A Nikon Bullet Drop Compensator (BDC) reticle can help you achieve your hunting goals quickly and accurately. This product is becoming more popular when BDC types of all types are sold in the rifle accessories market.
You can dial in your scope and place the shots at a longer distance without adjusting your elevation thanks to the Nikon BDC scope. They will be accurate when used with the same cartridge and gun length as the corresponding designed range. With precise points of view, your shooting will rarely occur outside the field at this distance.
Let’s begin to explore more information about the Nikon BDC reticle and our review of the best products.
Table of Contents
What is a Nikon BDC reticle?
Nikon leads the world in sports optics when setting new standards in the design and performance of riflescopes, field scopes, and binoculars.
A Nikon BDC reticle gives shooters and hunters an accuracy and ease of use for long-range shooting. Nikon combines small aiming circles into the reticle, and you can shoot precise with unobtrusive aiming points.
By combining each load and each gun with these individual points of view, the BDC viewfinder offers optimal precision shooting.
You should choose the best BDC range of Nikon depending on your caliber and rifle. Nikon has provided an excellent ballistic program, the Spot-On software, which you can install on your phone or run from their website to calculate the appropriate settings for your scope.
As a result, you can dial in your scope regardless of caliber. It also helps users who are not trained in ballistics or do not fully grasp the related mathematics.
Here are the five best products in the market for your consideration.
Check them out.
The comparison of the best Nikon BDC reticle scope
| Product Name | Product Detail | |
|---|---|---|
Nikon ProStaff 3-9 x 40 Black Matte Riflescope (BDC) Highlights ● Nice design and solid construction ● Crystal clear glass ● Great Nikon SpotOn app ● Very intuitive BDC ● High-quality turrets | Fully Multicoated Optical System | |
Nikon PROSTAFF RIMFIRE II 3-9 X 40 BDC150  Highlights ● Sturdy and well-made ● Sleek and very nice ● Easy to install and use ● Amazing clarity and sharp crosshairs ● Smooth adjustment mechanisms | Best For Rimfire Rifle | |
Nikon M-308 4-16 X 42 Riflescope BDC 800 Reticle, Matte 16463  Highlights ● Very positive adjustments ● Accurate scope turrets ● Clear and sharp image ● Fast acquisition times ● High-quality and reliable | Best For AR-Platform Rifles | |
Nikon Buckmasters II 3-9 x 40mm BDC 1in Waterproof Matte Riflescope  Highlights ● Superb low light collection ● Excellent glass for sharp image ● Useful and affordable ● Easy zoom operation ● Accurate BDC reticle | Editor’s Choice | |
Nikon 6729 ProStaff 4-12 x 40 Black Matte Riflescope (BDC)  Highlights ● Lightweight and nice design ● Simple to use and adjust ● Great work with clear optics ● Easy to focus ● Good parallax setting | Best For Maximum Brightness |
The best Nikon BDC reticle scope review
1. Nikon ProStaff 3-9 x 40 Black Matte Riflescope (BDC)
The first product on our list will help you keep an eye on target in almost any condition.
The aluminum scope can transmit up to 98% of light for the maximum brightness thanks to its Fully Multicoated Optical System. It also has a 3 to 9x magnification and 40mm objective lens that offers outstanding hunting performance at a reasonable price.
Nikon also helps you simplify field adjustments with a zero-reset turret. Your task is to look in, lift the spring adjustment knob, turn to “zero” and re-engage.
More than that, BDC’s unique see-through ballistic circles provide an advantage for long-range shooting. Also, you have normal visibility for short-range shots through the aiming point with the crosshair.
The best point is the 3.6-inch eye relief. You can avoid rough kicks from heavy cartridges, light rifles, serious shooting angles.
The ruggedness of the product comes from a nitrogen-filled, O-ring-sealed housing to bring waterproof and anti-fog. Besides, you have the optional sunshade accessory for bright, rainy, or dusty conditions; and a quick-focus eyepiece.
Note that you cannot handle anything over the .22 long rifle. You need to avoid choosing the wrong size for your gun.
If you want more power for the long shots and thick brush with a wide field of view, you can buy this lifetime warranty ProStaff riflescope.
Pros:
- Nice design and solid construction
- Crystal clear glass
- Great Nikon SpotOn app
- Very intuitive BDC
- High-quality turrets
Cons:
- There is not enough contrast between the target and the cross-hairs.
2. Nikon PROSTAFF RIMFIRE II 3-9 X 40 BDC150
Coming next is another Nikon Prostaff product. How good is it?
The highlight of this scope is its BDC 150 reticle. Nikon develops this reticle for the trajectory of hypervelocity .22 long rifle rimfire round. You can enjoy the enhanced accuracy of BDC reticle with this scope.
Not only that, you can compensate for bullet drop at extended shooting distances. As we mentioned above, the BDC reticle brings you incredible long-range shooting and a normal sight of shorter-range shots.
What’s more?
For your ease of use, you have a precise 1/4″ @ 50 yards adjustment, spring-loaded instant zero-reset turrets, and 3.7-inch eye relief.
This product also has a fully multi-coated optics. It also offers you a 3-9 power magnification and a 40mm objective lens with parallax free @ 50 yards.
Other outstanding features you can find in a lifetime replacement scope are the Fully Multicoated Optical System, Spot On Ballistic Match Technology, and waterproof, fog proof and shockproof performance. All are for your high-performance shooting and long-lasting use in many environments.
However, this product does not come with rings from the factory. You need to find the rings following the scope and your rifle rail size.
Finally, when your needs are an excellent optics for rimfire shooting, this product is an ideal choice.
Pros:
- Sturdy and well-made
- Sleek and very nice
- Easy to install and use
- Amazing clarity and sharp crosshairs
- Smooth adjustment mechanisms
Cons:
- The reticle can come loose
3. Nikon M-308 4-16 X 42 Riflescope BDC 800 Reticle, Matte 16463
Now we want to introduce you a Nikon scope of BDC reticle for AR-platform rifles.
Which outstanding features does this scope provide you?
First of all, the M-308 offers you the exact aiming points on reticle at various yardages for specific ammunition and load thanks to the Spot On Ballistic Match Technology of Nikon.
To maximize the accuracy of any caliber or load, you have caliber-specific technology, a fully multicoated optical system, and 4x zoom technology. Besides, the Ultra ClearCoat® Optical System can transmit up to 95% light to give a bright, sharp, incredibly flat sight picture.
Here’s something really interesting.
Nikon designs the BDC 800 reticle for a 100-yard space the crosshair with points representing from 200 to 800 yards. It helps you to shoot more precise for a long distance.
Like other Nikon BDC reticle scope, this product also has Quick Focus Eyepiece, Nitrogen filled and O-ring sealed for waterproof, fog proof, and shockproof, and the lifetime repair.
Furthermore, you have a one-piece tube for a minimum weight and maximum strength and enhanced mount ring spacing for versatility.
You can use this scope very quickly because of its Spring-Loaded Instant Zero-Reset Turrets and 4″ of constant eye relief. The field adjustment has never been so simple.
Warning: There is no mount in the package. You should pay some money for it.
In short, this M-308 scope is for heavier caliber rifles capable of long-range accuracy. Bring it home if it is suitable for your gun.
Pros:
- Very positive adjustments
- Accurate scope turrets
- Clear and sharp image
- Fast acquisition times
- High-quality and reliable
Cons:
- You have to order the scope mount separately
4. Nikon Buckmasters II 3-9 x 40mm BDC 1in Waterproof Matte Riflescope
Next, what benefits do you have with Editor’s Choice products? We can tell you now with the Nikon Buckmasters II.
This sope is popular among deer hunters because of its brightness and clarity from fully-multicoated lenses, the good eye relief, a 100-yard setting of parallax, and BDC reticle.
The BDC reticle helps you to shoot further with high accuracy. With close range, you also have good vision.
The good points of multiple layers are bright pictures and great light transmission. From dawn to dusk, you have a clear image for aiming.
Also, the eye relief and parallax support you to shot quickly with high performance. Not to mention, you can hold zero faster and maintain your settings, even with a strong recoil when using Precise Hand-Turn 1/4-inch @ 100 Yards Click Adjustments.
Please keep in mind these great features from Nikon scope if you want to buy one. They are Spot On Ballistic Match Technology for exact aiming points and Nikon’s Limited Lifetime Warranty.
Just be aware that there are only 5 inches for mounting the rings. Many rifles require mounts wider to clear the bolt opening.
When hunting deer is your hobby, let’s choose the Nikon Buckmasters II scope now for your coming season.
Pros:
- Superb low light collection
- Excellent glass for sharp image
- Useful and affordable
- Easy zoom operation
- Accurate BDC reticle
Cons:
- It may have a gradual downfall in accuracy after about 250 rounds
5. Nikon 6729 ProStaff 4-12 x 40 Black Matte Riflescope (BDC)
You soon have our last Nikon BDC reticle scope. Because it is also a Prostaff line of riflescopes, you can find many same excellent features with two products we mention earlier.
This scope has a fully-multicoated optical system for up to 98 percent of available light transmission. It means that you have maximum brightness in low-light, low-contrast hunting situations.
With 4 to 12x magnification and 40mm objective lens, you can use the scope in many types of hunting situation. For your safe shooting, the scope has consistent eye relief to avoid the impact of heavy recoiling cartridges and severe shooting angles.
And the best parts?
Nikon also makes this product with precise hand-turn 1/4-MOA click adjustments for your ease of use and the BDC’s unique see-through ballistic circles for excellent long range shooting. You can safely use this scope in different environmental conditions because it is waterproof, fog proof, and shockproof.
There are a few notes in the 12x range. For example, transmitting light is not useful or the crosshairs are too thick for precise shots.
Except for its downsides, this lifetime warranty riflescope is perfect for your hunting game in several conditions.
Pros:
- Lightweight and nice design
- Simple to use and adjust
- Great work with clear optics
- Easy to focus
- Good parallax setting
Cons:
- It has short and finicky eye relief at 12x
How does a BDC reticle work?
A BDC reticle can help you to take advantage of the bullet trajectory to set the correct aiming points. It has two main types: absolute and unspecified hash marks.
For absolute hash marks, you have a representation of the specific measurements by the minutes of angle (MOA) or milliradians (MRAD). Users will refer to the DOPE chart to calculate the compensation required when taking a shot at a certain distance. Next, you just refer to the reticle and keep the necessary amount.
And the unidentified hash mark? It usually includes fixed hash marks with no absolute distance or drop between each marking.
You need a specific ballistic program or field verified to find each line for your setup. So, it is less accurate at longer distances, but you still have effective shots under 400 yards.
What does BDC stand for on scopes?
It stands for bullet drop compensator on scopes. The BDC reticle is the crosshairs in the scope. As you may know, the reticle predicts the number of bullets will fall at a specific range.
You can imagine that you zero your rifle at 100 yards. Then, there are the points beneath the crosshair for the impact of the bullet at longer ranges such as 200 yards, 300 yards, etc.
When seeing the crosshair, you can see the focus below the horizontal plane along the vertical line. Marks along the horizontal plane can be displayed by lines or circles set at intervals of 100 yards.
You can move the line or circle to your distance of the target to have an accurate shot.
Your choice of Nikon BDC reticle scope is…
After reading our post, you know the benefits of Nikon scope with BDC reticle. It’s your turn to choose the best one for your hunting season. Do not forget to find the right scope for your rifle and caliber.
One thing to note about Nikon BDC reticle is its remarkable you know the benefits of Nikon scope with BDC reticle. You should take times to study and download it to use on your iOS and Android devices. You can have a ballistics calculator for your accurate shots. If you have any questions or want to share your experiences of using a Nikon scope, feel free to let us know in the below box. We are willing to listen and answer for you.
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