Check out "what's new" on Nikon's web site for their Buckmaster 3 x 9, 4.5 x 14 and the 6 x 18 Buckmaster scopes....

They call it the BDC 250 reticle.... Like the highly useful Ballistic Plex that Burris pioneered.... but instead of hash marks on the lower post... it has little circle's like Burris's old Peep Plex reticle.....or on the Shepard Scopes....

This looks highly interesting for a varmint hunter.. particularly on a prairie dog rifle or a sage rat rig....

All that with a side focus, and a rear eye piece focus, and target knobs that are simple and not too darn big... all for under $300.00 via Midway, and a few of the other catalog places.....

I can see 4 or 5 off these in my varminting future......

Cheers
seafire

Thanks for the info! I will definitely have to have one of these...

seafire/B17G

That sounds interesting. Hope it is availabe on the Monarch also I'm just not a Buckmaster fan.

I checked the Nikon Site, can't seem to see a drawing or picture of the reticle. Do you know where I can find one on the web? (BDC 250)
Sounds like a nice scope, I like the 6.5-20x44 AO or the 4.5-15 (I think that was the range?)..

Just looked on Midway the Monarch does come with the new riticle. Looks like it is available for all the 2006 line. No pictures of the riticle however.

Nikon scopes

Click on "Hunting" to the right of "Sport Optics" on this page, the pop up flash window shows the reticle...

http://www.nikonsportoptics.com/home.html

Seafire,

I just put a 4.5-14x44 Buckmaster on my .204 ! Wish I'd waited a couple of weeks ! That scope is a great companion on the Remmy SPS. I love the side focus feature. BT53

Blacktailer:

I have one also, but haven't mounted it yet... torn between which rifle....so I figured I need a few more, so I won't have to make that decision........

This new one looks too darn interesting to pass by tho....

Cheers
seafire

Other than the picture of the reticle, I was unable to find any detailed information about their BDC reticle.

The circles on the reticle all look the same size, so I wouldn't think there were any range estimating capabilities like the Shepard Scopes.

firstshot
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Make your first shot count!

Can't say that reticle does anything for me but look particularly cluttered. I'd much prefer the VH or BC reticle of Leupold or a plain mildot.

Same for me. From what I can see there , I think I'd prefer to stick with the hash marks of a Burris , the Leupold style , or a mil-dot.......

I've got the Varmint reticle on my 6.5-20x50mm LRT Leupy, that can be used to estimate distance and used for taking care of that nasty wind thing..... I think I'll stick with it too.

quote:

Originally posted by FVA:
Can't say that reticle does anything for me but look particularly cluttered. I'd much prefer the VH or BC reticle of Leupold or a plain mildot.

Same here guys.. but I don't have a Leupold scope budget... unless I clear out a bunch of rifles that I really don't need in life, but think I do anyway....

I just think this reticle is a good reticle....a little work at the range will give me an idea of range from testing it... which I have to do with a mildot anyway....

Just for ground squirrels and prairie dogs, I can make use of this reticle... over a regular crosshair reticle or a target dot....

of course I have made real good use of a shotgun scope with a Circle X reticle on a centerfire, out to 300 yds with no problems with a max of 4 power magnification....

I also think a German Number One reticle makes a darn good varmint reticle also....

We guys who can't afford the cadillac scopes and reticles on all of our rifles... just have to learn to be creative and imaginative I guess....

I have one on order anyway....

cheers
seafire

Sorry I didn't mean to say that all my scopes are Leupold LRT's, just the one. I'm 57 years old now and this is the first really nice scope I've purchased. I had to save half a year to buy it and you can tell buy the rifle I put it on that can't afford $1500+ rifles, It's a Savage 12FLV in .308win. But boy does it shoot. I'm gald I waited and saved up for the scope, I'm sure I couldn't shoot the groups I'm shooting now without it.....

My scope budget is limited too , Seafire .

Just use a 204 and it shoots so flat you don't need any of these holdover recticles(grin)

Seriously , I have a Buckmaster mil-dot on my 204 and it is mostly wasted on that rifle , the first dot will get you too high on most longish shots . So I will end up switching to some other rifle .

I may order out a Swift 6x18 mil-dot scope to try on varmints , That scope is supposed to "mil" at 10x , so at 18x the dots should be worth about .55 mil each by my figuring . This means the first dot would give you about 8 inches holdover at 400 yards(when using the scope at 18x)

AI 22.250 and SD Slinger:

I didn't mean to imply you or anyone else were snobs with lots of money....

I just have too darn much fun playing with so many different rifles and calibers... I own a bunch of Tascos and even a couple of BSA scopes on things like 22s.....

My Truck, is an 88 Toyota 4 Runner... which I had the engine and tranny rebuilt a couple of years ago... It has 481,000 miles on it now.. ( no shit!).... I'd could easily afford a Mercedes.. if I didn't spend so much on shooting... but shooting is a lot more fun that a Mercedes is any day in my book....

And if some crook, was going to steal a car in a parking lot.. I am sure he would take the Mercedes... if he did decide to try and steal my Toyota instead.. I am sure the odometer reading would deter him to look elsewhere... I find that a thing of beauty actually!

As long as I can see those Sage Rats or Prairie Dogs.. and they turn inside out and fly 3 to 5 feet in the air, right after I pull the trigger... Seafire is a happy Camper!!!!

Maybe because I am getting old, is why I'd rather revive old stuff... that get fancy new stuff....

My latest project is a 1930s Mauser, with a 6mm Remington bull barrel on it ( 31 inches long!)....waiting for the laminate stock from Richards, which is due in April... It may have to sport an older Tasco 8 x 32 custom shop scope I have.... but if I hit the lottery, I will be up at the Sportsman's Warehouse and buying a whole bunch of those Leupolds with that Varmint reticle in them!

Champaigne tastes, beer budget.. I think that about sums up any 'real' rifle crank......

cheers
seafire

seafire/B17G

Sometimes I'm a little thin skinned. No offense taken.
I too have my share of inexpensive "cheap" scopes, some in piles of parts. One that I bought and put on a Remington 700 in 243win. (by the way, love the 70gr. TNT's for dogs and coyotes), is a very strange cheap NcStar in 6-24x50AOE -- It has a rear focus, great, AO are fine, knobs are tight, illumination works fine and it's clear. It holds zero just fine. The reticle is a bit confusing. It's set up like a mil-dot, however on the lower part of the reticle is an inverted, curved triange with horizontal lines running thru it. (supposed to be a range finder). It's held up for about 3yrs now, all for for $90 or so on e-bay. How about that for junk? But it works.
I've got Simmons, Bushnell, Tasco, one is a red dot, only problem, it has 4-5 red dots, No Shit, can't figure out which one to use, doesn't matter to much, I'm blind in one eye.

Buy the way, I guess the reason I love the Leupy so much is that, I shot the best group of my miserable life with it a few months ago, a .16", not bad for a $450 dollar rifle.

Hey AI:

NO offense taken.. as a matter of fact.....

I'd rather hang around all of we varmint shooting bums any day, than a bunch, rich, holier than thou, Yuppie snobs....

Come to think of it, this afternoon, I was over in the Big City here, and didn't get a chance to compliment a gentleman on his license plate on his New Ford Diesel Pickup, but I am sure you would have approved highly of his license plate number.. 22.250 A..... NO shit!

I wuz envious!

cheers
seafire