Nikon Monarch opinions

Finn fan · Feb 28, 2016

I need to replace the scope on my Mark X in 7 X 57 .

I have researched a bit and not found anything negative on a Nikon Monarch 3 scope. I am looking at 2- 8 power.

The price is at $300.

Does anyone have anything positive or negative to say about this scope?

I was leaning towards a Zeiss Terra but found a few negative reviews. Not a lot but enough to make me think.

Thanks

PHOENIX PHIL · Feb 28, 2016

I have one, use it on my .458B&M. Took that rifle to RSA last year an used it for PG.......yeah I know who uses that caliber for PG? Well I took 260gr loads that fly at 2900fps, so a good PG round and I just wanted to take it.

I was once a big Zeiss Conquest fan, great optical quality for the money. But over the last 5 or 6 years my rifle battery has grown and with it I do a lot more load development and a lot more shooting. The Zeiss' started to break down on me on a regular basis.

A friend who was a devoted Leupold guy was going through the same type of a problem and made the switch to Nikon. I followed his lead. Neither of us has yet to have a problem with ours.

The scope in question is mounted on QD rings as was one of my older Zeiss' that was to go on my son's rifle, and was stored in the case that also contained our ammo. After mounting scopes we went to check zero. The 2-8 Nikon was spot on, no adjustment necessary. The Zeiss on my son's 7x57 needed quite a bit of adjustment to get back to zero.

Is the optical quality quite that of a high end Zeiss? No I don't think it is, but it's still fine for me, but the durability I think is better than most. With as much shooting as I do and the thought of the airlne monkeys throwing the cases around, that durability goes a long way with me.

lcq · Feb 28, 2016

I found the eye relief short and there was debris in both of the ones I returned to Cabelas. I would go with a Vortex. cameralandny has some pretty good deals

bman940 · Feb 29, 2016

I had a Husquvarna 7x57, what a great caliber. I can understand the lower profile MONARCH 3 2-8 x32, I have 4 on rifles from bolt to AR's. 1 other suggestion for your rile is Nikon's MONARCH 5 2-10x42ED Advanced BDC. This is one heck of a scope with some of Nikon's finest glass and new Advanced BDC to help you account for wind drift. I haven't had my hands one one of these yet but hope to soon. I do freelance PR/Shooting Event's for Nikon and I have never come across a scope with "debris" in any of the over 1000 scope's I have used over the past 6 years. No matter which one you choose I do encourage you to look through the eyepiece to make sure it is the right scope for your needs. Both of these scope's have 4 inches of eye relief as does the Vortex Viper. Feel free to drop me a note if you have any question's. I don't do any sales, just saw your post and thought I would try and help out. Check out this site's sponsor's to see if they can help you with your purchase.

nchungryhunter · Feb 29, 2016

I have a Monarch 4x16 on my 300wm. It is a nice scope for the money but will probably eventually mount a leapold on it. I have the BDC redical on mine which is pretty much useless as if I am looking at a deer at 500 yards it takes up almost the entire circle. I like leapould's BDC equivalent much better.
The zoom is also fairly stiff on that scope compared to others I have. I have a nikon buckmaster scope on another rifle that is much easier to manage.
Other than that it has held up well. I know I've banged it off a tree or two and have never had any problems with it holding zero. For $300 you probably can't find much better.

MarkCZ · Feb 29, 2016

Personally for the money I think they are good value but I would rather have a second hand Swarovski 6 x 42 Habitch. for about the same cost.
MarkCZ.

gizmo · Feb 29, 2016

I have four of them and love them. Of course I'm also a Nikon fan. I have there rifle scopes, 3 sets of their binos, and several cameras.

browningbbr · Feb 29, 2016

I have a Monarch 5.5-16x42 UCC AO on my 7mm Mag. Clarity wise, it is on par with my VX-III, Vortex Viper, Burris Black Diamond and Zeiss Conquest scopes. Ditto for the ability to hold zero and durability. It is just less bright because the others all have 5omm (or greater) objective lenses. You'll probably be happy with any of these brands.

JGRaider · Feb 29, 2016

PHOENIX PHIL said:
I have one, use it on my .458B&M. Took that rifle to RSA last year an used it for PG.......yeah I know who uses that caliber for PG? Well I took 260gr loads that fly at 2900fps, so a good PG round and I just wanted to take it.

I was once a big Zeiss Conquest fan, great optical quality for the money. But over the last 5 or 6 years my rifle battery has grown and with it I do a lot more load development and a lot more shooting. The Zeiss' started to break down on me on a regular basis.

A friend who was a devoted Leupold guy was going through the same type of a problem and made the switch to Nikon. I followed his lead. Neither of us has yet to have a problem with ours.

The scope in question is mounted on QD rings as was one of my older Zeiss' that was to go on my son's rifle, and was stored in the case that also contained our ammo. After mounting scopes we went to check zero. The 2-8 Nikon was spot on, no adjustment necessary. The Zeiss on my son's 7x57 needed quite a bit of adjustment to get back to zero.

Is the optical quality quite that of a high end Zeiss? No I don't think it is, but it's still fine for me, but the durability I think is better than most. With as much shooting as I do and the thought of the airlne monkeys throwing the cases around, that durability goes a long way with me.

Interesting PP. I am looking to put something on my seriously accurate McWhorter custom 7-08, and the new Monarch 5 has my attention. I'm considering the 2-12x42 VX6, 4.5-14x40 VX3, 4.5-14x44 Meopta Meopro, and the Monarch 5. When you say durability is "better than most", I'm curious as to the approximate round counts on your rifles wearing the Monarch's? I've only gotten to peer through a Monarch 5 in the store, but you can tell glass is quite good.

PHOENIX PHIL · Feb 29, 2016

JGRaider said:
Interesting PP. I am looking to put something on my seriously accurate McWhorter custom 7-08, and the new Monarch 5 has my attention. I'm considering the 2-12x42 VX6, 4.5-14x40 VX3, 4.5-14x44 Meopta Meopro, and the Monarch 5. When you say durability is "better than most", I'm curious as to the approximate round counts on your rifles wearing the Monarch's? I've only gotten to peer through a Monarch 5 in the store, but you can tell glass is quite good.

Hundreds. Between practice for my two sons and myself and my load development OCD complex, easily hundreds.

It's likely somewhat unfair in the big bores to expect the scopes to last forever under the punishment. And I'm certain I'm giving up a little in optical quality. But do you really want to be facing a wounded buffalo charge wondering if the last shot was the one that finally caused the scope to fail. Perhaps just me, but I think I'll take durability over a little extra optical quality.

JGRaider · Feb 29, 2016

I would too Phil. I'll give up a little optical excellence for solid tracking and repeatability, holding POI, etc as well. Thanks for the info.

Finn fan · Feb 29, 2016

Thanks for all the feedback. I am buying the scope. Just out of curiosity, where would one buy a used Swarovski with any level of confidence? Also the few I have seen on auction sites seem to start at $600.

Lee M · Feb 29, 2016

I have a few different scopes on different guns. I put a similar Nikon Monarch on my sons 7mm 08 and love it. We've had it for almost 6 years. I like it as much or more as my much more expensive stainless Luepold on my Favorite 7mm rifle. Great value glass

Dwight Beagle · Apr 1, 2016

Everyone's eyes are different. Most people see better out of certain brands of optics. For instance I see very well with Meopta, Leupold, Zeiss and Burris. I don't see as well through Nikon and Swarovski. They of course are excellent scopes. I recommend and sell Swarovski and Nikon to customers all the time because it of course is for their eyes, not mine.

Friends are customers constantly get frustrated when they ask, "What is the best scope for $400.00"? I tell them I have no idea because for them I don't.

On side note I believe as do many others that the Zeiss Terra is a step backwards from the Conquest. Conquests were made for Zeiss by Meopta. Don't know who makes the Terra but it isn't Zeiss, the Terra is made in Asia.

35bore · Apr 1, 2016

I don't have one in low power, but I do have one in a higher power range. Theses monarch scopes are fantastic, I feel, and I haven't found much negative about them on the Internet.

nztimb · Apr 1, 2016

I have the 4.5-14 on my 6.5 GM and the 4-16 on my 20VT and like everything about them. I had three slip and falls on the icy rocks on a hunt last winter and the rifle took a couple of good knocks but I was in the game area and within about 50 yards of where I ended up getting a shot so couldnt test for any scope P O I shift. The shots I got were only in the 100yd range but two dead goats has given me great confidence in these scopes.

Scott Slough · Apr 1, 2016

Another big Nikon fan here. Two scopes and two binos ... narry a problem over 10+ years.

Lee M · Apr 1, 2016

I put a 3x9 Nikon on my sons 7mm-08 deer rifle and it has worked great for the past 5 years. I actually like it better then my much more expensive Leupold that's on my trusty 7mm mag. It seems to have a better field of view and is brighter...

Cucuy · Apr 1, 2016

Dad was a serious amateur photographer back in the day. Only used Nikon. Because of that, almost all of my optics (scopes et al.) are Nikon. No complaints!

sestoppelman · Apr 2, 2016

Have one Monarch scope that's been on a couple different guns, works great, no issues. Have several other Nikon scopes and binos, all excellent quality. Only problem I have had with Nikon is I had a bino go south on my trip to Namibia. No I mean literally go south, about 50 yds after I flung them with all due dispatch! They took a bad fall

, thru no fault of their own, and knocked the innards loose.

I was pissed

off I picked them up and gave them the heave ho. When the red faded, I went and found them in the thorns, took them home, sent them to Nikon and for $35 they fixed them. Still have 'em.

Nikon Monarch opinions

Finn fan

PHOENIX PHIL

lcq

bman940

nchungryhunter

MarkCZ

gizmo

browningbbr

JGRaider

PHOENIX PHIL

JGRaider

Finn fan

Lee M

Dwight Beagle

35bore

nztimb

Scott Slough

Lee M

Cucuy

sestoppelman

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