New Scope Report

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New Scope Report

Postby Hoot » Sat Jul 24, 2010 2:45 pm

As some of you may have already read, my trusty Nikon Monarch 4-12x40 scope died. After bucking 630 450b rounds it stopped holding zero. Not knowing what to hope for, I sent it and a syrupy letter to Nikon to see if it qualified for repair under the lifetime warranty. A week and a half later, I came home from work to find a UPS box on the porch. Seeing it was from Nikon,I opened it and my heart leaped as I saw a brand new 3-12x42 SF scope box inside. Sure enough, they sent me a new one to replace the 10 year old one and a better model to boot! LESSON: You catch more flies with syrup than vinegar. A quick visual confirmed that is was in working order, so I mounted it atop my Zee Signature rings and this morning took it to the range to see how it performed. There's plenty of info about it on Nikon's web site, but here's a few images:

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The view through it on the 100 yard range was as crisp and clear as my old one. The zoom ring is easy to find while looking through the scope as well as side focus knob. The reticle adjustments are low profile finger turrets under dust caps with a good tactile feel to the 1/4@100 incremental detentes. The eye relief is a little longer than my old scope and that's fine by me. Enough foreplay...

To sight it in,I used my reliable 38gr Lil Gun pushing the 225gr FTX with just a .475 taper crimp, though I threw in a set using the decapping die as a taper crimp as well for some diversity.

Here's the resultant ballistics:

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At 100 yards, it took 3 shots to dial it near POA and two more to put 'er right on the bull.

Excuse the cellphone quality range picture
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Shooting two for keeps sets of five yielded these two groups. You can see why the above recipe is my go-to 450b load:

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There's 4 bullets through that left hole and a !@#$% stringer.

Using the decapping die as a crimp wasn't too shabby either though I wish I had gone down to .475 with it like the taper crimp:

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The hole on the right was from sighting in (see first picture). The target boards were wet from a storm last night, so the target papers are a little wavy

Needless to say, I'm happy with the scope. It performs well on top of my rig. I had intended to put a 3-9x42 on come hunting season, but I think I'll just leave this one on instead.

Props to Nikon!

Hoot
In Theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In Practice, there is.
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Re: New Scope Report

Postby Colohunter » Sat Jul 24, 2010 8:16 pm

Good to see you are back in business with a new scope. What compensator are you using on your rifle?
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Re: New Scope Report

Postby BayouBob » Sat Jul 24, 2010 9:17 pm

Good to see the Nikon performing well. Keep us informed about the scopes stamina. I've always been kind of proud of breaking scopes on big guns. A .416 Rigby will turn a Leupold into a kalaidoscope and a .458 Winchester will do the same to a Bushnell. My 450 made my inexspensive Pentax go south so I put the Nikon Slughunter on it and so far so good. Bye the way Hoot, that's pretty good shootin for just about any combo.
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Re: New Scope Report

Postby Hoot » Sat Jul 24, 2010 9:38 pm

Colohunter wrote:Good to see you are back in business with a new scope. What compensator are you using on your rifle?


It is a phenomenal brake made and sold by a fellow member. Here's the link to his post in the Market section. The craftsmanship and design are second to none and I'm not just being nice. The one I got is like the first image in the thread, aside from having a lot larger bore hole. Read the comments others who bought one made. They speak volumes. That brake combined with a few other mods makes the gun shootable for as long as your ammo holds out in a single session and for me, it has been the best value I've stumbled upon WRT this gun since I got involved with it.

Hoot
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Re: New Scope Report

Postby hawcer » Sat Jul 24, 2010 9:57 pm

Nice scope!
I have been looking at a Redfield revolution...but I haven't made up my mind yet. Funny...I contacted the guy that makes those brakes when I found him on another site while searching for muzzle brakes...Didn't know he was a member here. Now I'll really have to have him make one for me...Should I go with the stainless are Moly?
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Re: New Scope Report

Postby Hoot » Sun Jul 25, 2010 6:39 am

hawcer wrote:Nice scope!
I have been looking at a Redfield revolution...but I haven't made up my mind yet. Funny...I contacted the guy that makes those brakes when I found him on another site while searching for muzzle brakes...Didn't know he was a member here. Now I'll really have to have him make one for me...Should I go with the stainless are Moly?


Go with the stainless. At 725 rounds now and it still looks as good as the first round I put through it. IMHO Stainless cleans up easier at the end of a session.

Hoot
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Re: New Scope Report

Postby oldmanjeffers » Sun Jul 25, 2010 11:49 am

Hawcer, I have a "Ross" break also and LOVE it! I highly recommend it.

I use the Ross break and a limb saver snap on recoil pad for the 6 position stock and I now can shoot all day with out any busted capillaries :shock:
We're all in this together
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Re: New Scope Report

Postby Hoot » Wed Jul 28, 2010 5:31 pm

I got around to processing my brass from the scope test and realized I misreported one aspect of the loads. The brass was not 5-fired but 3-fired brass. I doubt it made any difference. It was mixed, both with and without crimp scars. Though you feel those scars when you seat the bullets in un-expanded brass, it did not seem to make any ballistic difference.

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Re: New Scope Report

Postby crowell33 » Sat Jul 31, 2010 7:52 am

New .450 owner here!

I ended up putting a Burris Fullfield II 3-9x40 on mine - so far, so good. We'll see how it holds up, though.
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Re: New Scope Report

Postby blitzwing » Fri Sep 07, 2018 1:23 pm

After reading this I decided to get a nikon as well. I would most likely be best suited with a Inline XR 3-9x40 BDC 300 Reticle with a 171 yard zero. After the foruth beer I decided to get the Slug Hunter 200 BDC Reticle. I also decided to get the model 6791 with 4 circles. When it arrives and I get it sighted in I'll post a pic. I'm currently hunting for a quick release mount cheaper than Larue, just not a sucky one.
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