diff --git a/components/nif/base.cpp b/components/nif/base.cpp
index 8c63cd1a2a..ed440cd96d 100644
--- a/components/nif/base.cpp
+++ b/components/nif/base.cpp
@@ -19,14 +19,14 @@ namespace Nif
         if (nif->getVersion() < NIFStream::generateVersion(10, 0, 1, 0))
             extra.read(nif);
         else
-            extralist.read(nif);
+            readRecordList(nif, extralist);
         controller.read(nif);
     }
 
     void Named::post(Reader& nif)
     {
         extra.post(nif);
-        extralist.post(nif);
+        postRecordList(nif, extralist);
         controller.post(nif);
     }
 }
diff --git a/components/nif/controller.cpp b/components/nif/controller.cpp
index 33e720cfe8..f05c6bcd7e 100644
--- a/components/nif/controller.cpp
+++ b/components/nif/controller.cpp
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ namespace Nif
     void NiMultiTargetTransformController::post(Reader& nif)
     {
         NiInterpController::post(nif);
-        mExtraTargets.post(nif);
+        postRecordList(nif, mExtraTargets);
     }
 
     void NiAlphaController::read(NIFStream* nif)
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ namespace Nif
             {
                 if (nif->getVersion() <= NIFFile::NIFVersion::VER_OB)
                 {
-                    mInterpolators.read(nif);
+                    readRecordList(nif, mInterpolators);
                     if (nif->getVersion() >= NIFStream::generateVersion(10, 2, 0, 0) && nif->getBethVersion() > 9)
                     {
                         unsigned int numUnknown = nif->getUInt();
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ namespace Nif
     {
         NiInterpController::post(nif);
         mData.post(nif);
-        mInterpolators.post(nif);
+        postRecordList(nif, mInterpolators);
     }
 
     void NiVisController::read(NIFStream* nif)
@@ -304,13 +304,13 @@ namespace Nif
             timeStart = nif->getFloat();
             mDelta = nif->getFloat();
         }
-        mSources.read(nif);
+        readRecordList(nif, mSources);
     }
 
     void NiFlipController::post(Reader& nif)
     {
         NiFloatInterpController::post(nif);
-        mSources.post(nif);
+        postRecordList(nif, mSources);
     }
 
     void bhkBlendController::read(NIFStream* nif)
diff --git a/components/nif/data.cpp b/components/nif/data.cpp
index eb66cba5a8..7a6ea7b540 100644
--- a/components/nif/data.cpp
+++ b/components/nif/data.cpp
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ namespace Nif
         if (nif->getVersion() >= NIFStream::generateVersion(10, 1, 0, 101))
             partitions.read(nif);
         root.read(nif);
-        bones.read(nif);
+        readRecordList(nif, bones);
     }
 
     void NiSkinInstance::post(Reader& nif)
@@ -21,20 +21,19 @@ namespace Nif
         data.post(nif);
         partitions.post(nif);
         root.post(nif);
-        bones.post(nif);
+        postRecordList(nif, bones);
 
         if (data.empty() || root.empty())
             throw Nif::Exception("NiSkinInstance missing root or data", nif.getFilename());
 
-        size_t bnum = bones.length();
-        if (bnum != data->bones.size())
+        if (bones.size() != data->bones.size())
             throw Nif::Exception("Mismatch in NiSkinData bone count", nif.getFilename());
 
-        for (size_t i = 0; i < bnum; i++)
+        for (auto& bone : bones)
         {
-            if (bones[i].empty())
+            if (bone.empty())
                 throw Nif::Exception("Oops: Missing bone! Don't know how to handle this.", nif.getFilename());
-            bones[i]->setBone();
+            bone->setBone();
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/components/nif/node.cpp b/components/nif/node.cpp
index 51f822d079..66065aec32 100644
--- a/components/nif/node.cpp
+++ b/components/nif/node.cpp
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ namespace Nif
         if (nif->getVersion() <= NIFStream::generateVersion(4, 2, 2, 0))
             velocity = nif->getVector3();
         if (nif->getBethVersion() <= NIFFile::BethVersion::BETHVER_FO3)
-            props.read(nif);
+            readRecordList(nif, props);
 
         if (nif->getVersion() <= NIFStream::generateVersion(4, 2, 2, 0))
             hasBounds = nif->getBoolean();
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ namespace Nif
     void Node::post(Reader& nif)
     {
         Named::post(nif);
-        props.post(nif);
+        postRecordList(nif, props);
         collision.post(nif);
     }
 
@@ -114,9 +114,9 @@ namespace Nif
     void NiNode::read(NIFStream* nif)
     {
         Node::read(nif);
-        children.read(nif);
+        readRecordList(nif, children);
         if (nif->getBethVersion() < NIFFile::BethVersion::BETHVER_FO4)
-            effects.read(nif);
+            readRecordList(nif, effects);
 
         // Discard transformations for the root node, otherwise some meshes
         // occasionally get wrong orientation. Only for NiNode-s for now, but
@@ -131,14 +131,14 @@ namespace Nif
     void NiNode::post(Reader& nif)
     {
         Node::post(nif);
-        children.post(nif);
-        effects.post(nif);
+        postRecordList(nif, children);
+        postRecordList(nif, effects);
 
-        for (size_t i = 0; i < children.length(); i++)
+        for (auto& child : children)
         {
             // Why would a unique list of children contain empty refs?
-            if (!children[i].empty())
-                children[i]->parents.push_back(this);
+            if (!child.empty())
+                child->parents.push_back(this);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/components/nif/physics.cpp b/components/nif/physics.cpp
index 5ba080b845..9b58585c36 100644
--- a/components/nif/physics.cpp
+++ b/components/nif/physics.cpp
@@ -202,14 +202,14 @@ namespace Nif
         mGrowBy = nif->getUInt();
         if (nif->getVersion() >= NIFStream::generateVersion(10, 1, 0, 0))
             mScale = nif->getVector4();
-        mData.read(nif);
+        readRecordList(nif, mData);
         unsigned int numFilters = nif->getUInt();
         nif->getUInts(mFilters, numFilters);
     }
 
     void bhkNiTriStripsShape::post(Reader& nif)
     {
-        mData.post(nif);
+        postRecordList(nif, mData);
     }
 
     void bhkPackedNiTriStripsShape::read(NIFStream* nif)
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ namespace Nif
 
     void bhkListShape::read(NIFStream* nif)
     {
-        mSubshapes.read(nif);
+        readRecordList(nif, mSubshapes);
         mHavokMaterial.read(nif);
         mChildShapeProperty.read(nif);
         mChildFilterProperty.read(nif);
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ namespace Nif
     {
         bhkEntity::read(nif);
         mInfo.read(nif);
-        mConstraints.read(nif);
+        readRecordList(nif, mConstraints);
         if (nif->getBethVersion() < 76)
             mBodyFlags = nif->getUInt();
         else
diff --git a/components/nif/recordptr.hpp b/components/nif/recordptr.hpp
index 3807382ee6..379fa8eaeb 100644
--- a/components/nif/recordptr.hpp
+++ b/components/nif/recordptr.hpp
@@ -85,39 +85,25 @@ namespace Nif
         implementation.
      */
     template <class X>
-    class RecordListT
+    using RecordListT = std::vector<RecordPtrT<X>>;
+
+    template <class T>
+    void readRecordList(NIFStream* nif, RecordListT<T>& list)
     {
-        typedef RecordPtrT<X> Ptr;
-        std::vector<Ptr> list;
+        const int length = nif->getInt();
 
-    public:
-        RecordListT() = default;
+        list.resize(static_cast<std::size_t>(length));
 
-        RecordListT(std::vector<Ptr> list)
-            : list(std::move(list))
-        {
-        }
+        for (auto& value : list)
+            value.read(nif);
+    }
 
-        void read(NIFStream* nif)
-        {
-            int len = nif->getInt();
-            list.resize(len);
-
-            for (size_t i = 0; i < list.size(); i++)
-                list[i].read(nif);
-        }
-
-        void post(Reader& nif)
-        {
-            for (size_t i = 0; i < list.size(); i++)
-                list[i].post(nif);
-        }
-
-        const Ptr& operator[](size_t index) const { return list.at(index); }
-        Ptr& operator[](size_t index) { return list.at(index); }
-
-        size_t length() const { return list.size(); }
-    };
+    template <class T>
+    void postRecordList(Reader& nif, RecordListT<T>& list)
+    {
+        for (auto& value : list)
+            value.post(nif);
+    }
 
     struct Node;
     struct Extra;
diff --git a/components/nifbullet/bulletnifloader.cpp b/components/nifbullet/bulletnifloader.cpp
index 7b6649f32a..fa3a8def6a 100644
--- a/components/nifbullet/bulletnifloader.cpp
+++ b/components/nifbullet/bulletnifloader.cpp
@@ -284,14 +284,9 @@ namespace NifBullet
         if (const Nif::NiNode* ninode = dynamic_cast<const Nif::NiNode*>(&node))
         {
             const Nif::NodeList& list = ninode->children;
-            for (size_t i = 0; i < list.length(); i++)
-            {
-                if (!list[i].empty())
-                {
-                    if (findBoundingBox(list[i].get(), filename))
-                        return true;
-                }
-            }
+            for (const auto& child : list)
+                if (!child.empty() && findBoundingBox(child.get(), filename))
+                    return true;
         }
         return false;
     }
@@ -300,12 +295,11 @@ namespace NifBullet
     {
         if (const Nif::NiNode* ninode = dynamic_cast<const Nif::NiNode*>(&rootNode))
         {
-            const Nif::NodeList& list = ninode->children;
-            for (size_t i = 0; i < list.length(); i++)
+            for (const auto& child : ninode->children)
             {
-                if (list[i].empty())
+                if (child.empty())
                     continue;
-                if (list[i].getPtr()->recType == Nif::RC_RootCollisionNode)
+                if (child.getPtr()->recType == Nif::RC_RootCollisionNode)
                     return true;
             }
         }
@@ -316,17 +310,16 @@ namespace NifBullet
     {
         if (const Nif::NiNode* ninode = dynamic_cast<const Nif::NiNode*>(&rootNode))
         {
-            const Nif::NodeList& list = ninode->children;
-            for (size_t i = 0; i < list.length(); i++)
+            for (const auto& child : ninode->children)
             {
-                if (list[i].empty())
+                if (child.empty())
                     continue;
-                const Nif::Node* childNode = list[i].getPtr();
+                const Nif::Node* childNode = child.getPtr();
                 if (childNode->recType != Nif::RC_RootCollisionNode)
                     continue;
                 const Nif::NiNode* niChildnode
                     = static_cast<const Nif::NiNode*>(childNode); // RootCollisionNode is always a NiNode
-                if (childNode->hasBounds || niChildnode->children.length() > 0)
+                if (childNode->hasBounds || niChildnode->children.size() > 0)
                     return false;
             }
         }
@@ -412,13 +405,13 @@ namespace NifBullet
         {
             const Nif::NodeList& list = ninode->children;
             const Nif::Parent currentParent{ *ninode, parent };
-            for (size_t i = 0; i < list.length(); i++)
+            for (const auto& child : list)
             {
-                if (list[i].empty())
+                if (child.empty())
                     continue;
 
-                assert(std::find(list[i]->parents.begin(), list[i]->parents.end(), ninode) != list[i]->parents.end());
-                handleNode(fileName, list[i].get(), &currentParent, flags, isCollisionNode, isAnimated, autogenerated,
+                assert(std::find(child->parents.begin(), child->parents.end(), ninode) != child->parents.end());
+                handleNode(fileName, child.get(), &currentParent, flags, isCollisionNode, isAnimated, autogenerated,
                     avoid, visualCollisionType);
             }
         }
diff --git a/components/nifosg/controller.cpp b/components/nifosg/controller.cpp
index c2102a5345..ce5485ac53 100644
--- a/components/nifosg/controller.cpp
+++ b/components/nifosg/controller.cpp
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ namespace NifOsg
 
     GeomMorpherController::GeomMorpherController(const Nif::NiGeomMorpherController* ctrl)
     {
-        if (ctrl->mInterpolators.length() == 0)
+        if (ctrl->mInterpolators.size() == 0)
         {
             if (!ctrl->mData.empty())
             {
@@ -209,10 +209,10 @@ namespace NifOsg
             return;
         }
 
-        mKeyFrames.resize(ctrl->mInterpolators.length());
+        mKeyFrames.resize(ctrl->mInterpolators.size());
         mWeights = ctrl->mWeights;
 
-        for (size_t i = 0; i < ctrl->mInterpolators.length(); ++i)
+        for (std::size_t i = 0, n = ctrl->mInterpolators.size(); i < n; ++i)
         {
             if (!ctrl->mInterpolators[i].empty() && ctrl->mInterpolators[i]->recType == Nif::RC_NiFloatInterpolator)
             {
diff --git a/components/nifosg/nifloader.cpp b/components/nifosg/nifloader.cpp
index a295f3b280..2ad7a7ef09 100644
--- a/components/nifosg/nifloader.cpp
+++ b/components/nifosg/nifloader.cpp
@@ -76,9 +76,9 @@ namespace
         if (const Nif::NiNode* ninode = dynamic_cast<const Nif::NiNode*>(node))
         {
             outIndices.push_back(ninode->recIndex);
-            for (unsigned int i = 0; i < ninode->children.length(); ++i)
-                if (!ninode->children[i].empty())
-                    getAllNiNodes(ninode->children[i].getPtr(), outIndices);
+            for (const auto& child : ninode->children)
+                if (!child.empty())
+                    getAllNiNodes(child.getPtr(), outIndices);
         }
     }
 
@@ -102,18 +102,17 @@ namespace
     {
         if (parent != nullptr)
             collectDrawableProperties(&parent->mNiNode, parent->mParent, out);
-        const Nif::PropertyList& props = nifNode->props;
-        for (size_t i = 0; i < props.length(); ++i)
+        for (const auto& property : nifNode->props)
         {
-            if (!props[i].empty())
+            if (!property.empty())
             {
-                switch (props[i]->recType)
+                switch (property->recType)
                 {
                     case Nif::RC_NiMaterialProperty:
                     case Nif::RC_NiVertexColorProperty:
                     case Nif::RC_NiSpecularProperty:
                     case Nif::RC_NiAlphaProperty:
-                        out.push_back(props[i].getPtr());
+                        out.push_back(property.getPtr());
                         break;
                     default:
                         break;
@@ -375,19 +374,17 @@ namespace NifOsg
             SceneUtil::CompositeStateSetUpdater* composite, Resource::ImageManager* imageManager,
             std::vector<unsigned int>& boundTextures, int animflags)
         {
-            const Nif::PropertyList& props = nifNode->props;
-
             bool hasStencilProperty = false;
 
-            for (size_t i = 0; i < props.length(); ++i)
+            for (const auto& property : nifNode->props)
             {
-                if (props[i].empty())
+                if (property.empty())
                     continue;
 
-                if (props[i].getPtr()->recType == Nif::RC_NiStencilProperty)
+                if (property.getPtr()->recType == Nif::RC_NiStencilProperty)
                 {
                     const Nif::NiStencilProperty* stencilprop
-                        = static_cast<const Nif::NiStencilProperty*>(props[i].getPtr());
+                        = static_cast<const Nif::NiStencilProperty*>(property.getPtr());
                     if (stencilprop->data.enabled != 0)
                     {
                         hasStencilProperty = true;
@@ -396,24 +393,24 @@ namespace NifOsg
                 }
             }
 
-            for (size_t i = 0; i < props.length(); ++i)
+            for (const auto& property : nifNode->props)
             {
-                if (!props[i].empty())
+                if (!property.empty())
                 {
                     // Get the lowest numbered recIndex of the NiTexturingProperty root node.
                     // This is what is overridden when a spell effect "particle texture" is used.
                     if (nifNode->parents.empty() && !mFoundFirstRootTexturingProperty
-                        && props[i].getPtr()->recType == Nif::RC_NiTexturingProperty)
+                        && property.getPtr()->recType == Nif::RC_NiTexturingProperty)
                     {
-                        mFirstRootTextureIndex = props[i].getPtr()->recIndex;
+                        mFirstRootTextureIndex = property.getPtr()->recIndex;
                         mFoundFirstRootTexturingProperty = true;
                     }
-                    else if (props[i].getPtr()->recType == Nif::RC_NiTexturingProperty)
+                    else if (property.getPtr()->recType == Nif::RC_NiTexturingProperty)
                     {
-                        if (props[i].getPtr()->recIndex == mFirstRootTextureIndex)
+                        if (property.getPtr()->recIndex == mFirstRootTextureIndex)
                             applyTo->setUserValue("overrideFx", 1);
                     }
-                    handleProperty(props[i].getPtr(), applyTo, composite, imageManager, boundTextures, animflags,
+                    handleProperty(property.getPtr(), applyTo, composite, imageManager, boundTextures, animflags,
                         hasStencilProperty);
                 }
             }
@@ -463,13 +460,13 @@ namespace NifOsg
             const Nif::NiFltAnimationNode* niFltAnimationNode = static_cast<const Nif::NiFltAnimationNode*>(nifNode);
             osg::ref_ptr<osg::Sequence> sequenceNode(new osg::Sequence);
             sequenceNode->setName(niFltAnimationNode->name);
-            if (niFltAnimationNode->children.length() != 0)
+            if (!niFltAnimationNode->children.empty())
             {
                 if (niFltAnimationNode->swing())
                     sequenceNode->setDefaultTime(
-                        niFltAnimationNode->mDuration / (niFltAnimationNode->children.length() * 2));
+                        niFltAnimationNode->mDuration / (niFltAnimationNode->children.size() * 2));
                 else
-                    sequenceNode->setDefaultTime(niFltAnimationNode->mDuration / niFltAnimationNode->children.length());
+                    sequenceNode->setDefaultTime(niFltAnimationNode->mDuration / niFltAnimationNode->children.size());
             }
             return sequenceNode;
         }
@@ -630,12 +627,9 @@ namespace NifOsg
             for (Nif::ExtraPtr e = nifNode->extra; !e.empty(); e = e->next)
                 extraCollection.emplace_back(e);
 
-            for (size_t i = 0; i < nifNode->extralist.length(); ++i)
-            {
-                Nif::ExtraPtr e = nifNode->extralist[i];
-                if (!e.empty())
-                    extraCollection.emplace_back(e);
-            }
+            for (const auto& extraNode : nifNode->extralist)
+                if (!extraNode.empty())
+                    extraCollection.emplace_back(extraNode);
 
             for (const auto& e : extraCollection)
             {
@@ -805,20 +799,16 @@ namespace NifOsg
             if (ninode)
             {
                 const Nif::NodeList& effects = ninode->effects;
-                for (size_t i = 0; i < effects.length(); ++i)
-                {
-                    if (!effects[i].empty())
-                        handleEffect(effects[i].getPtr(), currentNode, imageManager);
-                }
+                for (const auto& effect : effects)
+                    if (!effect.empty())
+                        handleEffect(effect.getPtr(), currentNode, imageManager);
 
                 const Nif::NodeList& children = ninode->children;
                 const Nif::Parent currentParent{ *ninode, parent };
-                for (size_t i = 0; i < children.length(); ++i)
-                {
-                    if (!children[i].empty())
-                        handleNode(children[i].getPtr(), &currentParent, currentNode, imageManager, boundTextures,
-                            animflags, skipMeshes, hasMarkers, hasAnimatedParents, textKeys, rootNode);
-                }
+                for (const auto& child : children)
+                    if (!child.empty())
+                        handleNode(child.getPtr(), &currentParent, currentNode, imageManager, boundTextures, animflags,
+                            skipMeshes, hasMarkers, hasAnimatedParents, textKeys, rootNode);
             }
 
             if (nifNode->recType == Nif::RC_NiFltAnimationNode)
@@ -1012,13 +1002,12 @@ namespace NifOsg
                         wrapT = inherit->getWrap(osg::Texture2D::WRAP_T);
                     }
 
-                    for (unsigned int i = 0; i < flipctrl->mSources.length(); ++i)
+                    for (const auto& source : flipctrl->mSources)
                     {
-                        Nif::NiSourceTexturePtr st = flipctrl->mSources[i];
-                        if (st.empty())
+                        if (source.empty())
                             continue;
 
-                        osg::ref_ptr<osg::Image> image(handleSourceTexture(st.getPtr(), imageManager));
+                        osg::ref_ptr<osg::Image> image(handleSourceTexture(source.getPtr(), imageManager));
                         osg::ref_ptr<osg::Texture2D> texture(new osg::Texture2D(image));
                         if (image)
                             texture->setTextureSize(image->s(), image->t());
@@ -1480,7 +1469,7 @@ namespace NifOsg
             const Nif::NiSkinInstance* skin = static_cast<const Nif::NiGeometry*>(nifNode)->skin.getPtr();
             const Nif::NiSkinData* data = skin->data.getPtr();
             const Nif::NodeList& bones = skin->bones;
-            for (size_t i = 0; i < bones.length(); i++)
+            for (std::size_t i = 0, n = bones.size(); i < n; ++i)
             {
                 std::string boneName = Misc::StringUtils::lowerCase(bones[i].getPtr()->name);