No, Nikon no longer makes rifle scopes. Nikon officially exited the rifle scope market in early 2020 and stopped manufacturing all scope lines, including ProStaff, Buckmasters, and Black.
Why Did Nikon Stop Making Rifle Scopes?
Nikon’s departure from the rifle scope business in 2019 shocked many loyal customers. The company’s decision wasn’t made lightly but stemmed from several interconnected factors affecting both their brand positioning and bottom line.
Internal branding concerns and global image
The camera giant gradually became uncomfortable promoting rifle scopes that might negatively impact their more visible and profitable camera lines. This concern wasn’t just theoretical—Nikon had previously faced criticism from animal welfare groups and wildlife photographers over their Monarch rifle scopes designed specifically for hunting.
As one industry insider noted, “The Nikon contraction is completely about internal politics rather than consumer preference”. Furthermore, the company worried about their association with hunting affecting their ability to expand binocular sales in European markets, where such connections created problems in certain retail environments.
Lack of domestic support for shooting optics
Additionally, Nikon faced challenges within their home country of Japan, where there was “no domestic support for being a part of blood sports”. This cultural resistance created internal pressure on the company to distance itself from hunting-related products.
Japanese optics brands generally struggled to establish strong brand power in the scope market compared to American manufacturers like Leupold. This disadvantage made it difficult for Nikon to command premium prices despite offering similar quality.
Shift in corporate priorities toward core products
Ultimately, financial considerations played a decisive role in Nikon’s exit. According to company representatives, the decision was based on two primary factors: the extremely competitive nature of the entry to mid-level riflescope market, and their desire to reallocate resources toward more profitable product lines.
Although margins in the camera business were reportedly tight, the increased competition in the riflescope segment from brands like Vortex squeezed profits even further. Meanwhile, their spotting scopes, rangefinders, and binoculars continued to perform well financially.
The company’s restructuring efforts extended beyond just rifle scopes—they were closing factories, laying off workers, and scaling down operations to match current business levels, which had shrunk to approximately half their size from 7-8 years earlier.
Rather than continuing to fight a losing battle in an overcrowded marketplace, Nikon chose to focus on areas where they maintained stronger competitive advantages.
Market Pressures That Influenced Nikon’s Exit
The optics industry underwent massive shifts between 2015-2019, creating a perfect storm that ultimately pushed Nikon out of the riflescope business.
Increased competition from new optics brands
The rifle optics landscape changed dramatically with the emergence of aggressive new competitors. Brands like Vortex, Athlon, and Primary Arms entered the market with compelling warranties and competitive pricing. These newcomers offered lifetime, no-questions-asked guarantees that Nikon couldn’t match without compromising profitability.
Moreover, Chinese manufacturers began producing increasingly better quality glass, essentially closing the quality gap that once justified premium pricing. This development squeezed established players from multiple directions, with newer brands simultaneously gaining market share through direct-to-consumer models that bypassed traditional retailers.
Shrinking profit margins in riflescope segment
Consequently, the riflescope market became less profitable for Nikon. The company faced intense price competition in the $150-300 segment where their Prostaff and Buckmaster lines had previously dominated. Manufacturing costs couldn’t be reduced enough to maintain healthy margins while staying competitive on price.
Considering Nikon’s corporate structure required each product division to maintain certain profit thresholds, the scope division likely failed to meet these internal benchmarks. Unlike competitors who specialized solely in hunting optics, Nikon needed to justify the riflescope segment’s performance against their more profitable camera and medical divisions.
Consumer demand for specialized scopes
Finally, consumer preferences shifted toward highly specialized optics that Nikon wasn’t positioned to develop:
- Tactical scopes with complex reticles and extreme durability
- Long-range precision optics with advanced ballistic calculators
- Ultralight hunting scopes for mountain pursuits
- Smart scopes with integrated electronics and rangefinders
Therefore, Nikon found itself stuck in the middle—neither the budget option nor the cutting-edge specialist. This positioning became increasingly difficult to sustain in a market demanding either rock-bottom prices or revolutionary features. The decision to exit, while disappointing to loyal customers, reflected these unavoidable market realities.
What Happened to Nikon Scopes After Discontinuation?
Following Nikon’s announcement to exit the riflescope market, a methodical phase-out began that affected everyone from retailers to loyal customers. The aftereffects created ripples throughout the industry as stakeholders adjusted to the new reality.
Sell-through of existing inventory
As soon as the news broke in late 2019, Nikon implemented a clear exit strategy for their remaining products. Dealers received instructions that they could sell through their current inventories of Buckmaster, ProStaff, and BLACK scopes but shouldn’t write new orders or expect inventories to be replenished. The company made it explicitly clear that “once current stock is gone, it’s gone”.
Instead of abruptly pulling products from shelves, Nikon chose to let existing inventory sell through naturally. This approach gave consumers who wanted one final opportunity to purchase these scopes. Even in early 2020, major retailers like Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s continued maintaining dedicated Nikon scope sections, though staff actively informed customers about the discontinuation.
Impact on dealers and retailers
The announcement sent immediate shockwaves through the sports-optics industry. For many retailers, Nikon scopes represented a significant portion of their mid-range optics offerings. Vendors and retailers received official notification directly from Nikon explaining that while the company would continue producing other sport optics, riflescope production had ceased.
Dealers had to quickly pivot their inventory strategies, finding replacement brands to fill the gap left by Nikon’s popular price points. Given Nikon’s previous dominance in a market worth approximately $900 million, this created substantial inventory challenges for many businesses.
Availability of Nikon scopes in secondary markets
By 2020-2021, Nikon had completely removed riflescopes from their product lineup. This prompted both clearance sales and increased interest in remaining stock. Some enthusiasts even speculated about potential collector value for certain models.
Warranty concerns became a primary consideration for owners and potential buyers. Initially, Nikon representatives assured customers that “all warranties will be upheld as promised”. However, when pressed about repairs or replacements after parts inventories were depleted, company representatives provided vague answers, suggesting potential future support limitations.
For consumers still seeking Nikon quality after the discontinuation, exploring alternative brands with comparable features became necessary.
Where Nikon Stands in the Optics Industry Today
Since exiting the riflescope market, Nikon has intensified its focus on other optical products where it maintains stronger competitive advantages and profit margins.
Focus on binoculars, rangefinders, and spotting scopes
Presently, Nikon offers an impressive array of non-shooting optics. Their binocular line has established a benchmark for extraordinary value, building on their position as a global leader in precision optics. Notably, their rangefinder lineup includes specialized models such as the COOLSHOT series for golf and PROSTAFF for hunting, featuring technologies like ID (Incline/Decline) Technology and the Tru-Target Priority System. For long-range observation, Nikon’s fieldscopes continue to deliver exceptional edge-to-edge resolution and color fidelity.
Nikon’s strategy for non-shooting optics
Certainly, Nikon is pursuing a broader corporate transformation. According to CEO Toshikazu Umatate, “Most people think of us as a camera company, but historically when we were founded we supplied parts for other companies”. This shift aims to reposition Nikon as a provider of components for the chipmaking industry, advanced materials, and healthcare products—alongside maintaining their presence in digital cameras.
How Nikon is repositioning its brand globally
Accordingly, Nikon’s mid-term plan targets operating profit of 70 billion yen on sales of 700 billion yen in fiscal 2025, up substantially from their earlier forecasts. To achieve this growth, the company has allocated 200-300 billion yen for acquisitions. Evidently, this transformation doesn’t involve workforce reductions—instead, they’ve doubled domestic hiring to 570 employees, the highest level in a decade. This strategic evolution illustrates how Nikon has moved beyond rifle scopes toward a future centered on their core technological strengths.
Conclusion
Nikon’s departure from the rifle scope market certainly marks the end of an era for many hunters and shooting enthusiasts. Despite once holding significant market share, the company made a calculated business decision based on profitability concerns, internal branding issues, and growing competition. After all, facing pressure from both budget-friendly newcomers and specialized high-end manufacturers left Nikon in an increasingly difficult middle position.
Though disappointing for loyal customers, this move aligns with Nikon’s broader strategic vision. Consequently, they now channel resources toward binoculars, rangefinders, and spotting scopes where their optical expertise yields better financial returns. Meanwhile, former Nikon scope owners must look elsewhere for replacements as inventories have completely sold through since the 2019 announcement.
Hunting participation may continue rising, but Nikon has chosen a different path altogether. The company transforms itself beyond just cameras and sport optics, aiming at technological advancement in chipmaking, healthcare, and advanced materials. Therefore, we must accept the truth about Nikon rifle scopes—they belong to the past, not the future of the company.
