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Posted: 12/12/2015 5:49:06 PM EDT
| Looking for some input. I'm narrowed down to either a Nikon m223 4-16 with niko plex or a pa 4-14 acss. I know Nikon has the better warranty but it's ffp vs sfp. The pa is also illuminated. How does the glass compare? I can get the Nikon within 20$ of the pa so the cost isn't an issue. Thanks in advance. |
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I have never used the PA 4-14acss so I'm no help there, but I have put over 10,000 rounds under my Nikon M-308 4-16 scopes. Built with Nikon's MONARCH glass and 1 piece tube these scopes are built tough and very clear. Backed by Nikon's No Fault Policy you can rest easy even if you drop your rifle out of a tree stand! Looing down the tubes is the only way to really make up your mind. Which scope looks the clearest,brightest and has the best sight picture will be up to you. Good luck! Just for consideration, take a look at the BDC reticle and how Spot On can dial in whatever cal. and bullet you are shooting out of your rifle.
Drop me a note with any question's. Here's a couple pics of my Father In-law using the M-308 BDC 800 scope. 
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The scopes are apples and oranges. More like apples and transmissions. The Nikon is the tactical version of the Monarch line. The glass is WAY better, but, as you noted, it does not have illumination or the ACSS reticle. You have to make choices at the dollar mark.
Ask yourself these questions: How will I use the rifle and scope? Will I be shooting beyond 300 yards? If you are seeking a general purpose scope and will not be shooting beyond 300, you do not need a BCD reticle, and can still dial elevation and windage with the turret on the M-223 on those occasions when you will take long shots. If you want illumination and the ACSS reticle, at that price point, you will get decidedly lower quality glass. If shooting in good light at moderate distances, you might not notice the lower quality glass. But in low light or at long distances the PA scope will dim out or lose the ability to distinguish fine detail before the M-223 will. BTW: Most vendors offer the M-223 with the BDC reticle at the same price as the Nikoplex, if that matters to you. Not a big fan of their little circles on the BCD reticle of Nikon, but those who have them, seem to like them. FFP is not something magical. At powers of 14x and lower, it really offers no advantage for me and several disadvantages at low power. I like FFP only on higher power scopes, like 6-24x, where mirage becomes an issue at high power and can sometimes be tuned out by reducing magnification between 24x and 14x to get a clear image. FFP on lower power carries the penalty of having the reticle shrink down at lower power, or be too large at higher power. This is way most hunters, who typically use scopes of 14x or lower, rarely use FFP reticles. If considering FFP, be sure to do an on-line search for images through the reticle at various power settings, to make sure the reticle will work for you. Many people have been disappointed when not doing this before purchasing. Life is full of compromises. Allow me to suggest a third optic, just to muddy the water even more! Have you looked at the Weaver Grand Slam Tactical 3-10x40mm that is exclusively offered through the vendor MidwayUSA? It is not a 14x scope, but it is very good. It is a true MRAD scope with milradian turrets (.1mil per click, 5 mils per rotation) with a matching mildot reticle. It is Japanese made and has glass in the same league as the Nikon M-223 (might actually be a bit better). It is only $299. It is not illuminated. The turrets are accurate and track true and repeatable. This scope is an amazing bargain and is highly regarded on this board and many others for those seeking a quality mid powered tactical scope on a tight budget. |
| I was looking at long range at first, I almost pulled the trigger on the Nikon then went and looked at it. My hang up was the turrets. I'm not a fan of yardage markers instead of moa. I then contacted a guy that has the pa. It's a great scope for the money but they need to make an Orion reticle that's illuminated. It's fairly clear glass but the edges are meh. I figured I would jump on the pst and save up for a better optic such as a uso or nf. I've got a zeiss on my 7mm rum and I just had a hard time "settling" for an optic that I know nothing about. That may be snobbish but thanks for all the help |
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