New Nightforce NX6 Riflescopes: Full Review

If you like it when products get better and less expensive, it’s time to pay attention. Nightforce introduced a high-­performance family of scopes for 2026 and priced them reasonably for more rifle shooters. Making a premium-level product that’s priced right requires a hint of witchcraft. I’m skeptical when anyone makes such a claim, but there are no secrets in optics. A close look at the NX6 line reveals that it is still possible to get a lot for a little.

What’s New?

The NX6 family includes the following models: 1-­6x24mm F1/F2, 2-­12x42mm F1/F2, 3-­18x50mm F1/F2, 4-­24x50mm F2, 5-­30x56mm F1 and 6-­36x56mm F1/F2. The “F1” and “F2” nomenclature indicate “first-”­ and “second-­focal-­plane” reticles. 

There are many options across the NX6 line. Elevation turrets are available as capped or exposed, meaning the shooter can dial the turret for the desired elevation correction or set it and protect it. Every F2 scope — besides the 1-­6x24mm — features a capped turret and a voucher for a free kit to convert it to an exposed turret, should you desire. F1 scopes — again, other than the 1-­6X — features an exposed turret, but the user can order a custom ballistic drop compensating (BDC) turret from Nightforce. It doesn’t cost much, and all that’s required is to provide Nightforce with the muzzle velocity and ballistic coefficient (BC) of the projectile, as well as the approximate elevation and temperature at which you’ll be shooting. The BDC turret made for you will be marked in yards to the target. It makes dialing for distance so simple.

NX6 scopes have a new turret design that Nightforce worked on for a couple of years. One of the key features is an almost tool-­less zero and zero-­set system for the exposed turrets. Zeroing or removing an exposed turret is as simple as twisting the inner cap counterclockwise and then pulling the cap off the housing. A couple of metal tabs integral to the inner cap allow the use of anything ranging from a coin to the grip of a pocketknife to tighten and loosen the cap. Nightforce intentionally designed the inner cap with the idea that something in your range bag will work to loosen it. Once loosened, the entire cap pulls off the housing and can be repositioned to zero the turret. Tightening the inner cap holds the entire cap in place and sets the zero mechanism. The single action resets the dial and the zero mechanism. Nightforce calls this the “FieldSet turret system.”

Nightforce engineers spent two years on the turret system to make it easy to live with, modular, and to knock a bunch of weight off. Scope weight is an important factor for some, and heavier is rarely better. I don’t think scope weight is as big of a deal as many make out, but it matters when trying to make weight for certain classes of precision rifle competition. I’m of the opinion that the first priority is to make sure the scope is up to the task before worrying about weight. A scope is an aiming tool first and an observation tool second. It must be durable enough to survive travel and movement in the field if it is ever going to be a useful. Nightforce takes its scope durability tests to extreme levels to confirm they will hold in zero harsh environments. A historical downside has been the Nightforce turret system was heavy to ensure they could meet the necessary durability and repeatability requirements.

Pop the cap off any of the exposed turrets and take a look inside. There are visible lightening cuts in the system that help to shed weight. While the NX6 line is, in my opinion, impossible to distinguish optically from the pricier NX8 line, the NX6 scopes are shockingly light in weight. One of my favorites scopes, and a strong performer for me for many years is the NX8 4-32x50mm F1. I compared it to the NX6 6-­36x56mm ($2,200), i.e., “the new hotness.” The NX8 weighs 3 ounces less than the NX6, but the 6-­36X comes with a 56mm objective lens. The NX6 has a lighter-­than-­expected weight penalty, but it brings the advantages that come with a larger objective lens. The NX6 exit pupil is bigger at the same magnification, so it is easier to obtain and maintain a full field of view when the rifle fires.

Non-­Negotiables

NX6 scopes adhere to Nightforce’s well-­established company standards. Perhaps the best known and most unique to Nightforce is the emphasis placed on durability and repeatability. After walking through several optic factories and talking to many optical and mechanical engineers during my time as Guns & Ammo’s Rifles & Optics editor, I think the biggest distinguishing feature between scopes that can take a beating and those that can’t is whether or not the lenses have been bedded.

Bedding a lens is the process used by a few manufacturers to secure the lens housing inside the objective bell, ocular housing and maintube. Lenses can also be bedded inside the housing, providing some redundancy. Bedding compound is epoxy or glue used to secure the glass lens to the aluminum around it. The epoxy ensures the lens doesn’t move, which also provides some relief from thermal expansion of the aluminum. The use of epoxy is a great way to ensure the scope can hold a zero no matter how much it vibrates or gets jostled and jarred. The number one cause of zero shift is a lens inside the scope that moves inside the scope body due to impact — usually the objective lens because it’s so big and heavy. Nightforce beds the appropriate lenses in all of its scopes, including the NX6. I’ve never experienced a point-of-impact shift while using a Nightforce scope, so I expect the NX6 to live up to that reputation.

One reason the new turret took Nightforce so long to design was that its engineers wanted to ensure the NX6 would track like other Nightforce scopes. Where there is normally a large center section of brass supporting the turret’s internals, the NX6 line has a smaller brass component that received lightning cuts. It was paired with steel internal components, too. The use of steel makes manufacturing difficult, but the weight savings and durability of the steel is worth it. 

Nightforce is so obsessed with accurate tracking that each NX6 scope is tested across its entire range for accurate tracking before it ships to any retailer or enduser. The extra step takes more time but it is the only way for Nightforce to guarantee such a high level of performance.

My Favorite?

The NX6 family is so large that I recommend visiting Nightforce's website to view all the options in detail. There are a couple of new hunting reticles, for example, and plenty milliradian (mil) and Minute of Angle (MOA) reticle options. The two scopes that are standouts for me are the 2-­12x42mm F1 and the 6-­36x56mm F1. The 2-­12x42mm is an amazing hunting scope and the 6-­36x56mm is ideal for steel and competitive use.

The 2-­12x42mm impressed me because of its optical performance, light 23-­ounce weight, and usable reticle across the entire magnification range. Its reasonable 121/2-inch length is why the 2-12X is a joy for me to use, and it’s easy to maintain a full field of view. The reticle Nightforce puts in the 2-­12X F1 is the FC-­MRX. It has a segmented circle that surrounds a center crosshair. The segmented circle works as a bold aiming feature, making it visible at 2X. This must have been a tough combination to pull off, but the 2-­12x42mm is going to be popular on everything from hunting rifles to precision gas guns.

At 31.6 ounces, the 6-­36x56mm is equally light for its magnification range. It features a wide field of view and superior optics. The NX6 family has better optical performance than many will expect in its $2,200 price category because Nightforce built these scopes a little longer and without quite as wide a magnification range as the NX8. Scopes get easier to make and become a lot more economical — all with equal or better optical performance — with those two small concessions. The 6-­36x56mm is a popular magnification range, and the NX6 brings outstanding glass, lightweight features and a great turret system to this segment.

The NX6 line is unique, though, in optical performance, especially when paired with its light weight and competitive pricing. It’s also one of the easiest scope lines to use in the field. Eye relief is comfortable, even when shooting in a hurry, and the turret design is as user-­friendly as it gets. The shooter can swap turrets for the ideal setup on a particular rifle, and then easily change the configuration should the scope move to a different rifle. Zeroing is a snap, as well. The NX6 scopes mean life for rifle shooters just got simpler and a bit more affordable for a Nightforce. 

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