Life got in the way of shooting for the past 7 or so years and when I compare my recent visits to the range to the way I shot the same rifles back then it's painfully clear I need practice, a lot of practice. I've got an older (2011 or so) Nikon Monarch 4-16x42 on a Savage 93r17 .17HMR bolt gun that I think will fit the bill while not breaking the bank on ammo. It's going to be used use exclusively to punch paper at 50-150 yards during daylight hours. Even though the Nikon was considered a higher end scope in it's day, from what I'm reading here and elsewhere lower budget glass has improved over the past few years and since I can't dope my shots with the Nikon (capped, hunting turrets and no references on the Nikoplex reticle) it seems to be a good time to upgrade. Since I don't hunt anymore I have no use for a scope like this and since SWFA has the trade in program that will save me wasting time selling the scope myself (I know I'd get more selling myself but a bird in the hand...) I'd like to get something from their stock with a max price of $400. Since I can't remember ever moving this particular scope off 16 power I wouldn't be against one of the SWFA 16 or 20 fixed power scopes. I've looked at reviews for the Athlon 6-24x50 Argos BTR and might consider a Vortex 4-24x50 Strike Eagle. I already have a Vortex Diamondback Tactical so I'd like to try something different. I'm not expecting any of these to match the glass in the Zeiss on my 223 bolt gun, but which one would be an inexpensive upgrade from the Monarch? Please no "for a few dollars more" replies, in this instance the extra money in the firearms budget would be much better spent on ammo rather than higher quality glass on what's basically a trainer rifle.
Rifle Scopes Upgrade from Nikon Monarch 4-16x42?
- Thread starter rcmigpilot
- Start date
I’d go with the 12x swfa on a rimfire at those ranges if you want dead nuts reliability. The ss lime has a reputation of eye boxes being smaller in the 16&20x scopes. And I’d also wait for the Fourth of July sales in a month, might be able to step it up a bit too if were lucky.
