I'm looking for a reasonably priced upgrade for the scope on my Kimber. I'm interested in some of the scopes that have some type of hold over reticle. Does anyone have/use a Nikon with the BDC reticle for woodchucks?

I'd love to get the Leupold VX3 with the varmint hunters reticle, but it's slightly cost prohibitive at this point.

Let me know

I use Nikon on all of my rifles. I have 3 with the BDC. I don't like it for prairie dog shooting. I realize that chucks are somewhat larger but I'm not sure how they would work at extended range. The BDC is excellent on my deer rifles.
If your rifle is a dedicated Varmint rifle and money is a "consideration" let me suggest the Nikon Buckmaster 6X18 or 4.5X14 with Mil-Dot reticle. I have both and they work very well on the smaller critters.
GOOD LUCK and GOOD SHOOTING!!!

Thanks jigger,

I saw that they had the Mil-Dot in 4.5-14 on their website, but I would really like to look through one before I buy it. I'll have to make the trek to Cabela's I'm sure they'd have one on display somewhere.

Thanks Again.

While the BDC isn't exactly my cup of tea, I do like the Nikon BM and Monarch scopes and recommend them highly. And while I prefer the Nikoplex reticle, I will add that the BDC is a good, functional system, but it's just not suited to my needs.

You can't go wrong with either a BM or Monarch.

The last time I looked through both a Monarch and a Buckmaster at the same visit, the Buckmaster was noticeably brighter and had better contrast and color than the Monarch. I was comparing 6-18x's. I was pretty surprised by that. I bought the 6-18x Buckmaster. I too preferred the Nikoplex reticle to the bdc. It sits on my short to medium range prairie dog gun (22-250).

kimber, The Nikon Buckmaster 6-18 side focus comes with target knobs and using the standard nikoplex reticle and learning to dial the turrets will be the way to go. My 204 has an old model Monarch 6.5-20 with the front A.O. and it has served well for a long time. I use the new model 6-18 Buckmasters on a 6mmRemVLS, a 25-06Sendero and my RockRiver with the heavy 24" 7 twist barrel. If I needed another scope today it would be a Nikon.......for clarity, definition, light gathering and repeatability and last but not least.........AFFORDABILITY! Now as to the BDC reticle, I sell them, I've shot them on test rifles and I'm not impressed as far as precision goes. As stated before, they are probably well suited for a deer rifle but not a precision varminter. Just my thoughts. Charlie (GHD)

Thanks for the reply's everyone. I was hesitant about getting a Nikon but a friend has one on his .270WSM and it was very clear and bright. I'm spent a lot of time shooting through Leupolds, but I just can't justify spending that much on a scope that I don't get to use as often as I'd like to. The .204 currently wears a gifted BSA scope. When you look through it on a sunny day you would think that the sun went behind a cloud.

GHD, you mentioned learning to dial the turrets, how is the repeatability on the Nikon turrets? Another complaint about the BSA - no repeatability.

Let me know,
Thanks - Kimber

kimber, My Monarch 6.5-20 has been used for 6 years and has been dialed up and down countless times always returning to zero. Some days it may get cranked 20-30 times. My Buckmasters 6-18's have shown the same kind of reliability so far also. I use one of the new model 6-24 Monarch SF's on my long range 260 and same repeatibility. Again, If I needed a dependable, clear, repeatable scope for another rifle today, the rifle would wear a NIKON. Best value in optics that I've found. GHD

. How do you guys who have used the Nikon BDC reticle think it would work on Fox ,Coyote and Wolf ????

It's an Ok ballistic reticle, i just prefer some windage system of reference with my reticles.

I also have the 6-18x BM with mil-dot reticle on an XP-100 17 Fireball that i use for prairie dogs, and love it. I use the turret for elevation and reticle for windage recalcd to the optics highest power (2.4 inch per hundred yd. between .5 minute "mil-dots"). The 6-18x BM with MD reticle is on sale once again at Midway for $300.

Nikon is at the top of the list for quality and price. The Buckmaster series is amazing and my prefered Nikon. I am one that loves the BDC reticle for small varmint and coyote shooting. I find the BDC very quick and easy to center and use the circle circumference for wind adjustment.

Kimber & Gumboot,

Nikon Monarch's are my "go to" scope. I still feel they offer the best bang for the buck today. I have a 3-9x42 Monarch with the BDC reticle on my .223 AR-15 that I use for predator calling. This past year they introduced the Coyote Special scope with a reticle designed for predator hunting. It is like the BDC, but with larger dots and a dot instead of a crosshair at your "zero". I have looked through several. It will allow you to get on a target more quickly. Gary Roberson, the owner of Burnham Brothers Game Calls, helped Nikon with the design. It comes in both 3-9x40 and 4.5-14x40 which should meet both your needs.

Bob



The Predator Hunting Reticle.....not just a "drop" reticle.

A friend of mine came up from Georgia in May to do a little p-dog hunting. He had a BDC on his Savage 223 and Georgia Arms reloaded 223 ammo with Hornady V-max bullets (don't remember the bullet weight!).

I'll just put it this way. I was 5 for 5 using the BDC at later measured distances of 293, 291, 287, 297, and 306, using the second circle with a 100 yard sight-in. Absolutely SPOT ON.

I tried one and was so impressed, I purchased 2 for my AR-15 rifles. Good deal I say.

You wont be comprimising by getting a Nikon. I have a 4.5-14 BM on my 7x57 and just ordered a 4-16 Monarch for my 20VT. Both with the MD. Love the clarity and sharpness. Have replaced Leupolds, Grandslams,BSA, and a few others I would rather forget.

Von Gruff.

I just got a 2.5X10 Monarch BDC, and I am not to awful pleased with it. It seems, that at 100 yards while shooting groups in my 243 Winchester, I cannot see the cross inside the 1" box on my targets, which would be my hold point. I talked with the Nikon Rep, at the NRA Show in Phoenix, and he suggested I send it back to them for a look see. As usual their service is outstanding. The scope came back, and it is the same as before I sent it to them.

The previous 2 versions of the Nikon Monarch, were in my opinion much better.

Jerry