I am looking at getting a Nikon Monarch or Buckmaster for a Tikka T3 22-250. I am trying to decide between a 4-12x50 or a 6-18x40. I will not be shoting and PD just coyotes, cats, and fox. Probably the furthest shot would be 400yrds. Any suggestions?

Welcome to AR Adicted.

Both are very good scopes. I recommend the Buckmaster 6-18x40. Lot of scope for the money and the .22-.250 can make good use of the extra magnification.

Thanks Buliwyf! Looks like a great site with a ton of information and topics! I have heard good things about the buckmasters.

You might want to take a look at the Bushnell Elite series scopes. I have a couple 4200's and absolutely love them. The 3200's are a little less but I here they are excellent scopes as well.

I have noticed a trend between the Nikons and Bushnells among varminters. They both look very nice but have always thought Nikons to be a bit nicer. I have overlooked the Bushnells but may have to investigate tham a bit more. Thanks for your help!!

You won't go wrong with the Nikon 6-18! Affordable, clarity, dial it up and down and come back to zero!! BTDT for a while now! using their Monarchs an Buckmasters on a varied assortment of varminters and long range stuff!! Value for the buck is not equaled in any line! Clarity and light gathering is eqal to and above the Big L VX-3's!! BTDT testing them side by side!! The Busnell Elites are GREAT SCOPES also but their use of gold or yellow on their target turrets (and no true target turrets included with the scope) makes them hard to see the differentiations on the turret. Clarity and definition is GREAT with the ELITES but for the most bang for the buck, the NIKONS have the nod!! If I had a rifle to scope tomorrow it would have NIKON glass on it!! Best buy out there today! Charlie (GHD)

In the Nikon BM series, the 4.5-14x40 may be the best of both worlds for you. It offers ample magnification for your longest shots, but 4.5 on the low-end will do fine for anything up close and personal or on the move.

The Nikon BMs are optically superior to the 3200s, though that particular Bushnell series is solid in its own right. The Monarchs are in another league altogether.

quote:

Originally posted by Bobby Tomek:
In the Nikon BM series, the 4.5-14x40 may be the best of both worlds for you. It offers ample magnification for your longest shots, but 4.5 on the low-end will do fine for anything up close and personal or on the move.

The Nikon BMs are optically superior to the 3200s, though that particular Bushnell series is solid in its own right. The Monarchs are in another league altogether.

+1

I have a couple 6X18X44 Wide Angle Swift scopes. Unless it is a cooool day, the most you can
really go is about 12-14 power because of mirage.
Kind of wish I had bought a 4.5X14 or a 4X12 for one of them.

The problem with the 50mm scopes is you have to mount them so high above the bore.
Sometimes that gets kind of cumbersome.

I got to look at a Leatherwood Top Angle Scope today at the range... it was mounted on a Savage Action...in 7 x 30 power with a 50 mm objective, and side focus.. and Mil Dot Reticle..

As far as optical quality, it blew away my 6.5 x 20 Leupold.. plus it has features that can really be used in the varmint fields...

I can definitely see a couple of these on some varmint rifles in the near future for me...price for that particular model was around the $400.00 range...but WOW!!!! what a scope...

I'd probably go with the conventional 6.x 24 power or 4 x 16...

From all my years of calling, I've found the 4.5-14 magnification to be the best. Two of my favorite scopes for calling are Burris's Fullfield II and Zeiss Conquest. The Zeiss may be out of your price range but it is the one I have been going to or rather it going on my rifles the last couple of years. My favorite calling rifle, 220 Swift, now sports a Zeiss.

You can also get a Sightron SII 4.5-14X 42mm Matte, Plex, Target Knobs, AO for $339. I have two of the SII's. They are also about the best bang for the buck out there today.

Since you are not shooing PD's, just predators, a 3-9x40/42/44 with do the job just fine. A Sightron SII can be had for $244.

You can get a Monarch 3-12x42 for $349. I have three Monarchs as well. They are great glass for the money.

Both the Monarch and SII will give you excellent low light visibility.

Good Hunting,

Bob

FYI-Nikon will be introducing a new camoed Monarch predator scope at the SHOT show in a few weeks. It is being tested in the field out in New Mexico as we speak............