I put my last monarch 7 on a rifle last week -- I have no more unmounted nikons -- and have been out of the game for some time, as I bought several when nikon announced that they are leaving the market

Any good quality and value scopes in this range, or have the good ones all drifted much higher?

heck, (please don't recommend leupold) what's a good quality riflescope under, say, $600

I have heard good things about this company but have not yet personally tried any of their scopes. That may change the next time I need one.

Maven

They are transparent regarding where everything that goes into them is made and where the finished products are assembled.

There are a few levels of quality in their product line.

Their marketing and sales model is direct-to-the-consumer but they have a "free try" policy that is pretty innovative.

Thank you! I'll look into them

I really like the Meopta MeoSport 3-15x50. I've had several and have no valid complaints. For the $$, they are the best sub-$500 scope that I have found. And, they even feature illumination, which can come in handy very early or late in the day.

Meopta is in a bit of limbo right now, but you can still find them. They're usually $499, but a friend texted a few days ago and told me he found them in stock at B&H -- and on sale for $399.

As an old-time scope hunter, jeffeosso, my suggestion is to keep an eye out for good, used Nikons.

I've got a 15yo Monarch 4-16×42 idle (I don't like modern stuff any more) but you probably want scopes even more modern.

Thanks guys

I got 2 308s lately, and they took my last monarch 5 and 7.. I have none left.. 3x9x36 or 42 works just fine for me, too.

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
Thanks guys

I got 2 308s lately, and they took my last monarch 5 and 7.. I have none left.. 3x9x36 or 42 works just fine for me, too.

if you find them: the bushnell elite and 4200 made in japan: the 3x9-40 and 2.5-10x40 seems great and never broke despite my habit of doing so ... im trying a 4500 2.5-10x40 this winter and again did not break it despite some lovely ride on skidoo. they are made in south korea.

You could try Sightron, I suppose. I bought a s/h 2.5-10 recently, just to check out because RIP had said they were very reliable - and I assume he'd used them on 458WMs.

So far it has held zero but the tunnel vision is terrible, even worse than my Nikon's.

I like the bushnell elite 2x7 on my loaners -- good call

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
I like the bushnell elite 2x7...

The original B&L and early Bushnell Elites were exceptional scopes. A B&L 3-9x40 was the first scope I put on my 7mm Bullberry, and it stayed atop that rig for several years. A little 2-7x32 was the perfect complement to a sporterized M94 in 6.5x55.

The glass was very good, the adjustments were precise, and they always held zero for me. Several years ago, I did look at a newer-production 4500 and was not at all impressed. The resolution seemed inferior, and the coke bottle effect was on full display throughout the magnification range. While it was just a sample of one, I thought I'd mention it nonetheless.