Nikon m 223 and Leupold Mark AR

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mthillrunner

New member
Hello,
I am considering getting one of these in the 4-12x range without the BDC reticle. However, I have a question I am hoping someone on here can answer. I live at 5000 ft, most of my shooting is from 5000-7000ft at temps of 40-60 degrees. I was wondering how these scopes will perform at these parameters compared to how the scope was calibrated for these conditions (i have no idea what was used for the scope). Would it likely present a small degree of change where if I missed a coyote at 400yds it would be the scopes fault (it always is anyways) or my bad. Thanks much for any input, much appreciated.
 
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My M-223 performs just fine for me at about 5000 feet. I can't see how elevation would change much on the scopes function.

If you are using a BDC type reticle like the M-223 that is specific for a 55gr poly-tipped bullet going 3240 fps, elevation could change the bullet's performance making the ranging dots not line up with the listed ranges. But that isn't the scopes fault and it also won't be that big of a change.
 
Cool, that's basically what I was wondering. Does anyone know if you can get custom turrets on the m 223 if you use a different wt bullet and such, I would be going with the nikoplex reticle route. I believe on the Leupolds you can. Thanks again for the help
 
Originally Posted By: mthillrunnerCool, that's basically what I was wondering. Does anyone know if you can get custom turrets on the m 223 if you use a different wt bullet and such, I would be going with the nikoplex reticle route. Thanks again for the help

You can get custom turrets for M223 and Buckmaster and you can also use Nikon's spot on ballistics program which will give you different points of impact for various loads. Not perfect but will get you close.

Go here: nikonhunting.com
 
The M-223 Sseries of scopes offers an option for either a 2-8, 3-12 or very soon a 4-16 with the Rapid Action Turret. This turret is dialed in for .223/55 grain polymer tipped bullet. I have personally used the 2-8 and 3-12 to shoot out to 600 yards. These scopes also come in the BDC reticle as well.
If you have a MONARCH or Buckmaster scope you can order a custom turret dialed in to your specific cal., ammo and MV. This can be odered from Nikonhunting.com Spot On site.
Here's a pic of my Nikon M-223 3-12 Nikoplex Rapid Action Turret.

Nikon M-223 #-12 Rapid Action Turret
 
The altitude will make a difference in the weapons zero along with air density. I dont see the hype in these scopes. I hate the bdc reticle the center posts are huge and the circles are thick. You can make your own turrets with a piece of tape. Or just remember your dope.
 
I have a Remington 700 5R Milspec SS .223, and I run the Leupold 6-18x40 Mark AR on it. I have the mildot reticle which I prefer, and it came with an elevation turret calibrated for a 55 grain bullet. I tried the turret with 55 grain VMAX's, and it is right on. It's got marks from 100 out to 800 on the turret. You can order elevation turrets from Leupold for different weights or just dial your elevation.

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I have many Leupold scopes, and two Nikons. The Leupolds are much better in terms of clarity,low light, and parallax in my experience.

One thing I do like about Nikon is their SpotOn ballistics program. I have the App on my droid. I have a M70 300 wsm with a Nikon 6.5-22x42 BDC scope on it.
I just punch in some info and it gives the hold point distances for the BDC circles. You just change the magnificaton on the scope and all the points of impact change to what you need. It sounds long winded, but it is amazingly easy to do. That combo is good to go.

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"Pre-calibrated" scopes are not worth a hill of beans. Nikon BDC isn't either. Get a standard duplex, work up your own load, and then have a custom dial made if necessary.

I would go Leupold over Nikon. If you do go Nikon, pass on the BDC.....
 
I agree. My buddy hase a ziess 6-20 with a fancy reticle on a .204 ruger. He did way too much reading and thaught he needed all this fancy crap. After i did all the load development and used there ballistics program the scope has to be set on 20 power to be dead on with the holdover lines. Wich really sucks with mirage. He camt shoot the gun worth a crap anyhow. I love schooling people with there own guns
 
2muchgun said:
"Pre-calibrated" scopes are not worth a hill of beans. Nikon BDC isn't either. Get a standard duplex, work up your own load, and then have a custom dial made if necessary.



I beg to differ on this. I PREFER to have mildots and work out all my come ups. But, I traded someone for this Nikon BDC scope, and when used with the Spot-On software it is right on. On this gun, with 180gr BTs I have a 200 yd zero. At 17 power, crosshairs 200 yds, first circle 299 yds, second circle 407yds, third circle 500yds, fourth circle 629yds. I've tested it out to 500 so far and its right there. At any other power, the 200 yd crosshair zero stays the same. The program is preloaded with tons of factory load offerings, or you can input yourown data and it gives ballistic tables if you want them. For the deal I got on the scope and the $4.99 I paid for the SpotOn phone APP, I've killed a lot of stuff and had a lot of fun with it. In my experience, it is is a very flexible set up that an average guy can use with success as long as he uses it with the software to dial in the holdoffs. I like having the holdoffs at the ready, especially when I'm hunting by myself. I range landmarks out to as far as I can hunt, call with the gun in my shoulder, and as soon as a dog pops out of the tree line, I'm on him with the right holdoff. It's quick and deadly.
Click to expand...
 
I had a 2.5-8x Encore with BDC on a buddies Savage Striker and love it. It's easy to get any multi-stadia reticle to match any trajectory once you understand how to apply the systems--

This was the 1st 3 shots at 425 yds. dead on the nose as calcd.--

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...and the dope for the system, in the upper right corner that goes on a sticker into a Butler Creek scope cap cover--

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It's now on this little walking prairie dogger I tested a couple days ago. Using .1 BC and ~1100 mv. I was all around a 200-yd. dirt clod at 30 MOA of up via the turret [as calcd.], which has been tested successfully for repeatability. Down to zero and cranked the magnification back to 4, which gives 30 MOA to reticle's lower post tip now and once again all around the dirt clod using the lower post tip for reference. I really like the 5 MOA windage reference via horizontal plex post tips--just wide enough for accurate application--

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Nikon should not advertise the reticle looking like the subtensions of the lines are so wide. Look above at the copied reticle from Nikon's website and the thru the scope picture--considerably different. Their advertising is mis-leading. The lines are .25 MOA thick--not that wide really for accurate application...IMO.
 
heh heh heh you have my Ruger Mark II! I sure love that pistol! Even have the same bull barrel and finish! You know, I paid 200 bucks for mine, (199 if memory serves) back years ago, and saw one in a pawn shop the other day for 222 dollars!! They are neat little big pistols! Accurate as all getout!
 
The monarch i shot on 24 power the crosshairs were huge. Couldnt see a half inch dot at 100yds. I think its more of a preference thing. Thats sweet shooting with the pistol.
 
SS, Outstanding shooting! I had a Remington XP I still regret selling to this day!
Picking the right scope obviously come down to what you are most comfortable using. I have taken many writers who were new to using BDC scopes and after a little teaching and showing them how to use Spot On watched them blow up 4 in. jars of tannerite at 600 yards! Again, not for everyone. The Nikoplex reticle of the M-223 allows you to literally dial your distance to the target. This is built on you using a 55 gr. polymer tipped bullet at 3240 fps MV. You can find this configuration in 2-8 or 3-12 and soon 4-16 thanks to so many guys who wrote in requesting this scope.

If you are a hunter, hard to beat, IMHO, the BDC reticle for fast and accurate shooting.

Here's a video showing how fast the M-223 Scopes are in going from 100-600 yard targets, 100 yards at a time!

http://www.nikonhunting.com/page/video/16/54
 


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