you dealing with wind?

Why are you ordering a dial?

That will get the job done! I am surprised by your choice though.

BOBO talked me into a nightforce and i also run the VX5HD....i have zero complaints

If it is an amount of wind that I'm not comfortable with I won't take a shot at a great buck. Wind hasn't been a factor for me on most of the long shots I've taken. I've killed deer at 350 & 440 no wind, a lot of coyotes from 400-550, no wind. When it has been a factor, I've used the target as reference and held.

I have used yardage dials for years very effectively. (Leupold CDS). NF doesn't make them but recommends Kenton. I have one of theirs currently. That's what I'll order for this. It's what I know.

I personally like both. Depends on my application.

Also, I really like Burris. Especially the Signature HD, 3-15 x 44 I have on my .308.

My lease went from 2100 to -2000DA in one week, 4100ft swing isn’t a huge deal at closer ranges but potentially could be for longer shots depending on set up,

Before you order you may want to play with density altitude and a calculator to get a a more realistic idea of the area’s DA avg during season and cold fronts

I would also keep your old turret incase you travel out of state to the mountains where your DA may be a difference of 8k plus.

FWIW I use “Shooter” and “Density Altitude +” apps

Congrats on scope, SHV is tough optic line

Great choice!

The weak link in your "system" will be the custom turret. System, meaning precision ammo, precision rifle, and precision optic, but the optic is watered down with a "custom" turret that locks you into one drop. If you make your custom turret for a set environmental condition, and there is a change in that condition, your turret will be off at longer ranges. To account for this, you have to do one of 2 things.

1-Have a custom LRF/binoculars programmed to your turret, that tells you your dial up plus any correction. (Costs money!)
2- You know the exact come up of your dial in the programmed custom turret and calculate the actual drop/drift in the new environmental condition, and dial/correct for the difference.
I understand how to do this, and it would make my head hurt trying to account for both drops in a changing environment while trying to bag a trophy.

Quick true story- Years ago I had a customer bring me a high end 6.5x284 rifle for load work up. I dialed in the rifle and it was shooting bug holes, even at long range. He was shooting at 600 yards and shot a 1.5" group, but was low 7" or 8" from his "custom" dial. He called me all mad about it. I reminded him of our conversation about the weak link in his system was the custom turret and locking into a set environmental condition. We talked for a minute, and I said let's calculate the "actual" difference in your dial right now. I pulled up the nearest airport he was shooting near, and ran the drop numbers of both his custom turret and the current environmental condition he was shooting in. I came up with 7" drop difference between his turret and the actual environmental conditions he was shooting in. His comment was, "then why do need to use a "custom" turret?" I asked him the same question. If you plan to shoot further than about 400 to 500 yards, the custom turret is your weak point. It can be "off" just enough to cause a miss or a bad shot at distance. If you plan to battle and calculate the drop differences, then go for it. But you need to know how to do it. Trying to dial to "7" for a 700 yard shot can very easily cause you a miss when it counts.

Also, you don't see any match or precision shooters with a custom turret. They run MOA or (mainly) mils. I have many customers that I have talked out of this after they learn the hard way from missing animals at longer range with a custom turret. Most of the time, if you don't understand how to dial in mils or moa, most shooters are not well versed on how to calculate the true difference at longer ranges.

I have MANY customers that use them and make them work. But they understand how to use the LRF and apply it.

What I don't understand is this: If you learn how to dial in moa or mils, you learn a skill that applies to ALL of your rifles equally. If you are setting up for a custom dial for each rifle you shoot, you are only learning how to account for drop based on that turret and drop data only, and you have to do learn and understand the drop for each rifle and set up. Once you understand moa or mils, it carries over to all scopes. The custom turret just adds in more error factor to long range shooting. And I've seen enough shooters struggle with the custom turrets, that the weaknesses need to be understood. It's just not a system I recommend and do not recommend for my customers.

I only use one load in one place. I'm not a match or precision shooter. I've done it my way successfully 100's of times. I have found a method that I tested in the field years ago. I remember the first actual hunt that I used a custom dial on. I posted it here on the forum. I shot 3 coyotes, all at different ranges, held dead on after dialing. One was close to 400 yards. Someone else told me the way I was doing it was wrong. I wanted to ask him if he missed the pile of dead coyotes I posted pic's of. I've never missed when it counts since then. I'll test this at out as well and won't take a shot I'm not confident in. If I go somewhere that the dial wasn't set up for, I'll use the original dial. Thanks for your advice. Some will read it and decide that they want to learn the method you recommend.

I would have gone with the MOAR reticle. Same thing you have just with the ease of a couple left to right wind hash marks that don't clutter it up

I only use one load in one place often also. My first round cold bore come up at 1000 yards in the morning is ALWAYS different than the 1000 yard shot come up in the afternoon on the same target. And different enough for a hit or miss. Your use stated for 750+++ yards. I'm just letting you know of the limitations a custom turret has at those distances. The 400 yards you are shooting out to currently is still considered short range and not far enough to account for a drastic difference in drop on a target the size of a coyote. GLTY.

I'll test it and post results. You'll shake your head at this as well.............I use factory ammo. The velocity on the box chrono'd exactly 50 fps slower in my 22" barrel. Same as it did 3 years ago when I ordered the Leupold CDS dial originally before switching to this NF.

I thought about that. Nothing above the water line, I liked it. I like a duplex, or in this case a Forceplex reticle better. If I have to hold much wind I'll likely pass if he's way out there. Most of the time, it's not a factor. If it is, I have a way.

that is what i went with. i like it a lot and i went with illuminated reticle.