Nikon BDC Distance Lock Technology

Nikon Sport Optics recently announced the release of six new riflescopes with specialized sighting technology.

Here’s what they had to say about it.

Nikon BDC Distance Lock Technology

Nikon Sport Optics has announced the release of six new riflescopes with a Distance Lock function located in the first focal plane, which allows the riflescope to maintain its scale and distance proportion on a target throughout the entire zoom range. The greatest benefit of these new BDC Distance Lock-equipped riflescopes will be for those who use Nikon's Spot On Ballistic Program and BDC reticles to compensate for bullet drop at extended ranges.

The Spot On program allows shooters to input their shooting conditions and ballistic information in order to find the exact point of aim on Nikon's BDC reticles (with unique circles and hash marks) for whatever distance they are shooting.

Up until now, all of Nikon's riflescopes have been in the second focal plane, which means that as shooters zoom from the lowest magnification to the highest, the reticle remains the same size. For Spot On users, this has meant that the aiming points provided by the popular ballistic app have been specific to one magnification (typically the highest power).

With the new BDC Distance Lock function that keeps everything in the first focal plane, the aiming points provided by the Spot On application will be the same, regardless of what magnification the riflescope is set at. This is made possible because with a first focal plane riflescope, the reticle changes in size as one zooms to higher or lower magnifications.

Nikon's new riflescopes with the BDC Distance Lock function include:
– MONARCH 3 3-12x42SF Matte BDC FFP
– MONARCH 3 4-16x42SF Matte BDC FFP
– MONARCH 3 4-16x50SF Matte BDC FFP
– PROSTAFF 5 3.5-14x40SF Matte BDC FFP
– PROSTAFF 5 3.5-14x50SF Matte BDC FFP
– PROSTAFF 5 4.5-18x40SF Matte BDC FFP

The MONARCH 3 and PROSTAFF 5 BDC Distance Lock riflescopes all feature Nikon's Fully Multilayer Coated lenses that deliver superior light transmission for bright, clear images with balanced color. They are built with one-inch main body tubes, generous eye relief and a quick-focus eyepiece for extremely easy adjustment.

The elevation and windage adjustments are made in clickable increments of ¼-inch @ 100 yards. The turrets all have a Spring-Loaded Instant Zero-Reset feature that enables users to lift the turret and return to the “zero” mark after sighting in. This function not only simplifies adjustments in the field, it also makes it easier to relocate one's zero, should the turrets get accidentally turned.

These riflescopes also have a side-focus knob for parallax adjustment. The side-focus knob has distances inscribed on it, making it easy to quickly focus the scope from a particular vantage point.

Like all Nikon riflescopes, the MONARCH 3 and PROSTAFF 5 BDC Distance Lock riflescopes are optimized for use with Spot On Ballistic Match Technology. The Spot On program provides users with exact aiming points on the BDC reticle for any load or ammunition at a specified range. Spot On is free online at NikonSportOptics.com/SpotOn and is now free for mobile devices, including the iPhone, iPad and Android platforms.

The MONARCH 3 and PROSTAFF 5 riflescopes are waterproof, fogproof and shockproof for exceptional performance under diverse conditions. They are backed by Nikon's Limited Lifetime Warranty and Nikon's No-Fault Repair/Replacement Policy for Binoculars, Riflescopes and Fieldscopes. Nikon is dedicated to quality, performance and total customer satisfaction. If your Nikon Binocular, Riflescope, or Fieldscope requires service or repair not covered by our Limited Lifetime Warranty, just send it to us and Nikon will repair or replace it (Excludes products with electric components, lost or stolen products and intentionally caused damage.)

Here's a short video.

Nikon, a nearly ubiquitous name in the optics world, was founded in 1917 and was originally known as Nippon Kogaku K.K. They developed their first set of binoculars in 1921 and their first microscope in 1925. They adopted Nikkor as the brand name for camera lenses in 1932. In 1953, Nikon Optical Co., Inc. was established in the U.S. If you would like to learn more about Nikon, click right here.