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US Optics: Those who know me know that the folks at USO are some of my favorite people, first class all the way. This year, they are offering perhaps their most practical all around scope ever, the 1.8-10x37 T-PAL w/ 30mm tube. With 100+MOA adjustment and the same stout construction and crisp reticles you expect from USO, this scope should be a winner. Also new for 2009 are their new proprietary ballistic software and the patented new "Milestone" detent knob, which allows extra resistance to be set at any internal milestone in BDC, MIL, or MOA configuration. With these products US Optics continues their rich custom-building tradition!
IOR-Valdada: Three new offerings highlight the 2009 lineup for IOR. The most unique is a 36x42 benchrest scope with 1/8 MOA clicks, 30mm tube a new MP-8 style MOA reticle. Priced right at the Leupold Competition fixed power scopes at $1125 MAP, benchrest shooters have a new option with better optics for the same $$. Advantage: IOR. Next in line is the 2-12x36 Tactical with a BDC style exposed knob and a MP-8 or CQB style of reticle and 35mm tube. No parallax adjustment but a simpler and more robust construction priced about $50 more than the (still available)2-12x32. Finally, an all new 1/4x x 30 with 35mm tube was on the table. Very short and stout, the scope utilizes a new CQB reticle with 1x or 4x magnification settings, sort of a poor man's Elcan Spectre. Quite frankly this new optic did nothing for me, but it might catch on with the AR crowd.
A modest 3% price increase (on average) takes effect immediately but LO customers have until February 1 until the new prices take effect. It is to your advantage to order early!
Carl Zeiss Optronics / Hensoldt: After years of badgering and begging, and even questioning their manhood (sort of), the boys at Hensoldt lined up HDC, LLC to bring the Hensoldt line of long range riflescopes to the US. Basically military grade Zeiss, Hensoldt features 34mm tubes and both FFP and SFP configurations. The initial family of scopes include the 3-12x56, 4-16x56, 6-24x56, and 6-24x72 scopes. Quite frankly I was a bit disappointed with the easily visible chromatic abberation and a touch of internal flare when scanning the ceiling and lights inside the building. No question the overall quality is top rate and the big advantage Hensoldt has over S&B is the oodles of reticle travel (a worst case 58 MOA in the 6-24x50 and a best case 144 MOA in the 3-12x56 SFP model (108 MOA in the FFP model) so long range "dialing in" is easily obtainable. Price will be an average MAP of well over $3K, and availability should be 6 weeks from now in a worst case scenario, so if Hensoldt tickles your fancy, contact us ASAP.
The other super cool Hensoldt product is a military grade spotting scope with illuminated FFP mildot style spotter reticle and bulletproof construction and Picatinny accessory rails...but quite expensive at around $4999......
Nathan Hunt, President of HDC, was great to meet and seems to be a fine fellow, so it's time to realize that there are more top shelf choices in riflescopes than ever before...
Finally, Nikon Sport Optics......while I'm still more than a little peeved that the Tactical series of riflescopes was sniped for political reasons, Nikon is simply too big to ignore. The Monarch-X series of riflescopes do boast the Ultra Clear Coat optic system but the tube and knobs are definitely a bit different (not better) than the old Tac...more random scope observations....the Monarch 2-8x32 is simply a DANDY optic and performs above its counterparts (thanks to Ilya Koshkin for the inside scoop there)..I like it in the BDC reticle (though not crazy about the hollow circles)....the 4.5-14x40 Buckmaster mildot reinforced my belief and faith by being quite exceptional for the price point...no worries there. Nikon introduced some new fancy schmancy reticles of the BDC genre but frankly I'm getting a little burned out on the hype......In binoculars, the new high priced EDGs were all the rage, and they were very nice glass...but for less $$ you can get similar performance from the Kowa Genesis XDs......Nikon also re-introduced the Premier series of binos..which they seemed quite proud of...but when Ilya looked through them and wondered about some optical deficiencies which weren't apparent in the "old" Premier binos...Jon LaCorte from Nikon claimed the binos were "only a prototype"....hmmmmmm.
I'm a big fan of the Nikon ED Fieldscopes so with much anticipation I checked out the ultimate EDG spotters....specifically the angled 85mm model (which does NOT have the dielectric coated prisms of the straight eyepiece model). Quite frankly, while decent, I have no idea what all the fanfare is about. Featuring body (objective) focus and extra-low dispersion glass, the EDG simply underwhelmed in the confines of SHOT, so it's hard to get excited about it....I'm not sure what the problem is, but the sight picture was absolutely nothing special....go figure....maybe it too was a prototype? :unsure:
Nightforce (Lightforce USA): I've been fairly consistent with my assessment of Nightforce NSX riflescopes the last couple of years...excellent mechanics with rock solid reliability, excellent QC, excellent finish and build quality, quirky features, "tunnel vision" field of view, reticles that on average are too fine for my tastes, and mediocre optics, especially considering the price point. Despite claims to the contrary, there is nothing redeeming about the optics in the NSX.... period, end of story. Nightforce has gotten away with it because they are more rugged and reliable than the two closest competitors (IOR and Lupy Mark 4) and track and hold zero like nobody's business. NSX are great gunsights, but so-so optics.
Having said that, I made the pilgrimage to the Nightforce booth again, and for the first time in 6 years, somebody actually walked up and helped me. That somebody was Ken ("NightforceKen" on longrangehunting.com). Ken and I had corresponded briefly in the past and I found him to be friendly and personable. He showed me the exact goods I came to look at, the 2-12x32 and the new 3.5-15x50 FFP model. The 2-12x32 is a newer model and judging by availability it's very popular. I like the mildot reticle model. This is a nice "medium-sized" optic that could do about anything except extreme long range shooting (no parallax adjustment). The FFP scope is also a new model and is simply waaaay overpriced. Same story, it had iffy optics that failed to impress. For roughly the same cash, you can (and should) get a Premier Heritage that is better on so many levels....... I realize that several Nightforce FFPs are working out just fine at Rifles Only...but I predict the new Vortex tac scope and the Heritage will deal a one-two punch to the NSX that will hurt a bit before the end of the year.
At any rate, Ken is a class representative of of Lightforce USA, passionate about the scopes, a great salesman, and he exhibits great professionalism. Thanks for taking the time, Ken.
IOR-Valdada: Three new offerings highlight the 2009 lineup for IOR. The most unique is a 36x42 benchrest scope with 1/8 MOA clicks, 30mm tube a new MP-8 style MOA reticle. Priced right at the Leupold Competition fixed power scopes at $1125 MAP, benchrest shooters have a new option with better optics for the same $$. Advantage: IOR. Next in line is the 2-12x36 Tactical with a BDC style exposed knob and a MP-8 or CQB style of reticle and 35mm tube. No parallax adjustment but a simpler and more robust construction priced about $50 more than the (still available)2-12x32. Finally, an all new 1/4x x 30 with 35mm tube was on the table. Very short and stout, the scope utilizes a new CQB reticle with 1x or 4x magnification settings, sort of a poor man's Elcan Spectre. Quite frankly this new optic did nothing for me, but it might catch on with the AR crowd.
A modest 3% price increase (on average) takes effect immediately but LO customers have until February 1 until the new prices take effect. It is to your advantage to order early!
Carl Zeiss Optronics / Hensoldt: After years of badgering and begging, and even questioning their manhood (sort of), the boys at Hensoldt lined up HDC, LLC to bring the Hensoldt line of long range riflescopes to the US. Basically military grade Zeiss, Hensoldt features 34mm tubes and both FFP and SFP configurations. The initial family of scopes include the 3-12x56, 4-16x56, 6-24x56, and 6-24x72 scopes. Quite frankly I was a bit disappointed with the easily visible chromatic abberation and a touch of internal flare when scanning the ceiling and lights inside the building. No question the overall quality is top rate and the big advantage Hensoldt has over S&B is the oodles of reticle travel (a worst case 58 MOA in the 6-24x50 and a best case 144 MOA in the 3-12x56 SFP model (108 MOA in the FFP model) so long range "dialing in" is easily obtainable. Price will be an average MAP of well over $3K, and availability should be 6 weeks from now in a worst case scenario, so if Hensoldt tickles your fancy, contact us ASAP.
The other super cool Hensoldt product is a military grade spotting scope with illuminated FFP mildot style spotter reticle and bulletproof construction and Picatinny accessory rails...but quite expensive at around $4999......
Nathan Hunt, President of HDC, was great to meet and seems to be a fine fellow, so it's time to realize that there are more top shelf choices in riflescopes than ever before...
Finally, Nikon Sport Optics......while I'm still more than a little peeved that the Tactical series of riflescopes was sniped for political reasons, Nikon is simply too big to ignore. The Monarch-X series of riflescopes do boast the Ultra Clear Coat optic system but the tube and knobs are definitely a bit different (not better) than the old Tac...more random scope observations....the Monarch 2-8x32 is simply a DANDY optic and performs above its counterparts (thanks to Ilya Koshkin for the inside scoop there)..I like it in the BDC reticle (though not crazy about the hollow circles)....the 4.5-14x40 Buckmaster mildot reinforced my belief and faith by being quite exceptional for the price point...no worries there. Nikon introduced some new fancy schmancy reticles of the BDC genre but frankly I'm getting a little burned out on the hype......In binoculars, the new high priced EDGs were all the rage, and they were very nice glass...but for less $$ you can get similar performance from the Kowa Genesis XDs......Nikon also re-introduced the Premier series of binos..which they seemed quite proud of...but when Ilya looked through them and wondered about some optical deficiencies which weren't apparent in the "old" Premier binos...Jon LaCorte from Nikon claimed the binos were "only a prototype"....hmmmmmm.
I'm a big fan of the Nikon ED Fieldscopes so with much anticipation I checked out the ultimate EDG spotters....specifically the angled 85mm model (which does NOT have the dielectric coated prisms of the straight eyepiece model). Quite frankly, while decent, I have no idea what all the fanfare is about. Featuring body (objective) focus and extra-low dispersion glass, the EDG simply underwhelmed in the confines of SHOT, so it's hard to get excited about it....I'm not sure what the problem is, but the sight picture was absolutely nothing special....go figure....maybe it too was a prototype? :unsure:
Nightforce (Lightforce USA): I've been fairly consistent with my assessment of Nightforce NSX riflescopes the last couple of years...excellent mechanics with rock solid reliability, excellent QC, excellent finish and build quality, quirky features, "tunnel vision" field of view, reticles that on average are too fine for my tastes, and mediocre optics, especially considering the price point. Despite claims to the contrary, there is nothing redeeming about the optics in the NSX.... period, end of story. Nightforce has gotten away with it because they are more rugged and reliable than the two closest competitors (IOR and Lupy Mark 4) and track and hold zero like nobody's business. NSX are great gunsights, but so-so optics.
Having said that, I made the pilgrimage to the Nightforce booth again, and for the first time in 6 years, somebody actually walked up and helped me. That somebody was Ken ("NightforceKen" on longrangehunting.com). Ken and I had corresponded briefly in the past and I found him to be friendly and personable. He showed me the exact goods I came to look at, the 2-12x32 and the new 3.5-15x50 FFP model. The 2-12x32 is a newer model and judging by availability it's very popular. I like the mildot reticle model. This is a nice "medium-sized" optic that could do about anything except extreme long range shooting (no parallax adjustment). The FFP scope is also a new model and is simply waaaay overpriced. Same story, it had iffy optics that failed to impress. For roughly the same cash, you can (and should) get a Premier Heritage that is better on so many levels....... I realize that several Nightforce FFPs are working out just fine at Rifles Only...but I predict the new Vortex tac scope and the Heritage will deal a one-two punch to the NSX that will hurt a bit before the end of the year.
At any rate, Ken is a class representative of of Lightforce USA, passionate about the scopes, a great salesman, and he exhibits great professionalism. Thanks for taking the time, Ken.
