New Optics line development - Need your input

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CanAm

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Vancouver, BC
I am just back from Europe and have met with several potential suppliers.

One of these is a large optics maker. We would like to have them develop a new line of high quality optics at good prices.

I need your help in choosing 3 products to start the line.

I am partial to the Schmidt-Bender and IOR lines with the 30 and 35mm tubes.

I am thinking a 1-4x30mm, a 3.5x35mm and a 3-9x42mm

Let me know your thoughts on scopes, reticles, design features, etc.
 
Please do not mix MOA and milradians in a scope. Keep MOA reticles with MOA adjustments and mil reticles with mil adjustments. Also, a simple fixed 10x scope with mil reticle and mil adjustments would fill a void. (Although I've been out of the market for a while and I am unsure if anyone is producing these now)
 
littlehughey said:
Please do not mix MOA and milradians in a scope. Keep MOA reticles with MOA adjustments and mil reticles with mil adjustments. Also, a simple fixed 10x scope with mil reticle and mil adjustments would fill a void. (Although I've been out of the market for a while and I am unsure if anyone is producing these now)
Click to expand...

Agreed regarding the MOA/MOA and MIL/MIL. If you're going with a 30mm tube why not go with a 4-14 with a side parallax? I'd rather see a higher zoom range and parallax than a really heavy 3-9. You could even offer that model in a couple different reticles, say a simple duplex, some sort of BDC, and maybe even a MIL/MIL version of the same model. We are serverely lacking budget minded MIL/MIL options.
 
more magnifcation with some type of 'Horus style' reticle like the P4LF or EBR-C2, something that has lots of ranging/holdover hash marks! 5-20x50 or 6-24x50 maybe?
 
1-10x isn't something I see a lot, but would cover both hunting and a fair amount of LR target use if the quality is good...
 
10 power zoom is technically difficult, which is why it is rare, especially true 1x.

2-10x is only a 5 power zoom, so, much easier.
 
It all boils down to price.

The 1-4x would have to be dirt cheap. I mean really cheap. The 1-x segment is probably the most saturated area in optics right now, and they are trending towards 1-6x and higher. With the release of so many 1-6x scopes at low prices, you may have a hard time giving away a 1-4x. Glass quality isn't that important at this magnification range. Having a true 1x (well as close as a variable can get) should be the top priority. Having top notch glass to see the wood grain at 100m... Not so much.

The 3.5x fixed is also competitive, but less so. Scopes seem to be either an Elcan or ACOG (sturdy, amazing glass) and over $1k, or cheap and fit only for range use. A new scope would have a hard time competing at the ACOG level of it is priced accordingly. I personally wouldn't risk a new offering over the proven track record of an ACOG. However, the cheaper end of the spectrum is there for the taking if good glass, tracking and good RETICLES are available.

The 3-9x area is one that is dominated by hunting scopes. You would need to decide if you want to go that route, or to create another legend like the Nightforce 2.5-10x24. If you could recreate that, it would be a license to print money.
 
I think at least one good quality tactical scope in FFP would be a seller. Like others have said, keep it MIL/MIL turrets....10 MIL per revolution...mildot reticle (not MIL line on FFP) to match ranging optics...side parallax....IR on FFP is nice...30mm tubes. I like the 5-25 x 50 range personally, but if you are only able to do one, the 4-14 is probably better for the majority. Basically a Falcon Menace in a higher end package without the price shock of NF or SB.

If it can hold zero and remain accurate throughout its range and not be $3500+ like an SB, I would be a buyer of at least two
 
Suggestions:

1. Fixed 10X scope, 30mm tube, MOA or MIL adjustments on low profile target turrets (2 different versions) with a mil-dot reticule. Price point $5-600. (Direct competition to Bushnell 3200 model 1040 Mildot scope, only with a 30mm tube, and with MOA or MIL adjustment options.)

2. Fixed 3.5X scope, 34mm tube, MOA or Mil adjustments on low profile target turrets (2 different versions), with a combat reticle (chevron tip of some sort.) Have another model of this with an illuminated red version of the reticule. Price-point $6-800 (budget competition for ACOG/ELCAN/Aimpoint combat optics.)

There's a lot of options on the market for stuff other than these two. These are a bit of a 'niche' items, but a good fit for the market.

Additional Criteria:
-Repeatability
-Reliability
-Durability

NS
 
Something short enough to fit on an NEA Cantilever mount and not get bashed to hell by a CZ858's vertical ejection path. 4x magnification would be awesome, too.
 
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