Nikon Monarch 3 Scope Review – 2-8×32 SF BDC Rifle Scope

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Nikon Monarch 3 Review

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Coming in shops at roughly around $300, the top range Nikon’s Monarch range was carried out on a test particularly the Monarch Riflescope 3 together with BDC reticule.

Undoubtedly, this instrument is awfully looking good with a crystal clear view down to the 32x zooming. Of course, one thing that you must do before you purchase any rifle scopes for sale is to get to know its company. Let’s discuss how Nikon manage to stand in the rifle scope market.

Nikon Company is popular for its quality optical products. Years ago, Nikon has been striving to have a name in the hunting scope industry. Today, they are offering wide variety of different hunting optical device which includes binoculars, rangefinders, spotting scopes and now riflescopes which is specifically created for a higher end of the hunting market. Thus Monarch is something that you would known to be reliable since Nikon is providing reliable products.

Prostaff, Buckmaster and the Monarch are the riflescopes offered by Nikon. Not wanting to pay for too much, Prostaff are the entry level products which is designed largely for amateurs looking for a sight just the same with a telescope in their rifles. These scopes also are guaranteed to be in good quality even with a low price.

Buckmaster, on the other hand, are superior that Prostaff since they offer a wide range of objective dimensions and magnifications as well as a better light transmission. The three mentioned are the three most important factots in choosing for your rifle scope. However, the price for the Buckmaster are way too steep than those of Prostaff.

With all its features, Monarch is Nikon’s best scope. However, there are lots of Monarch that they are subdivided into series of different products which becomes a problem in educating people with about this particular Nikon scope. For instance, you can either choose the original Monarch UCC 3-9×40, the Gold, the African, the X series or merely the plain Monarch in which is referred as the standard. What are the differences between these Monarch line ups?

For this nikon monarch scope review, it would take it too long to explain painstakingly the differences amongst Monarch models. Serious hunters used Nikon rifle scope, the standard 17’ long, Monarch Riflescope 8-32x50ED SF with BDC due to a fact that it is excellent to be used in their hunting.

Magnification

The whole range provides a 1” key tube that is preferred by most Americans as well as a 4x magnification range. Starting power options begins with 2 and gradually increases to a sum of 7 possible starting points to 8 until 2.5, 3, 4, 5 and 6. These magnification ranges always comes with the objective lens. Since rifle scopes objective lens affects field of view, it is important to know as well the objectives. Here are some listed: 2-8×32, 2.5-10×42, 3-12×42, 4-16×50, 5-20×44, 6-24×50 and 8-32×50.

In this rifle scope reviews, last in the line-up is the 8-32×50 with ED labelled glass which stands for Extra-low Dispersion. These provide edge-to-edge information on the image as well as color correction, most especially to those having high power (over 20x). Build Drop Correction or know as BDC, the reticule reimburse for the bullet drop over particular distances and on the reticule. Nikon #8480, the peak of the Monarch series, is the actual model that we tested.

Eye Relief

If you are familiar with Nikon Monarch scopes, then you probably know about the Eye Box Technology. It offers a 4” of eye relief and 4x power magnification. This simply means that you can aim your eye at a distance of 4” from the eyepiece, which provides 4” to the least drawback before the eyepiece hits your eyebrow. As I was testing the 4” scope it was OK at 32x power, however, you will need to step your eyes back for an inch or so given that power is less than that of 32x. Nikon Monarch riflescope 8-32x50ED is was better than any other variable power scopes in which maximum eye relief is being varied significantly.

Optical Properties

Even in 50mm objective lens, Monarch 8-32x50ED was particularly bright and clear. As a standard, Nikon, apparently, uses this ED glass on Nikon’s telephoto lenses. It has also been applied to the Monarch riflescope, but I can only assure to the 8-32×50. As for color compensation, it offers excellent in this field.

Claiming to boost the light transmission in up to 95% as compared to the 90% of the Prostaff at a lower priced, Nikon also have on their lenses what they call as an “Ultra Clear Coat”. It is perfect during conditions where light is low.

SF in the model name stands for Side Focus which means that it is tailored with the side parallax adjustments. This works normally. Although it has a locking device wherein you can pull out a locking ring so you could free the adjustment or make adjustments and then lock it again by just pushing the ring back into the lock. Offering precise parallax adjustments that ranges from 50 yards up to infinity, adjustments moves in 1/8 MOA clicks. Accessories such as target-style windage as well as elevation adjustment have the same 1/8 MOA adjustments.

Bullet Drop Compensation

Monarch BDC models from Nikon provides BDC reticules wherein have four circles on the bottom half of the reticule vertical axis which corresponds to 200, 300, 400, and 500 yard relics for typical unit. Having 100 yards each higher, magnum units comes with higher muzzle velocities of about 300 fps.

Using the proper circle for the fitting range and cartridge types, you can target simply. This does not require you any longer to any skill and know-how to use precisely since this is a relatively hassle-free no-frills BDC system. BDC may not come as a standard but you can configure your scope using the system.

Unexpected Extras

Coming with a couple accessories, the model we tested has a sunshade and a 2 nikon 50mm scope lens flip covers in which guarantees you that you won’t lose your lens caps. Seemingly, Monarch are the only ones that have this accessories. Still they can be ordered as an after sales accessories at a lower priced models like Prostaff and Buckmaster range from Nikon.

Nikon Monarch 3 Review Conclusions

With a lot of useful features, this is a very good rifle scope. The price may be a bit high, however, the costs speaks for its quality. The glass is very much bright and clear with awfully good colors. Plus additional features are a bonus! Specifically the side parallax locking ring which aids the maintenance of the setting even when knocked.

32 power magnification is probably way too high for this scopes, unless you have a bipod when using it. As well as the internal 20 MOA an adjustment is probably quite not enough for distances that are bit longer. Nonetheless, it is built for a purpose of creating a brilliant riflescope – Nikon Monarch 8-32x50ED SF BDC.

Click here to save up to 10% on the Nikon Monarch 3 in 2017!