Quote Originally Posted by Slippers View Post
Just to be clear, the following are my opinions:

When you talk about 1x performance, it's hard to avoid comparing any low power variable to the Razor 1-6. Razor glass is very good, to my eyes nearly on the level of ATACR glass. The 1x image is excellent, with a wide field of view, low distortion and chromatic aberration, plus great illumination. Sure, it's heavier, and that's the trade-off. The Kahles K16i is of a similar vein, but weighs even less than the razor and has both superior field of view and reticle (in my opinion), with a hair less brightness on the illumination.

If you place 90% or more of your "value" on 1x performance, then the NX8 and ATACR 1-8 are not necessarily your best choices.
Great. Thanks. A duel. First, I would agree that the quality of image on the Razoe HD-II and the Kahles is great. I would personally give the Kahles a slight edge, but they are both great. I also have found the Steiner M6Xi 1-6x to be perfect at 1x. This scope, is however, not on the commercial market (yet), so not enough other opinions out there. Also, same is true of the new 1-8x from Schmidt and Bender. All great glass. Probably the Kahles has the best glass.

In the 1-6x or 1-8x market, I would look at: 1) true 1x performance, 2) point and shoot with two eyes open, 3) clarity of glass, 4) ease of zoom and operation from 1x to 6x, etc., 5) durability of a tactical scope, 6) tracking, 7) ergonomics of turrets and zoom.

In the glass space, again, I agree with your assessment. In true 1x, that is subjective, but might be a push. In tactical durability, ergonomics, and especially in point and shoot with two eyes open, I believe ATACR excels.

Where I see the ATACR shining far above any of the current competition is in two eye open true 1x point and shoot. The ATACR has a very large and forgiving eye-box. We have run this with tests with military and LE Swat teams using the best red-dots, like the Aimpoint T-2 and Trijicon MRO, and the ATACR performed pretty close to as well as the red dots. The Steiner and S&B come very close to this performance, and I think the Steiner does best with true 1x performance, but they do not do quite as well -- and I leaves the Kahles far behind, in terms of ability to point and shot, and then magnify. I could see that the Vortex might be a good all around competitor. I don't know that it exceeds the ATACR, but is better in eye box from my eyes than Steiner and Kahles.

We all have our personal biases, but I put the ATACR one notch ahead of Kahles and Vortex in this market. Steiner and S&B have other benefits, but if I had to pick one overall best, it would be the ATACR.

The NX8 is not a point and shoot scope. It is a compact scope, light weight and does require a cheek weld to shoot. But in compact performance and ability to zoom out to 8x, it is a great scope and a great value. I have had a number of LE customers choose this over others for sniper teams. The advantage is to be compact and go out to 8x, thus replacing previous scopes that were like the 3-15x or 2.5-10x, etc. It is hard to argue with. Sniper teams are not extreme long distance, and if they are, they are using a bolt gun and 15-25x. For most sniper LE needs, 8x is plenty, and using a gas gun, the NX8 is a great choice. What I find competing with the NX8 is the Trijicon Accupower 1-8x, and the latter wins on price. I can see the Vortex Razor competing in this domain as well, but there are many buyers who see 6x as CQB, and as you get to 8x, you are now potentially replacing another long-range scope, and presenting a case to have only one scope and not two.