Nikon P3 Crossbow scope. WOW!

Crossbow Hunting

Moderator: Excalibur Marketing Dude

User avatar
Montana Mark
Posts: 120
Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2019 9:00 pm

Nikon P3 Crossbow scope. WOW!

Post by Montana Mark »

Suffice to say that I’ve been having trouble with Dead Zone scopes. So.... I bought a Nikon P3 Crossbow scope. I am a very positive person so will not elaborate on my troubles with the Dead Zone. (By the way, is the eyepiece lens supposed to rattle audibly?— noticed that as I took the Dead Zone off my bow.) I put the Nikon on and immediately saw that it is a very clean looking compact scope. It is beautiful. I didn’t have much time for shooting tonight but went out and sighted it in off my knee in just a few shots at 20 yards. Already, it was more consistent than the Dead Zone. So clear, it was amazing. Because it was very windy, I didn’t think it would be worth shooting distance but couldn’t resist. I walked strait out to 60 yards and shot dead center 3 1/2 inches high (hadn’t checked the spot-on app yet). Stepped back to 65 yards and hit the bullseye off my knee in the wind. I was very impressed to say the least. I didn’t plan to spend much time shooting tonight because of the wind (wouldn’t have bothered with the Dead Zone) but I just had to shoot more. I checked the spot-on app and the reticles are at 20, 30, 45, 57, and 64. I repeatedly hit bullseyes off my knee in the wind at every mark. That Nikon is a great scope! I love it! So simple and sooo clear. No bells or whistles to break or malfunction. It seems bombproof. I actually love the little circle reticles (my 2” silver duct tape bullseyes on a background of black duct tape show up perfectly in the circles). Did I say that I love this scope? It’s awesome! Took it out in the full moon tonight and the scope was very bright. The crosshairs were fairly distinct but I had a hard time seeing the reticles. I moved my target into the open and shot 3 bullseyes at 20 yards in the moonlight.

I was going to put the Dead Zone away as a spare scope but now I’ll have to RMA it because of the rattling lens. Both the boys have dead zones on their Grizzlies. Maybe I’ll have to get Nikons for them if they take more interest in using them (they’re in college). I’ll have a stack of spare dead zones in the basement and bright clear Nikons on each bow.
Last edited by Montana Mark on Sat Apr 20, 2019 8:58 pm, edited 15 times in total.
Matrix Sapphire 325 (forward riser)
Matrix Grizzly (for son #1)
Matrix Grizzly (for son #2)
User avatar
Ferguson Outfitters
Posts: 257
Joined: Sun Sep 18, 2016 12:14 pm

Re: Nikon P3 Crossbow scope. WOW!

Post by Ferguson Outfitters »

Awesome
flightattendant100
Posts: 4795
Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2009 5:06 pm
Location: Ft. Worth, Texas

Re: Nikon P3 Crossbow scope. WOW!

Post by flightattendant100 »

Don't you just love it when something is better than you expected. Congrats on the new scope.
xcaliber
Posts: 12821
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2013 7:35 pm
Location: NW Indiana

Re: Nikon P3 Crossbow scope. WOW!

Post by xcaliber »

I agree, very good scope!
It’s not the way you rock, it’s the way that you roll!
longbow joe
Posts: 4246
Joined: Sat Jun 06, 2015 9:55 pm
Location: south eastern pa (bucks county)

Re: Nikon P3 Crossbow scope. WOW!

Post by longbow joe »

I have 2 bolts and the new p3 . Great scope. People down it because of no speed adjustment but it's not that big a deal under 355fps. All under 40 yard Mark's are all not that much different.
Vixen 2, metal ibex,Phoenix,sapphire,matrix 330 ,matrix 355 ,vortex and baby grand piano y25 relayer.
Trigger tecs,leupold crossbones and nikon bolts.
Zombie slayers and mostly swat broadheads.
flightattendant100
Posts: 4795
Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2009 5:06 pm
Location: Ft. Worth, Texas

Re: Nikon P3 Crossbow scope. WOW!

Post by flightattendant100 »

longbow joe wrote:
Thu Apr 18, 2019 2:07 pm
I have 2 bolts and the new p3 . Great scope. People down it because of no speed adjustment but it's not that big a deal under 355fps. All under 40 yard Mark's are all not that much different.
LBJ, and my deer don't show up at exactly 20,30,&40yards either. :lol:
User avatar
Ferguson Outfitters
Posts: 257
Joined: Sun Sep 18, 2016 12:14 pm

Re: Nikon P3 Crossbow scope. WOW!

Post by Ferguson Outfitters »

flightattendant100 wrote:
Thu Apr 18, 2019 6:27 pm
longbow joe wrote:
Thu Apr 18, 2019 2:07 pm
I have 2 bolts and the new p3 . Great scope. People down it because of no speed adjustment but it's not that big a deal under 355fps. All under 40 yard Mark's are all not that much different.
LBJ, and my deer don't show up at exactly 20,30,&40yards either. :lol:
But you do know exactly how many yards away they do show up...right?

Honest to goober, I think some folk around here hunt with cataracts and gin.
User avatar
Montana Mark
Posts: 120
Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2019 9:00 pm

Re: Nikon P3 Crossbow scope. WOW!

Post by Montana Mark »

I hardly had time to shoot tonight and was so looking forward to doing so. Sad that I was very frustrated doing family activities when all I wanted to do was shoot my bow with the new scope. I was only able to take 4 shots. My far fenceline is right at 100 paces from my target. Hit the target each time using the rail as a rest. I used the thick/thin transition below the reticles. By adjusting my holdover I was able to get the 4th shot to touch the bullseye (2” square piece of duct tape). All shots were in the same vertical plane. Dang, I love this new scope!

Funny thing about the family activities. My wife just got a puppy and family kept coming to see the puppy. In my mind, the puppy is going to screw up my bear hunt. When I wake up at 0 dark thirty to look for the bear, I’m going to have to let the puppy out and letting the puppy out will screw up my hunt. (If you didn’t know, I got the crossbow so I can hunt the problem bear that visits my house 2-3 times a week. I was going to hunt the bear in my yard since it’s the only place I know he goes.) That cute puppy is going to ruin my chances of getting the bear.

Btw. I’m setting up for a 20 yard shot on the bear, not a 100 yard shot. Tonight’s shooting was just for fun.
Matrix Sapphire 325 (forward riser)
Matrix Grizzly (for son #1)
Matrix Grizzly (for son #2)
User avatar
Ferguson Outfitters
Posts: 257
Joined: Sun Sep 18, 2016 12:14 pm

Re: Nikon P3 Crossbow scope. WOW!

Post by Ferguson Outfitters »

Well, goodluck.
User avatar
Montana Mark
Posts: 120
Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2019 9:00 pm

Re: Nikon P3 Crossbow scope. WOW!

Post by Montana Mark »

Maybe the labradoodle (named Teddy) will protect my goats and chickens from the bear and I won’t have to shoot him?? Probably not. I’ll try to shoot him. Still haven’t seen sign of him or caught him on the game cam. I have this weekend off and can do a little hunting.
Matrix Sapphire 325 (forward riser)
Matrix Grizzly (for son #1)
Matrix Grizzly (for son #2)
flightattendant100
Posts: 4795
Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2009 5:06 pm
Location: Ft. Worth, Texas

Re: Nikon P3 Crossbow scope. WOW!

Post by flightattendant100 »

Montana Mark wrote:
Thu Apr 18, 2019 11:25 pm
I hardly had time to shoot tonight and was so looking forward to doing so. Sad that I was very frustrated doing family activities when all I wanted to do was shoot my bow with the new scope. I was only able to take 4 shots. My far fenceline is right at 100 paces from my target. Hit the target each time using the rail as a rest. I used the thick/thin transition below the reticles. By adjusting my holdover I was able to get the 4th shot to touch the bullseye (2” square piece of duct tape). All shots were in the same vertical plane. Dang, I love this new scope!

Funny thing about the family activities. My wife just got a puppy and family kept coming to see the puppy. In my mind, the puppy is going to screw up my bear hunt. When I wake up at 0 dark thirty to look for the bear, I’m going to have to let the puppy out and letting the puppy out will screw up my hunt. (If you didn’t know, I got the crossbow so I can hunt the problem bear that visits my house 2-3 times a week. I was going to hunt the bear in my yard since it’s the only place I know he goes.) That cute puppy is going to ruin my chances of getting the bear.

Btw. I’m setting up for a 20 yard shot on the bear, not a 100 yard shot. Tonight’s shooting was just for fun.
Let the pup out the FRONT door. Good luck w the bear!
User avatar
Montana Mark
Posts: 120
Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2019 9:00 pm

Re: Nikon P3 Crossbow scope. WOW!

Post by Montana Mark »

I am having so much fun with this new scope. I have complete confidence in it which makes shooting so much more enjoyable. (If I’m off, I know it’s just me, not the scope.) I wanted to get it sighted in like I have my sons’ bows for hunting (with a 30 yard zero—so we can pretty much use the crosshairs out to 35 yards). 10 clicks up brought my crosshairs to a 30 yard zero. I went out to 40, 50, 60, 70 yards. It hit within an inch high or low at each spot. (Dead on at 30 and 40. An inch low at 50. An inch high at 60. Dead on again at 70.) I feel that’s close enough for me (and it’s easier to remember 10 yard incriments). Now when I hunt with my sons, I can give them the correct advice on a shot without getting confused. For fun, I wanted to see where the thick/thin transition below the reticles would hit. I guessed 90 yards and was astonished when I hit the bullseye. (Off my knee by the way.)
Last edited by Montana Mark on Sun Apr 21, 2019 10:33 am, edited 2 times in total.
Matrix Sapphire 325 (forward riser)
Matrix Grizzly (for son #1)
Matrix Grizzly (for son #2)
User avatar
Ferguson Outfitters
Posts: 257
Joined: Sun Sep 18, 2016 12:14 pm

Re: Nikon P3 Crossbow scope. WOW!

Post by Ferguson Outfitters »

Heck Yeah
flightattendant100
Posts: 4795
Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2009 5:06 pm
Location: Ft. Worth, Texas

Re: Nikon P3 Crossbow scope. WOW!

Post by flightattendant100 »

Montana Mark wrote:
Sat Apr 20, 2019 4:03 pm
I am having so much fun with this new scope. I have complete confidence in it which makes shooting so much more enjoyable. (If I’m off, I know it’s just me, not the scope.) I wanted to get it sighted in like I have my sons’ bows for hunting (with a 30 yard zero—so we can pretty much use the crosshairs out to 35 yards). 10 clicks up brought my Nikon crosshairs to a 30 yard zero. I went out to 40, 50, 60, 70 yards. It hit within an inch high or low at each spot. (Dead on at 30 and 40. An inch low at 50. An inch high at 60. Dead on again at 70.) I feel that’s close enough for me (and it’s easier to remember 10 yard incriments). Now when I hunt with my sons, I can give them the correct advice on a shot without getting confused. For fun, I wanted to see where the thick/thin transition below the reticles would hit. I guessed 90 yards and was astonished when I hit the bullseye.
And elk are bigger critters! :)
User avatar
Montana Mark
Posts: 120
Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2019 9:00 pm

Re: Nikon P3 Crossbow scope. WOW!

Post by Montana Mark »

Ferguson Outfitters wrote:
Sat Apr 20, 2019 5:41 pm
Heck Yeah
I know. I’m having a great time. Took the bow for a hike through the woods today looking for the bear. Didn’t see him. (Did a few times a week last fall with a rifle and never saw him.). My best chance, I think, is to catch him doing his usual raid on my place.
Matrix Sapphire 325 (forward riser)
Matrix Grizzly (for son #1)
Matrix Grizzly (for son #2)
Post Reply