Having sold guns and hunting equipment for 15 plus years, I get asked some really interesting questions. One that seems to come up quite a bit centers around the best scope for the money or the best rifle scope value. While I have used or tested out just about every rifle scope on the market, I feel that the best value in rifle scopes is still the Nikon Monarch series.
Here's why I say that:
One of the most important aspects of any scope is the caliber of the glass utilised in the lenses. Lower quality glass means reduced quality clarity as well as picture. A number of competitors utilize glass or lenses which are manufactured overseas. Nikon only makes use of glass produced inside US. The Monarch optics features a 95% rate of light transmission. This means that out of 100% of the light which passes thru the lenses, the Monarch transmits 95% to your eye. While a number of scope makers boast a 95% or higher level of light transmission, Nikon means it. The sight picture and depth of clarity are excellent.
The Nikon Monarch series also incorporates a standard diameter objective lens of 42mm, while the industry standard for objective lens is 40mm. That extra 2mm helps more light to pass thru the scope and provides much better efficiency in reduced light conditions.
All Monarch scopes which are a 3X12 or larger use a side focus adjustment. If you haven't utilized side focus, you really ought to give it a try. After using an SF Nikon, I've never gone back to the more conventional bell focus. Side focus lets you keep your eye on the target while focusing in. That activity is particularly tricky with a bell focus.
One more reason I really feel the Monarch's are a best buy involve the longer eye relief. The Monarch's have amazingly good eye relief when trying to line up the shot. This makes for very quick target acquisition under any situations. Scopes with a lower eye relief threshold make the shooter to shift his or her head back and forth in an attempt to find the optimal eye relief. With the Monarch, you just shoulder, focus, and shoot.
Besides the lifetime warranty supplied by Nikon, the Monarch is also nitrogen purged so it is fog proof. The primary tube of each Monarch is produced from forged aluminum which features a strength to weight ratio higher than metal.
Nikon makes the Monarch is 9 distinctive configurations ranging from a 2- 8X all the way up to a 8- 32X, so one is certain to satisfy your shooting requirements.
When you actually put side by side all the features of the Monarch against matching competitors, and then factor in the price points, the Nikon continually seems to come out a winner in my book.
Owning my own sporting goods store means I get to test nearly every rifle scope that comes through the doors. With that being said, I would rate the Nikon Monarch series as a definite best buy. Here's why: Nikon Monarch.
