Nikon Sport Optics has announced the release of
six new riflescopes with a Distance Lock function located in the first focal plane, which allows 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.
The Spot On program allows shooters to input their shooting conditions and ballistic information in order to find the exact point of aim on Nikon’s BDC reticles (with unique circles and hash marks) for whatever distance they are shooting.
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 remains the same size. 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 what magnification the riflescope is set at. This is made possible because with a first focal plane riflescope, the reticle changes in size as one zooms to higher or lower magnifications.
Nikon’s new riflescopes with the BDC Distance Lock function include:
– MONARCH 3 3-12x42SF Matte BDC FFP
– MONARCH 3 4-16x42SF Matte BDC FFP
– MONARCH 3 4-16x50SF Matte BDC FFP
– PROSTAFF 5 3.5-14x40SF Matte BDC FFP
– PROSTAFF 5 3.5-14x50SF Matte BDC FFP
– PROSTAFF 5 4.5-18x40SF Matte BDC FFP
The MONARCH 3 and PROSTAFF 5 BDC Distance Lock 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.
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