Compact Rifle Scopes - What Are You Sacrificing?

[bill123]

What does a scope give up in performance in order for it to be made compact?

I recently bought a March Compact 2.5-25 x 42. On paper, it seemed like the ideal scope. In reality, the glass is subpar. My $600 Vortex Diamondback has clearer glass off of the same rifle (20 MOA rail).

There is a statement in the March manual to the effect that if you zero your scope too far from optical center, the resolution degrades. I understand the phenomenon but have never seen it in any other scope that I have owned.

Is this what you give up with a compact scope?

 

[4th_point]

I am not an optical engineer or technician, but as I understand it you obviously need to manipulate light inside any optical device and the shorter the device the more severe the angle and possibly the number of lenses. That makes for a more complicated scope to design, and assemble correctly.

I have a few scopes that are pretty close to bottomed out for elevation, so I can shoot far. At 100 yards, white targets can appear purple with one of the short designs. However, I don't shoot it much at 100 and when I dial for longer range it looks fine.

 

[bill123]

I am not an optical engineer or technician, but as I understand it you obviously need to manipulate light inside any optical device and the shorter the device the more severe the angle and possibly the number of lenses. That makes for a more complicated scope to design, and assemble correctly.

I have a few scopes that are pretty close to bottomed out for elevation, so I can shoot far. At 100 yards, white targets can appear purple with one of the short designs. However, I don't shoot it much at 100 and when I dial for longer range it looks fine.

Sounds good. Thanks!
so, if I switch out the flat rail to a 20 MOA, it would bring me back closer to optical center and give me less distortion / blurr?

 

[4th_point]

It might, but 20 MOA isn't that much in my mind so the 10x zoom might contribute to the issue as well.

I'd just spin the turret and see if the view improves.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Sounds good. Thanks!
so, if I switch out the flat rail to a 20 MOA, it would bring me back closer to optical center and give me less distortion / blurr?

You could use a set of Burris Signature rings with the inserts. With the inserts you can change the moa up, down or sideways and still return to where you were. The options are almost limitless once you buy a set of off-set inserts.

 

[Ckleeves]

I would Count the total adjustment in the scope top to bottom and then go to the center of the adjustment range and see if the view is improved before swapping rails or rings.

 

[sp6x6]

Im guessing you messed with parallax, mine isn't great either, but its a early run.I like all the other egos,but picky parallax and my mark 5 blows it away on image

 

[Koda_]

What does a scope give up in performance in order for it to be made compact?

I recently bought a March Compact 2.5-25 x 42. On paper, it seemed like the ideal scope. In reality, the glass is subpar. My $600 Vortex Diamondback has clearer glass off of the same rifle (20 MOA rail).

There is a statement in the March manual to the effect that if you zero your scope too far from optical center, the resolution degrades. I understand the phenomenon but have never seen it in any other scope that I have owned.

Is this what you give up with a compact scope?

Zeroing close to optical center is a theory that applies to all scopes. What you give up in a compact scope is features, its harder to fit more features inside a smaller envelope.

 

[sp6x6]

You also give up mounting options

 

[shooters]

I have 2 March 2.5-25x52's and the glass is phenomenal. Better than my ATACR's but not as good as my Kahles 525…..but close. Wonder if you just got a not so great sample.

 

[bill123]

Im guessing you messed with parallax, mine isn't great either, but its a early run.I like all the other egos,but picky parallax and my mark 5 blows it away on image

I did try the finicky parallax. It didn't help. I'm thinking about a Mark 5. How are the mark 5 turret clicks? The clicks on my Leupold XV-6 get so soft in cold weather it's nearly impossible to feel them.

 

[bill123]

I have 2 March 2.5-25x52's and the glass is phenomenal. Better than my ARACR's but not as good as my Kahles 525…..but close. Wonder if you just got a not so great sample.

I'm thinking about sending it in for warranty work.

 

[sp6x6]

I haven't used that scope much in the cold ,its on more of a rig /practice rifle for me.