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"Inexpensive Scope" Comparison

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koshkin View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/17/2010 at 14:39
Originally posted by tjtjwdad tjtjwdad wrote:

Ilya,

 

Thanks for all your efforts with this project.  I've done a little of this myself and it is truly time consuming (but fun) and your work here is much appreciated.

 

To all,

 

Nikon is very capable of making some serious optics.  In addition to their DSLR cameras/lens they also make lithography equipment (and they are very competitive too) that is used by many wafer manufacturing companies.  I have no doubt they (and Canon too if they were so inclined) could make scopes that could rival some of the higher end companies (US Optics, Nightforce, Zeiss, Sawrovski) but I guess it all comes down to breaking into this market segma.

 

As far as Nikon's warranty, I had a 6.5-20x44 Monarch scope that threw a reticle and it was replaced with a 6-25x50 brand new, in the wrap, Monarch with no questions asked.  Thats as good as gets in my view.  I would hesitate buying a Nikon refurbed scope because it only has a 90 day warranty, after that, any repairs are on you but otherwise, I wouldn't hesitate to buy one.

 

Jim 

Nikon is definitely capable of making some super glass and does offer it in many products.  I just happened to not like the ProStaff.  I suspect that Buckmaster would be veyr competitive with Fullfield II and Diamondback.

As a side note, Nikon's lithography business is not doing well.  At all.

ILya
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tjtjwdad Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/17/2010 at 18:17
Originally posted by koshkin koshkin wrote:

 

As a side note, Nikon's lithography business is not doing well.  At all.

ILya
 
In the semi conductor industry its pretty competitive among the tool suppliers.  I do see a lot of Nikon products but I see a lot of ASML too.  No Canon's here although they're also in that market. 
 
Thanks again for the report.
 
Jim
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 300 ultramag Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/17/2010 at 18:19
ya a sightron s1 is 135 bucks and it would fare well with all of them
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 300 ultramag Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/17/2010 at 18:20
why is this site so anti- nikon
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lucytuma Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/17/2010 at 18:49
Far from anti Nikon, Nikon's have received many favorable reviews and comments here.  The only negative thing I've heard about Nikon is their C/S is so so.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mike650 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/17/2010 at 18:58
Awesome review ILya!!!

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Idaho Scot Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/17/2010 at 22:15

Good review.  Thanks for the effort.

 
Curious why you left out the Weaver Classic?  Something with the scope or just had too many and needed to narrow it down?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/17/2010 at 22:37
Originally posted by Idaho Scot Idaho Scot wrote:

Good review.  Thanks for the effort.

 
Curious why you left out the Weaver Classic?  Something with the scope or just had too many and needed to narrow it down?

Too many.  I ran a poll on which five "under $200" scopes were of most interest to forum members and compared those.

I linked that thread a few posts before this one.

ILya
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pyro6999 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/17/2010 at 22:53
Originally posted by 300 ultramag 300 ultramag wrote:

why is this site so anti- nikon

there are quite a few prominent members here who praise nikon highly. i am one of them, im not alone. they get a bad wrap from the cs dept.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SD Dog Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/18/2010 at 09:27
Thanks for the review ILya.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Shenko Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/19/2010 at 13:50
I wonder how the Diamondback would compare to a Bushnell 4200.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pyro6999 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/19/2010 at 13:51
it would get beat, the diamond back competes with the 3200 elite
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rancid Coolaid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/19/2010 at 14:29
ILya, nice write-up, thanks for the hard work.

And thank you to SWFA for providing scopes to test.

I appreciate the inclusion of the Barska, I'll link to this report often.  (The size of the crowd that believes the marketing of Barska and BSA and Countersniper is ever-growing.)


Nice work, much appreciated!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ceylonc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/20/2010 at 10:25
Great review. Thanks for sharing.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DAVE44 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/20/2010 at 11:01
Are the Plex reticles in say the Bushnell Elites and the Vortex Diamond Back similar or does the Vortex Plex reticle have thinner lines. I want to try a Vortex but dont want anything thinner than a Bushnell Plex.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote biggreen747 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/23/2010 at 23:52
Ilya - Thanks for all the hard work and a well written review. I am sure many of the other "GUN GEEKS" here as my wife likes to call me face the same situation that I often do which is friends/relatives/neighbors asking for suggestions for scopes in this price range. It is nice to have a substantive report from someone like yourself to refer to when dispensing advice. 

While it's always fun for us to compare the latest and greatest high end optics this is probably one of the larger market segments simply because many people cant afford more, many others simply refuse to spend more, and sometimes it's all we really need for a given application. It's good to see new companies like Vortex raising the bar for others to follow in this class.


Edited by biggreen747 - January/24/2010 at 15:09
We measure it with a micrometer, mark it with a crayon, and cut it with a chainsaw.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote helo18 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/31/2010 at 18:29
Finally got a chance to read this review.  Great write up as usually.  Thank you ILya!  Was glad to see the Burris FFII do well.  Big fan of that scope.  I love mine.  Well I am a Burris fan, and like all the the Burris equipment.  I got to test a Diamondback a while back too, but not a direct comparison to the 3-9.  I thought it was a good scope.  Nice to see it get a good review.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Tip69 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/21/2010 at 10:16
Great review ILya!  I think the FFII we had did the same thing as far as bending on the outer edges..... which is why I got rid of it.  Don't think I'll be getting another one either.  Disappointed the Redfield didn't do better. 

Not sure why because I've never spent much time with one, but not a fan of the Prostaff..  guess I just wasn't impressed and they seem overpriced.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 300 ultramag Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/21/2010 at 10:19
price is a big problem because most guys just wont spend the money on quality optics for me i dont see getting a better bang for your buck than a nikon monarch
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/21/2010 at 16:00
Originally posted by 300 ultramag 300 ultramag wrote:

price is a big problem because most guys just wont spend the money on quality optics for me i dont see getting a better bang for your buck than a nikon monarch

"Quality Optics" means something different for different people.  Besides, we all have different eyes and prefer different glass.

To use your example of Nikon Monarch: I did not particularly like previous generations Monarch scopes, and I dislike the current one even more (with the exception of the 2-8x32 model).  They just do not work well for me and I can think of quite a few scopes that I like a lot more for similar money.

For quite a few people, $200 is a lot of money to spend on a scope, and this thread was largely for them.

ILya
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