I've been kicking around replacing my Zeiss conquest on my custom sporter weight .260, it's a 3.5-10x40 with their Zsomething or other range compensating reticle. Frankly on dark gloomy days at the magic evening watch time you can't use that reticle as it pretty much disappears. Would work if it was illuminated but it's not.
I've been kicking around 3 scopes;
Nikon monarch 4-16x50 (1" tube)
Nikon Monarch Gold 2.5-10x50 (30mm tube)
NF compact 3.5-10x32 (30mm tube and lit reticle but not real happy with the reticle choices, they're all moa except the mildot, no MLR avail in that line)
Max range is about 500 yards, can get lots of wind off the lake so I generally self limit to 400 yards. That blind is just about a bench rest and we leave bags in there. If the conditions were right yea I'd take a shot.
Anyways I am not sure about the NF compacts with the downside of no knob covers, not big on their reticle choices, not sure if the NF compact is as bright as the tactical scopes. Plus is it's a lit reticle so that would eliminate the loss of the reticle issue at dusk. Their new compensating reticles have a slow, medium, and fast version and are a near twin to the zeiss only lit.
The Monarch Gold is about half the price, not lit but reported to be pretty damn bright and usable with a 30mm tube and a 50mm obj. Doesn't hurt I know a nikon rep that can get me a heck of a deal on any in the line.
The regular Monarchs are no piece of crap either, I was thinking about the 4-16x50 just to give a little more magnification for grading racks. good knobs for reliable changing for range instead of using reticle holdovers. I have binos, good ones too, but really don't want binos, a spotting scope, and an oversized rifle scope. (I'm not glassing with the rifle but at 400 yards the 16x beats the 8x kowa's when I've already spotted a deer)
OK, I've blathered on. Any dirt on the Monarch Gold and the NF 3.5-10x32? Got to be some opinions here on what works. I didn't get many hits on the monarch gold with my searches other than in the for sale ads. That's not reassuring to me. In fact even searching the whole net I didn't find a lot of pros or cons on the Monarch Gold.
I've been kicking around 3 scopes;
Nikon monarch 4-16x50 (1" tube)
Nikon Monarch Gold 2.5-10x50 (30mm tube)
NF compact 3.5-10x32 (30mm tube and lit reticle but not real happy with the reticle choices, they're all moa except the mildot, no MLR avail in that line)
Max range is about 500 yards, can get lots of wind off the lake so I generally self limit to 400 yards. That blind is just about a bench rest and we leave bags in there. If the conditions were right yea I'd take a shot.
Anyways I am not sure about the NF compacts with the downside of no knob covers, not big on their reticle choices, not sure if the NF compact is as bright as the tactical scopes. Plus is it's a lit reticle so that would eliminate the loss of the reticle issue at dusk. Their new compensating reticles have a slow, medium, and fast version and are a near twin to the zeiss only lit.
The Monarch Gold is about half the price, not lit but reported to be pretty damn bright and usable with a 30mm tube and a 50mm obj. Doesn't hurt I know a nikon rep that can get me a heck of a deal on any in the line.
The regular Monarchs are no piece of crap either, I was thinking about the 4-16x50 just to give a little more magnification for grading racks. good knobs for reliable changing for range instead of using reticle holdovers. I have binos, good ones too, but really don't want binos, a spotting scope, and an oversized rifle scope. (I'm not glassing with the rifle but at 400 yards the 16x beats the 8x kowa's when I've already spotted a deer)
OK, I've blathered on. Any dirt on the Monarch Gold and the NF 3.5-10x32? Got to be some opinions here on what works. I didn't get many hits on the monarch gold with my searches other than in the for sale ads. That's not reassuring to me. In fact even searching the whole net I didn't find a lot of pros or cons on the Monarch Gold.
