Nikon Inline XR 3-9x40mm BDC 300 Riflescope Review

Nikon Inline XR 3-9x40mm BDC 300 Riflescope

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Pros

- Spring-loaded zero reset windage and elevation turrets
- Hand-turn windage and elevation adjustments
- Outstanding image quality

Cons

- Non-illuminated reticle
- No focus lock
- Rings not included

Howdy, and thanks for stopping by to read my review of the Nikon Inline XR 3–9x40mm Riflescope. Nikon produces great products, and their scopes are typically no exception to that rule. Once in a while, you might find a product that seems not to match Nikon’s reputation, so I’m always careful to closely examine every scope I review. Let’s see how the Inline XR stacks up.

The first thing you’ll want to know is that this scope is designed with inline muzzleloaders in mind, so you know it’ll hold up to some serious recoil. That also tells you that the scope is intended for use for shooting at ranges of up to 300 yards.

What Are the Dimensions Of This Scope?

The Inline XR has a 40mm objective lens, and an overall length of 11.125 inches. It’s not the lightest scope on the market, but it’s still reasonably lightweight at just 15 ounces. The objective bell is 1.99 inches in diameter, so you’ll want to ensure your rings will allow clearance between it and the barrel of your muzzleloader.

Eye relief is crucial on high-caliber muzzleloaders, and the Inline XR has plenty of it. You’ll enjoy five inches of eye relief, making certain your rifle’s recoil won’t drive the eyepiece into your head.

How Strongly Does This Glass Magnify My Target?

You want to get up close and personal with your target to get the best shot, and the Inline XR let’s you do just that. Magnification ranges from 3X to 9X, with a power selector wheel that moves smoothly but with enough resistance to keep you from accidentally moving it. Image quality is quite pristine throughout all magnification levels, with plenty of crispness, contrast, and clarity.

How Is The Optics Quality On This Scope?

Nikon has employed fully multicoated optics here, giving you terrific light transmission. The quick focus wheel lets you rapidly get your reticle crisp and clear, but there’s no lock on it to prevent you from knocking things out of whack.

The reticle here is Nikon’s exclusive BDC 300, which provides perfect range markers for shooting your muzzleloader at various distances. What’s really nice is that the trajectory-compensating markers are open circles, so they don’t obscure your sight picture.

What’s The Light Gathering Capability Like On The Scope?

While the reticle might not be illuminated, don’t think that this scope is totally worthless in low light conditions. The 40mm objective lens, combined with optics that are fully multicoated, makes transmittance truly outstanding with this scope.

How Wide is the Field of View?

All of the best features of a scope are worthless if you don’t have a good field of view. Nothing to worry about here, though, since you’ll be able to see from 8.4 to 25.2 feet at 100 yards. That’s not the best field of view I’ve ever come across, but it’s definitely enough to acquire any stationary and most moving targets.

How Easy is the Scope to Mount?

Mounting your scope is easy and painless with the Inline XR. Just put the rings on your scope, attach them to the rail, and then adjust the setup forward to give you a perfectly complete image through the eyepiece with your cheek welded to the buttstock. You won’t find rings in the box, unfortunately, but just about any set of one-inch rings will do the job.

Any Tricks or Tips About Mounting the Scope?

I’d recommend that you check if you might need medium-profile scope rings – the almost two-inch objective bell diameter can cause it to rub against your barrel if you aren’t careful.

How Easy is the Nikon Inline XR 3–9x40mm Riflescope to Sight In?

With this glass, sighting in your scope is quick and easy. Start off with a laser bore-sighting tool, then head out to the range to fine-tune the adjustments. The finger-turn windage and elevation turrets have a spring-loaded zero reset feature, so field adjustments are simple. Once sighted in, the scope should hold zero nearly indefinitely, as long as you leave the glass mounted to your muzzleloader.

How Durable is the Scope?

We often hunt in cold, wet weather conditions, so it’s important to get a scope that is waterproof and fogproof. With the Inline XR, you’ll enjoy lenses that are O-ring sealed, and an optics chamber that’s nitrogen-purged for fantastic use no matter how cold or rainy it might get. Durability is also fantastic, giving you a scope that can stand up to plenty of abuse. Rounding all of this out is Nikon’s amazing lifetime warranty.

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Jeff Byrnes

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Hi there! I’m Jeff, an avid outdoorsman and hunter who really likes exploring new technology. I’m especially into hunting optics, which is why I’m writing these reviews! I hope you find my articles helpful in your own shooting and hunting.


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