Nikon P-223 3-9×40 Mate BDC 600 Review
Are you looking for a hunting scope that will help you hit your target every time?
Well, the Nikon P-223 3-9×40 is what you are looking for, and it is among the top rifle scopes today.
It has an amazing magnification of X9 and clear but small BDC that help you achieve your targets as long as they are within shooting range. The scope itself is super lightweight, and it has sufficient eye relief to make sure that you do not hurt your brow when the rifle recoils.
As a hunter, this scope will not waste a single minute or day of your hunting life once you start using it.
Maximum Light Transmission
The Nikon P-223 3-9×40 has lenses that are coated with a special metallic oxide that reduces reflection.
If you are an experienced hunter, then you know how much difference that can make. What happens is that during the day when the sun is bright, it is easy to short even when the scope does not gather light so well.
However, at dusk, if the scope does not transmit as much as 99% of the light, the target will become blurry.
This scope’s maximum light transmission capability ensures that whether it is at dawn or dusk, you will be able to shoot with high precision.
BDC 600 Reticle
The Nikon P-223 3-9×40 scope’s reticle is designed for high-performance rifles. If you need to shoot with speed and accuracy, this is the scope for you.
It is designed to give you the best performance even when your target is located close to the edge of your rifle kill zone. The reticle is marked with small but several BDC than you would find on your average scope.
The additional BDC enable you to accurately shot targets that are closer to you, at a medium distance as well as those that are right at the edge of the rifle’s kill zone.
Even if you are an average shooter, once you have spotted your target through this scope’s reticle, you will not miss.
Zero Reset
Functionality
The Nikon P-223 3-9×40 comes with zero reset functionality. That is a great feature that allows you to stay on target without having to reset your rifle after recoil.
If you are actively engaging a target, you may miss a window of opportunity to shoot it just because you paused to rest your scope. Thankfully, that will never happen with the Nikon P-223 3-9×40.
It uses the 1/4 MOA hand-turn tactical adjustment technology which has been battle tested and found to be very reliable. If you have had a disappointment in the past because you had to make an adjustment, you can put your worries to rest.
Awesome Parallax Settings
This scope is designed with professional hunters in mind. It comes with a parallax setting of 100-yard. For a long time, the inaccuracies of a rifle have meant that hunters had to rely on their knowledge of the performance of the specific rifle they were using.
That will be no longer the case. As long as you have mastered your projectiles knowledge and can apply it in the field,
The Nikon P-223 3-9×40 will help you to make sure that you get the desired results as soon as you pull your trigger.
Pros
- Super light in weight; you will not carry an unnecessary weight.
- Eye relief; you will never have to worry about that anymore.
- Reliable BDC; you can be sure that your estimate is quite accurate.
- Minimal Light dispersion; you will be able to hunt even during low light conditions.
- 100-yard parallax setting; improves your precision shooting capability.
- It is waterproof; protected with an O-ring.
- It is fog-proof, protected with O-ring and filled with Nitrogen.
- High Precision Reticle; the Nikon P-223 3-9×40 is designed for both long and short range shooting.
- Magnification of X9; Great magnification makes it easy to acquire targets.
Cons
- If this is your first time to use it, you need to adjust to the small BDC.
- It is imported, you will not be able to see made in the USA.
- It does not include night vision, although that con is compensated by its light gathering capabilities.
- It is not to be used with a short gun.
Features
- Transmits light very well, making it great for use when in very low light conditions.
- It light gathering capability is a plus when shooting at dusk or dawn when even night visions scopes do not work very well.
- It has a BDC 600 Reticle that is designed for high performance and high precision rifles.
- It is great if your rifle is firing the 5.56 NATO or .223Rem round.
- It works very well where you need sighting speed so that you can acquire and engage your target.
- It has BDC bubbles that are a little bit small. You may need to get adjusted to that.
- It is, however, worth pointing out that when you are shooting long range, the small bubbles are the best.
- The Nikon P-223 3-9×40 has Zero reset function. That means you do not need to do make any setting after violent recoil.
- The zero reset function is great when you need to engage multiple targets.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)
Question 1: What is material is the Nikon P-223 3-9×40 made of and how light or heavy is this scope?
The body of the Nikon P-223 3-9×40 is made of aluminum, but the glass is lenses are made of high-quality polymer glass. The Nikon P-223 3-9×40 is super light due to the aluminum and polymer construction.
Question 2: What is the magnification of this scope?
It has a magnification of X9, which is more than enough for most long range rifles.
Question 3: How do I mount the Nikon P-223 3-9×40 on my rifle?
The Nikon P-223 3-9×40 is mounted using 1-inch mounts sold by Nikon which can also be found at Amazon.
Question 4: How great is this scope when engaging multiple targets?
This rifle works very well when you are shooting at multiple targets. That is because of its zero reset functionality.
Question 5: Is the Nikon P-223 3-9×40 fog and waterproof?
Yes, its water and fog proof. The Nikon P-223 3-9×40 is protected with an O-ring seal that makes sure no water or air gets past the lens turret boundary. The scope is also filled with Nitrogen to prevent fog buildup.
Final Verdict
The Nikon P-223 3-9×40 works great for all purposes that it was intended. At full magnification, the image that you see enables you to shoot a target as if it was nine times closer to you.
Compared to most scopes, the Nikon P-223 3-9×40 performs as advertised. If you have been having problems shooting at your targets because of parallax, you will be happy to know it has an awesome parallax setting for greater precision shooting.
Whether you are shooting at dawn or dusk, this scope’s light gathering capabilities will amaze you. Its lenses are coated with a special a metal oxide that minimizes reflection of light that falls on its lenses. That ensures that you can shoot even in dim light conditions.
This scope is easy to mount and un-mount from your rifle. Its mounts are readily available at Amazon. Have you ever used a low-quality scope that is barely fog proof? This fog proof and waterproof scope will never disappoint you even when you are shooting in cold, humid, or wet weather.
Finally, it is worth mentioning that it is super light. You will not feel it as additional weight on your rifle. I can happily say this is one of the scopes that UI would recommend to a friend.
The Team That Worked On This Review

Elena
Senior Editor

Eric
Web Researcher

Kathy
Writer

Albert
Writer