Been talking to Jeff Huber some from Nightforce, and he would be interested in producing a LR handgun scope for varminters/bench/LR shooters, but he wants to know what type of features we would require. Please give me some feedback here to get back to him on it, AND would we pay 1000-12 or $1300 for the BEST??? I WOULD, FOR SURE!

Well I would like to see the same reticle options as their line of rifle scopes including lighted. Of course target turrets. About an 8x-18x variable range. Probably going to mean a 30mm tube. And an objective of about 40mm. I think going large like their other scopes would make the scope seem heavier than many of the guns.

i think he'd sell more of them if the price were a lil more in line. with a $ tag that high, it would be for highly specialized people only.
still hope it gets done though not that i'd ever have $1200 to invest in a single scope

for my uses.....would i trade 4 of my 3x12 burris scopes for one of those ......no.

Steve,

Some kind of ranging reticle... It's pretty hard to beat the Burris Ballistic Plex. Maybe a good Mil-Dot setup with a focal plane setup where the dot sizes don't change with power changes?

Target turrets with easy zero capability (no allen wrench required)

He's gonna need some SERIOUS ability to adjust the reticle. The Burris is woefully inadequate here and the Leupold is very good. Handguns don't make the velocity of rifles and therefore have way more bullet drop. This is the most important issue.

30mm tube

40mm objective

It CAN'T be very long or people will be resistant to buying it and it'll look aweful... If possible it should be as short as the Burris 3-12x or close to it.

Make it in matte blue only... Nickel doesn't re-sell well.

Of course an adjustable objective with side focus would be nice. This is even more important with a pistol than a rifle!

Phase coated lenses or at least as good as the Bushnell Rainguard coating.

And with all that he needs to be very sure it's reasonably easy to center your eye behind it. That's the big failing of the Burris. It doesn't have to be that hard. The Leupold and Bushnell are much easier to use in the field than the Burris.

Of course the harder it is to center your eye behind it the less parallex you'll encounter so there is a tradeoff there.

Lighted reticle would be nice but I'm not sure it'd be applicable in a long range high powered scope like this.

I'd like to see 6.5x-20x power range if possible with generous/constant eye relief. That's the biggest turnoff for me with the Burris. I have long arms and absolutely hate the short eye relief at 12x! I have to get all scrunched up to use it...

If he accomplishes all the above nit-picky stuff I've mentioned then he'll have what is IMO the perfect long range pistol scope and it'll easily be worth $1200!!!

$bob$

If he could make a scope to stand up to my 378 GNR barrel I would pay $2,000 for it.

If it met all the standards Bob set forth in his post, and was $1200.00 and not much more, then yes, I'd buy one.

Good thoughts guys-- keep 'em coming. I agree with Bob's comments, but heck i'm a little guy, and that 3-12X Burris eye relief is too long for me from field positions for a center grip-- heck-- Ernie's a tall guy, and it's too long for him too.

Steve,

I guess the centergrip XP must move the scope back a good bit further toward the shooter's eye. I dunno.... Never even handled one.

With Contenders, Encores, and revolvers I've found the eye relief of a Burris 3-12 to be painfully short and I have a 35 sleeve length which is long but not way long.

Maybe we need to look at this issue a bit more. He may need to make two models???

$bob$

How about this, give me the eye relief you need for a rear-grip gun from both the bench and the prone position. On most bench or hig accuracy rigs severe recoil will not be a huge issue, so also consider that. Also let me know if you are short, long or medium arm length in your opinion.
I would really like feedback on this.

Ernie,

I don't know the numbers but I find the Bushnell Trophy 2-6 scope to have perfect eye relief for every use I've ever had for it. I don't shoot prone with handguns (or rifles) because here in Florida the brush is too thick to lay down unless you are happy with only seeing to the end of your nose... <grin>

Oh yeah... I'm 5'11" 210lbs and have a 35" sleeve length which I consider to be long but not extra long.

$bob$

$bob$

i have more trouble with the bushnell trophy 2x6 as far as eye relief(18"constant). the longer eye relief doesn't work well at all from my field positions. that is the only problem i have with that scope. it works best with extended arms, and i do not shoot in that manner.

i prefer the shorter eye relief of the burris in the field. 5'11".....225lbs.......and arms kinnda short maybe

the 3x12 burris is just fine from the bench and field rested. i do not shoot prone.

I'd have a problem 1200 dollars for a scope. Too much money. Furthermore, no matter what scope is out there someone would have a problem with it. I guess if Lightforce offered a full money back guarantee on the scope if it didn't fit you, maybe then. I just can't see going much above 12x but for me that works.

What about a high mag LER scope that was around half of the cost?

now i'm a thinkin that would be more in line. $600 for a specialized scope wouldn't be totally outta reach for the average man.
ya gotta admit it is still a lil pricey.....but a leupold 2.5x8 ler is about $400 bucks in most places.
a comparable quality high power ler scope with target turrets, AO, balistic plex, and generous eye relief would be handy for handgunning varminters, bench rest shooters........and you looooong range shootin fellers.

what kinda x's are ya lookin at? 16x...18x...20x....24x.....more?????

doesn't mirage have greater effect over 12x

Kyode and magman,

I think you guys might be missing the point here. The Nightforce line of scopes are very expensive because they're the Rolls Royce of scopes.

For them to make a pistol scope with very limited application such as for long distance shooters where the market would undoubtedly be very small, for less than a thousand dollars each just isn't going to happen.

This will be the ultimate pistol scope for the long distance shooter and we won't expect it to compete with a Leupold or any other pistol scope in the price category.

I'm surprized that they've agreed to even consider making us a scope to our specifications for any price. Much less at a hopeful price of $1200.

$bob$

Thks. guys i'll copy this info to Jeff Huber, and see what he says.

LDHUNTER, if you want to see the Roll Royce of scopes, look at US Optics. They will make whatever scope you want. As for the Nghtforce, they are good scopes, but I'm not paying 1300.00 for a scope, no matter who made it.
http://www.usoptics.com/

what about fixed power scope like a 8x 10x 12x 15x.with taget turret and adjustable AO.mill dot, duplex. target dot.german! one just for taget and long rang shooting. from what i understand the eye relief would be easier to manageon fixed power.