I don't go to the Shot Show, but I do like to read the Optics reviews generously posted by Hide Members and Sponsors both here on on their various blogs.
My view of the Tactical Optics market, has always been viewed as a three tiered one, when looking at street prices, not MSRP's thus:
High Priced - Tactical scopes over $2k
Mid-Priced - Tactical scopes over $1k
Low-Priced - Tactical Scopes under $1K
Being economically challenged, and disinclined to embark on a Raman noodle diet to buy a Tactical scope, I tend to focus on the new optics offerings previewed at the Shot Show in the Mid-Priced and Low-Priced categories.
Before I get into the new Mid and Low priced offerings, I must give a special shout-out to the boys in Beaverton. Leupold apparently has pulled out all the stops, and created a new pricing category, in which they are the only player: Ludicrous-Priced......$4K tactical scopes??? Really???? What are they thinking and drinking in Oregon????
Mid-Priced:
Moving on. The Mid-Priced category in tactical scopes, has always been a closely watched by me every year. The $1k to $2K tactical market has always been under-served, being a province of only a few makers like IOR Valdada, one Vortex Razor, and a smattering of over priced and under delivering FFP MIL/MIL 3x zoom variants from Leupold.
In fact the major player in the category is really Nightforce, with a entire line of MIL/MIL scopes in this price range, abet all SFP, instead of FFP. IMHO Nightforce's really only weak link has been their reticles. So I was pleased to see a bunch of new ones, that look like a large improvement over their old one's.
But the really big news, at least to me, was Scott's @ Liberty Optics mini review of a new IOR offering.
Direct From Scott's Blog:
<span style="font-style: italic">"Another nice surprise and sensible addition to the stable is a 4-16x50 FFP model featuring a MP8-XRT (xtended range tactical) reticle, 30mm tube, side focus, digital illumination, long focal length for easy mounting and a pricetag that will be less than the 35mm FFP models. The XRT reticle is similar to the MP8-A5 but has additional windage holdover points in hash format and further increases the utility of the MP-8 reticle. This scope's reticle has 25mils of holdover capability at 7x and 17mils (61moa) visible at 16x. Lighter in weight and of a more conventional design, I feel this scope will do very well when it comes available this summer."</span>
I don't know about anybody else, but a 30mm Tubed 4-16x50mm FFP MIL/MIL Illuminated scope, that will sell at a price between $1250.(IOR's 30mm FFP 2.5-10x42MM) and $1750. (IOR's 35mm FFP 3-18x50MM)is very attractive.
First, 4-16 is one of the most useful ranges for a tactical scope. Not too high on the bottom power, and enough zoom on top for most 1kyd tactical targets. Plus a 30mm tube is eminently more lower mountable and lighter in weight, then the current fashion of 34mm and 35mm big honking FFP scopes.
If IOR's new baby has at least 16.5 MILS of usable elevation, and IOR can continue to make them like there other 4th Gen offerings, so they don't fail when a cloud passes over the range, this may be something to get excited about.
Plus it's power to weight ratios put in close competition with Nightforce's outstanding 3.5-15x50mm F1. Never a bad thing.
The only other new scopes of note is the new Steiner/Burris offering of a 34mm (big fat) FFP line. They do have a 4-16, that has some nice features. But preliminary MSRP prices in the $2400 range,... sigh. I was hoping for a street price of below $2k range, as I don't think any new player is going to make a significant dent in the market by offering a scope with a street price higher than NF F1 or Vortex's Razor.
Low-Priced:
The biggest news of the SS 2011 is Weaver's new 3-15x50 illuminated FFP mil/mil. Again I quote from Scott's Blog:
<span style="font-style: italic">"No question, my "out of nowhere" surprise scopes of the show were a pair of new Weaver Tacticals...a 3-15x50 illuminated FFP mil/mil and a 1-5x24 FFP. The catalog amusingly states these optics are for those who value "Molle over Armani" Let's start with the long range dog. This scope was really nice. 30mm tube, mil/mil, illuminated FFP, locking turrets, extra hard coating on exterior lenses, side focus, resettable turrets, argon purged, 100moa, 6 mils per turn, 13.5 inches long, 27.5 ounces, fast focus eyepiece, are you paying attention? The reticle is an etched EMDR (Enhanced Mildot Ranging). Knob feel isn't anything super great but they do lock. 4" of eye relief. Price? I'm TOLD (nothing in writing) around $1000, available in spring."
</span>
This I think is a big deal. The zoom range and features are very NF like, at half the price. If Weaver can actually deliver this scope, and make it rugged enough for the non-combatants to use in tactical comps, this is very exciting.
In disappointing news, Bushnell is apparently just going to just re-badge it's tactical scope line, not improve them one bit, and just charge more money. I was hoping for a 4-16 FFP illuminated, with a Gen 2 type reticle, but such is not to be.
That all is saw, in reading the reviews from the 2011 Shot.
Later,
Bob
My view of the Tactical Optics market, has always been viewed as a three tiered one, when looking at street prices, not MSRP's thus:
High Priced - Tactical scopes over $2k
Mid-Priced - Tactical scopes over $1k
Low-Priced - Tactical Scopes under $1K
Being economically challenged, and disinclined to embark on a Raman noodle diet to buy a Tactical scope, I tend to focus on the new optics offerings previewed at the Shot Show in the Mid-Priced and Low-Priced categories.
Before I get into the new Mid and Low priced offerings, I must give a special shout-out to the boys in Beaverton. Leupold apparently has pulled out all the stops, and created a new pricing category, in which they are the only player: Ludicrous-Priced......$4K tactical scopes??? Really???? What are they thinking and drinking in Oregon????
Mid-Priced:
Moving on. The Mid-Priced category in tactical scopes, has always been a closely watched by me every year. The $1k to $2K tactical market has always been under-served, being a province of only a few makers like IOR Valdada, one Vortex Razor, and a smattering of over priced and under delivering FFP MIL/MIL 3x zoom variants from Leupold.
In fact the major player in the category is really Nightforce, with a entire line of MIL/MIL scopes in this price range, abet all SFP, instead of FFP. IMHO Nightforce's really only weak link has been their reticles. So I was pleased to see a bunch of new ones, that look like a large improvement over their old one's.
But the really big news, at least to me, was Scott's @ Liberty Optics mini review of a new IOR offering.
Direct From Scott's Blog:
<span style="font-style: italic">"Another nice surprise and sensible addition to the stable is a 4-16x50 FFP model featuring a MP8-XRT (xtended range tactical) reticle, 30mm tube, side focus, digital illumination, long focal length for easy mounting and a pricetag that will be less than the 35mm FFP models. The XRT reticle is similar to the MP8-A5 but has additional windage holdover points in hash format and further increases the utility of the MP-8 reticle. This scope's reticle has 25mils of holdover capability at 7x and 17mils (61moa) visible at 16x. Lighter in weight and of a more conventional design, I feel this scope will do very well when it comes available this summer."</span>
I don't know about anybody else, but a 30mm Tubed 4-16x50mm FFP MIL/MIL Illuminated scope, that will sell at a price between $1250.(IOR's 30mm FFP 2.5-10x42MM) and $1750. (IOR's 35mm FFP 3-18x50MM)is very attractive.
First, 4-16 is one of the most useful ranges for a tactical scope. Not too high on the bottom power, and enough zoom on top for most 1kyd tactical targets. Plus a 30mm tube is eminently more lower mountable and lighter in weight, then the current fashion of 34mm and 35mm big honking FFP scopes.
If IOR's new baby has at least 16.5 MILS of usable elevation, and IOR can continue to make them like there other 4th Gen offerings, so they don't fail when a cloud passes over the range, this may be something to get excited about.
Plus it's power to weight ratios put in close competition with Nightforce's outstanding 3.5-15x50mm F1. Never a bad thing.
The only other new scopes of note is the new Steiner/Burris offering of a 34mm (big fat) FFP line. They do have a 4-16, that has some nice features. But preliminary MSRP prices in the $2400 range,... sigh. I was hoping for a street price of below $2k range, as I don't think any new player is going to make a significant dent in the market by offering a scope with a street price higher than NF F1 or Vortex's Razor.
Low-Priced:
The biggest news of the SS 2011 is Weaver's new 3-15x50 illuminated FFP mil/mil. Again I quote from Scott's Blog:
<span style="font-style: italic">"No question, my "out of nowhere" surprise scopes of the show were a pair of new Weaver Tacticals...a 3-15x50 illuminated FFP mil/mil and a 1-5x24 FFP. The catalog amusingly states these optics are for those who value "Molle over Armani" Let's start with the long range dog. This scope was really nice. 30mm tube, mil/mil, illuminated FFP, locking turrets, extra hard coating on exterior lenses, side focus, resettable turrets, argon purged, 100moa, 6 mils per turn, 13.5 inches long, 27.5 ounces, fast focus eyepiece, are you paying attention? The reticle is an etched EMDR (Enhanced Mildot Ranging). Knob feel isn't anything super great but they do lock. 4" of eye relief. Price? I'm TOLD (nothing in writing) around $1000, available in spring."
</span>
This I think is a big deal. The zoom range and features are very NF like, at half the price. If Weaver can actually deliver this scope, and make it rugged enough for the non-combatants to use in tactical comps, this is very exciting.
In disappointing news, Bushnell is apparently just going to just re-badge it's tactical scope line, not improve them one bit, and just charge more money. I was hoping for a 4-16 FFP illuminated, with a Gen 2 type reticle, but such is not to be.
That all is saw, in reading the reviews from the 2011 Shot.
Later,
Bob
