Don' t forget eye relief decreases as magnification increases.

High magnafication and short range don' t work or mix very well, even with the best scopes money can buy. The reason being that high magnafication is required at extended/long ranges for precision/accurate shooting. Most high power scopes have the AO (Adjustable Objective) ring on the front of the scope. A few, especially tactical scopes, have the side focus/parralex adjustment knob. The purpose is these AO rings are to allow the shooter to focus the scope and elimiante parralex at any given range. When it is adjusted correctly the cross hairs and the target will be crisp and clear, and there should not be any parralex.

The Nikon Monarch, while not the most expensive scope, is a very good none the less. The more you shoot it and learn how to make it work, you should be satisfied with it.

I dont think eye relief decreases as scope power increases, I am sure though that depth of field decreases as power increases.

AO is necessary at powers above 10X to reduce parallax, that why real tactical scopes are 10x. Parallax is nearly non existent at 10x or below. I see now scopes that are 3-12x with no AO, but I wouldnt buy one.

Silvertip-co-If you check out leupolds specifications you will see that eye relief decreases with increased power settings on their scopes.Some other scopes such as the ziess conquest claim constant eye relief at all powers.I really noticed the change on my leupolds but I don' t notice it on my swarovskis.

I know for sure that the eye relief on all my variable power scopes changes as mag. does. For the Nikon the change is pretty small, maybe 1/2 to 2/3 if an inch.

I think that I was mistaking mirage distortion for an out of focus condition. I' ve never used a high magnification scope before, to mirage has never been too apparent. I noticed that as the day started to cool off the mirage lessened and everything from about 75 yards out was clear even at full power as long as I had properly adjusted the objective. I do love this scope now that I' ve kindof figured out how to use it. It has a 44mm obj. and everything is brighter and clearer at 20X than most of my cheaper 40mm scopes are at 3X. The Nikon Monarch is definately a winner in my book. I' ve shot groups with the Ruger I never dreamed I could. I just shot it at 200 yards (the range max.) today and after getting my technique correct I shot a 1.75" (.9MOA) 5-shot group into one of those 3" shoot-n-see target spots, with my usual three shots in a 0.75" group and two idiot shots to open the group up.

I also had great fun making pop cans dance from 200 yards away! Plinking is more fun when you can' t even see the target with the naked eye! This is turning out to be the most fun I' ve had with a gun in a long time.

Mike

What type of wonderful varmint rig is that sitting on top of?, no seriously what are you shooting there? Glad you got it figured out. I have found that the higher end scopes require a little stroking then you get the feel and then you see what it' s capable of.

Thunderchicken,

It a Ruger M77VT MkII .22-250, Ruger scope rings, and shot off a Harris L bipod (not the swiveling kind) with a sandbag under the buttstock on a wooden shooting bench. The barrel is fully free-floated all the way back to the receiver, and the action is pulled down and back into the stock by one bolt and then secured by two more through the trigger housing. I also hand-lapped the bore before shooting it the first time with J-B bore compound.

I' ve put 80 rounds through it so far, cleaning every five shots, and the groups have started to tighten up and settle down nicely. I' ve also started to really get used to the trigger. It' s got a factory two-stage " target" trigger. There is about 1/8" of very light creep in the first stage for " lawyer proofing," then the second stage with very little creep or overtravel, but it' s still kindof heavy. I don' t have a trigger pull gauge, but I' d guess the final pull weight is about 3.5-4.5lbs. I' d like it a lot better if the weight were down between 1.5 to 2.5lbs, but the trigger is manageable as is. I may consider asking my gunsmith to work on it if possible, or I might spring to have a Timney trigger installed.

All of the ammo shot through it so far has been Winchester USA white box. I chose this ammo only because I wanted the Winchester brass and I wanted to have the brass' first firing be in my gun' s chamber rather than buying once-fired brass. Even if it would have been cheaper. I' m hoping that the rifle will really shine once I start handloading for it.

I' m also considering getting a muzzlebrake, not because the recoil is bad (it' s only a .22-250, you' d have to be a big sissy-boy to be bothered by it' s recoil ) but because I' d like to be able to see the impacts down range. The muzzle jumps just enough that the target it out of view when its hit. These little bullets get downrange so darn fast that there just isn' t time to see anything! I can' t wait to take this rifle out and try to pop some coyotes. It' s also make a great little prarie dog gun as long as the winds not blowing too much.

I do love this rifle, and am really glad I saved my money and put a really nice scope on it. Putting a cheap scope on a target rifle is like putting retreads on a Ferrari. Just couldn' t bring myself to do that!

Mike

Your groupings look and sound like they' re more then acceptable Driftrider , are you hitting your targets in the field ?

Before going and having a break installed, give it some time and work your handloads up. I know my friends M70 varmint was the same way, he worked up a good load that the gun likes now you can watch the bullet impact then feel the recoil. I don' t know the load he' s using offhand but I imagine it' s probably H380 and winchester primers.