Optics for a mountain rifle...?

[wilkup]

Anyone seen the new Nikon scope that's come out?

Monarch 7 4-16x50 SF BDC XR Turret

Looks like a pretty awesome new offering with 30mm tube and excellent Nikon glass.

MONARCH 7 4-16x50 SF BDC XR Turret from Nikon

 

[bruce_ventura]

...Monarch 7 4-16x50 SF BDC XR Turret

Looks like a pretty awesome new offering with 30mm tube and excellent Nikon glass.[/url]

Nikon usually updates a lens coating and renames the entire line. This time they actually changed the mechanical design a bit.

As far as I can see from Nikon's cumbersome website, Monarch 7 offers the same 4-16 erector tube and BDC reticle as before. Custom turrets were available before as well. The main improvements seem to be the 30 mm tube (adjustment range not listed) and a zoom ring that doesn't slip through your fingers (long overdue). The eye relief took a 10% hit though. I don't see the awesomeness in this scope. It's taken Nikon a long time to make such simple improvements - guess that's sort of awesome.

 

[wilkup]

Nikon usually updates a lens coating and renames the entire line. This time they actually changed the mechanical design a bit.

As far as I can see from Nikon's cumbersome website, Monarch 7 offers the same 4-16 erector tube and BDC reticle as before. Custom turrets were available before as well. The main improvements seem to be the 30 mm tube (adjustment range not listed) and a zoom ring that doesn't slip through your fingers (long overdue). The eye relief took a 10% hit though. I don't see the awesomeness in this scope. It's taken Nikon a long time to make such simple improvements - guess that's sort of awesome.

The reason I think it's awesome is because it's basically the same as the Vortex Viper HSLR I'm interested in, except it comes with the higher quality glass Nikon is known for. I know the turrets have been available with the Monarch 3 4-16x50 I'm curious about as well, but wasn't terribly fond of the 1'' tube rather than 30mm. The other reason I like this new Monarch 7 is because it offers the BDC reticle, which I've come to really appreciate.

 

[COBrad]

I went through this same process two years ago, deciding what scope to put on a custom Allen Precision mtn. rifle. In the end I spent more than I intended to and went with the NF 2.5-10x32. It was a good choice. I use this rifle a few days each fall to hunt elk, the rest of the time it is a walking varmint rifle for marmots above timberline. I do a lot of turret twisting and the turrets are dead-nuts accurate. Glass has been good enough for shots around 1000 yards.