When you are going out for hunting activities, you need to have all the advantageous tools at your disposal to ease the process. Therefore, having a good riflescope is non-negotiable, as it will be like a seamstress having a quality sewing machine at all times, and this tool helps you have the best experience as you are out in the field.
The good news is that you cannot miss getting great riflescopes in the market today, as many makers want to upgrade their equipment to the best quality possible. Among these is the Nikon ProStaff 4-12×40, which we will review in this article – Nikon themselves have been known to make riflescopes of high quality, so let’s see if this one fits the bill.
Nikon ProStaff 4-12×40 Riflescope Features
The size
Among the numerous riflescopes, you can get ion the market today, this has to be among the largest – something that you can instantly notice when you hold it up against others. The length is about 14 inches, while the weight is about 19oz, making it among the heaviest on the market as well.
However, this does not mean that you should not consider it, as it proves to be an affordable option when you consider all the other features in the stack. It remains a highly versatile optic tool for the hunter, especially when you want to ease the process of bullet drops as you get the maximum amounts of natural light in the day.
BDC
Good news if you are looking for a riflescope with the BDC (Bullet Drop Compensation) feature – this one has that. If you are new to riflescopes, this means that the reticle has the crosshairs in a cross style, while there are three small aim circles directly below the centre gap.
This means that when you are aiming for a target and you match the rifle and ammo to the scope, the riflescope will indicate to you the exact points you need to shoot at, and this avoids errors. Each ammo type will drop at varying degrees depending on the distance, so these aiming circles indicate to you the dead centre points.
Optics and the image quality
Many riflescopes these days have upgrades in their optic systems, in order to ensure the best quality of the images, and this one is no different. The optic system comprises of multi-coated lenses, which allow for 98 percent of light wavelengths.
All the extra coating and the noticeably large 40mm objective lens has a role, as they ensure the image you are getting is a crystal-clear and bright one, even in conditions of low brightness such as dusk or cloudy conditions. The MOA, on the other hand, is 60, while the parallax setting is at 100 yards, which makes it easier for the experienced hunter to get a clearer view.
As you are out in the field, you would want to make adjustments for external factors such as wind speeds, in order to increase the accuracy of your shots. The good news is that this riflescope has you covered on that front, as the ¼ MOA finger click has a high precision rate, and allows you to adjust for these external factors.
What’s more, you get all these features at a very friendly price, which is very rare to see. You do not even need to worry about the natural lighting you are getting, because the scope collects maximum levels of light for you to use.
In addition, you do not need to have extra tools to help you make adjustments, as the riflescope takes care of that through the positive-click and easy-to-use adjustments. You simply need to squeeze your fingers, and the job is complete, while the adjustments have knobs that protect against rust and weathering.
Magnification
There is a variable range of magnification you should expect from the 4-12×40 Nikon. It can range from as low as 4x to as much as 12x. Because of this, it will give many types of hunters a great choice when they need something lower (for hunting in dense vegetation areas) or higher (when hunting in open fields). Fortunately, the quality of images remains sharp and crisp, regardless of the magnification you are using.
One thing the models falls short on is the eye relief area, which is only 3.7 inches, making it short if you happen to wear eyeglasses. In addition, if the recoil is heavy or too light, chances are you will bang the eyepiece on your eyebrow or forehead. Note that because the scope is heavy, you will need rings that are either high profile or medium profile to mount it.
Build quality
Riflescopes can be quite difficult to handle – you get a shot, but the sudden increase in temperature makes the equipment too uncomfortable to handle. Well, with this riflescope, you do not need to worry about that any longer. There is also no internal fogging when you are in cold or foggy conditions since the inner parts are filled with nitrogen gas.
Pros
- Very affordable price that guarantees you value for money
- Resistant to shock, fog and water
- Turret is zero-reset
- Focusing is very fast
- Turrets are finger adjustable
Cons
- It lacks exact parallax control
Final thoughts
This is a very affordable option among the riflescopes you can find, with its features being tailored to both experienced and novice hunters alike. The quality of the images, durability and ease of use also make it a worthwhile option to have – however, you will have to deal with the fact that you cannot control parallax properly.
