maven built Archives

Preface

Maven Optics has worked very hard at producing quality optics and selling them direct to customers. Their products are built in Wyoming (one of my favorite states) from high quality components sourced from places like Japan. I am not new to Maven’s products, and I’ve been very happy with my experience so far. You can read more about other Maven products I’ve used here. But today we are looking at a more recent product, the Maven M.2 12x50mm Monocular. A compact handheld 12X monocular, basically a handheld spotting scope.

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I love optical devices like this one, but my immediate thoughts were whether or not I would want this monocular over binoculars. Or if I would leave my spotter in the truck to carry this instead. Hunters love reducing their loadout weight, so carrying an extra optic might be a big ask. But what if it fits in the palm of your hand?

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The Maven Optics M.2 12x50mm Monocular

I eagerly opened the box containing the Maven monocular, and was impressed with the packaging and quality. The monocular came with a soft Maven cinch-bag, as well as front and rear rubber lens covers. It also came with a wrist strap that attaches to the lens body, but can be quickly detached by a clip if needed.

The controls of this thing are as simple as you’d expect. There is an adjustable eyecup at the rear, and a ring around the center of the body to adjust focus. That’s about all there is to it, as this thing was made for looking.

Specifications

Magnification	12x
Obj. lens diameter	50mm
Exit pupil	4.2mm
Field of View (FOV)	5.5°
Apparent FOV (FOV x Power)	66°
Field of view (ft/1000 yds)	289
Brightness	17.6
Light transmission (%)	93.80%
Twilight factor	24.5
Multi Position Eyecup Y/N	Yes
Eye relief	17.5mm
Near focus	7.5ft
Dimension WxHxD	2.31″x6.56″x2.31″
Weight	20.0 oz
Lens constr. obj.	3 groups 4 elements (ED)
Lens constr. ocular	4 groups 6 elements
Prisms type	Wide Angel Schmidt-Pechan
Prism reflective coating type	Dielectric Coating
ED Glass	Yes
Phase correction coating	Yes
Lens coating	Scratch and Oil Resistant
Pressure tested to what pressure	1m for 30 min. (IPX7)
Storage temperature	-40°~158°F
Functional temperature	-13°~140°F
Frame material	Magnesium
Internal gas purged	Nitrogen
Tripod Adaptable Y/N	No
Origin	Japanese components assembled in the U.S.

I spend a lot of time in the springtime Rocky Mountains, mainly chasing Rockchucks. I couldn’t think of a better reason to break the little Maven M.2 out, it would be great for glassing up some chucks.

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In the Field

On a beautiful spring day, my son and I climbed to the eight-thousand foot peaks near our home. And in the cool breeze we sat in the sunshine, looking for varmints that might be doing the same thing.

In the process I got very comfortable with the M.2. I was impressed with how small it is, and how great the image is when looking through it. Whether we were looking close at 100-yard targets or across a deep canyon, the M.2 provided a great picture. It’s 50mm objective lens is likely responsible for taking in so much of the view.

I was also surprised at how sharp the focus was, and particularly how close you could focus on things. It was also impressive that I could focus on things across my kitchen, as well as across a canyon. I wish I could attach this little monocular to my phone for taking pictures.

maven, maven built, maven optics, Maven M.2 12x50mm, Monocular, optic, spotter, looking over mountain range, — the wrist-strap is handy for keeping the M.2 close and safe from falls

The rubberized eyecup is nice, and rotating it you can accommodate your preference from the eye. Both front and rear lens covers are made of that stretchy and sticky rubber texture. This makes them more likely to stay in place. It also made it a little more challenging to put into the cinch-bag. The sticky texture of the rubber doesn’t like to slide against the fabric. Not a big deal, but slightly annoying as I like to keep it inside the bag to keep it clean and dust free.

The small strap loop built into the bottom of the housing is perfect for attaching the sling and lens cover lanyards. The wrist-strap is nice, but not sure I’d use it much. I almost wish they’d have put a small threaded boss in the bottom to allow attachment to a tripod. But I have no problem just setting it comfortably in one of my rifle saddles just as I do with binoculars.

Optical Clarity

I have been quite happy with the optical performance of this unit since I first looked through it. The images are very sharp and detailed, giving excellent observational use. Low light conditions like just before dark or as the sun rises are also seen very well through the Maven M.2. The large objective does a great job compressing the landscape into a smaller high definition package for the eye.

With its 12X, some might feel it is a bit much for a handheld device. As I only plan on using it supported, its almost like having a tiny spotting scope in your pocket. When supported by a tripod or backpack, it allows impressive definition of targets and their surroundings.

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Usability

This thing is much smaller than I anticipated, which is great news. You wont believe this, but it just like having… half a binocular…

It fits great in the pockets, and is easily used single handedly while your other hand holds a gun or tree branch. The real question when it comes to usability is whether you want to carry the M.2 monocular AND a pair of binoculars, or the M.2 monocular OR a pair of binoculars. It seems not only superfluous to have both, and perhaps even a bit gaudy if you throw a rangefinder into the mix as well.

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Durability

As with other Maven products I own, this M.2 Monocular is very well built. Everything is tight and tucked neatly together, I have every expectation that this optic would last for years. There is very little to wrong with it, so unless it gets dropped or run over I don’t see how it might otherwsie fail. And even if it did, Maven has a great unconditional lifetime warranty.

Value

Looking for comparable monocular choices, I found very little that is even close. There is a wide variety of monoculars for significantly less money than the M.2, but they don’t look to be anywhere near the same class either. Most other monoculars that cost more are thermal monoculars that cost thousands not hundreds.

That said, I think you really need to want this monocular in order to justify it. For around the same price you can get a similar pair of binoculars from Maven. Unless you are a one-eyed pirate, there must be a good reason to want the monocular configuration.

maven, maven built, maven optics, Maven M.2 12x50mm, Monocular, optic, spotter, viewing in thick wooded forest, tripod, two vets tripod, — set atop my Two Vets Tripod, this thing is stable and very handy for spotting

Pros and Cons

One reason you might want a monocular is because they are lighter than binoculars. This unit is surprisingly light for what you get from it. If I was on a very remote hunt where every ounce mattered, the lightweight of this unit would be appealing. Its amazing views would be very helpful for both identifying and evaluating trophy animals. As well as general observation. The controls are tight and feel very smooth.

The only downside I can think of is that if you already have comparable binoculars then you probably dont need this. In my opinion it would be an excellent optic to keep handy, unless you already have a pair of binoculars for the same purpose. This does fit easily in the glove box of the truck, giving me an always available high quality optic for observing.

Last Thoughts

Whether you use this as your main spotting optic, or like me, as a capricious indulgence, the Maven M.2 is a very nice addition to your kit. Its quality build and excellent imagery make it suitable for just about anything you need to look at.

-CBM

INTRODUCTION

As so many new optics companies flood the market with rifle scopes, it’s a great time for shooting nerds like me to get their hands full of options.

One of the more recent companies to arrive on the scene is Maven Optics, and today I will be inspecting one of their long-range riflescopes, the Maven RS.3 is a 5-30X50mm rifle scope. It promises to deliver high-quality images combined with the ballistic tools needed to give hunters and shooters an elite performance at any range.

I’ve been like a tick on the ass of the precision rifle community for a couple of decades now, and it has been incredible to see the changes achieved in this space. I remember when I first got into precision rifle shooting, and the options were very limited.

It was a different landscape than what we have today, where there are incredibly high-functioning options that are surprisingly inexpensive. This is no doubt attributable to imported products from all over, but mainly Asia.

The Maven RS.3 is made from Japanese components, which in my experience, has proven to be both affordable and optically sound. I’ve been able to use and test a great many of the options on the market today, so I look forward to sharing what I’ve found with today’s subject.

After a concise introduction to the scope, I already have a pretty good feeling about it.

MAVEN BUILT RS.3 5-30X50 RIFLE SCOPE REVIEW

The RS.3 is Maven’s premium option, and it comes full of features that shooters once dreamed about. It’s quality optics and desirable features come at a price that would surprise some of the other old-timers like myself.

The sport of precision rifle shooting has grown exponentially over the last twenty years, and growing right alongside it has been long-range hunting.

Both practices rely heavily on the ability to hit an often small target at ranges that, until recently, were quite inconceivable. After a short overindulgence in Maven’s marketing material, I get the feeling that they wish to supply both of these types of shooters.

Not that your traditional hunter/shooter wouldn’t benefit from such a rifle scope, but it may be more money than you need to spend if you are the type of shooter who rarely reaches beyond conventional distances.

Long-range rifle scopes like the RS.3 are optimized for tactical-style shooting and long-range hunting. These activities require correction for varying ballistic performances of the cartridges they are mated to.

So with that in mind, it’s important to consider the rifle and cartridge and the intended purpose to ensure you get the best tool for the job.

maven RS.3 5-30X50 mounted on tikka t3 long range test — The Maven Scope performed well on my **Tikka 25 Creedmoor**

SPECIFICATIONS

Magnification	5x to 30x
Tube Diameter	30mm
Objective Lens	50mm
Weight	26.9 ounces
Focal Plane	First
Length	13.03 inches
Turret Values	1/10 MRAD
Reticle	SHR-MIL
Warranty	Lifetime

PROS & CONS

PROS

High quality optical performance
Front focal plane
Compact size
Milling reticle
Smooth controls
Zero-stop

CONS

Six MRAD turrets
Loses brightness at 30x

TESTING IN THE FIELD

As I lifted the Maven from its curious egg-carton-like box my curiosity had peaked. I had seen Maven scopes for years, on other’s rifles and in countless pictures.

I hadn’t really formed an opinion yet, but based on what I had vaguely seen and heard, people were happy with them. I inspected the RS.3, and gave the controls a cursory twist to see that everything had arrived intact.

From there, I went outside to have a look at the world around me, as presented by Maven. The image I saw was actually better than I might have expected. Very little aberration around the edges and a pleasantly bright picture that felt great to my eyes. I played with the focus a bit to see how clear I could get the picture at these neighborhood ranges.

Like a true reticle geek, I was immediately enticed by the many subtensions that adorned the posts. There were half MIL and whole MIL marks, out to five, where it turned to more course measurements. The open center housed a tiny dot that, even at 30X, seemed quite fine, and would work great for very precise shot placement.

But it was time to get this little scope ringed up and on a rifle. I mounted it in a 20 MOA canted AADland Engineering cantilever mount, with the plan to mount the scope to one of my favorite rifles, a Tikka T3 chambered in 25 Creedmoor.

I was a bit worried about how it would all line up, but as it turns out, everything was a pretty close fit.

As I set the rifle up to boresight the combination, I noticed a condition that would perhaps aid in shooting with the scope further than anticipated. I’d forgotten that the Tikka already had a 20MOA scope base installed, so the total cant on the scope was 40MOA.

I was worried I wouldn’t be able to zero it at my desired range, but as it happens, it worked out perfectly zeroed near the bottom of the scopes erector travel. This would allow me to use the full elevation capabilities of the RS.3. So, with plans to get way out there, I headed up into the Rocky Mountains to test this scope in the very country it was designed for.

It only took a few shots to get into a groove with the Maven. I really liked the bright image in the morning sun.

Using the tiny point at the center of the crosshair, I was able to adjust my zero till it was as good as it was going to get. The various holdover and windage points would come in very handy for holding wind and measuring corrections.

Many folks use the reticle sub tensions for various purposes, but for me, the main purpose is measuring where I hit compared to where I aimed. This allows for rapid corrections, which are very necessary in the field, particularly when hunting.

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maven RS.3 5-30X50 mounted on tikka t3 long range test jeff wood — My **Cole-TAC suppressor cover** kept mirage down

With the sun shining, I shot several targets across a great spectrum of distances from one-hundred-fifty yards all the way out to one-thousand yards.

This is where I confirmed one of my suspicions that I’ve seen plenty of times before. Every scope I have ever used has a reduced image quality at maximum power. The disparity is often more obvious with optics that are lower priced. This is why you get what you pay for is even more true with glass.

I’ve found that at the highest 5-10% of magnification, most scopes become dark, and details become less obvious. The Maven was certainly not immune to this phenomenon; I found that at its highest ranges of power, it was darker and harder to make out the finer details.

But as I mentioned, I have seen this with nearly every scope out there, and the Maven was no worse than most scopes I’ve used before. In fact, being a 5-30 magnification scope means that at 25x it looks outstanding, whereas comparable 5-25 scopes will likely not look as good when viewed at 25x.

The six-MIL turrets are certainly serviceable, though I am a bigger fan of ten or higher MIL per revolution of the turret. This becomes more of an issue the further you shoot; if the distance you are shooting requires multiple revolutions of the turret to get the corrective elevation, the likelihood of losing track of which turn you are on increases.

maven rs.3 hunting — The rifle and scope combination made an excellent choice for my favorite hunt

It is for this purpose that some use indicators to show which revolution you are on, or another alternative is a zero-stop.

The folks at Maven chose to go the zero-stop route, which is not a bad idea as it is probably the simpler and more affordable way to go. The zero-stop allows you to set a hard zero for your elevation turret. This is very handy as you don’t even have to look while you turn the elevation turret down until it stops. And once there, you know the scope is back at its zero range setting.

There are many different ways to put a zero-stop on an elevation turret, and the design Maven uses isn’t a bad option. It allowed me to have a hard zero that is easily changed using only a small screwdriver tool included with the scope.

The parallax/side focus of the RS.3 was very functional, and I was surprised at how close it would function. What I mean by that is most precision rifle scopes tend to keep their range in the fifty-yard range out to infinity.

The Maven RS.3 can be focused as near as twenty yards, and removing parallax on targets that close would make it a good choice for those fancy new air rifles.

This combination would be an excellent long range Rocky Mountain hunting rifle

RELIABILITY

During the course of testing out the Maven RS.3, I experienced no issues with its functions. All the controls are easy to operate and with just the right amount of resistance. While I suppose I could have given it a beating with a larger caliber rifle, I have no reason to expect it would have any problems doing so.

As we have become accustomed to the modern optics market, Maven offers a lifetime warranty. So it is good to know that should you experience an issue, they promise to stand behind it.

PRECISION

I was quite happy with the performance of the RS.3 as far as precision is concerned. The measurements input on the turrets were accurate and commensurate to the values in the reticle.

Being a 6X zoom, I was a little worried that the reticle would become too thick at maximum power, but it was still fine enough for accurate use.

OVERALL FEEL

The Maven felt great in both my hands and on my rifle. Comparably priced scopes and including the RS.3 can often have a cheap feel, by which I mean you feel like it could be broken by using too much force on the controls and such.

I certainly don’t recommend abusing your rifle scope in such a way, but I do have and have had scopes that I never felt like I could damage by forcing the controls. And even dropping a fifteen-pound rifle on concrete didn’t ruin the turrets.

That said, I do not expect the Maven or comparably priced scope to endure such torture. Such a performance is more appropriate for scopes costing two and three times what the RS.3 costs.

For the asking price of the RS.3, I think the scope feels great. There are few things more that I could ask of it without adding significantly to its market cost.

FEATURES

RETICLE

The SHR-MIL front focal plane reticle was a good combination of adequate subtentions without getting too busy.

I like that they numbered many of the reticle points, as it can often get confusing when you are shooting quickly. I suppose there are some folks in the PRS community that may find the reticle a little simplistic for their purpose, which is certainly subjective.

For me, it was fine, and for my favorite activity which is hunting I find it to be ideal.

This is the first scope of its kind that I have reviewed that didn’t feature an illuminated reticle. Some may find this to be a downside. In my opinion, it’s not a big deal. I can count on my hand the times I needed an illuminated reticle over the last twenty years.

ZERO-STOP

The zero-stop, as I mentioned above, is a very handy feature to ensure you know when your scope is set at its original zero POI. The zero-stop functions by having a lockable ring threaded below the turret.

Once the rifle is zeroed, you turn the ring up to the bottom of the turret as a hard stop. The ring can be secured using a screw to tighten it down to prevent movement.

The typical set screws that secure the turret to the erector screw underneath have been cunningly replaced by using a toolless cap on the turrets. You can’t even see it, but the top of each turret’s textured grip area is the caps that can be removed by gripping the turret and loosening the top of it (lefty loosey), once removed you can lift the turret off and set it where you want it before resecuring it with the thumb-screw at the top of the turret.

30MM TUBE

The 30mm tube has become pretty standard among long-range scopes and is quickly being replaced by the 34mm tube.

The 30mm tube used in the Maven RS.3 allows for greater internal travel than the traditional one-inch tubes your Dad used. This gives the Maven RS.3 a 23MRAD total travel, which is pretty good.

SCORE CARD

RELIABILITY (8/10)

I had no problems with the Maven RS.3 while shooting with it. All the controls worked great. The only thing I would have preferred would have been 10MIL turrets and perhaps a tiny bit more resistance on the turrets. During a hike, the rifle slung over my pack caused my windage to move a couple of clicks.

ERGONOMICS (9/10)

Ergos were great with this scope, easily gripped surfaces, and intuitive operation was great.

CUSTOMIZATION (9/10)

Maven does offer custom options for the scope, which is pretty cool. You can add custom colors to various controls as well as custom engraving.

APPEARANCE (9/10)

It is a great-looking little scope! The finish and quality are great for the price.

VALUE (9/10)

The RS.3 offers just about everything an aspiring long-range shooter needs. And with an MSRP of $1200, it is hard to beat. I remember twenty years ago. I would save up that much money to buy a scope with lesser features.

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CONCLUSION

The steady flooding of the optics market has raised many brands to notoriety. Honestly, I wasn’t surprised that the Maven RS.3 fit right into my collection.

I have seen and heard about them for years. The shooting public has been spoiled with so many good options. This scope is a great buy, and its features are ideal for someone looking to get in on long-range hunting or shooting on a tight budget. Sure, there are higher-quality scopes out there, and if you have the money to get one, I would suggest spending what you can afford.

But if you are looking at scopes in this price range, I think you would do fine using the Maven RS.3. I won’t be selling off any of my high-end scopes to buy more of these, but I certainly don’t feel inadequately outfitted with the Maven on my rifle.