Nikon Monarch 5-20x44 vs. Vortex 6.5-20x44

[wolf6151]

Can someone compare the Nikon Monarch vs. the Vortex Viper scopes or have an opinion on one vs. the other, which is best? I know the Nikon is a 1 inch tube and the Vortex is a 30mm tube. I plan on putting one of them on a Rem. 700 VS that I will soon have rebarreled to .243 Win. 26" varmint contour. The rifle will be used for everything, lots of paper punching 100-300, occasionally some deer hunting, and occasionally some long range paper punching 600-1000 yds. Opinions please....Thanks.

 

[Shootin4fun]

Like many who have probably gone down this road, I've been torn between the 2 as well. I placed an order for the Nikon because I've had such a good experience with my Monarch 4-16x42 SF. Very clear optics and the BDC works great at full mag if you dial in the right ballistic data. Hitting 1" squares at 350 yards with it on a Browning in 243. Very stable and repeatable.

Wondering which you chose and your subsequent observation.

Although Nikon makes different products in different factories, etc., being a photographer for over 40 years, I gotta tell ya, they are considered top of the line for the $ even in the professional world. I made a considerable amount of money shooting Nikons in Hollywood for Merv Griffin and other biggies. (He had one of my pics hanging in his house.) Nobody ever said "Gee your pictures aren't as clear as so-and-so's.) Nikon was the go-to camera for most professionals for many years.

Hasselblads with their Zeiss lenses have always been top of the heap, but at multiple x the cost, and they only made larger format than 35mm cameras. The new digtial Hasselblads with Zeiss are over $32K! Now its Cannon and Nikon at the top in the SLR arena, with Cannon always ahead of Nikon just a smidge in image processing techology, but not necessarily in the lens quality.

 

[jtkratzer]

How occasional is the 600-1000 shooting going to happen? That's a lot of scope, size and weight, for a primarily 300 and in rifle.

I just got my FFP PST Viper 6-24x50 and I LOVE the reticle. I have a 3-12x42SF Monarch and it's plenty of scope to shoot at least 400 yards.