New scope on the way.....
 

After busting the Leupold VX6 twice, I'm heading to another level.

After reading reviews, discussions with others, and watching a couple YT videos on torture testing, this one should hold up.
A new Nightforce C433 (MOAR) will be on the way next week. http://www.nightforceoptics.com/nxs/5-5-22x50

Shoot - those NightForce scopes are expensive but they are awesome. The headquarters is down the road from here in a very small town on the Clearwater River. Really do not know how you could go wrong with the Nightforce!

Lot of snipers use them so they must be good !!

I don't believe I'll be testing it like these:

May I ask how you busted the Leupold VX6 twice? I was always under the impression they were a very good, high end scope.

Only my opinion... it can't handle the recoil from the rifle. I have a friend that just got his VX6 back from repair, who is also shooting an Ultimate.
I loved the scope and the CDS turret was dead on. But.. I would never have confidence in the model on my rifle again. I praise Leupold's CS, as they did what they could. They're sending me a full refund and it doesn't get any better than that.

I've got Monarchs on a couple of seriously hard kicking (500NE) rifles and there is absolutely no possible way your Ultimate kicks anywhere near as hard as they do. Never had an issue with scope blowups from them. No problems on my "make a grown man cry" TC with the .300WM barrel on it either. I just can't figure out what you are doing to blow scopes up on those Ultimates as they should be WAY under the recoil extremes that those Leupys should be able to withstand.

I really don't know and of course neither does Leupold. This second time was with less than 100 rounds, using Mark4 base and rings, all installed properly and torqued to specification. The scope did not move in the Mark4 rings. Maybe it could have been "that" specific scope. Leupold doesn't make the VX6 any more and production has ceased. They're switching over to the VX6-HD, which they offered to replace mine with but, I wouldn't get one until sometime in April at the earliest. I took the refund, as I have no confidence in the scope anymore.
As far as the Nikon Monarch scopes, I like them but, I've also sent two of them back for repair twice each. Both Monarchs were used on mass produced muzzleloaders only. I got rid of one and the other repaired Monarch set atop my dad's old 30-06, zeroed but never gets shot.

Was there ever a 'lead sled' or some such device used to reduce felt recoil to the shooter? Just asking?

Nightforce is a good scope for sure. You just may be the first guy on here with a "tactical muzzleloader"... Just give me a scope with duplex or some type of BDC reticle and I'll be happy. I'll use KY windage if I need to. But I don't shoot my MLs as far as you do either.
Good luck with it.