Story by Jake Meyer
Photo by Nikon
Texas has some wide-open spaces, and hunters in the state love long-range accuracy at any magnification setting. Nikon’s new BDC Distance Lock function in its new riflescopes make the desire a reality, and removes the worries about bullet drop compensation.
Nikon Sport Optics released six new riflescopes with a BDC Distance Lock function located in the first focal plane, allowing the riflescope to maintain its scale and distance proportion on a target throughout the entire zoom range.
The greatest benefit of these new BDC Distance Lock-equipped riflescopes will be for those who use Nikon’s Spot On™ Ballistic Program and BDC reticles to compensate for bullet drop at extended ranges.
Up until now, all of Nikon’s riflescopes have been in the second focal plane, which means that as shooters zoom from the lowest magnification to the highest, the reticle appears the same size in your field-of-view but is changing size in relation to your target. For Spot On users, this has meant that the aiming points provided by the popular ballistic app have been specific to one magnification (typically the highest power).
With the new BDC Distance Lock function that keeps everything in the first focal plane, the aiming points provided by the Spot On application will be the same, regardless of the magnification setting. This is made possible because with a first focal plane riflescope, the reticle stays the same size in relation to your target.
Nikon’s new riflescopes with the BDC Distance Lock function include:
– MONARCH 3 3-12×42, 3 4-16×42 and 3 4-16x50SF FFP Matte BDC Distance Lock
– PROSTAFF 5 3.5-14×40, 5 3.5-14×50 and 5 4.5-18x40SF FFP Matte BDC Distance Lock
Each of the riflescopes all feature Nikon’s Fully Multilayer Coated lenses that deliver superior light transmission for bright, clear images with balanced color. They are built with one-inch main body tubes, generous eye relief and a quick-focus eyepiece for extremely easy adjustment. The elevation and windage adjustments are made in clickable increments of ¼-inch @ 100 yards.
The turrets all have a Spring-Loaded Instant Zero-Reset feature that enables users to lift the turret and return to the “zero” mark after sighting in. This function not only simplifies adjustments in the field, it also makes it easier to relocate one’s zero, should the turrets get accidentally turned.
These riflescopes also have a side-focus knob for parallax adjustment. The side-focus knob has distances inscribed on it, making it easy to quickly focus the scope from a particular vantage point.
Like all Nikon riflescopes, the MONARCH 3 and PROSTAFF 5 BDC Distance Lock riflescopes are optimized for use with Spot On Ballistic Match Technology. The Spot On program provides users with exact aiming points on the BDC reticle for any load or ammunition at a specified range. Spot On is free online at NikonSportOptics.com/SpotOn and is now free for mobile devices, including the iPhone, iPad and Android platforms.
The MONARCH 3 and PROSTAFF 5 riflescopes are waterproof, fogproof and shockproof for exceptional performance under diverse conditions. They are backed by Nikon’s Limited Lifetime Warranty and Nikon’s No-Fault Repair/Replacement Policy for Binoculars, Riflescopes and Fieldscopes.
Check the new scopes out at nikonsportoptics.com.
