first thoughts nikon monarch 3000 rangefinder

[arri1942]

really like the compact size and is really lightweight. The image stabilization is awesome. Really noticeable. The pic for reference with my hand helps show size. I am 5'8 and have average size hands. I think I am really going to like this rangefinder. I was ranging things out of my office easily to 4-500 yards and couldn't range further because I don't have anything further to range. excited to try it from my porch after work and see how it works. I live on a hill and can pick out various targets throughout the city to range. Optics are crystal clear and i like the LED reticle. Easy to read and easy to switch between different modes. Thank you to scheels getting it to me so quickly.

 

[Grumman]

Cool thanks for sharing. I’d love to see a pic of the reticle looking through the rangefinder.


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[arri1942]

this is with iphone out my office window, so not great but the 1st image is the reticle while pushing button to range, second is the reticle in search mode. best i could get now without tripod or more hands.

View attachment 67694

View attachment 67695

 

[bmanb940]

OUTSTANDING !!!!!! Can't wait to get one. You are one of the first, I hope you'll be able to do more testing and report back to us ?

 

[bmanb940]

One of the first, congrats! I can't wait to get mine! Here's a screenshot giving you more info and showing you the pic while ranging. Nikon's MONARCH 3000 Stabilized is one heck of a rangefinder and a great price.

 

[cwegga]

I'd like a sanity check here guys. I just got mine on Friday and I'm a bit disappointed with it. The performance isn't what I was expecting. I've tested a couple different places now on targets like I would have in my hunting area out to 1500yds or so and on things like buildings etc. much farther. I don't have a lot of experience with other range finders, but my dad/hunting partner has a Leica 1600b and in side by side testing the Monarch 3000 stabilized is not anywhere as good at picking up less reflective targets.

I can pretty easily range most things out to 400-600 yds, but past that it struggles. I can range trees and boulders to mid 900s (maybe 1 out of 30 trees) and perpendicular dirt, like road cuts to mid 700s. I can't get a reading on hillsides anywhere near that far, only 500yds maybe. Even bigger things that should be reflective like houses I can't get a return on past 1000yds or so. Fifth wheels are apparently ideal targets. I got one at 2250 yds and one I missed part of the number but I think it was 29XX. Only if the end of the camper is facing towards me though, no returns at those distances from the large sides. Performance was much better in low light at dusk. I started getting a lot better results when the lighting was dim, but today even in partial overcast and not direct sunlight I have doubts I could reliably range a deer on a hillside at 800yds.

So, I'm not trying to mess up OP's thread, but I was hoping I could get a couple of answers here. Let me know if this post is too much and I'll start my own thread.

1. What are other people with the Monarch 3000 experiencing in their testing?

2. Related to number 1, is mine just a lemon? Should I return it and get another of the same?

3. If mine isn't a lemon, is there another model in the same price range I should look at for the performance I want (consistently range things out to 1,000 yds), or is there something cheaper I should buy that has the same performance as what I'm getting?

4. Are my expectations from this rangefinder unreasonable?

 

[brocksw]

I'd like a sanity check here guys. I just got mine on Friday and I'm a bit disappointed with it. The performance isn't what I was expecting. I've tested a couple different places now on targets like I would have in my hunting area out to 1500yds or so and on things like buildings etc. much farther. I don't have a lot of experience with other range finders, but my dad/hunting partner has a Leica 1600b and in side by side testing the Monarch 3000 stabilized is not anywhere as good at picking up less reflective targets.

I can pretty easily range most things out to 400-600 yds, but past that it struggles. I can range trees and boulders to mid 900s (maybe 1 out of 30 trees) and perpendicular dirt, like road cuts to mid 700s. I can't get a reading on hillsides anywhere near that far, only 500yds maybe. Even bigger things that should be reflective like houses I can't get a return on past 1000yds or so. Fifth wheels are apparently ideal targets. I got one at 2250 yds and one I missed part of the number but I think it was 29XX. Only if the end of the camper is facing towards me though, no returns at those distances from the large sides. Performance was much better in low light at dusk. I started getting a lot better results when the lighting was dim, but today even in partial overcast and not direct sunlight I have doubts I could reliably range a deer on a hillside at 800yds.

So, I'm not trying to mess up OP's thread, but I was hoping I could get a couple of answers here. Let me know if this post is too much and I'll start my own thread.

1. What are other people with the Monarch 3000 experiencing in their testing?

2. Related to number 1, is mine just a lemon? Should I return it and get another of the same?

3. If mine isn't a lemon, is there another model in the same price range I should look at for the performance I want (consistently range things out to 1,000 yds), or is there something cheaper I should buy that has the same performance as what I'm getting?

4. Are my expectations from this rangefinder unreasonable?

I haven't bought on yet so I don't have field experience with it.

However, It sounds like you got a lemon. There are few people out there who were using them last year and have raved about it. I've read in the snipershide forum 2 separate individuals saying they were ranking trees at 1500-2000 yards with he 3000 and nikon black x 4k.
Your experience doesn't seem to match up with other people's experience.

Of course, they could all be blowing smoke too...

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[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

The above advertisement says 1k on deer, 1.1k on tree maximum which means ideal conditions also (3k is reflective targets) so it sounds like yours is operating at what the manufacturer says in small print.

Per your question 3: I've been quite pleased with my sig kilo 2000 (someone on here said they had issues but most haven't), it ranges trees at 1600 for me in general use. I can range antelope past 800, I haven't tried to test the furthest I can range a critter with it, I just know I've gotten ranges on antelope past 800 off memory.

 

[brocksw]

I would disagree with Pods on this one... If youre maxing out on a hill at 4-500 yards and can't range a house past a grand.... You need to call nikon and ask how they want you to go about getting a replacement.

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[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

My point was its far from a usable 3000yd unit (or even the typical 50-65% on game from the rating it has off reflective that is more common) if you read the small print they're straight up saying they expect the max on animals and terrain to be 1/3 of that. That isn't to say this particular unit doesn't have some issues making it under perform some (700yd on terrain instead of the manufacturer's published 1100yd).

 

[brocksw]

Pods is Def right about tapering expectations.... And the 50-60% aspect. If you didn't take that into consideration the black x 4k might be a better choice for you.

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[bmanb940]

Guy's, I just came accrosss this video and thought it might be helpful giving you more info on Nikon's MONARCH 3000 Stabilized.

Review of the Nikon Monarch 3000 STABILIZED Rangefinder! 3,000 Yards Without a Tripod - YouTube

 

[cwegga]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I have read the actual specs for non-reflective targets and had lowered expectations from the start. I think this is pretty much unusable ranging though. I can do 550 yds with my .308 hunting load and with my testing I'm could probably range that far on a deer or hillside.

A friend is letting me borrow his Kilo so I'll do some side by side comparison and maybe exchange my Nikon if it's that much better. Stabalization is nice, but ranging is more important. At least I will be able to compare in the same conditions instead of just reading reviews and not knowing what factors were different.

 

[brocksw]

Snyder said he got 1200 on non reflective targets and trees.

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[arri1942]

Sorry I haven’t chimed in since first post. I have got non reflective targets out to 1000+ yards. To be honest haven’t used a lot just because it seemed to work pretty well in preliminary trials and haven’t done much more than that. Going to use more in depth on my spring bear hunt in a couple weeks and i can give more input as i will likely have some variable weather and terrain to test it some more. But if what you say is true it would definitely make me want to call nikon and seek a replacement and understand your frustration.

I unfortunately do not have a sig or leica to compare it to side by side. If i have a similar experience to yours while hunting and it doesn’t range as advertised, I will have no problems parting ways with it. I was about to pull the trigger on a sig kilo2200 when i heard the buzz of the nikon 3000 and held off and waited for it to be released. I am keeping my fingers crossed.


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[brocksw]

Picked up mine today. The farthest thing I could find was a ExxonMobil sign about 900 yards away. Didn't seem to have a problem with it at all.

Also ranged a stucco building at 650 and another sign at 700.

I'll try and get some non reflective ranges and longer reflective ranges when I get some time.

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[jarredelectric]

I just got one and I really think game changer. I offhanded over 1000 yards at the rifle range this passed weekend on a small human size target. This thing is a beast. As soon as you press the button it completely smooths out and is completely stable with 1 hand. GAME CHANGER.

 

[Brendan]

Can you get this unit to display the angle? Or just the angle compensated range?

 

[cwegga]

Can you get this unit to display the angle? Or just the angle compensated range?

On mine I could only get the adjusted range, not the angle it was using for the math.

 

[mherne8]

Hey all I’m looking at getting one of these for bow hunting. I really like the stabilization feature it will help eliminate me needing to use my bow to stabilize it when ranging. It’s also super quick with the range compared to my vortex.
I want to know how durable it is. Have any of you dropped it does it still work. I feel like that kind of stabilization wouldn’t survive a drop of any type.

Thanks!


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