Rifle Scopes Dud IOR Terminator?

[blownPrimer]

I just bought one and received it last Thursday, after leveling and mounting shot with it for the first time this weekend and ran into a big problem right away. To be fair, I'm new to higher magnification optics, up until now the highest power scopes I've used are a Nightforce 20x SHV and a Nikon black 24x, so maybe there is something I'm doing wrong--one reason I came here for advice.

In a nutshell, the optics clarity is spectacular--but only in the brightest ambient light conditions. Once ambient light starts dropping off, the sight picture gets noticeably darker--by that I mean the transmission percentage seems noticeably worse than that of my other scopes. While annoying, I figured that was the price to be paid for the otherwise great clarity in bright conditions. However, as the level of ambient light drops, the ocular lens begins to reflect a mirror image of my eye looking right back at me--basically creating a ghost image that clutters the field of view in lower light conditions. That makes the scope's field of view cluttered and distracting in lower ambient light conditions.

Is there a known reason for this phenomenon with these scopes (or higher power scopes in general)? My intuition tells me to pull the eject handle on this scope unless there is something obvious I'm doing wrong. BTW, I have cleaned the lenses several times and that has not helped any.

thanks in advance.

 

[Olen_4504]

oo this should be fun.

not a lot of love for IOR on this forum.

 

[blownPrimer]

Hopefully not too much shaming for buying it--I already know I should have "tried before you buy"--but if there is a simple solution I'd like to salvage the situation. On the other hand I've been on the "return and repair merry go round" before and prefer to avoid that.

 

[spife7980]

Glass can reflect light going both ways. The sun was shining on your face, cover yourself up from the sun and you should stop seeing your reflection shining in the scope. I bet if you had looked through it facing 90° either way and it would have gone away.

 

[Rthur]

Paging @phillip61 ...

R

 

[Kickin45]

Glass can reflect light going both ways. The sun was shining on your face, cover yourself up from the sun and you should stop seeing your reflection shining in the scope. I bet if you had looked through it facing 90° either way and it would have gone away.

What he said. That’s why even though I don’t wear hats, I have a baseball cap in my range bag

 

[canezach]

Paging @phillip61 ...

R

Why would you do that??? Haven't you been around long enough to know better??

 

[Rthur]

Why would you do that??? Haven't you been around long enough to know better??

Just joined recently, figured better call in the "expert".

R

 

[Steel head]

Paging @phillip61 ...

R

Why would you do that??? Haven't you been around long enough to know better??

Lol!

 

[blownPrimer]

Hopefully not too much shaming for buying it--I already know I should have "tried before you buy"--but if there is a simple solution I'd like to salvage the situation. On the other hand I've been on the "return and repair merry go round" before and prefer to avoid that.

It's kinda spooky actually--I've looked at in various angles and the "Floating eyeball" actually tracks in the ocular--almost like some kind of built-in freemason eyeball thing watching me. LOL. This happens in low light conditions when there is little to no direct sunlight--the only time it goes away entirely is when the target area itself is brightly lit in ambient light.

 

[blownPrimer]

I did just try sighting with a hat which covered up to and past the ocular lens--the "floating eyeball" is still there but thanks for the suggestion.

 

[blownPrimer]

I bought it through midway and they have always been great about returns and refunds for me, besides which the Nightforce I had replaced with this had been working just fine though is only a 20x scope. I think it will be easier to simply pull the plug on this one and start over. I did not come here to cast aspersions on the terminator--it works spectacularly well in bright sunny conditions--but over half of my shooting time is in dull low-light winter conditions.

 

[koshkin]

I just bought one and received it last Thursday, after leveling and mounting shot with it for the first time this weekend and ran into a big problem right away. To be fair, I'm new to higher magnification optics, up until now the highest power scopes I've used are a Nightforce 20x SHV and a Nikon black 24x, so maybe there is something I'm doing wrong--one reason I came here for advice.

In a nutshell, the optics clarity is spectacular--but only in the brightest ambient light conditions. Once ambient light starts dropping off, the sight picture gets noticeably darker--by that I mean the transmission percentage seems noticeably worse than that of my other scopes. While annoying, I figured that was the price to be paid for the otherwise great clarity in bright conditions. However, as the level of ambient light drops, the ocular lens begins to reflect a mirror image of my eye looking right back at me--basically creating a ghost image that clutters the field of view in lower light conditions. That makes the scope's field of view cluttered and distracting in lower ambient light conditions.

Is there a known reason for this phenomenon with these scopes (or higher power scopes in general)? My intuition tells me to pull the eject handle on this scope unless there is something obvious I'm doing wrong. BTW, I have cleaned the lenses several times and that has not helped any.

thanks in advance.

They probably forgot to put AR coating on the lens facing you it on the reticle flat.

I assume you see this across the mag range, right? Not just when the magnification is cranked up all the way?

Ilya

 

[blownPrimer]

That's correct--it occurs across all magnifications, focus and parallax settings.

 

[Tunnuh]

If Midway will let you return it, then I would do that. Get a refund if you can. Even if just for credit, take the 2600 or so they have it for and get you an ATACR or a Razor Gen II. There are companies with better reputations out there for any repairs when something goes wrong. Valdada has a bad rep here because of a lack of of customer service when something goes wrong. I considered one back in 2013 and found this place while looking for reviews and decided to look at other options. So, no harsh comments from me, but IOR has that stigma amongst users who don't baby their gear. Good luck to you.

 

[YF12A]

Agree. I've been dealing with Midway for decades and have never had a problem with the one handful of return. They even helped once with a clearly UPS issue. I always deal with a name brand supplier on large purchases, pays off if you have a problem.

 

[The King]

Run. Fucking run don’t walk to get that shit returned and exchanged.

Get the ATACR 7-35 or 5-25.

 

[THEIS]

 

[YF12A]

IOR and popcorn here, just like peanut butter and jelly! I was waiting for someone to do this here. Seriously, a friend did a TDY overseas and got a great deal on one. Came back here, started shooting with it a lot, less than 6 weeks later he flipped it. Did Ok, but lesson learned for sure.

 

[308Gunner]

I will take 2 bags please.

 

[blownPrimer]

It's already on it's way back and Midway hasn't disputed a return from me yet.

The one other thing that I just couldn't get the hang of was the very stiff parallax adjustment way out on the front of the scope tube--which I assume was the result of accommodating all the illumination hardware in the middle. I could not get that adjusted without coming off the sight picture and/or knocking the rifle out of level.

I put the NF 20x SHV back on--so it's not the end of the world--but I still would like to get something like 32x max mag and 1/8 th MOA.

 

[fdkay]

It's already on it's way back and Midway hasn't disputed a return from me yet.

The one other thing that I just couldn't get the hang of was the very stiff parallax adjustment way out on the front of the scope tube--which I assume was the result of accommodating all the illumination hardware in the middle. I could not get that adjusted without coming off the sight picture and/or knocking the rifle out of level.

I put the NF 20x SHV back on--so it's not the end of the world--but I still would like to get something like 32x max mag and 1/8 th MOA.

Check the Sightron SV 10-50 models.
They have SFP models that have 1/8th or .05 mil adjustments.

 

[TheGerman]

Yes

 

[Dthomas3523]

<cough> piece of shit <cough cough>

 

[Sheldon N]

Sorry to hear that OP. Sounds like your scope is schott.

 

[acudaowner]

not sure what to say i do not own a terminator only the crusader and i have had no problems so far maybe you should try contacting val in Texas they may or may not be able to help . I was shooting with mine this winter with nothing bad to say about it even in the rain or cloudy days no apparitions in the glass maybe it was damaged in transit it happens. U.S.A . Toll Free Phone Number: (855) 814-4507. they helped me with a few questions pretty fast better than trying to call Romania at any rate .

 

[blownPrimer]

It's true I didn't give them a call and a whack at it--but I just figured the better and easier solution for me personally would be to go for the refund--Midway will make it all back from me in just a month or two anyway. I've had lots of defects in all kinds of firearms and equipment--I just seem to have a knack for them finding their way to me, so I'm not mad or anything. Nature of the beast is the way I see it.

 

[acudaowner]

just to mention it to you incase you still wanted to try that same scope optic trade has them 204.27 cheaper than midway . just to mention it . May even be cheaper somewhere else i do not know. only looked through 3 places so far .

 

[The King]

Yeah - I wouldn’t hollow out an IOR scope to use as a fleshlight. It would probably still fucking eat shit somehow.

They do have a new one made in Japan which will probably be fine. Provided you wanted to pay market price for a japanese scope that doesn’t really beat the same japanese scopes with more trustworthy vendor labels on them.

 

[schlaiek]

if Midway will refund your money, I'd do that in a heartbeat. I have no horse in this race, but there are a disproportionate number of horror stories here vs. the competition for me to invest that sort of coin. $2500 will get you a very nice optic from a company that will support it and is well represented in US shooting sports (PRS, F-class, & the like).

 

[Nik H]

Paging plowboy....where r u @phillip61

Need some help here

 

[LawnMM]

They're all duds, return it so you can get your money back and put it towards something with a track record better than constant failure

 

[blownPrimer]

Right now interested in several alternatives: Nightforce NXS--Burris CTR3 (when it comes out)--Vortex Razor AMG--and the US Optics scope that has the ranging for IPSC target on the reticle.

 

[Steel+Killer]

just to mention it to you incase you still wanted to try that same scope optic trade has them 204.27 cheaper than midway . just to mention it . May even be cheaper somewhere else i do not know. only looked through 3 places so far .

So the OP has clearly stated in post 21 that he returned that POS and your advice to him is to roll the dice again on it, but this time with a less reputable company that probably wouldn't offer a refund on the next one.....lol WTF That makes a lot of sense!

 

[acudaowner]

So the OP has clearly stated in post 21 that he returned that POS and your advice to him is to roll the dice again on it, but this time with a less reputable company that probably wouldn't offer a refund on the next one.....lol WTF That makes a lot of sense!

shit happens in transit lots of unknowns it may be the scope it may not be he purchased the scope for some reason i would think he wanted it . I just pointed out that that same scope was for sale cheaper by 200. dollars on another site if that makes no sence to you i really do not care .

 

[Snipe260]

I can tell you how to resolve in these steps!
1. Rent d5 dozer
2. Place optic on concrete!
3. Get in dozer
4. Run lightly back and forth over optic
5. When you no longer hear a cracking noise, stop!
6. Start over

 

[supercorndogs]

Right now interested in several alternatives: Nightforce NXS--Burris CTR3 (when it comes out)--Vortex Razor AMG--and the US Optics scope that has the ranging for IPSC target on the reticle.

Razor AMG, Night force ATACR, S&B for IOR money.

 

[Snipe260]

Razor AMG, Night force ATACR, S&B for IOR money.

This!

 

[blownPrimer]

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Lowlight]

Like a new Casino Game, you roll the dice,

Will my new IOR work, come on lucky number 7, Daddy needs a scope that that works

Damn, Snake Eyes, I crapped out... better luck next time shooter.

 

[Gunfighter14e2]

If my friend Gene Ruff (GRUFF, of Hide days gone by) could be heard from the grave, his words would be,...Sightron my man, Sightron.

 

[THEIS]

Like a new Casino Game, you roll the dice,

Will my new IOR work, come on lucky number 7, Daddy needs a scope that that works

Damn, Snake Eyes, I crapped out... better luck next time shooter.

Hi,

IOR enthusiast read your post and this is how their brain sees what you said...

Sincerely,
Theis

 

[Lowlight]

I have the new 4-20x by Sightron here, which is inexpensive and nice, but they have a new 5-25x I think it is (have to look it up) and it's really nice

Very good tactical / crossover scope

but true statement, the IOR fanboys are all gluttons for punishment

 

[TheGerman]

IdiotsOwningRiflescopes™

 

[YF12A]

IdiotsOwningRiflescopes™

Alexandria Occasionally Conscious comes to mind as well.

 

[fdkay]

I have the new 4-20x by Sightron here, which is inexpensive and nice, but they have a new 5-25x I think it is (have to look it up) and it's really nice

Very good tactical / crossover scope

but true statement, the IOR fanboys are all gluttons for punishment

4.5-24, I have one gen 1 without the zero stop, it was #6 of the very first shipment last year.
I really like it, good reticle, good illumination, lots of adjustment.
It does have ginormous knobs though.
I'm going to send it into Sightron later this year to have the zero stop installed.

 

[Lowlight]

Ya, the SV Series is pretty sweet, the S-Tac is a nice entry level optic

This one looks promising, a hint to all those considering the IOR

https://sightronusa.com/product/svssed4-524x56ffpzsirmh-h/

 

[koshkin]

Ya, the SV Series is pretty sweet, the S-Tac is a nice entry level optic

This one looks promising, a hint to all those considering the IOR

https://sightronusa.com/product/svssed4-524x56ffpzsirmh-h/

I have not seen the FFP SV yet, but I am also looking at the FFP S-Tac and it is really decent for the money. FOV is a little narrow and the reticle leaves me cold, but I like the turrets and optics are good.

ILya

 

[Gunfighter14e2]

I have the new 4-20x by Sightron here, which is inexpensive and nice, but they have a new 5-25x I think it is (have to look it up) and it's really nice

Very good tactical / crossover scope

but true statement, the IOR fanboys are all gluttons for punishment

I think it was about 2006 or 07 I first looked threw his Sightron, it was as clear an max power (20x I think) as my 22x USO. He shot it well until Cancer started getting him. No man is ever dead until his name is spoken no more, he will live as long as I do,... for sure.

 

[Rust]

I think it was about 2006 or 07 I first looked threw his Sightron, it was as clear an max power (20x I think) as my 22x USO. He shot it well until Cancer started getting him. No man is ever dead until his name is spoken no more, he will live as long as I do,... for sure.

Gene wasn't a character to be easily forgotten.