Nikon Omega BDC

RileySandall · April 21, 2009, 01:54 PM

Hello. I'm looking at getting a new black powder rifle in the next few months. I am dead set on getting a Thompson Center Triumph with camo stock, stainless steel barrel, and Weathershield. Recently, the state of Nebraska passed a law that allows variable power scopes on black powder rifles. I am thinking about getting a Nikon Omega 3x9x40 scope with their BDC reticles. I've heard good and bad things about these reticles on black powders. I just wanted to know what some other people thought about this scope?

long rider · April 21, 2009, 06:37 PM

Sorry pard can not help you there, but been no one
give you help i will say hi, and hope someone will give you
a answer to your Qs. shoot safe.

arcticap · April 22, 2009, 04:53 PM

Most folks seem to like them or at least the concept. But unless someone plans on shooting at the longer ranges, then I'm not really sure what the great benefit would be.
After all, hold over is hold over.
It's just that with the BDC reticle there's small circles that serve as aiming references for the holdover, and those are supposed to be standardized.
IIRC, I visited the Nikon site and there were some stipulations in the instructions about needing to range test the actual placement of the reticle circles for their accuracy with the specific load anyway.
In other words the placement of the circles may or not be in the right locations for the load or distance that are going to be shot at. The top of a circle may need to be used for hold over rather than the middle of a circle, etc....
So maybe having a BDC reticle is better than not having one. However, why not get one of the many scopes with graduated mil-dot instead of circles?
Or just getting a duplex reticle and using Kentucky windage, or getting a scope with higher magnification and practicing with it until it's performance can be referenced at various known distances?
Some folks like the Firefly reticle that the Bushnell Elite has on their 10 power variable model.
I don't have a BDC reticle, want one or need one because I generally don't shoot at extemely long ranges with a muzzle loader anyway.
But I'd rather have something more similar to a mil-dot on my other rifles that do have longer range potential.
Having a reticle with circles won't appeal to everyone taste. Other questions are whether it's needed and will perform as expected.

April 21, 2009, 01:54 PM	#1
RileySandall Junior Member Join Date: April 21, 2009 Location: Nebraska Posts: 4	Nikon Omega BDC Hello. I'm looking at getting a new black powder rifle in the next few months. I am dead set on getting a Thompson Center Triumph with camo stock, stainless steel barrel, and Weathershield. Recently, the state of Nebraska passed a law that allows variable power scopes on black powder rifles. I am thinking about getting a Nikon Omega 3x9x40 scope with their BDC reticles. I've heard good and bad things about these reticles on black powders. I just wanted to know what some other people thought about this scope?

April 21, 2009, 06:37 PM	#2
long rider Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2008 Posts: 669	Sorry pard can not help you there, but been no one give you help i will say hi, and hope someone will give you a answer to your Qs. shoot safe. __________________ Sod Buster Tried To Pull On Willson.

April 22, 2009, 04:53 PM	#3
arcticap Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2005 Location: Central Connecticut Posts: 3,166	Most folks seem to like them or at least the concept. But unless someone plans on shooting at the longer ranges, then I'm not really sure what the great benefit would be. After all, hold over is hold over. It's just that with the BDC reticle there's small circles that serve as aiming references for the holdover, and those are supposed to be standardized. IIRC, I visited the Nikon site and there were some stipulations in the instructions about needing to range test the actual placement of the reticle circles for their accuracy with the specific load anyway. In other words the placement of the circles may or not be in the right locations for the load or distance that are going to be shot at. The top of a circle may need to be used for hold over rather than the middle of a circle, etc.... So maybe having a BDC reticle is better than not having one. However, why not get one of the many scopes with graduated mil-dot instead of circles? Or just getting a duplex reticle and using Kentucky windage, or getting a scope with higher magnification and practicing with it until it's performance can be referenced at various known distances? Some folks like the Firefly reticle that the Bushnell Elite has on their 10 power variable model. I don't have a BDC reticle, want one or need one because I generally don't shoot at extemely long ranges with a muzzle loader anyway. But I'd rather have something more similar to a mil-dot on my other rifles that do have longer range potential. Having a reticle with circles won't appeal to everyone taste. Other questions are whether it's needed and will perform as expected. Last edited by arcticap; April 22, 2009 at 05:15 PM.