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The role of a spotter in a law enforcement or military sniper team cannot be overstated. While it’s the sniper who makes the shot, the spotter helps to identify and aim at the target. Calling wind, recommending elevation adjustments, correcting aim and, in some situations, giving the command to fire, the spotter has to manage many tasks. Most importantly, the spotter frees the sniper to focus on the shot, arguably the easy part of the process. Communication between the spotter and the sniper is critical to mission success, but the concept isn’t exclusive to the tactical scene. In hunting and several disciplines of competitive shooting, a spotter is the unsung hero, providing critical information that contributes to bullets finding their mark.

In the case of a miss, the spotter must provide immediate feedback to correct the shooter’s aim for a follow-up shot. This requires quality equipment such as the Configurable Field Spotting (CFS) scope. It’s a 6-­36x50mm first-focal-plane (F1) spotter from Nightforce Optics. It is a lightweight and compact spotting scope that was engineered for configurability and ease of use. I’ve found that it’s ideally suited for hunting, competition and professional use.

The CFS is 14.1-inches long and weighs just 33.7 ounces. It’s streamlined design makes for easy storage and snag-­free deployment from a bag or pack. An integrated 11/2-­inch dovetail base facilitates direct mounting to a tripod. The extended mounting base ensures the scope is well-­balanced regardless of accessories attached to the optional accessory cage, referred to as the Spotting Scope Rail Accessory Platform (s-­RAP).

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The knurled, rubber rapid-focus ring features a 120-­degree throw that easily transitions from 21.8 yards (20 meters) to “infinity” without requiring multiple revolutions. The focus ring provides a tactile reference for use in low light or with a gloved hand. In addition to a diopter adjustment, an adjustable twist-out eye cup serves as a repeatable contact point — with or without glasses.

Controls are centrally located near the mounting point to reduce vibration and movement, and the CFS is RRS Standard and Arca-Swiss compatible. Stop-­screws stored on the base can be used to prevent the scope from sliding out of the tripod clamp. Three adapters can be used to secure the CFS to non-­dovetail tripod heads. When the optional s-­RAP is used, a 20-­slot M1913 accessory rail supports additional mounting options for night vision and thermal devices as well as laser rangefinders, a Kestrel, and even a red-dot sight to facilitate faster target acquisition.

The CFS boasts the refined optical quality Nightforce scopes are known for. With three reticle options, including MIL-­XTs, MOA-­XTs and Tremor4, the CFS can be ordered to match a partner’s riflescope reticle. This is an advantage versus a traditional, reticle-­less spotting scope where the spotter is required to estimate calculations rather than provide specific adjustments.

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At low power, the reticle markings, optics and spacing enable the spotter to quickly communicate target location. At high power, the spotter has an unobstructed view of bullet trace in the top half of the reticle. A grid in the bottom half of the reticle is designed with the same spacing and numbers as a corresponding riflescope, which aids in making precise impact calls. An additional .1-­mil or .25-­MOA milling grid helps with fine adjustments.

When a laser rangefinder is mounted behind a thermal or night vision device, the spotter can accurately range targets at night, too, a task that has traditionally been relegated to the shooter. The 50mm objective lens provides almost 2 inches of eye relief, so the spotter doesn’t have to have his face directly behind the scope. This comes in handy when operating from behind cover, or from an atypical shooting position.

Tenebraex flip caps protect the lenses, and the scope is impact tested at the Nightforce factory to the same standard as its riflescopes. The CFS ships with a padded field case, along with a fob lens cloth and a T15 Torx wrench.

Nightforce CFS F1

• Power: 6X to 36X
• Objective: 50mm
• Reticle: MIL-­XTs, MOA-­XTs, Tremor4
• Length: 14.1 in.
• Weight: 33.7 oz.
• Eye Relief: 2 in.
• MSRP: $3,350 (tested w/ cage kit)
• Manfacturer: Nightforce, 208-476-9814, nightforceoptics.com