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U.S. Optics Inc. |
U.S. Optics Inc.By M.L. (Mic) McPherson
©Copyright 2010, The Varmint Hunters Association, Inc.
Synopsis: Gun scopes are an interesting subject for gun writers, editors, and, we hope, readers. I would argue that scopes are more interesting to write about and to read about than are guns. One reason for this is that scopes are such a sophisticated, complex, and wonderful invention. After all, had it not been for Galileo’s telescope, the modern scientific renaissance might well have been delayed (for who knows how long), which would have delayed the industrial revolution and, had that occurred, likely I would not be writing this!
However, gun scopes historically have been just as problematic and frustrating as they have been useful and interesting. It is not just that scopes fail but that scopes fail with depressing regularity and in full accordance with Murphy’s Law. Many of us have long been begging optical sight manufacturers to offer shooters an extremely robust custom scope … and U.S. Optics Inc. has answered that call.
U.S. OPTICS INC.
DISCLAIMER
Readers who are familiar with my work know that I am never perfectly happy with anything. For example, consider that I own more than one dozen loading presses and dozens of sets of loading dies and that I have modified every one of those tools. I tinker everything because I always look for ways that such tools could be improved and, usually, I find some way that any given tool actually can be improved. I mention this because I have evaluated these U.S. Optics products as honestly as I could and, therefore, in areas where I have an idea of something that might be improved (at least according to my needs and beliefs), I mention that possible change. Equally, I want you to understand that none of these comments represent anything negative about U.S. Optics products; these are just my thoughts. (In this sense, I am reminded of the guy who was given a $100 bill by a passing stranger. He quickly examined the generous gift and promptly and loudly complained, “Hey, this thing is wrinkled!”)
HOW IT STARTED
At SHOT 2008, John Anderson, TVHM editor, and I found our way to the U.S. Optics booth. This was no accident — we had a plan. Anderson’s goal was to see if he could help me procure a scope for testing toward inclusion in one or more articles. My goal was to see if U.S. Optics scopes were as good as pricing and buildup would suggest. (Fellow V.H.A. members By Smalley and Jim Williamson had been pestering me to take a look at U.S. Optics products.)
So, as Anderson and I stepped up to the U.S. Optics booth, company representative Chris Parker asked if he could help us. We introduced ourselves (me as a contributing writer for The VARMINT HUNTER Magazine®; Anderson as editor of the magazine).
Then, I asked my first of many questions, “So, just how tough are U.S. Optics scopes?”
Rather than orating wholesome but inconsequential phrases, Parker responded with a demonstration. Without saying a word, he grabbed a display scope, held it as he would hold a hammer, brought it above his head, and hammered the tube onto the heavy wooden display case. Considering the obvious violence of the blow he delivered, I fully expected the scope to shatter and parts of it and the display case to scatter. Momentarily, until I saw the gleam in his eye, I also figured that Parker had lost his bloomin’ mind!
Other than everyone within about thirty feet turning toward the loud bang, nothing untoward happened. Parker grinned and showed us the series of indentations on the tabletop where he had been hammering that scope throughout the Show. Then, he handed that scope to me. I looked at it and through it and I fiddled with the adjustments. As nearly as I could tell, it was in perfect working order. Parker had our attention.
Please, understand that you should not consider Parker’s demonstration as an endorsement by U.S. Optics for its customers to deliberately abuse its products! Obviously, the better care you give any scope, the longer it will last before it inevitably fails — refer to McPherson’s Law, as propounded in the closing paragraph of this piece.
OUR PROPOSAL
I explained to Parker that my editor, Anderson, wanted me to include mention of a U.S. Optics scope in an article and that I hoped that I could do an entire piece on a U.S. Optics product. I added that in order to do any such article, I would need help from U.S. Optics. I asked if his company would consider lending me a scope. Parker instantly stated that the company would do that. So, we bid our busy editor adieu so he could move on to other important SHOT Show business. Then, I continued questioning Parker about U.S. Optics and its products.
TESTED EQUIPMENT
No project of this type ever seems to go as fast as I would like it to go. It took some time for U.S. Optics to get far enough ahead in production to send me the promised products. When that did happen, they were most generous, providing the exact model of riflescope I wanted to test, a fine spotting scope, and a great tripod. Now I had everything needed to evaluate the U.S. Optics product line, at least from the perspective of a limited test sample.
While it certainly would be interesting to have many U.S. Optics scopes to play with and to test, that would not be feasible for U.S. Optics or for me. As it is, they placed about $4,000.00 worth of equipment in my hands. Adequately testing that sample entailed considerable work. Testing a second riflescope would involve perhaps another week of fieldwork and I simply do not have time for that. (My field time is very limited these days — I even missed the 2009 Jamboree, first one I have missed in about fifteen years and not something that I will soon get over. Or as Sir Winston Churchill would have said in jesting about quirks of the English language, “That is something over which I will not soon get.”)
In addition to the loan of a high-quality Manfrotto tripod assembly, I received two complete product packages, just as if I had been a regular customer who had placed orders and sent checks. This is helpful because it allows me to review associated paperwork, packaging, etc. The riflescope is product SN-3, 3.2-17x44mm. The spotting scope is listed simply as “U.S. Optics Field Spotting Scope.”
Included with each product is a work order, a survey, a copy of the free lifetime replacement warranty, and a good description of how to properly care for the scope and clean exposed lens surfaces. With the riflescope are instructions on how to properly set the elevation and windage knobs to zero readings.
The survey is a useful addition. I encourage U.S. Optics customers to fill this out and return it. U.S. Optics seriously wants to improve what it offers and how it offers those products, and this survey is a prime method to help it do so. Thereby we all benefit.
The spotting scope is a reasonably compact unit with magnification range of 15-40x. Magnification adjustment control is well-placed and easy to use. Similarly, controls for precise eyepiece and field-of-view focus are well-placed and are easy to use. On many spotting scopes, the various controls are awkwardly placed. When using other spotting scopes, often I have either jarred the scope off target or changed some other control setting while trying to find the focus knob. Handy and logical matters!
While not as large as my fine Bausch and Lomb (which is the clearest spotting scope through which I have ever looked), optics and clarity of this spotting scope are quite impressive.
The interesting crosshair reticle is marked in Minutes Of Angle (MOA). At first, I was not sure about the reticle but the more I use it the more I like it, for reasons I will address later.
The riflescope has a page-long list of descriptions covering every scope characteristic and verifying that a U.S. Optics employee actually checked each feature for correctness and functionality. While most readers might expect that this is normal for the gun scope industry (especially for top-end scopes), it is not. To prove this point, consider that when I tested eighteen scopes for Very High Power Magazine, three of those were shipped to me in an obviously nonfunctional condition and two of those three faulty scopes were very expensive units! Now, when you consider that every one of those manufacturers (or suppliers) knew that the scope they were shipping to me would be evaluated with a critical eye and that the results of that evaluation would be published, perhaps the fact that three of eighteen were obviously mechanically faulty will amaze you as much as it did me.
In my opinion, the only thing that could be improved on this U.S. Optics scope for my varminting use is the reticle. To my eye, this one is less than ideal for that use. I prefer something similar to the Leupold Varmint Hunter’s or the new Swarovski BRX. However, for target shooting, and especially the Gateway Dynamite Shoot, the reticle on this scope is perfect.
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