Warbird782
Well-Known Member
Has anyone tried one of these? If so are the turrets repeatable? I am thinking of putting one on a 308 AR platform. On the plus side they have a $100 rebate right now.
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Nikon M-308
- Thread starter Warbird782
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westcliffe01
Well-Known Member
Max internal adjustment 40MOA That sounds rather limiting, since at best you would have to try to find a 15min rail. I doubt you could zero it on a 20MOA rail since it would be at the very limit of its adjustment.
The 4x16x50 Monarchs have 60MOA of adjustment, just don't have the exposed turrets.
Or try the 3-12x42 M223 BDC. The BDC versions have MOA marked turrets and with the reduced magnification have 60MOA of internal travel. It sucks that Nikon will not let you choose your reticle and the turret. Many will find the BDC turret "too busy". But all of the M223 Plex versions have turrets engraned in yards for very specific calibers/bullets which are extremely limiting and Nikon does not offer alternative turrets for your scope.
In addition, I have heard that it you raise the turret it "decouples" and if you do it accidentally you lose zero. So it sounds like Nikon were not thinking when they did this range of scope turrets.
The 4x16x50 Monarchs have 60MOA of adjustment, just don't have the exposed turrets.
Or try the 3-12x42 M223 BDC. The BDC versions have MOA marked turrets and with the reduced magnification have 60MOA of internal travel. It sucks that Nikon will not let you choose your reticle and the turret. Many will find the BDC turret "too busy". But all of the M223 Plex versions have turrets engraned in yards for very specific calibers/bullets which are extremely limiting and Nikon does not offer alternative turrets for your scope.
In addition, I have heard that it you raise the turret it "decouples" and if you do it accidentally you lose zero. So it sounds like Nikon were not thinking when they did this range of scope turrets.
Warbird782
Well-Known Member
Good to know. I am looking at a mid power scope for the AR. The M308, Viper PST, and Leupold VXR Patrol are all contenders. I liked the fact that there was a rebate on the Nikon.
westcliffe01
Well-Known Member
Particularly if for an AR, Opticsplanet is listing it at $430 and they are throwing in the one piece mount too. I believe the mount by itself is typically $115 ?
Its all a question of how far you want to shoot. I doubt the scope will to to 1000 with max +20 available, but then how many AR shooters are shooting to 1000 yards ? Out to 500 would probably be fine. I just recently heard of the turret re-set issue. Hard to believe anyone would design turrets that way.
Considering that Vortex has the 4-16x44 Long range with dead hold reticle (MOA markings) for $550 (with a "real" MOA elevation turret) and 75moa of elevation, that seems like a much better deal. Vortex Optics Viper HS 4-16x44 Long Range Scope w/ Dead-Hold BDC Reticle FREE S&H VHS-4305-LR. Vortex Viper Rifle Scopes, Vortex Rifle Scopes.
Its all a question of how far you want to shoot. I doubt the scope will to to 1000 with max +20 available, but then how many AR shooters are shooting to 1000 yards ? Out to 500 would probably be fine. I just recently heard of the turret re-set issue. Hard to believe anyone would design turrets that way.
Considering that Vortex has the 4-16x44 Long range with dead hold reticle (MOA markings) for $550 (with a "real" MOA elevation turret) and 75moa of elevation, that seems like a much better deal. Vortex Optics Viper HS 4-16x44 Long Range Scope w/ Dead-Hold BDC Reticle FREE S&H VHS-4305-LR. Vortex Viper Rifle Scopes, Vortex Rifle Scopes.
The M-308 scope comes with the M-308 mount which has 20 MOA built into it's base for long range shooting. I doubt you will have any issues at all regarding not enough internal adjustment. I have a Nikon M-308 BDC 800 that will be going on my Remington 700 AAC in .308. Should be a real shooter and I will be getting it out to 700 yards in the next few months. Make sure you check out Nikon's Spot On program, I think it will answer all your ballistic question's.
http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd363/bman940/m-3081.jpg
http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd363/bman940/m-3081.jpg
westcliffe01
Well-Known Member
If the scope has more than 40MAO of internal adjustment, then Nikon should update the specifications on their website. Nikon is silent regarding the inclination of the M308 mount. I believe that in fact it is a "regular" M223 mount with no inclination. Technically, it is impossible for the turret of have only +20 and -20 motion and then to zero on a 20 minute base. The lower magnification M223 scopes (3-12x42) have 60 MOA of internal travel, so using a 20 minute base on one of those is no problem.
To get more internal travel in a Nikon scope you have to go up in size to the 4-16x50 Monarch, but that has no exposed turrets.
To get more internal travel in a Nikon scope you have to go up in size to the 4-16x50 Monarch, but that has no exposed turrets.
Nomosendero
Well-Known Member
Yea, I just bought one for my 5R Mil-Spec. The reticle is not busy at all in my view because of the alternating circles & dots, I am speaking of the 4x16 unit. Your settings may vary in actual shooting of course, but the circles (this model small circles) are 200, 400, 600 & 800yds & dots are 300, 500 & 700, makes it very fast. I am looking at their optional dial for elevation, when the target allows time to click up. Should that work, I can click up from one of the tic marks instead of the crosshair & that will take care of the limited adjustment.
westcliffe01
Well-Known Member
New recommendation is the Vortex HS-T scope. It has an exposed target turret on both elevation and windage and both are 1/4MOA. It also has 75moa of windage and elevation movement, nearly double the Nikon. Great reticle too.
Not a BDC but real 2 Min increments on both axis.
Priced competitively too at about $560 at opticsplanet. Vortex Viper HS-T 4-16x44 VMR-1 Riflescope FREE S&H VHS-4309, VHS-4308. Vortex Rifle Scopes.
The Nikon is $530 with the plex reticle and goofy turrret knobs and half the internal adjustment. My gen 2 Monarch was a reasonable scope, but Nikon has gone off the rails with the latest generation of designs.
Not a BDC but real 2 Min increments on both axis.
Priced competitively too at about $560 at opticsplanet. Vortex Viper HS-T 4-16x44 VMR-1 Riflescope FREE S&H VHS-4309, VHS-4308. Vortex Rifle Scopes.
The Nikon is $530 with the plex reticle and goofy turrret knobs and half the internal adjustment. My gen 2 Monarch was a reasonable scope, but Nikon has gone off the rails with the latest generation of designs.
westcliffe01
Well-Known Member
For the land I hunt on, I have a drop/windage chart clear taped to the left side of the stock. So other than measuring wind speed, I don't need any electronics in the field. I am sure that hunting in mountains will require a change in my approach...
SidecarFlip
Well-Known Member
I own one solitary Nikon scope. It's a BDC in camo on my ML and candidly, I don't particularly like it. It seems to have the stiffest magnification adjustment of any of my scopes, it's just a plain PITA to crank the magnification up or down.
Never again.
Never again.
westcliffe01
Well-Known Member
That honor goes to my Weaver. Flip, you do realize Nikon provides a setscrew on the zoom ring to adjust the stiffness ? Weaver has the same but it has no effect. Too much preload on the sealing O rings.
SidecarFlip
Well-Known Member
No, I wasn't aware of that. Is it readily accessable? I really need to lighten up the turning effort.
