- 3 Best .458 SOCOM Barrels (2024) Backed By Results - June 4, 2024
- 6 Best Turret Presses (2024 UPDATED) must read - June 3, 2024
- Truglo Red Dot Review (2024 UPDATE) Don’t Miss Out - June 3, 2024
- Alfred Mendoza
- November 1, 2023
With an impressive reputation to back them up, Nikon’s riflescopes provide excellent views on target and quality features. Unfortuately, they are more difficult to come by because Nikon stopped producing riflescopes in 2020. Although it’s no longer produced, this Nikon P-308 scope review will go in-depth on what this model has to offer and where you can still find the Nikon P-308 for sale.
Table of Contents
what made the Nikon P-308 great?
The Nikon Tactical P-308 P-series scope is a popular riflescope that features fully multi-coated optical systems housed in a rugged, one-inch, aircraft-grade aluminum main tube that is bright enough to display even the most dismal environments.
Nikon’s Rifle Scopes, including the Nikon P-308 4x12x40mm objective lens, are specifically engineered for modern AR-platform rifles chambered in .308 Winchester with 7.62 NATO round with 168-grain match bullet, or any AR-10 rifles. It also features a Versatile 3x Zoom Range ratio field of view that makes target locking more precise.
This riflescope has spring-loaded windage and elevation knobs that would help shooters to reset turrets back to zero after easy sighting-in when making field adjustments. It is also waterproof, fogproof, and shockproof that shrugs off hard recoil and rugged use. It has an O-ring sealed to prevent moisture from entering the rifle scope and nitrogen purged for total reliability against thermal shock. Its BDC 800 reticle offers unique open circles, dots, and hash marks aiming to range 100 to 800 with generous eye relief.
PROS
- Crisp and clear image
- Easy to adjust turrets
- Reliable
- Has Power Variability
- The BDC 800 crosshair works perfectly
CONS
- Has no parallax adjustment
- Doesn’t work well with low light
Factors to Consider
Durability
You must be wary whether Nikon rifle optics would last or just another waste of money. Given that there are some cases where windage and elevation adjustments are snapping off, or even worse, stop working after a few months based on some reviews.
Do not fret, for this type of defect is unavoidable. But in the case of this scope, with its aluminum made tubes, they are proven trustworthy and would last longer than ten years. Nikon also offers warranty and repair and replacement for their scopes, which is a good deal given its price.
For durable red dot sights, check out this Vortex Sparc 2 vs Vortex Strikefire 2 article here.
Lens & Coating
Yes, these scopes feature a multi-coated 40mm objective lens that is sure to be rock-solid since they are housed in rugged, one-inch, aircraft-grade aluminum primary tubes that will shrug off scratches and other abrasions that the scopes might encounter.
Its lens also ensures a bright and clear view of even the most dreary environment that may hinder your target-locking experience.
Magnification
The Nikon P-308 4-12 has an objective diameter of 40mm with an Eye Relief of 3.7 inches, and Exit Pupil Diameter provides a field of view of 23.6 feet and 4x magnification at 100 yards, which provides a crisp and clear image for shooters. The reticle crosshairs don’t obstruct your view and are easy to see under normal light conditions.
Other reviews claim that there could be a slight blur at its highest magnification, but the clarity is still enough to cater to your hunting needs. While it’s safe to claim that this rifle scope’s vision is excellent under normal lighting conditions, it doesn’t perform well during low light conditions that require a large exit pupil to make the image brighter.
For other optics with good magnification, here’s our Trijicon and EOTech comparison.
Turrets Adjustments
Yes, this optic features a finger-adjustable turret with positive click adjustments, so zeroing in on 100 yards is relatively easy. Although this scope doesn’t have turret locks, you can easily reset it back to zero by pulling the cap up. While there’s no parallax adjustment, fixed at 100 yards, it features a diopter adjustment near the ocular lens, so it’s not noticeable up to 300 yards or lower than 70 yards.
Mounting
This scope can be mounted on any platform with a 1” ring diameter and any suitable base type. You can use its two screws to ensure that this rifle scope holds and stays in place. It comes with a mount and a wind speed meter.
Although some reviews exposed that some people prefer Quick Detach mount for versatility, this scope still seems to have a significant advantage for being versatile in rifle mounting rail systems like the Nikon S popular series.
Mass & Dimension
With this Nikon Tactical P-308 scope’s overall length of 13.5 inches and 17.5 oz product weight, this riflescope is great for mounting into your .308 rifle as it is lightweight and too easy to handle and mount. Although this is slightly heavier than a Leupold VX-2 3-9×40, its weight is still tolerable as a firearm accessory that it wouldn’t disrupt any of your shooting and hunting escapades.
Related Articles:
Reticle Orientation
Yes, Nikon’s BDC Reticle is glass etched and not illuminated. And if you are a long-distance dialer, this scope’s reliable MK1-MOA or MK1-MRAD reticles are matched with directional indicators to make every come-up or down—both intuitive and straightforward.
Rimfire calibers and other dedicated caliber models match the reticle to any shooter’s preferred caliber. With its free Spot On Ballistic Match Technology, all reticles offer exact elevation adjustment and exact aiming points for any long-range engagement.
Focal Point
This scope features a Second Focal Plane or SFP reticle that stays the same size regardless of the power setting. Typically, reticles on an SFP scope will subtend, cover, and set distance at only one power setting and cover less of the target at the highest ranges.
Aside from having a great focal plane, this riflescope also features a good quick-focus eyepiece with a smooth-turn aluminum ring and a rubberized eye guard spring-loaded in instant zero-reset turrets.
Key Specifications
- Magnification: 4-12x
- Reticle Name: BDC 800 Reticle
- Parallax Adjustment: Fixed at 100 yards
- Scope Turret Adjustment: Positive click adjustments
- Field of View (per 100 yards): 4x magnification = 23.6 feet
- Tube Diameter: 1 inch
- Focal Plane: Second
Is the Nikon P-308 Worth Your Money?
After an extensive review, we confirm that this riflescope is worth its price as the perfect starting scope for long-range shooting because it is reliable even up to 600 yards, has a BDC 800 crosshair that provides a crisp and clear image with easy to adjust turrets. Not only is it affordable, but it also features a Limited Lifetime Warranty.
We Recommend
Nikon P-308
- Crisp and clear image
- BDC 800 crosshair reticle
- Limited Lifetime Warranty
- Reliable up to 600 yards
