Preface
Steiner Optics has a long and distinguished history of making professional grade shooting tools. I have always been a fan of the brand and I’ve reviewed several products here. Today we are looking at another one of Steiner’s popular rifle scopes, the Steiner MX5i 5-25×56. The MX5i has been a popular riflescope for law enforcement and military use during the last decade or so. Today I wanted to see how this popular scope stands up to the other scopes I have used.
The Mx5i Riflescope
The Steiner MX5i is a purpose built tactical scope made with precision shooters in mind. It has all the features a long-range precision rifle would need. The large 34mm tube allow for a full 26 MRAD of elevation adjustment, and houses the large erector housing with fully adjustable turrets. The Duoscale elevation turret has 15 MRAD per rotation, and allows you to reset at zero easily.
Inside the MX5i you’ll find the MSR2 illuminated reticle, which I have used in several scopes with success. The FFP reticle is very useful without being too obtrusive, and the ability to illuminate it in low light conditions is also quite helpful.
Included with the scope are some nice flip-open caps to protect the lenses, as well as the typical accessories. As well as the Steiner Heritage Warranty to give you peace of mind. Steiner has moved some of their production to the US which is comforting. In my opinion, the second best place to have a scope built is Germany, and that is where the MX5i comes from.
Specifications
| Steiner Optics MX5i Riflescope | |
| Magnification | 5-25X |
| Reticle | MSR2 |
| Finish | Matte Black |
| Objective Diameter | 56MM |
| Reticle Focal Plane | First |
| Tube Diameter | 34 MM |
| Field of View | 4.6 – 23.6 ft at 100 yds |
| Eye Relief | 3.5 – 4.3 in |
| Exit Pupil | 2.2 – 9.8 mm |
| Length | 16.6 Inches |
| Weight | 36.3 Ounces |
| Illumination | Rotary Rheostat with off settings between |
| Turret Design | Duoscale with resettable zero |
| Turret Values | 0.1 MRAD per click |
| Elevation Range | 26 MRAD |
| Parallax Focus | Side focus adjust |
| Battery | CR2450 |
| MSRP | $3679.99 |
Shooting the Steiner MX5i
I’ve had the good luck to use this scope quite a bit, which is not always the case when reviewing some products. Having been able to travel the world a bit with the scope has given me some additional insight into its durability. From shooting 50 BMG rifles in the arid deserts of the west, to sub-freezing temps shooting down abandoned Soviet airstrips.
My first experience shooting the scope was on my Desert Tech SRS M2 chambered in 338 lapua magnum. A strong rifle that would show failures in a scope that isn’t up to the task. Zeroing the rifle was easy using the MX5’s turrets. With a simple slip of the turrets I zeroed the elevation and windage.
First Shots
On the first trip out, we stretched the rifle all the way out to 1600 yards. I must say that I was impressed with both the repeatability of the scope, and the optical sharpness. As it happens, after picking out a target at 1600, every shooters dream occured…
A lone coyote wandered out of the cedar trees just behind my target zone just as I settled in for a shot. I watched him as he picked his way between the trees hoping for him to pause. After he seemed to show no sign of stopping, I decide to lead him. Having made a dozen or so shots all ready at that distance, I had a pretty good idea of the flight time anticipated. With my lead held I pressed the trigger, sending the 250 grain Swiss P bullet on its way.
My luck with coyotes held true that day, as just after I pulled the trigger he must have sensed a disturbance in his aura or something and he stopped. A moment later and just a foot or two ahead of him, my shot landed right where he should have been. It would have been an amazing shot.
Shooting Abroad
A few weeks later I found myself laying in deep snow looking down a cut in a sea of coniferous forest in northern Europe. My breath would condense and freeze to the side of my rifle, making it somewhat challenging to focus. But looking through the MX5 I could clearly see my targets downrange a kilometer away. The target hangers contrasted clearly against the white blanket of snow.
Over the course of several days we shot targets in the icy breeze, with and without snow falling. It was a great test of the clarity of this scope, never fogging up. It also required me to rely on its accurate tracking, as I was shooting soft targets through falling snow. It was impossible to see impacts.
In Tandem
I also shot the MX5i in tandem with the Andres Industries TigIR thermal sight. This brought another level of perception, looking through both optics together I was able to see my bullet holes appear in the snow even 600 meters away.
You can read more about the Thermal here, but I must say that the Steiner MX5i worked fantastic together with it.
Parallax Adjustment
I love a scope with good focus, and the MX5 does a great job focusing the image properly. The adjustable parallax also allows you to remove parallax from your view across great distance. This was very helpful both on the rifle range, and the desert.
Adjusting the scope in general was smooth and predictable. The clicks of the turrets felt clean and audible. The Duoscale elevation turret is pretty interesting, as you cross the 15 MIL point to the second rotation, the numbers slide up and change to 15 and up.
The MSR2 reticle is a fantastic reticle for this kind of shooting. It gives you plenty of tools for measuring targets and ranging distance if thats your thing. And at the same time it doesn’t obscure your target area. I like the open center dot, it allows for very precise placement.
Durability
After having shot this scope over a long period of time across various rifles and calibers, I am quite confident in its quality. Neither my 338 nor 50 BMG managed to knock it out of place. Traveling across the world in hot and freezing climates haven’t seen to do it any harm. It’s never lost zero, and the tracking has never missed. I suppose this should come as no surprise as the MX5i is built on a one-piece tube, with a history of hard military service.
Pros and Cons
Of the many positive aspects of this scope I must say my favorites are these; The robust reliability, the precise tracking and repeatability, and the clear reticle that is easily focused at any distance. These features make this scope an easy choice if you find yourself heading into the unknown. Whether it be against cunning animals or an opposing force.
The only thing I would take away from the Steiner MX5i would be that it seems to suffer in clarity a tiny bit at full power. This seems to be the case for most every scope I use, so its not particularly a jab at this Steiner in particular. But I did find myself often using the scope at 21-22 power for optimal clarity at long-range.
The MSRP from Steiner of nearly $3700 might be a tough pill to swallow for some folks. Even the going street price hovers around $3000 from places like Euro Optic. But if you want military quality optics like this, you can expect to pay for them.
Conclusion
It comes as no surprise to me that this scope performed so well for me. With a reputation like that of Steiner Optics, you can expect great performance. With the MX5i you can expect years of reliable and repeatable shooting with sharp images. Like many others, I can strongly recommend this scope for those interested. If you are looking for something a little more affordable, check out my reviews of the Steiner T6Xi scopes as well.
