My pro staff 5 2.5x10 I bought new 2 months before Nikon closed the door on rifle scope manufacturing broke after approx 30 or so rounds through my 35 whelen the other day. Nikon is refunding my purchase because they can't repair or replace the optic. I also declined to accept their in house credit voucher. I do still love my Nikons and need to replace the optic. I have narrowed it down to either a refurbished monarch 2.5x10 bdc with 90 day warranty or a NIB pro staff 7 2.5x10 30mm tube BDC. I have 3 of the same 2.5x10 monarchs and the glass is better imo than my leupold MK 4's I paid $1600 for. I was curious how the pro staff 7 compares to the monarch? Nikon is only refunded me $229 and I want to stay within that price range. I also want a 2.5x10 magnification. The only scope I saw that was similar priced was a vortex viper with a regular cross hair for 249. A regular crosshair has no interest to me. I like my BDC‘s or some types of drops. I saw there was a 30 mm Buchnell for $169 as well in 2 1/2 x 10 but to be a bushnell is exactly the same as a Tasco, basically like a Geo Metro versus a Cadillac in comparison to an Nikon. So is the pro staff 7 going to be as clear and bright as the monarch?

Buy more Nikon junk so it can break ? Why ?

Monarch is the better scope no doubt! I have owned several without incident.. But if it was my $$, I would probably forget Nikon & go Burris...

I have several Nikons. Never considered them junk by any means. My friend has a Zeiss that he's sent in twice for repairs so don't judge a book by its cover. But with Nikon going under, I might look for different brands that still can honor their warranty.

When I talked with Nikon about my reimbursement I also asked if the 30mm PS 7 would be as good as the Monarch. I was put on hold and after 5 minutes passed I hung up. They emailed me this link today telling my the Monarch would be much better because it had ED glass....

https://www.nikonusa.com/en/learn-and-ex...sion-glass.html

I looked at the Burris 1V which is around the same price but I’m used to the BDC reticle and also own almost a dozen of them so I will probably roll the dice and get another Monarch when I receive my reimbursement check.

I just bought a used Monarch. I guess I rolled the dice on it as well. So far so good! Its on a 243 so it shouldn't take a beating.

Even Nikon is smart enough to know when enough is enough....

The best warranty is the one you never use.

I've got one Nikon scope left, probably should sell it .

I have a 2.5x10 monarch on my 300 RUM, savage 220, and TC Omega. I remember I found them on eBay at the time for $289 to $298 when everyone was selling them for $399 and above. It’s my favorite glass with the PS5 3.5-14 right with it. I like them both better then any of my Leupold MK111 and 1V’s. I also have a pro staff 5 3.5-14 on a 300 RUM, 375 RUM, 450 BM, POF P415, and one each on my AR 10’s chambered in 243. I have a Nikon crossbow scope and ATB binoculars as well. The binoculars I bought around 20 years ago. I also have a NIB 3-9 pro staff I haven’t used yet. None of these optics failed after hundreds to thousands of rounds through these optics. I believe I bought an optic that was defective from the start.

For that price range, I would try a Leupold vx-Freedom tri-moa 3x9 scope.

So far, the best glass for cheap would be cabelas brand scopes. I've had a lot of different brands cheap and pricey. The cabelas isn't the best. But their glass is as clear as vortex and they are fairly stout. Oh, and if it breaks cause you dropped it on a rock or something, just take it back and they'll replace it. I got my cabelas covenant 4-16 for 250 or 300 if I remember correctly. Two years later still running strong. Oh, and they have caliber specific scopes as well.

My new pro staff 7 and refurbished Monarch showed up today from Natchez shooters supply. I bought one of both. The refurbished Monarch looks brand spanking new and has the factory lens caps to boot! Extremely happy with the looks and clarity of both.

You are a braver man than me. I still own some nikons but only because they were cheap and they are one of the few that make a good, low profile rimfire scope. If it were my money, I would buy something, anything other than another Nikon. Vortex, Leupold, maybe a burris but unlikely.

With Nikon no longer making scopes, I would not buy one. Didn’t care for them any way

Buying Nikon scopes today is a roll of the dice. If you get a bad one your pretty much stuck with it. On a different note, I have several and (knock on wood) haven't ever had much, if any problems with them. I like their glass clarity better than most in the same class of scopes. I recently bought a used Monarch and it seems like it is a good solid scope. Good luck with your new scopes.

I've only had one Nikon scope, a Monarch 4-16x50 that I used for 1 elk hunt. The lens coatings were so dark that it cost me about 1hr of legal hunting each day. I could see elk in my bino's, but couldn't see them looking through the scope.

I sold it as soon as I got home, and have never looked at Nikon scopes again.
Some guy's like them, but I don't.