• Watch Out for Scammers!

    We've now added a color code for all accounts. Orange accounts are new members, Blue are full members, and Green are Supporters. If you get a message about a sale from an orange account, make sure you pay attention before sending any money!

Rifle Scopes Home on leave, looking at IOR scope

OptedOut

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Jan 6, 2009
383
0
I'm looking at the IOR 3-18X50 FFP...are any of you currently using it?
I really like the range, it's features and the illuminated modified MP-8.
Like to hear some comments from those of you who have one.
 
Last edited:
Whats up man? I was in Stuttgart one time during Reforger 83 or 84 I can't remember now. I saw Tony Orlando and Dawn there at the bar at the place we were staying. Anyhow I have the SFP version of that same scope and Love it. I have it mounted on a custom 308. I have had it out to 600yds with zero problems. I have no doughts you will love it.
 
No experience with that particular model but I have a 4-16x50. Great glass, adjustments are crisp, reticle is usable. Parallax adjustment is crap.

The 35mm tube is listed to have a 40 yard to infinite adjustment so you should not have a problem.
 
Thanks guys for your input, I just got done talking with two guys from the 5th Group at Ft. Campbell who have the exact scope...they love it in every way. I did ask about any SF adjustment problems, neither had any or had ever heard of any.
 
Thanks guys for your input, I just got done talking with two guys from the 5th Group at Ft. Campbell who have the exact scope...they love it in every way. I did ask about any SF adjustment problems, neither had any or had ever heard of any.

I've been to Ft. Campbell too. Air Assault and Recondo School.

Heres a pic of a 13 shot shot group from a few weeks ago at my local 100yd range.



IOR Baby!

Heres the scope and the rig she sits on. Accra Liance Sniper Systems 308.

 
I've been to Ft. Campbell too. Air Assault and Recondo School.

Heres a pic of a 13 shot shot group from a few weeks ago at my local 100yd range.



IOR Baby!

Heres the scope and the rig she sits on. Accra Liance Sniper Systems 308.


Did my basic there in Jan 69, I remember my boots freezing! Thanks for your service
Charles
 
phillip,
Nice grouping, Stuttgart has not changed much over the years. I've been lucky to have stayed there pretty much my entire time. At my age now I do more with SOCEUR than my team.
I catch a lift through Campbell all the time going back and forth to home and there are a few guys in the 5th Group that were once in the 10th...they were looking for easier duty!

I got the IOR on it's way this afternoon, there are things about S&Bs, NF and USO that I've never liked and the IOR will be a new deal, looks as though I'm going to enjoy it on my personal stick.
 
IOR is a pretty good value in optics as they use really good glass and aren't that expensive. The only downside from my experience is the turrets can be mushy and some have problems right off the bat (but customer service is good).

Watch those cobblestones in the winter at Panzer.
 
The only downside from my experience is the turrets can be mushy and some have problems right off the bat (but customer service is good).

Man , I don't know what model or manufacture date you might have experienced but the two I was able to check out had better turret feel than the several S&B and NF I've used over the years, one of the many reasons I was so interested in the (3.5-18 X 50 specifically) IOR using steel bearings.

I should have the scope tomorrow or Saturday and if the turrets are questionable in any way I'll report it here.
 
Last edited:
Home on leave, looking at IOR scope

It sounds like you've already made up your mind. Do you have a specific question about the scope other than whether someone is currently using it?

Oh, I see that you've already bought it. Nevermind.
 
Last edited:
I'm curious as to whether the 3-18x FFP in its current generation has truly reached the quality and reliability of the nightforce NXS scopes. Some say it has and some say it hasn't. I'm very tempted to pick one up myself but would hate to risk it. Currently running the 3-15x NXS F1 and it is truly the creme de la creme in the reliability department. Reticle is decent and glass is decent. Can't get over the IOR's moa reticle though. Damn near perfect reticle imo.
 
It sounds like you've already made up your mind. Do you have a specific question about the scope?

Not any more...I was able to look at two in Stuttgart, one was a 2.5-10 and the other was a 6 to some high mag. Like every one, I've known about IOR for several years and was interested in the newer 3.5-18 50. From phillip's view and the two "acquaintances" from Ft. Campbell and other research in the past several days plus talking with several merchants that carry them I decided to go ahead and get one.
 
I'm curious as to whether the 3-18x FFP in its current generation has truly reached the quality and reliability of the nightforce NXS scopes. Some say it has and some say it hasn't. I'm very tempted to pick one up myself but would hate to risk it. Currently running the 3-15x NXS F1 and it is truly the creme de la creme in the reliability department. Reticle is decent and glass is decent. Can't get over the IOR's moa reticle though. Damn near perfect reticle imo.

I'll give you my thoughts after I have the scope...in my talking with several industry reps of other manufactures what they said of IOR over NF (which I have had on several of my issued rifles) is better optical clarity and resolution, mechanically better and as robust as any other high quality veritable scope...we'll see!

I'll add, as one would expect, the merchants I spoke with all stated the IOR's were very good scopes and then would mention another brand (4 out of 5 I spoke with), as all merchants have one or two brands they tend to push for marketing/business reasons. The industry reps on the other hand (those that cater to all the SF Groups) just gave me their thoughts through experience, with no agenda to follow.
 
Last edited:
What'd the indy guys say? Unbiased opinions is what I like to hear.


Scott Berish, however, said on another thread that he had only had one returned in 3 years and I think that scope is a big part of his business so I think that might say something.
 
Last edited:
My biggest complaint about the IOR scopes is the lack of dial range on the parallax knob. 1/4 turn gets you from 50yds to infinity. Most other scopes go 3/4 turn or so. Also the elevation knob is kinda thick so you have to be right behind the scope to line up the turret marks with the reference dot. Other than that love the reticle and glass. I've got the 3-18 SFP and the 6-24 FFP. No problems at all. Only other problem would be the resale value because most people still think their crap.
 
I bought a 2-12X36 Spartan rifle scope from Valdada specifically to put on my SCAR17 for deployment. My 2.5-10 NF was on another rifle, so I bought the IOR. Bottom line: It went blurry while providing covering fire for movement to a rooftop. I had to adjust the magnification dial to get rid of the blur. Then, it happened again while on the roof. I contacted Valdada after returning home, and they sent me a brand NIB 2-12X36 scope. No problems with customer service. However, the scope is still sitting NIB today, and I'm looking to sell it. It seems to be a robust scope from the outside, and the new one they sent me is probably just fine... but I never had a NF do that.
 
LRTI,
You've been lucky if you have only had one optic go bad. Over the years I've had every brand of scope crap out on me in the worst of situations. The only scope I can remember not going bad was the old Leupold VXIII M1 made for us.
 
Just for K&Gs I spoke with a R&D person at IOR Romania this morning after looking at the brochure from their home site;
Acasa | IOR
...get to Tactical scopes then choose details of Tactical scope IOR 3.5-18x50 and download brochure. One page states,

New design with more aperture and eye relief!
New digital illumination system!
New focusing mechanism from 40m to infinity!
New zero setting index rings!
New eyepiece with ocular lock ring!

I asked a few questions of "Dragomir", specifically the "New focusing mechanism from 40m to infinity!" he stated (in his pretty good English) the gearing has been reworked with micro fine gears in order to lessen the amount of travel required to bring an object into quick sharp focus. Focus now "pops" making for more accuracy. He put forth the current 3.5-18x50 (production from February of this year) is the best scope the company has ever made.

If this scope holds up to all the stated attributes I believe I'll be very happy.
 
A quick update for those interested;
Received the scope Friday afternoon,
Played with it for about one half hour then mounted it up.
Got to "work" it this morning for over an hour.
Mag ring is very firm, after rotating back and forth for a while I can tell it will ease up some, it's very smooth.
Elevation knob clicks very succinctly, on par with S&B better than NF, USO and Leupold, not as loud as a S&B but louder than a NF.
Windage knob is a hair less crisp but still better than NF, USO and Leupold.
I love the side parallax focus, you don't need to "crank it forever" as on some scopes, it pops in and out very distinctively, makes ya feel good!
The glass is simply outstanding and like others have stated the reticle is just great, I'm really going to enjoy it.
Good eye relief, seems to be much more than the 3 1/2 inches as stated.
Yesterday into the evening played with the digital illumination, it is great also, does not bleed or ghost at all, and does not get ridiculously bright at the top setting.

I'm going to shoot some later this afternoon, I've got a laser cartridge somewhere to get a quick first adjustment.
 
Last edited:
A quick update for those interested;
Received the scope Friday afternoon,
Played with it for about one half hour then mounted it up.
Got to "work" it this morning for over an hour.
Mag ring is very firm, after rotating back and forth for a while I can tell it will ease up some, it's very smooth.
Elevation knob clicks very succinctly, on par with S&B better than NF, USO and Leupold, not as loud as a S&B but louder than a NF.
Windage knob is a hair less crisp but still better than NF, USO and Leupold.
I love the side parallax focus, you don't need to "crank it forever" as on some scopes, it pops in and out very distinctively, makes ya feel good!
The glass is simply outstanding and like others have stated the reticle is just great, I'm really going to enjoy it.
Good eye relief, seems to be much more than the 3 1/2 inches as stated.
Yesterday into the evening played with the digital illumination, it is great also, does not bleed or ghost at all, and does not get ridiculously bright at the top setting.

I'm going to shoot some later this afternoon, I've got a laser cartridge somewhere to get a quick first adjustment.

Dude, I'm sorry for not telling you this earlier, but you will find it slightly difficult to shoot consistent groups at first. Something about trying to shoot with a big ass grin on your face does that to a guy! Enjoy the scope.
 
Dude, I'm sorry for not telling you this earlier, but you will find it slightly difficult to shoot consistent groups at first. Something about trying to shoot with a big ass grin on your face does that to a guy! Enjoy the scope.

phillip, thanks man...your statement IS funny...yesterday afternoon I went out to my shooting bench with laser cartridge, and some ammo. A close (non military) friend had been hunting in the morning that's why I did not shoot earlier.

So with a reflective pattern target, I quickly dialed in elev. and windage, then put one round through (at 100 yards) it was a bit more than one inch low and one right from dead center. Aiming at dead center again I turned the elev and wind to pull that center dot of the reticle right over the bullet hole, then smoked off three quick rounds. My bud with his binos said 'I think you got one in the bullseye, the mag was set at 14X and I knew better. We walked down to the target and dead center was the tiniest cloverleaf!

So you are so correct...I had a big ass grin on my face!
 
They are solid scopes!! The 3.5-18x50 is definitely my favorite, I've had mine since they first came out and it sits on my go to rifle (APA .308). Bought a Bushnell XRS 4.5-30x50 recently and I am wishing I would of just bought another 3.5-18x50 IOR, not that the Bushy is bad, but I just love the IOR.
 
I bought a 2-12X36 Spartan rifle scope from Valdada specifically to put on my SCAR17 for deployment. My 2.5-10 NF was on another rifle, so I bought the IOR. Bottom line: It went blurry while providing covering fire for movement to a rooftop. I had to adjust the magnification dial to get rid of the blur. Then, it happened again while on the roof. I contacted Valdada after returning home, and they sent me a brand NIB 2-12X36 scope. No problems with customer service. However, the scope is still sitting NIB today, and I'm looking to sell it. It seems to be a robust scope from the outside, and the new one they sent me is probably just fine... but I never had a NF do that.

LRTI. Do you think it was the scar that did that to the spartan or something with the spartan itself? There are reports (all second hand) that maybe the scar 17's recoil impulse messes with certain optics. The nightforce 2.5-10 is specifically mentioned as one od the scopes that are gtg and not affected by the scar17. What was your impression of the bdc elevation knob? Usable?
 
MJ2936,

"Do you think it was the scar that did that to the spartan or something with the spartan itself?"

To me, either way, it is a problem with the spartan that I bought. No one else bought their own scope to use with the SCAR17, so there's only one test to go off of regarding the IOR Spartan and that rifle. I don't know enough about the internal workings of different optics to answer any further here.

"There are reports (all second hand) that maybe the scar 17's recoil impulse messes with certain optics. The nightforce 2.5-10 is specifically mentioned as one od the scopes that are gtg and not affected by the scar17."

Literally hundreds of 3.5-15 or 2.5-10 NF scopes have been used on the SCAR17 with no major malfunctions reported to my knowledge. I have seen NF scopes finally go down due to the ocular lens coming loose, or because the turret mechanism failed. However, those scopes had been used HARD, for almost a decade.

"What was your impression of the bdc elevation knob? Usable?"

I didn't use it. I used a holds chart based on 5000 ft or 10000 ft DA in 50 yard increments out to 1000 yards with a 10mph standard right wind call. The 17 comes with two different barrels, but it also has a 20 inch one available and that's the one I had attached. The Spartan reticle is the MP-8 Dot. The only thing I did was dial in 250 meters (273 yards) on the elevation knob and left it there for holds. I used this combination for a good portion of training, but only two or three times real world. Most of the time (real world) this was left behind in favor of the MK13 with 5.5-22 NF.

I still have the Spartan they sent to replace the one that failed. I'm not sure if the one I had before was a lemon or if they're all susceptible to that kind of failure. I bought it for the reputation IOR had/has, magnification range, size/weight, and I liked the reticle. I, personally won't put it on a work gun again. But, I could be the exception, and the majority of them could be awesome regarding their reliability.

MSG Janoski - Hopefully you have nothing but great success with yours.

LRTI
 
LRTI,
A know a bit about the SCAR from seeing allot of reports that came down from SOCOM;
SOCOM and SOCEUR never got what they wanted out of that deal...which is why we predominantly use the HK 417.
They are very hard on electronics i.e. lasers and "red dots".
They are equally hard on optics.
The way the SCAR is designed it has TWO energy waves moving through it...and when they but heads precisely it can easily scrap any optic.

All manufactures have failures, you have them replaced and move on.