Buzz .. i know exactly what you are talkin about when it comes to the FOV ... that is the FIRST thing I noticed when i looked through my buddy's 4.5x14x40 mm Buckmaster ... The FOV sucks compared to other 40mm scopes I have looked through ... It would be expected if they advertised it as a 35mm or 32mm .... And i will say it didnt seem any more clear than my Simmons 44mag or the Bushnell Trophy. And all scopes were being looked through at the same day/time/place.
The entry level Nikons are very good scopes, at that level, probably not any better than the other two you mentioned, but it's a NIKON. It comes with a good rep. good warranty, and I have heard the customer service is good too. True, the FOV is not wide angle, but if you wanted a scope with a wide angle FOV then you should have looked for one like that and bought it instead.
Also, I have a refurb Nikon D80 and it's a great semi-pro level camera, no problems what so ever, and I paid a couple hundred less than for a brand new. It looks brand new to me!
