I have a bare naked Rem700 LVSF in 204 Ruger. It's been occupying space in my safe for the last year but I haven't scoped it yet. I'd like to put a variable with at least 16X power on it. I see that the Nikon Monarchs are selling cheap right now. Is that the best deal for a high power variable right now?

Depends on your use for the rifle.

I mounted a Nikon Buckmaster series 4.5x14x40mm side focus to my SPS700 in .204.

My rifle is a walking varminter that needs to be ready for called coyotes, sage rats, rock chucks and ground squirrel shooting. Some or all on the same day/hunt.

So far I love that scope. Very clear and the sf feature is much better (easier) to use than any front focus objective bell...IMHO.

I like this scope so much I'm putting another on my 77/22M .22mag. The only change will be the mil dot reticle.

Check "The Optic zone" for prices.

FWIW...BT

Slatts: Another scope in that power range you might consider is the Weaver V-16 (4x16 power variable!).
I have four of these scopes on Varminters and I really enjoy them.
They have excellent tracking qualities and I love their Du-Plex reticles.
I have three Varmint Rifles in caliber 204 Ruger but they are all "full size" Varminters with 26" barrels. They have larger power range variables on them like a 6.5x20, a 6x24 and an 8.5x25!
I think your Rifle and that caliber can take advantage of lots of scope power but big variables may overwhelm the size of your Rifle. And they may be more scope power than your needs call for.
I have two Nikon Monarchs in 6.5x20 power. I love them! A scope this physically large may not (?) look in balance on your LVSF but hey "looks" aren't everything!
I have gotten some real deals on the used Weaver V-16's when I have patiently looked for them.
Best of luck with whichever scope you choose.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Cabelas Alaskan scopes are great also and generally a little better on price than similar range scopes.

Slatts: I think your own suggestion is about as good as you will do on a quality scope. I don't even own a Nikon, so no ax to grind! My son has the 6.5-20x44 on his 204 and loves it. I've got a 6.5-20 Zeiss on my 204 and its great, but considerably more money. I've got the Elite 4200 4-16 on my 22-250 and am totally satisfied with that also! Dollar for dollar, the Nikon is probably the best deal out there right now.

Slatts,

Can't say anything about the Nikon's as I've no expereince with them.

Like Varmint Guy, I have two Weaver V-16's and find them to be great Varmint Scopes, Optics good, Duplex good and at the time I purchased them, extraordinary good value.

I believe your choice is excellent. I have well over a dozen Monarch scopes on various rifle configurations and believe them to be an outstanding value.

For the 204, I would recommend the Monarch 6-24 x 40. I am in the market for a 204 bolt gun, for which I already have the same scope waiting for it.

My only 204 right now is an Encore barrel which is wearing a Bushnell Elite 4200 8-32, which is the other under estimated value amongst the rifle afficianados. Not necessarily the magnification range, but the Elite 4200, which was actually the Baush & Laumb design.

The Nikon Monarch 6.5-20x40 is on sale at Midway for $ 350 right now: Monarch 6.5-20

Most of my shooting is at prairie dogs. I have Leupold 6.5-20 X scopes on two of my varmint rifles but most of the time they are set at 16 X. The higher the X setting the smaller the feild of view and heat waves show up more on higher power settings. I got a Ruger 77 M Taget Gray 204 Ruger rifle w/a Leo 6-18 X AO scope . Its all the power I need.

quote:

I'd like to put a variable with at least 16X power on it.

The 204 Ruger, for as fast as it is, isn't a long range cartridge. I doesn't throw the mass needed for truly long range varminting.

Such things as target knobs are not truly needed or (IMO) wanted here.

I'd look for a scope of 12X max as it'll serve the interest of the cartridge nicely.

You should be able to find one for under $200 easily.

Depends on what you consider "long range" I guess........the 204 is easily capable of 5 to 6 hundred yard pdoggin .

Out to 400 yards or so , I'll agree target knobs are not all that neccesary , the 204 is flat enough that it's not tough to judge the holdover.

I've got a 4x16 Weaver on my 204 , and I like it alot.

The longest I ever shot a 'dog was a paced off 525 yards when using a .223 which I consider to be equivalent to the 204 Ruger in range.

The 25-06 however has tagged one at 800 and I wouldn't attempt a shot with a .223 or .204 at that range unless the smoke from a cigarette went straight up......and that never happens!

IMO the 204 can be reliable to 300 yards max unless the wind is null.

In that light I would not buy a scope that was designed for much longer range......and besdides, It just don't happen to use much more than about 14X because of the heat waves.....
Don't get me wrong.....the 204 is a great little cartridge......but it's not an 800 yard round.

I have read several times that because this that or the other doesn't recoil much you can get by with a cheaper scope. I don't recall any scope failure I have experienced being related to recoil. I'd go for quality even on a light recoiling gun. Why put a Yugo engine in a Mercedes?

Vapo......give a good 204 a try with with the high b.c. 39 -40 gr bullets ; my favorite is the 39 gr Sierra(bc=.287) @3800 fps . Personally I put it well ahead of the great little 223 past 300 yards....really , I garuntee you the 204 works nicely well past 300 , including days with some pretty good wind .

The trouble with an honest 800 yard pdg gun is , it will fry the barrel in short order on any amount of normal range shooting .

I wouldn't mind having a 6x20 something on my 204 eventually (probably another Weaver V or gand slam......as I get older I get blinder

quote:

Originally posted by sdgunslinger:
Vapo......give a good 204 a try with with the high b.c. 39 -40 gr bullets ; my favorite is the 39 gr Sierra(bc=.287) @3800 fps . Personally I put it well ahead of the great little 223 past 300 yards....really , I garuntee you the 204 works nicely well past 300 , including days with some pretty good wind .

The trouble with an honest 800 yard pdg gun is , it will fry the barrel in short order on any amount of normal range shooting .

I wouldn't mind having a 6x20 something on my 204 eventually (probably another Weaver V or gand slam......as I get older I get blinder

This is the beauty of forums.....we can all present out opinions and experiences and the readers can decide on their own.

I've never dissed the .204 Ruger except to wish it had been built on the .223 case.....

I accept that the 40 grain bullets are that good.......but it's not going to be for me as I'm in the business of reducing my gun supply.

The .223 is a keeper here as I have a 6mm and a 25-06 as a back up.

I would like to hear what the rationale was for going with the .222 mag case in lieu of the .223. It did not seem like a good decision to me given the availability of .223 brass etc. The .204 is gaining quite a following and I think it would have absolutely exploded if they had done it on a .223 case. Heck, I may even have bought one as I have several thousand .223 casings. I bought a .223 instead of even considering a .204 for that reason. A friend of mine owns all the .22 rimfires and loves his new .204. He shot a coyote the other day at 437 paces. Flop!

My is wearing a Burris Signature with the Ballistic Mildot in it and lines up pretty close out to 700 yards. Not the cheapest scope but very good glass and having holdover lines every 100 yards is a big plus on a nice town.

Dan

Sbhooper: I am guessing that the "rationale" for the 204 Ruger being built on the wonderful 222 Remington Magnum case over the 223 is due to the developers wanting a little more room for powder (more speed!) for their new cartridge and maybe even for folks having a bit harder time loading a full size 223 round in their 204's and trying to touch it off!
Not many folks have spare 222 Remington Magnum ammo lying around to get mixed up in the magazine of their new 204's!
I like the bit more speed idea of the 204 Ruger on a 222 Remington Magnum case myself. And the 204 Ruger brass is now getting VERY affordable and available everywhere brass is sold. For instance I saw Remington, Nosler and Winchester brass in one store yetserday! The Remington and Winchester brass was $15.99 and $16.99 per 100.
Thats cheap.
I never use cheap (military) 223 brass in any of my 223's and even if the 204 Ruger were built on the 223 case I would not use the cheap (military) brass in it!
You are wrong if you think the 204 Ruger has NOT exploded already!
It has!
Try one you will just love it!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Depending on what you're using it for, anything from 3-9 to 6-24 will work. FWIW, I had a Nikon Buckmaster 4.5-14 that had the tunnel vision look - I won't buy another. Lou

I have a 6 X 24 on mine. I shoot P. Dogs with it and like it just fine. I even have target knobs on it and I use the elevation knob all the time.

I think the nikon monarch 5.5-20 would be ideal for this application.