"new" Nikon Monarch- what’s the big deal?

OK, So Nikon has a new scope called the "new monarch" Is this really going to be an improvment over the "old monarch"? or is this just a marketing stunt to continue selling an already "good" product that's been out there for a while? From what I can tell, It has a larger bell (42mm instead of 40mm), and it now comes with a side focus. Is there any improvment in the quality of glass or is it the same coatings that we found on the "old monarch"? "New Monarch"-$389 Zeiss conquest-$399 which is the better deal?

http://www.nikondownload.com/models/pressrelease/Monarch%20R iflescopes%20PR.doc

 

Looks like the glass and coatings are still going to be the same as what they have now with the UCC.

 

Biggest change I see is the eye relief looks a lot better. Far as side adjutable AO, some love it and some hate it.

    focus

Focus wrote: Biggest change I see is the eye relief looks a lot better.      focus

 

Having a bigger ocular lens, 4x erector is going to make the Monarch contend better with the Conquest. 

Fixed eye relief ( I like it) is a nice feature, but not a deal breaker if the scope was worthy.

 

A long standing complaint (by some) with the Monarch was the "tunnel effect" when they looked the scope.  The new changes "should" fix that.

 

As I myself have preached for years, The Zeiss Conquest raised the bar for the other serious scope makers. 

Yes Dale Clifford, even though the Conquest has plastic turrets....  

cheaptrick wrote: http://www.nikondownload.com/models/pressrelease/Monarch%20R iflescopes%20PR.doc   Looks like the glass and coatings are still going to be the same as what they have now with the UCC.

Coatings are the same.  The glass is likely to have been redesigned (4x erector, eye relief changes and larger ocular end are pretty good indications that the optical system was probably reworked).

I'll probably get one and check it out near the end of the year.

ILya

plastic turrets and both knobs marked as up nobs to cheap to put up and right knob, reverse polish notation on the poi, a loose side focus,  did the two step after 1 hr on a semi-auto. geez. even if its the same monarch its better. and I really disagree they raised any bar, except on cell phones calling the warranty stations.

Dale Clifford wrote: and I really disagree they raised any bar, except on cell phones calling the warranty stations.

 

 

 

Everybody's midrange priced scope has gotten better AFTER the introduction of the Conquest in 2001??, Dale.

Sheer coincidence that Leupold revamped it's Vari X line after the Conquest, I suppose.

 

 

Edited by cheaptrick

Conquest raised the bar for all in the mid scope class and they are just now starting to catch up. Thats fact and the other brands scrambling to play catch-up has been very evident. Longer constant eye relief - larger ocular - euro ocular focus - and outstanding lenses have brought good features out in the competition and we all benefit. Now if we just see the rest of the pack start to play with etched reticles the field will get very nice. Nikon has improved their service also perhaps?

   focus 

all scopes get better as marketing and technology gets better but it is not specific to the advent of the conquest. the current popularity of "tactical" type equipment is as much a cause as any.

Just keep asking myself why I never see conquests (well maybe a few) a shooting matches, quess its their limited reticles replacement, anything can be a coincidence , perhaps leo's upgrade is coincidental to real estate prices, doesn't mean its causal.

Well conquest was the first to offer constant eye relief in its price class....now its showing up in other scopes. They were the first with the large ocular in their price class......now its big news as other mid priced lines adapt it. They were first with etched always black reticles....lets see if that starts to appear, yes the new big skys have some etched reticle offerings. I notice after conquest showed up leupold decided their coin slot adjustments needed to become finger adjustable and than they added a "quicker" thread ocular adjuster....sort of a fast euro wanna be  Just all coincidiance........well the newbe was making quick inroads into leupolds sales and some of them "new" features sure found their way onto them leupolds right quick. Leupold still makes a fine scope, but when it comes to optical preformance elites, monarchs, and conquests have forged ahead, heck just test the resolution and brightness levels and see with your own eyes. The sticky scope rating chart on this site even agrees. Conquests aren't there yet I agree....and if they don't watch out nikon and sightron may steal their thunder. I've seen several big sky comparisons with the conquest and they all were right together on optics......kick in an etched reticle and rain sheeting coating (you got to buy expensive extra light robbing lenses to have that with leupold) along with good eye relief and the competition gets keener. Monarchs and elites are quite a bit less money out of pocket too.And you don't like the conquest  adjustment knobs........

    focus


Edited by Focus

Fortunately DC, not everyone lives and dies by what people use at shooting matches.  I would imagine shooters at shooting matches are like bicyclists.  The average professional that rides road bicycles as a hobby or regional meets, probably spends more money on his bike than Lance Armstrong's sponsors spend on his bike.  Bottom line, Lance could have won those races on a 2000 dollar bicycle.  There is a point where the equipment is overkill and is better than what the user could ever accomplish.  Someone should just introduce a 10000 dollar scope that has every element we would ever want, bar none and I bet you there would be people buying it, especially if it were made in Germany.  Sort of like hi-fi equipment.  My 10000 dollar set-up sounds just as good as many 75000 dollar set-ups that I have heard, owned by friends and in Audio shops.  Good grief, I am a hunter, like most people on this site and to be honest, I sure I could bag as many deer with a Simmons Whitetail Expedition as the next with a Zeiss or any other scope in the same setting, for all practical purposes.

there-in  exists my point- why did you go without the Simmons. true some competitors will try to buy points, but as you state the best can do it with the cheap stuff, and they do- but none of it says conquest on it. just to turn it around Zeiss had to bring out something in the middle cause they were getting so beat up in the scope market as such, did they do it as well -- certainly- is the conquest better than another scope in its range no.

I was just offered a super deal on a new monarch and just have to give it a try. The weight and low intrenal adjustment looks like the downside....we'll see......

Oh yeah....what ever you  say Dale.......we all see things different....especially when we look thru scopes

   focus 

Edited by Focus

looking forward to your report-- by the way what gun did you shoot the small groups on in --(think its the reloading forum)?? somehow I missed it.

Sorry Dale...I missed your post in the reloading section. They are both savages, the pretty one is my avatar and the ugly one is....... well.........just ugly. The big sky is due to hit here tomorrow according to tracking info so will post up a report on first impressions tomorrow after work. Will throw it on the one savage and take it to the range/gunshop friday and let everyone play with it and see if its up to the guns ability. I'll compare it to leupolds,conquests, and the 4200 elite. I put pics up over in the reloading section.


The monarch was just offered to me tonight and I don't really have a home for it.....but it can start life on a savage tactical heavy short barrel 308 I'm throwing together next week to be this falls back up deer rifle

    focus 

can't tell from the avatar which scope your using

Its a 4x16x40 elite 4200 scope, tracks perfect, holds poi, has very clear and bright optics, and is a nice power for target/varmints. I love the scope but a month ago I bought a 3200 elite 5x15x40 and it was the opposite experience, parallax issues and very critical eye position on higher powers. I'm impressed with the 4200's at this point.

    focus