I am looking to buy a scope for my new rifle. it is a sako 75 ss 7MM ultra mag, I am leaning toward a NIKON monarch or buckmaster in 4.5x14-40, 5.5x16x44 or 6.5x20x44, I really do not need all the magnification but a may try a trip out west for Mule deer or antelope.What do you guys think? are these scopes strong enough to handle the 7MM ULTRA? or does anyone have any other recommendations.

THANKS

I cannot speak about Nikon as I have never owned one. However, I have (on my big game rifles) used either Leupold or Burris. Both are very clear and both have never failed, fogged or otherwise let me down. Calibers of the guns I have them on range from .25/06 through .375 H&H.

Makoman:

Three things to think about.

(1) Most magnums are mounted with scopes with magnification in the range 3.5-10x or lower. It may be that you may experience trouble with more powerful magnifications on your magnum. Leupold will cheerfully fix you up, but this may not rescue your hunting trip!

(2) There is a trade-off to get the higher end magnification: your low end magnification gets higher, and this may diminish service you may want at the low end of magnification, for example hunting elk in dark timber after the elk have gotten wise to the rifle season and are hiding out.

(3) Given the specific parameters you mentioned, your scopes may be dimmer than an otherwise equivalent 3.5-10x 40 mm scope. The typical calculation is to find an exit pupil diameter by dividing the diameter of the objective by the magnification. The bigger the exit pupil the brighter the scope, to a maximum of around 5 mm.

If I were you I would optimize the scope for the most typical hunting conditions I expect to encounter. Also, there is some comfort in buying the most popular equipment variation because the equipment is more thoroughly tested in the field by all the other purchasers of the equipment. Any troubles are quickly discovered and ironed out (provided you buy from a reputable manufacturer).

A quality wepon should have a QUALITY scope on top like Leupold or Zeiss...

I had a Buckmaster and was not at all happy with it. The eye relief was very crititical. You can look at one in the store and maybe this would not be true for you. The Monark would certainly do the job for you as would the Simmons Aetec which is a tough scope with more eye relief than any other scope I have seen. Five inches of eye relief which would be handy on a powerful Magnum. I have had several Aetec scopes and they will stand up to all the recoil that you can hand them. Several Leupolds would do the job well. Good Luck.