I have to chime in here on the topic of Nikon versus Bushnell.
I have posted on this in the past, and have exchanged replies
with Jon, in the past also. So this is just to give moral support to
those that see brighter out of the Bushnells, versus the Nikon
Monarchs...Me too. I have a Bushnell 4200 6-24, a Bushnell
3200 2-7, and a Nikon Monarch 5.5-16.5. One day they all
ended up on the bench, looking down the same dark range
(the last half of the distance to my 100 yard backstop is through
a heavy deciduous forest). I set all the scopes to 7x, and did
a side by side comparison. The Bushnell 4200 was noticeably
brighter, and even appeared somewhat clearer than the Nikon.
The 3200 was about equal to the Nikon. Add Rainguard, and
this is a "No Contest".
I have repeated this comparisons, adding my Leupold VXII 4-12,
and my Mueller 4-16. The Leupold brings up the rear, in my tests,
but with it sitting on a 300 WSM, that I have loaded hot, I am
thankful for the long eye relief. It may not be the brightest, or the
clearest, or the cheapest, but I do like it's 4" eye relief. If one of
these other brands would give me that, I would honestly say that
Leupold would never see any of my money. The Mueller was
the real surprise. It was right in the hunt with the Bushnell
3200, and the Nikon Monarch, clarity, and brightness, wise.
With a friendly price tag, it comes down to how the scope
will be used. If the rifle is going to see wet conditions, then
I'd be inclined to buy the Bushnell Elite, if not, then I'd be
thinking Mueller.
Back to my point. To those that see brighter out of the Bushnells
versus the Nikons, you are not alone.
Squeeze