Tag Archives: Optics

Vector Optics 1-10×28 Continental Rifle Scope

April 29, 2025Optics, Product review1-10, 1-10x28, continental, lpvo, Optics, rifle scope, vector opticscoldboremiracle

Preface

I am always on the search for the perfect low power variable optic (LPVO), I find them optimal for medium range carbines. And lately, I’ve been on a big medium range kick. Today we are taking a look at a new to me LPVO with some great potential, that scope is the Vector Optics 1-10X28 Continental. The Continental is a 1-10 first focal plane (FFP) scope with a MRAD reticle and 10 MRAD turrets. After a quick look, I felt quite confident I was going to enjoy this scope, but how well could this scope made in China perform?

Vector Optics Continental

The Continental series of optics from Vector feature 34mm tubes, and an impressive erector and turret structure. As a 10X variable, the magnification ring rotates approximately 180 degrees to go from 1X to 10X. The locking turrets give 10 MRAD per rotation with 1/10th MRAD clicks, with very audible and tactile clicks.

The elevation turret also features an impressive zero-stop function, that is both precise and solid. Additionally, there is a visible and tactile indicator that pops up with a red pin that you can both see and feel when you turn into the second turret rotation. And when you turn into the third rotation, it pops up even further, exposing a silver layer under the red pin indicator.

Inside the scope you will find the VET-CTR reticle, a milling type reticle with a large outer ring for encircling targets up close. As you zoom in the scope you will find a Christmas-Tree-style drop grid, as well as a smaller circle around the center crosshair. When illuminated by the 11-brightness settings, only the large outer ring, and the small inner ring are lit up. At 1X the illuminated rings of the reticle closely mimic the reticle used in many holographic sights. Once the scope is zoomed in beyond about 5X, the outer ring disappears leaving only the center ring illuminated. This gives the feel of a red dot aiming scenario, but you obviously have all the rest of the reticle detail as well.

Features

Tube Dia	34 mm
Parallax Setting	100 yards
Click Value	1/10 MIL
Turret Function	Zero Stop, Turret Lock
Elevation Adjustment Range	51 MIL
Windage Adjustment Range	51 MIL
Diopter Compensation	-3 to +2
Illumination Setting	11 Brightness settings
Battery Type	CR2032
Battery Life	N/A
Waterproof	IP68
Fogproof	Nitrogen Filled
Shockproof	1000 G
Housing Material	6061-T6 Aluminum Alloy
Finish	Matte Black
Length	278 mm / 10.9 in
Weight	651 g / 23.0 oz
Items in the Package	A Pair of 34mm Picatinny Scope Rings, A Spare Elevation Turret (Without Zero Stop Feature), User Manual, Lens Caps and Cleaning Cloth, etc

My very first impressions of the 1-10 Continental as I lifted it from the box were very good. It feels quality made, and has perfect resistance on the controls. Optically the scope looks fantastic as well, it feels like a true 1X meaning you can shoot with both eyes open with minimal dispersion between each eye’s perception.

the WLVRN works great with the **Yankee Hill Machine Turbo T3**

Shooting with the Vector Continental 1-10X28

Before heading to the range to shoot with this scope, I wanted to get it mounted and bore-sighted to the rifle. The rifle I chose for testing the Continental is my Desert Tech WLVRN, it is a multi-caliber rifle that I switch barrels back and forth between .223 and a custom 6ARC that I made for it. To mount the scope, I selected a cantilever mount from Zro Delta. After leveling and mounting the scope, I bore-sighted it to be at least close to zeroed before leaving the house.

In my humble opinion, LPVO’s are ideal for short to medium range shooting, typically on a carbine rifle. There is great reason to believe that fast and loose shooting is done well with lower magnification, especially if you can keep both eyes open. But because I enjoy shooting further distances as well, the Continental 1-10 also presents you with the option to engage medium range targets as well. The turrets allow you to correct for distance, and provided you have a gun with the reach, you could easily engage out to a kilometer with such a setup.

That said, most of our shooting with the Continental was done inside the 400 yard-line. The WLVRN in .223 is quite accurate, and hitting small distant targets from supported positions was pretty solid. And even without support, you can quickly engage and take down targets at closer distances.

Vector Optics, continental, 1-10x28, ffp, lpvo, Desert Tech, WLVRN, suppressor,

Optical Performance

The bright image projected from the Vector Continental was beautiful. I very much appreciated the edge to edge clarity on the scope, at either end of the power spectrum. The reticle was clear and crisp, which can often be a challenge with FFP scopes.

Picking out small details at distances like five to seven-hundred yards was easily doable, for example; a small animal like a squirrel was easily targeted at these distances. There is perhaps only one thing I would change about this scope and that would be to add adjustable parallax. Many LPVO’s come with set parallax, the Continental like many others comes set at 100 yards. For much of your shooting purposes this will be more than fine, but once you start reaching out to longer distances it can affect your ability to make hits. You can certainly work with it, but it would be very nice to have the ability to adjust for parallax.

Reliability

I really like to turrets of the Continental series of optics. The clicks are very clean and audible, which allow you to be very precise with your measurements. The 1-10 model has an impressive amount of erector movement when you consider the firearms it is likely to be used on. The scope comes with two different elevation turrets, one for use with the zero-stop and the other for use without it.

The controls of the Continental 1-10 are intuitive, and allows the shooter to be consistent in adjusting the sight. Measuring the recticle travel against the turrets show very consistent and accurate erector travel, back and forth movement of the controls proved to show reliable movement.

Ergonomics

Zero-Stop

The way to set the zero-stop requires removing the elevation turret, you gently push in the inner ring of the turret and rotate it according to the arrow printed on it. If zeroing the rifle requires you to dial down on the turret, you might have to remove the turret and release the zero stop by pushing in and turning it counter to the arrow indicated underneath.

After zeroing the rifle, you can again pull the turret off. This time rotate the inner ring with the arrow indicator. When the inner ring engages a locking pin, you will hear an audible click. That aligns the turret with the zero, and you can reinstall the turret. Check to see that it aligns properly on zero after installing.

Value

The Vector Continental line of scopes seems to offer some outstanding value. Features you would find on much more expensive scopes are included, and they not only look good but they function as you’d expect as well. If you are looking for an affordable 1-10 LPVO scope, you should definitely give this one a look.

Pros and Cons

If I had to mention something I would change about this scope, it would be the parallax. I wish it had the same parallax adjustment of its larger Continental siblings. Mainly because a 1-10 power scope can certainly be used out to distances as far as a kilometer, and at distances like that you absolutely need to adjust for parallax. That said, as long as you understand the fixed setting, this scope is still quite useful at such distances.

On the positive side, this scope offers a great deal of features and a good value. The glass looks fantastic, especially considering the price. The reticle is clear and very useful at all the different magnification settings. The large 34mm tube makes a strong base for the scope, and finish and fit of the whole unit is very satisfying.

Conclusion

If you find yourself evaluating short to medium range optics, you should at least consider the Continental 1-10. Whether it be for a medium range carbine or a small scout style bolt-action rifle, this would be a great optical sight option. Again, if it had adjustable parallax I probably would buy two or three more of these for all my carbines. But that’s just me, many of you may not be concerned or need such a feature. Its a beautiful image with precise aiming points for multi-purpose use, if that is something you are looking for you’ve found it here.

-CBM

Check out more optics review here, including other Vector Optics models

Sig Sauer Tango MSR 1-6×24 riflescope

November 26, 2022Optics, Product reviewmsr, Optics, sig sauer, tango, tango msrcoldboremiracle

Introduction

I’ve been on an LVPO kick for a while now, I find them to be very useful for a great many purposes. Despite my focus on precision and long range shooting, LVPO’s still make up a good portion of my optics selection. Today I want to take a look at a new to me LVPO, the Sig Sauer Tango MSR 1-6×24 riflescope

Having had a couple different experiences with Sig Sauer Optics starting with the Tango series of scopes as well as another LVPO the Tango 6T. I have really enjoyed these different scopes and largely I have had few problems with them. So when the opportunity to check out this Tango MSR I was very excited to get hands on it.

Buy your own Tango MSR right here!

Out of the box

As I opened the box, I was glad to see that Sig even includes a quality ALPHA-MSR scope mount in the box. That easily narrowed down my mounting decisions.
I will say I was surprised with everything included with the scope, and I’ll be honest that going in I had only a vague idea of the price of this scope. The mount, the typical tools that come with it, battery for the illuminated reticle, and some quality flip caps were also included. They are branded Sig but look to be either Tenebrex or a really close knockoff.

Either way they are very nice and lay flat against the scope when open. The MSR also includes a throw lever or “cattail” as its often called, this is handy for quick adjustments of the magnification.
Sig’s Tango MSR is a second focal plane scope, that means the reticle stays the same regardless of magnification setting. The scope adjustment turrets are MOA and have .5 MOA clicks. And the scope body has a centerline painted on the exterior of the tube, to help ensure level mounting I believe and it surely did that. In a very short time I had the scope married to it’s mount and ready to install on a rifle.

The Tango MSR was a perfect fit for the **Sig Sauer MCX**

First Shots

Luckily I happened to have a Sig Sauer MCX rifle in hand at the time, it seemed like a perfect fit for the MSR. I was more correct than I could have known.

After installing the scope onto the pic rail of the MCX, off to the range we went. The MSR seemed to be made for the MCX as I didnt even need to adjust the scope for a good zero. Once I started shooting everything lined up like they came from the factory that way.
We spent some time shooting the rifle at fairly close distances inside two-hundred yards, but I also utilized the reticle for a few extended distances. The reticle features a typical upside down horseshoe type reticle, with several drop points and wind holds. Its name suggests that the MSR is designed specifically for Modern Sporting Rifles (MSR), and the BDC6 reticle is calibrated for the most popular MSR cartridge the 5.56 Nato.

As I mentioned earlier, I purposely didn’t look at the price of this scope before reviewing it. I was previously very pleased with the optical quality of the Tango 6T. This Tango MSR is not quite as high quality, but still very clean and clear. I was surprised to see the price point after playing with it. One would have expected it to come in the 600-800 dollar range. But for the MSRP of $422.99 I think this scope is a great value.

Shop Sig Sauer Tactical optics

I also bolted down the mounted scope to a bench, and measured the turret values against the reticle values which all checked out. The reticle values are handy to keep in mind, or you can refer to the owners manual where they are listed.

It may not line up perfectly with the drop of your particular ammunition and atmosphere. This is why I typically don’t care for calibrated reticles. That said, if you know what value they represent you can use them for all kinds of shots and hold overs.

Pros & Cons

In my opinion, the Tango MSR is a great little scope for its intended purpose. Optical clarity is great, the magnification ring is quick to adjust and its throw lever helps make it even better. The 1X power setting allows for easy both eyes open aiming, without straining to focus. The quality accessories that are included also greatly add to the value of this scope. Including the mount is a perfect match for the scope as are the the scope caps.
Perhaps one thing I would change about the scope is probably the reticle. I’m not a big fan of the horseshoe type reticles. Though it does have lots of detail to allow holdovers and windage etc. Which makes it certainly a very useable reticle. I also wouldn’t mind having an MRAD version of the MSR. But to be perfectly fair it’s not the type of scope you’ll be dialing all over with so it’s probably fine.

Conclusion

The Sig Sauer Tango MSR is a great little scope. I would highly recommend it for anyone who is looking for an LVPO in this price range. It has a great deal of value added as well as performance capability.

-CBM

Why Upgrade Your Riflescope?

October 17, 2022blogOptics, riflescope, upgradecoldboremiracle

Introduction

Wisdom often comes with age, at least it used to. As years pass we learn new things and experience new practices, and despite the semi-conservative nature of many gun owners we should never miss out on an opportunity to improve on what we can.
Our equipment can also improve as we learn new tactics and skills, and today we are discussing how you can breathe new life into an older rifle doing nothing more than upgrade your riflescope.

winchester model 70 — an old Winchester with a modern scope and **Warne Bipod**

But why tho?

Why fix something that isn’t broken you might ask? We either are the person or know one that seems to religiously keep one or more firearms in a certain configuration or style. While there is nothing inherently wrong with this, there are also great gains to be made with upgrades.
Technology has made great advances in a very short time. Modern riflescopes incorporate an incredible amount of features and new tech, so much in fact that a good scope from years past can and have been easily eclipsed by modern designs. It also rings true that they don’t make them like they used to, but sometimes they do it better.

Upgrade to what?

To actually qualify as an upgrade, there needs to be added value or performance by replacing your riflescope. That could mean better optical quality or a different variable power range. It also could mean added features that increase your ability to hit more targets.
A perfect example of this comes from my father’s first hunting rifle. A sporterized 1903 Springfield from the post war era, part of it’s post service alteration was to drill and tap for scope mounting. And Dad had put a 4X Weaver on it much like everyone else did back then, making the rifle into a venerable deer rifle for these rugged Rocky Mountains. The old Springfield can still put five shots into a sub MOA group, making it certainly capable of doing more and better shooting than the 4X scope would allow. Removing the old Weaver scope, and replacing it with something a bit more modern could greatly improve the capabilities of this old rifle.
Installing something like a Leupold VX Freedom 3-9X40, would do several things to improve the rifle’s performance. The greater magnification will offer the shooter a more detailed view of the target and its surroundings, in addition, the newer optical lens coatings will surely outperform the old scope. Furthermore, with the ability to dial corrected elevation for more distant targets the old Springfield could easily reach targets as far as five and six-hundred yards or more. Something as simple as a change in scope can put new life and action into an old rifle.

Reticles

Another example of what can be done comes from an old model 70 I have. It’s probably had the same Leupold VXIII 3-9X40 on it for the last 30 years or so, its not one of Hathcock’s Model 70’s but it does shoot well. The old duplex reticle that has inhabited Leupold scopes forever can be useful for sure, but I was thinking something a little more useful was in order. I have a little Vortex Crossfire 3-9X40 that would easily drop into the same rings, and instead of the plain jane duplex it has a few added points. The elevation post has 1.5, 4.5 and a 7.5 MOA drop point on it, which give perfect holdovers for 180, 315, and 410 yards for that rifle. Not that you couldn’t shoot those ranges with a duplex, it just makes it more consistent to have a fixed point you can hold for those distances.
Something that simple can greatly effect your ability to hit targets, and we haven’t even had to mess with your rifle or load at all. I could keep going all day about other ways to improve the performance of your old rifle, but we’ll stay on topic.

Electronics

A discussion on optics upgrades would be incomplete without mentioning some of the electronic advancements that have been made over the past decade. Simple electronic advancements like the Level-plex system from Sig Sauer give the shooter real-time leveling indications to ensure the rifle is on a level plane prior to making the shot. Also from Sig come the BDX riflescopes that include illuminated holdover points that are calculated from a rangefinder’s measurement. There are also night vision and thermal riflescopes that will allow nighttime hunting opportunities that include digital recording and other data hunters will find useful. While many of these gizmos may seem foreign to some, they can greatly improve your old rifles performance and your experience shooting them. Continue Reading Here…

kahles k318i — this **Kahles 318i** is more just a little upgrade

MOUNTING OPTIONS

Don’t overlook the new and better mounting options for your optics. Canted optics bases help with long-range optics, allowing the shooter to better use the internal adjustment of the scope to their fullest capacity. Things like Picatinny rails allow for easy changes between optical options, so you can quickly swap from one scope to another without worrying much about losing zero. Or, if you have a favorite scope, you can switch it between multiple rifles that use the same kind of mounting system.

CONCLUSION

There are countless ways you can improve your favorite old rifle. A fresh look at the scope or sighting system can make genuine improvements by increasing your effective shooting range and providing better accuracy, taking your shooting to a whole new level.

These are just some of the tips you can use to improve your rifle-shooting experience. There are plenty of others, but improving your riflescope game is one of the simplest and can have a drastic impact for you with minimal effort.

-CBM

For more scope ideas click here

Optics: First Focal Plane vs Second Focal Plane

May 19, 2022blogFfp, first focal plane, front focal plane, Optics, riflescope, scope, second focal plane, sfpcoldboremiracle

Introduction

I may certainly be biased in my thinking, but I think that first focal plane riflescopes are perhaps the best development of the last couple decades. Sure they existed before then, but they have only become prevalent to the general shooting public over the last ten or fifteen years. Before we get too deep into the subject, lets make sure we both understand what this subject is about. So we are on the same plane so to speak.

This is the **US Optics TS8X**, a front focal plane LPVO

Focal Planes

No, I’m not talking about an aluminum lifting body flying through the atmosphere, I’m talking about a point of focus used in your shooting. When you look through a scope and see the magnified image of the target, you are looking through several lenses inside the scope. A first focal plane scope (often called a front focal plane) has the reticle placed effectively before the magnification.

A second focal plane riflescope as you might imagine has the reticle placed after the magnification feature of the scope. These two different construction techniques allow for two differing functions. Most of us have likely used the more traditional second focal plane scope. When the magnification ring is turned and the scope zooms in or out, the reticle remains unchanged. For most of the past, with simple duplex or crosshair reticles, this wasn’t a big deal as the only relevant point on the reticle was the tiny intersecting point at the middle.

The view from a **Crimson Trace FFP scope**

As reticle technology has grown over the years, additional points (subtensions) of hold have been added to our reticles. These additional reticle markings are for measuring hits and misses as well as holding wind corrections and holdovers. This is only relevant to the discussion in that the values of these additional points can change when used in a second focal plane optic. In a first focal plane scope, the reticle is magnified with the image. As the scope zooms in, both the target and the reticle increase in perceived size. The advantage to this lens configuration is that the reticle values stay the same regardless of what magnification the scope is set to. Second focal plane reticles typically register full value when they are at their maximum magnification.

Which is Better for long-range?

Despite a revolutionary change towards front focal plane scopes, one is not necessarily better than the other. Its simply based on the user’s preference or purpose. Both types of riflescopes have their pros and cons, so better is not the way to look at it. For example, if you are shooting extreme long range (ELR) competitions then you likely would prefer the finer size of a second focal plane reticle on a target that is three-thousand yards away. And on the other hand, if you are shooting a PRS Match where you have to quickly call your own shots and make corrections at varying ranges it helps to have your subtensions uniform regardless of magnification setting. So while some folks will try to convince you that one is better, keep in mind what you plan to do with the scope.

Some folks favor SFP scopes for their **hunting rifle scope**

Pros and Cons

To help you better make a choice between these two scope configurations, I’ll discuss a few of the pros and cons of either selection. First focal plane scopes as I mentioned keep the reticle values intact regardless of what magnification setting you use, this comes at an additional expense. Many manufacturers offer near identical scopes in both FFP and SFP, with the latter being the more affordable option. If reticle usage isn’t part of your routine then this may not be a justified expense. Whereas if you use reticles frequently, it is well worth the added cost.

As I mentioned above, reticle thickness can be a downside to FFP scopes depending on the reticle design. As the reticle increases in size with magnification it can obscure the target or aiming point. Second focal plane scopes don’t have this issue as the reticle is always the same size. They also don’t become so fine as to become illegible at lower power. If you have poor eyesight or other issues related to reticle size, you may be better off with a SFP scope.

A traditional Winchester model 70 with an **FFP scope** and **Warne Rings**

If you are looking for a very high magnification optic like a 5-50X, you will find that nearly all of them are SFP, their reticles would otherwise disappear at low power, or cover up a truck at maximum power.
If you do use your reticle for measuring hits, misses, and range features with a second focal plane reticle, you may need to refresh your math skills. Using a SFP reticle to measure things at any magnification besides its calibrated setting will require you to calculate the actual value based off the magnification setting and the measurement with the reticle. Some people like math but they should not be trusted.

Shop all riflescopes at Euro Optic

Conclusion

There is no wrong or right answer when it comes to focal planes, there is only an evaluation of their applications. Things such as engagement distances and moving targets should surely be considered when deciding which way to go. I have fully embraced the FFP revolution that has occurred these past years, and I think the huge increase in FFP market share tells that I am not alone. The rapid expansion of long-range shooting and related competition has likely driven the trend.

Whether you are a competitive shooter, a military or law enforcement sniper, or just a redneck hunter with serious intentions, the FFP scopes of today can give you an edge that shooters of the past would lust after. But that’s not to say SFP scopes are inferior, as the brilliant shooters of the past have shown us.

-CBM

Crimson Trace Hardline 3-12X42 Riflescope

February 14, 2022Optics, Product reviewcrimson trace, hardline, Optics, riflescopecoldboremiracle

It wasn’t too long ago that imported and economically priced scopes were looked down upon by the American shooting public, I remember seeing quite a few of these less expensive brands being raked over the coals as junk. Some of it was warranted, while some of it was simply a perception of inferiority. Don’t take this the wrong way, there is nothing better in my eyes than a quality built riflescope made by the best companies here in the US, or our good friends from central europe. But there are great optical options to be had nowadays that are built elsewhere, and they are being made by American companies that we are quite familiar with.
Today we are going to discuss the Crimson Trace Hardline 3-12X42 Riflescope, and to be completely transparent here, I didn’t even know they made riflescopes. That was until I picked this one out of a line-up.

The Crimson Trace Hardline Series are marketed towards the tactical and sport shooters, they are priced lower than Crimson Trace’s Hardline Pro scopes which enjoy a few more high end features. The scope in hand today is the Hardline 3-12X42, it features a 30mm tube, MRAD turrets, the MR1 MIL reticle, and as you might imagine they come with other standard features like multi-coated lenses, nitrogen purged, and waterproof. They also feature a warranty that is fast becoming the standard, and that is a no-nonsense lifetime warranty that won’t ask for receipts, registrations, or money. Yes that is a great kind of warranty to have, but nonetheless it remains one we don’t want to use.

When the Hardline arrived I was eager to open the box and see what waited for my eyes. I must say that I wasn’t sure what to expect as I was previously unaware of Crimson Trace’s scope line. But as I immediately raised the scope to my eye, I knew this was something I would like. The optical clarity of this little scope was striking, as confirmed by a few fortunate passersby. Very clean, and very bright was the image from this scope, I took it outside to look down the street to confirm. This scope has a look that I very much like, that is that the scope body seems to disappear when you look through it, almost as though you are looking through a magnification bubble floating in the air over your rifle. I rushed home to get the scope mounted up on a rifle with plans to confirm a matching quality performance.

The rifle I chose to first mount it to, was a custom I had built a couple years prior. It is a 25 Creedmoor built on a Tikka T3, with a twenty-two inch Xcaliber barrel, mounted in a KRG Bravo chassis. It has been an extremely accurate and long-range performer. The rifle had previously been mounted with a Riton Optics 6-24 scope, which had worked well since day one, but it was time to change things up. I mounted the Hardline in a one-piece scope ring set, and put it atop the Tikka, in just a few minutes I was ready to bore-sight the scope.

The process of sighting in the scope got me quite familiar with it’s turrets, which at first I really liked. They do have a feature that I don’t like much, but is quite common. To zero the turret you pull up and rotate it back to zero, this raises the knob away from its seat, and the detents. It’s not a big deal really, I just prefer turrets that are mechanically seated and locked down with a screw. I cant help but think that just the right tree branch or bump could lift and turn the turret and mess up either your elevation or windage setting.
Other than that, I really like the turrets. The clicks are firm and audible, strong enough I believe that they will stay put hiking through brush. The MRAD turrets on my scope have 8 MILs per rotation, better than 5 which used to be more common among less-expensive scopes. I prefer 10-15 MRAD per rotation, which I’ll admit is a fairly meticulous gripe since most of my rifles don’t need that much elevation to shoot to the extreme end of their typical range. But for scopes like this one that do not have a zero-stop, I like it. Mainly because with 15 MRAD turrets you will likely stay on the same turret rotation for 99% of your shooting, thus avoiding the dreaded over/under miss because I dialed a whole rotation off.

Turret values appeared to be accurate, this rifle has very consistent drop values which means I could anticipate the hits at 600 and 1050 yards. Which came effortlessly after confirming a hard zero at one-hundred yards. I dialed up and down for many different ranges between 300 and 1100 yards, the Hardline kept up just fine, and the hits kept coming.

After running the Hardline on my 25 Creedmoor for a few days, I decided to swap it over to another rifle. I mounted the scope into a cantilever mount, and stuck it atop my Desert Tech MDRX, a multi-caliber semi-auto which happened to have the 223 barrel in it at the time. Back into the mountains I hiked, with my MDRX slung over my shoulder. When I pulled the rifle around to shoot the first time, I noticed that the scope was noticeably unclear which shocked me. I then noticed that the eye-focus ring Had been turned as I hiked by rubbing against either my pack, or my shoulder. Not good thing, but it also could have been the way I carried it. It was easily re-focused, and I was in the groove. In no time at all I found myself zeroed and smashing everything I aimed at. Despite my not caring for the pull-up to zero turrets, it sure made it nice and fast to re zero with no tools. Continue Reading Here…

The MR1 reticle is simple and effective. At 12x, it was easy to see bullet impacts at 1,000 yards and make any needed corrections. I am more of a first focal plane kind of guy. But for lower power scopes like this, I can make an exception. It does not hurt that it also lowers the price significantly, though I think this scope would be even more awesome if it was first focal plane.

FINAL THOUGHTS

The eye box on the scope is not difficult to center on, and the magnification ring is not too hard – or too easy – to turn. Handsome knurling on all adjustment surfaces made gripping in the cold easy. All in all, I think the Crimson Trace Hardline is a great buy at the MSRP of $459.99.

Comparing the scope to others in its price range, I think you’ll find it a strong performer with both an optical performance above its peers and a mechanical performance that breaks the norms set by offshore-made scopes of the past. Despite the few things I did not like about this scope, I still quite like it. I think I will keep it around as my switch-around scope due to its easily re-zeroed turrets and clean picture.

Excellent work Crimson Trace, bringing a great scope in at a very modest price point.

-CBM

The MR1 reticle features whole and half MIL marks on the vertical post, and .2 MIL marks on the horizontal. (Mule deer at approx. 400 yards)

When a 10th isn’t a 10th

July 20, 2021blogOptics, rifle scope, scopecoldboremiracle

Almost everything we do with a precision rifle involves a rifle-scope, whether it is target identification or adjusting for come ups and such. We have become so dependent on them that the idea of using iron sights on a precision rifle seems almost foreign or backwards. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but I spend a good portion of my time peering through scopes. But how many of us have stopped to think about that expensive miniature telescope we so carefully mounted to the top of our rifle?

Most of you are probably quite aware of the proper way to mount a scope, we take extreme care to ensure the scope is perfectly level, and properly torqued and such. But I’ll bet just as many of you have never done thorough testing of your scope to see if it does what it says it does. I hope you’re not scratching your head wondering what it is I’m talking about, but just in case you are, I’ll explain. Continue Reading here…

US Optics TS8X

July 29, 2020Optics, Product reviewLvpo, Optics, scope, ts, ts8x, us optics, USOcoldboremiracle

Low Power Variable Optics (LVPO’s) have been flooding through the firearm market for years now, likely due to the proliferation of medium-range carbines. It didn’t take long for shooters to realize the value of variable low power optics, but what makes an LVPO shine over another?

I’ve had several different models from a wide range of manufacturers, and today we will discuss in depth the US Optics TS8X.

The Tactical Sport 8 power LVPO is one of several great scopes I’ve been able to shoot in the offshore line of scopes from USO. So far they have proven to be a great option for shooters in my opinion. I have been shooting USO scopes for many years now, and to be completely honest I was a bit worried when I saw they were releasing a more affordable line of scopes. My concerns were quality and performance, for which USO’s are well known. My concerns were assuaged with the TS20x, which quickly became one of my favorites. The TS8X has so far been just as good an experience.

Why an LVPO?

I also have the TS6X, which is the little brother to the TS8x. I wanted the 8X because having used several 1-4’s and 1-6’s, I wanted just a little bit more power for seeing those downrange targets. Again in my opinion, a 1-8 or 1-10 is about perfect for a medium range rifle, for distances around six to eight hundred yards. The TS8X fit that spot perfectly in my estimation, and with the RBR Reticle, it would give me plenty of holdover points for shooting at those further distances.

Features

The TS8X features a 30mm tube, with adjustable diopter eyepiece, covered turrets, and an illuminated front focal plane reticle.
Many manufacturers have moved to the 30 or 34mm scope tube now, it gives a larger tube to pass light through, as well as allow a larger erector to increase the internal mechanical movement of the scope. The parallax is fixed for 100 yards, which leaves the diopter eyepiece focus the only adjustment for the image seen. This is common in most LVPO’s, particularly in this price range. If I had one wish for the TS8 it would be adjustable parallax, I frequently shoot well beyond 500 yards with this scope and others like it. The ability to adjust parallax for those distance targets would be very welcome.
Another feature that thankfully is becoming more commonplace, is the reticle placed in the front focal plane (second focal plane models are also available at a lower cost). This means the reticle is magnified with the power setting of the optic, keeping the reticle values always the same regardless of power setting.

The RBR reticle is illuminated red, with an adjustable rheostat for brightness. It also features both MRAD hash marks (both whole and half) as well as range based holdover points, including wind holds at five and ten MPH.

With the stiff competition in the LVPO market, the TS8X fits in the middle ground of price range. There are many options that are far less in price, and many others that cost double, triple, or more.
My initial concerns about quality were more based on mechanical performance and robust construction. I knew that due to its price point, it would likely not have the same optical quality as scopes costing more, which I was okay with.
Speaking of optical quality, I found the image to be bright, and clean. Not much to complain about there, but don’t expect to see the same image as a $1600-$2400 scope.
I found the RBR reticle to be very useful at distances out to nearly 1000 yards, at 8X it could possibly be a little thick for tiny targets, but I don’t expect many people will be doing benchrest or squirrel hunting at that range. For real world shooting, such as echo targets inside 600 yds, it is perfect. The rifle its currently mounted on will be doing some coyote hunting, and I’m very confident that anything inside 800 yards will be easily identified, targeted, and engaged using the RBR.
As I mentioned above, the reticle features both MRAD marks, as well as estimated drop and wind marks. This is handy, because if you need an honest elevation or wind call, you have the actual MRAD values. Whereas if your shooting at the aforementioned coyote, you can use the drop values according to how far away he is.

I mounted the TS8X on my Desert Tech MDR, which at the time was a sixteen-inch 223. The scope was easily zeroed with no tools, and in no time I was shooting steel all over the range.

The MDRX with the TS8X and **YHM Turbo suppressor**

I love using the scope at 1X, with the reticle lit up, it is just like using a red dot scope. Up close shooting at steel, animals, or whatever else is easily done with both eyes open. Cover the target with red as you break the trigger will give you sure hits.
I then switched out the barrel for the new Hornady 6mm ARC barrel, to see how the TS8X would match up to its ballistic curve.
Without even rezeroing the scope, I was in business, perhaps more a testament to the rifle than the scope. I later made a few corrective adjustments, and the rifle was punching centers very consistently. The click values of the turrets seemed to be close enough to values marked, but to be honest, I hardly had to move them.

Stretching the rifle out would require using the drop points indicated on the RBR reticle, I figured they would be close since the 6 ARC is not too far off of the 223 trajectory it is based on.
It was close enough to be dangerous that is for sure, at 960 yds I shot over the target. The 6 ARC has less drop than a 223 at that distance, so I held a corrected hold (7MRAD) and a bit of left wind for a perfect center punch hit.
I followed it up with a few more shots to confirm, inside I was giggling like a child watching the trace of my bullets on the way to the target.

I’m not sure if its the TS8X or just better optics that we are spoiled with today. When I first started shooting these farther distances, it seemed like 10X was barely enough, and 15-25 was more like what you needed for shooting long range. But I found shooting almost everything inside a kilometer to be relatively easy with the 8X of this little USO.
I recently took a LE Carbine LVPO course and was extremely happy with the way this little scope ran on the range. We engaged targets all over from 50 to 600 yards in every position you can imagine, I was able to use the wind holds to get some great hits on windswept targets boiling in mirage.
I guess the technology is catching up, soon one thousand yards will no longer be a long range benchmark. It will be more like medium range for drills at a beginners carbine class. If you find yourself on that spectrum, the US Optics TS8X will fill the need for a medium range optic. And it will do it without needing a signature loan to checkout, and you’ll still have the quality and guarantee US Optics has always put on their scopes.
-CBM

Nikon Monarch 82ED-A Fieldscope

September 23, 2019Optics, Product reviewfieldscope, nikon, Optics, scope, spotting scopecoldboremiracle

Introduction

I do a fair amount of glassing on average, not just for hunting but also for target shooting. The Rocky Mountains tower over my home to the east and the animals I hunt are tantalizingly close. I found it necessary to get a good spotting scope, a good multi-purpose scope that would suit both my hunting and target shooting needs. Is it possible for one scope to do everything? I’d like to think I found one that can.

Features

The Nikon Sport Optics Monarch Fieldscope boasts an 82MM objective lens, which gathers every detail of the landscape before it. The image is reflected through a coated prism in the aluminum body of the scope. There is a focus ring around the body that allows the user a tactile touch to finesse the image into perfect clarity. At the rear of the scope, you find the angled eyepiece, and that is where the magic happens.

The quick-release of the eyepiece allows you to use any of the available eyepieces from Nikon. There is a 20-60 power option, a 30-60 power option, or my favorite, the 30 power option with either the FX Mrad reticle or the FX MOA reticle. The same reticle I use in my riflescope is now in my spotting scope, giving me the ability to call misses and judge distances with exactness.

Having two eyepieces would be a bit superfluous, but it sure is luxurious to be able to zoom in to sixty power and inspect a nice buck. Then swap over to a thirty power eyepiece with a reticle so I can measure his spread if that’s what you want. I love the 20-60 zoom eyepiece, but my shooting style would find the reticle more useful than the extra power.
The fixed thirty power eyepiece does have a focus ring around it, this focuses the reticle against the target giving the user the best possible image to call shots, measure adjustments, as well as range targets.

The angled eyepiece is complemented by a rotating body, giving you several angle options. There is a set screw on the side that allows the scope body to rotate 360 degrees, offsetting the angle to whatever suits you. The body has a spring detent to hold the scope every 90 degrees during the rotation.
The scope also has the extendable shade around the objective. I like shades for two reasons, one is obvious, keeping direct sunlight from coming into your view while glassing. The other is to keep dirty hands and fingers away from the lenses.

The Monarch Fieldscope also came with a nice bikini-style soft cover that zips over the scope body. It also has soft plastic lens covers to protect the glass which goes on under the snap over lens covers, to double up on your protection.
It also comes with a shoulder strap should you want to carry it that way, though I think I am more comfortable carrying it in my pack. The only gripe I might have with the cover is that it limits your ability to rotate the scope body, its not much of a gripe as I feel I won’t use that feature very often.

The FX MRAD reticle is a very good companion to the Monarch Fieldscope. Some reticles can get pretty busy, leaving some observers feeling a little cluttered. The FX MRAD reticle is a perfect mix of simplicity and subtensions, it has both whole, halves, and .2’s all represented on all four posts. Whole MIL’s are only numbered on the evens to simplify, and there is even a small one MIL square in the lower right quadrant that has .1’s both vertical and horizontally.

The FX MRAD reticle as seen through the Monarch Fieldscope

In The Field

Taking the Monarch Fieldscope into the Rocky Mountains was a long-awaited venture for me. I couldn’t wait to see how my favorite varmints looked through this scope, and to see how well it would function as my main spotter.
A couple of my very good friends came along with their rifles, and we took shots from six hundred yards all the way out to fourteen hundred yards. The Monarch performed my every expectation, allowing me to see all the little details of hits, misses, and all the trace as well. I glassed across miles of canyons and shady draws, and pictures just don’t do it justice. As my friend crossed over a ridge spine some three miles away, the light was just right as I watched him stop to look at flowers, and even pick one. Clarity is absolutely top-notch with this scope, I cant wait to take it on a mature bull Elk hunt this fall.

Conclusion

I’ve used many high-end spotting scopes from most of the big names, and to be fair, I have loved every one of them. They all have a few things that I like, and a few that perhaps I would change. The Monarch Fieldscope is right up there with most all of them, the image quality is outstanding, and with it’s multiple eyepiece offerings it leaves many scopes of significantly higher price far less desireable to at least this frequent user.

I can’t imagine what it would cost to build a scope like this out of carbon fiber or something similar, but reducing the weight of it seems like one of the only things I could change to make it even better. But until they do, I will be transfixed behind this eyepiece, enjoying the view.

–CBM