4-16x42 scope

[denisl]

I just picked up a remingtion 700 5R .308 which I will mostly be using at the range at 100-300 yards. There's a 600 yard range that I will try to go to someday but not in the near future. Most of my shooting will be at 100 yards but I want the ability to go to 600. There's a 600 yard competition twice a year that I want to participate in.

I'm looking at a Nikon 4-16x42 Monarch mildot.
I'm new to rifles and scopes so please let me know if I'm off the mark here.

Thank you.

 

[greyling22]

monarch's are good scopes. It may or may not be the best scope, (if you ask 4 guys what the best scope is you will get 5 opinions) but it won't be a bad buy.

 

[Outlaw Man]

Nikon scopes, in my limited experience, seem to have pretty decent glass for their price range.

I can tell you, however, that trying to see a target at 600 yards is going to be pushing the limits of most of the budget-minded scopes. It will flat out exceed the limits of some.

I know it will be difficult to do, but see if you can look through that scope at something 500-600 yards away. Go visit that range and see if there are some guys that will let you look through their scopes and pay a lot of attention.

I'm skeptical, but it might be fine.

If you were only ever going to shoot out to 300, it will probably suit you fine.

 

[denisl]

Thanks for the input - this is a tough decision and hard for me to get a chance to see someone else's scope in action. Is there something you would recommend in the $500 range that would take me to 600 yds but spend most of its time at 100 yds?

 

[AKElroy]

This:

http://www.opticsplanet.com/bushnell-6-24x40-elite-ao-semi-target-turrets-multi-x-riflescope.html

 

[AKElroy]

Or this: less magnification, better adjustments

http://www.opticsplanet.com/bushnell-matte-elite-tactical-5-15x40-argon-ao-mildot-riflescope.html

 

[Outlaw Man]

I agree. AKElroy's second suggestion would likely suit you much better. The adjustable objective is going to be very beneficial.

 

[greyling22]

I have a weaver grand slam 6-20x50 AO on a .257AI, and I cannot see bullet holes at 500yds. You might be happier with a $300 hunting scope and a $200 spotting scope. Just a thought.

 

[Outlaw Man]

Greyling, not to take away from what you said at all, because getting a good spotting scope is excellent advice, but I'd question the ability of even a $500 spotting scope to reliably spot bullet holes at that distance.

I could be wrong, though.

 

[Haxby]

Some Monarchs have less elevation and windage adjustment than most scopes, and I think the 4-16 is one of those. Might be a problem going from 100 to 600. Better check that.
That is the only downside I see to the Monarch.

 

[Claude Clay]

spot on actually.
my spotting scope for past 300 yards is a 4" Schmidt-cassigrian
astronomy scope. used these can be had in the $400 range plus eyepieces ( 50 & up)
--be it known that the scope reverses the field...something an astronomer works with but
may present difficulty for some when used as a spotting scope. an inverter adds to the cost and size of the system.

 

[greyling22]

Outlaw, I don't own a spotting scope, so that's good to know you can't see holes at 500. I knew I couldn't at 20x, so I was thinking maybe I could at 60x. Maybe with one of those shoot and see targets?

 

[Outlaw Man]

You'd probably have a shot with that extra color contrast. I'd be curious to know if anyone has any experience with them at that distance.

600 yards is that distance where a lot of people start gravitating toward steel or other reactive targets to get the audible indication along with some movement.

 

[CB900F]

Denisl;

I have that particular Nikon Monarch scope on a .223 varmint gun. Now mine's a Monarch, not a Monarch 3. In any case, I'm not usually trying to shoot anything at 600 yards with it, but I sure can look at stuff and see it just fine.

What counts with glass is clarity or resolution. Big magnification numbers don't mean much if all you see is a fuzzy image at 14X. Nikon Monarchs have very good resolution IMHO, much better than the Buckmaster & Prostaff lines. Perhaps not as good as Zeiss, or the very upper end Leupold's, but then they tend to cost more too.

For what you've stated as prospective uses, I think you'll be fine with it. And, I've never had a problem running out of adjustment with mine, but then as I stated, I'm not using it for much beyond about 350 yards. Got another gun for that. But, come to think of it, it's got Nikon glass too.

900F

 

[Crashola]

If you are in the market for a Monarch, check out the Natchez Shooters supply website. They have some of the previous models (and some refurbished scopes) with some really good prices. For example, a refurbished 4x16 42 mm side focus Mildot for $300.

Note: if the site says they are out of stock, you can get a notification when they get them in. I was looking at another refurbished Monarch that was out of stock. I got an email the very next day telling me they had them back in.