Service Rifle Review of Falcon Menace 1.5 x 5 x 30 Matches 1-12

Hungry

Hungry

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Okay Service Conditions shooters on a budget:

I've tried almost every type of scope out there (except the ELCAN since I'm an iron sighted C1A1 dude from a long time ago) for this game and after many years of trying (combination of screwing up, failing, shooting many 50-xV's, and selling the scopes) different sets of optics, I can finally settle on something that's a super compromise on price ($ 300ish + taxes + shipping), value, and serviceability.

Falcon Menace 1.5 x 5 x 30

The unit is a slight bit heavier than the Leupold MR/T Mark4 M1 3 x 9 x 36mm I mounted and competed with many years ago. At that time, I thought that this scope is ideal for our Matches 1-12 and the odd CQB matches. It was until my son had to attend Queer's Univ in Kingston. Now I'm back to being on a tight budget, hence the purchase of this Falcon Menace scope. Oh yeah, I bought it online from Mike at www.allengunworks.com (board sponsor). He's fantastic to deal with!

Butler Creek flip ups: I did not like the factory supplied covers so I picked up these sizes at www.ellwoodepps.com ! Eye = 20 & Objective = 15

I'm mounting this scope using my all time favorite Millett Angle-Loc 30mm LOW rings on top of a Brownell's 1/2" riser mount with thumbscrews that cost me $ 60ish from Brownell's before Obama Bin Laden got elected. ;) Cheek height works for me, your mileage may vary with different ring combinations.

Here is one side. Notice the Brownell's riser mount with 2 thumb screws.

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Here's the other side:

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Eye relief is decent, but I like the rear eyepiece to sit just north / forward of my charging THandle or PRI Gas Buster charging handle. I've added Butler Creek flip-up eye covers from www.ellwoodepps.com (board sponsor) for around $ 20ish plus taxes. Can't remember the sizes, better not ask me :evil:.... Okay... here are the sizes again... Eye = 20 & Objective = 15

The knobs are not tall like my Mark4 M1 turrets that I like to adjust without my reading glasses. They are short and finger adjustable. Keep the protective caps in your zipped (ziploc'ed) pocket in your gun case so you won't lose them. I shoot without them on, never lose them that way. Keep them stored in the original factory box, always know where to find them. ;) The knobs need a super small Allen key (included) which resides inside my Magpul MIAD grip. Yes, there are THREE little set screws needed to loosen off the turret ring and 'slip your scales' after you zero at 100m, then I rotate the freespinning turret to "0" position.

My comeups are:

100m 0 index
200yds 2 index
300yrd 4 index
400yds about 7 (only shoot 2 rds from the sitting during match 12)
500yrds 10 index

I'm shooting a Hornady 68 gr HPBT exiting at 3000 fps using WC735 surplus powder from Higginson's shop. About 25.0 gr will get this velocity. This is a warmish to hot load! :eek:

So back to slipping my scales, 3 little set screws just like my older Leupold VariXIII target knobs. I was spoiled with my Mark4 M1 & Bushnell Elite 3200 10x Mildot units that only use ONE screw! Falcon engineers, take notes! :eek:

German reticle

Illuminated reticle is really cute. Little tiny dot in the German reticle fashion barely covers the 'chin' at 200yards, very nice. Even used the red/green illum at brightest setting for match4 200 to 100 rundown. Worked well and I shot mid 40 points. No distractions finding the fig 12 on the stick, followed it up the stick (RCR shooters showed me this technique).

That tiny dot was perfect also for the 300m/yd matches 5 to 8. Did not cover too much of the aiming point on 5x power, and during the match 7 rapid fire match, I shot a mid 40 score and I was able to 'wris####ch' the fig 11 nicely. My previous NSN TA01 reticle'd ACOG covered up the fig 11 at the 300m mound. What a PITA! Back to the german reticle on the Falcon Menace, it's truly wonderful. What a nice change from the usual duplex (can you say 'hunting' ??) reticles found in the Leupold VariXIII's I used to compete with. The BROAD (read: super fat) left, right, and center posts really and truly direct your eye in a hurry to the little illuminated (when you turn it on) dot. A most welcome change!! I'm super pleased with this unit's reticle. I'm in heaven!!

At 300 m/yds, the little dot covered the 3" indicator (orange plastic disc), so I would guess that the dot is a SINGLE MOA dot. Just small enough to allow some relative precision shooting (within reason of course).

At 500m/yds, the little dot at the center of the reticle centered itself perfectly in the middle of the fig 12 A face with room to spare. Nothing too onerous, large or obtrusive. Fits wonderfully with a bit of aiming room right, left, and top so that you can monitor your breathing and natural alignment. You shooters know what I'm yakking about. That black dot is 1 MOA and it parks itself so very well. It's like someone in the UK and Japan ESP'ed me! :D

Windage knob- Yeeeha!

The Falcon engineers did their homework with the windage knob. Sure it's as small (or large) as the elevation knob/turret, but this one is marked most differently. It's not marked 0 to 14 MOA, like the rest of my Leupold scopes. It's marked 0 to 7 as you dial LEFT windage (put left windage on) and 0 to 7 as you dial RIGHT windage....

Now you know how far left OR right you have added for windage at one glance! Back with my Mark4's, when I saw index 3, I knew I was 3 MOA RIGHT windage... When I saw index 12, I had to remind myself I was 3 MOA LEFT windage (or something like that). I'm putting all that behind me as I prepare to buy my SECOND Falcon Menace.

Remember my mantra: Don't buy ONE, buy TWO of them! Well, I'm practicing what I preach(ed).

Holy :eek: knobs, Batman!! Just like their other variable Falcon Menace 4.5 x 18 x 56mm that I'm hoping to buy from Allen Gun Works when they get more in.

Glass Quality

I was happy with the quality of glass. Okay, so this ain't a Mark4, but for $ 300 it's right up there with my $ 200ish Elite 3200 10x Mildot. I'm glad as heck. I've found what I'm looking for.

Okay, so I can't pursue the Queen's Medal because I'm too fat and ugly, but at least I'm gonna step on the mound with some LCV (look cool value) knowing that the matte finished quality built scope for the price point, AND I did not break the bank! :nest: I can afford to spend more money on practice ammo and my well used gym membership instead of staring at myself with my M4 in the mirror! :rolleyes:

June 2010 Update

Okay, it's been over a year and a half and life is good. The scope is going strong. I've remounted the unit with a pair Leupold Mark4 Med rings and that works for my fat face. I'm using iron sights for CQB matches as well so I like the Mark 4 rings' ability to single nut/bolt remove and then re-install, slap on the irons and then convert back to the Falcon unit.
 
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I'm not in the same league as Hungry and co but got the chance to check out his rig and optics.

Falcon Menace 1.5 x 5 x 30 is a sweet piece of kit for the price. The reticle is pretty darn cool. Eye relief was ok for me with Hungry's setup, required a little bit of adjusting to get a proper sight picture(I didn't adjust his optic obviously nor his stock, so conflicts with muscle memory). However, it seems pretty damn fast.
 
As Hungry pointed out, the reticle works just fine. Put the dot on the chin at 500m, and bang! The dot is small enough that you don't have to try to guesstimate what is hiding under the dot. And there is no compromise for shortrange, either, with the German three post reticle. Scales are easy to read, well, with my reading glasses (heck, I'm even older than Hungry), and clicks can be felt. Its interesting, my Allen wrench is in the grip compartment, too. Going to see if the turret caps will fit in the butt trap. I have an Elcan, prefer the F-M. No need to have a washer hanging from the wrist, and the reticle works better for me.
Let's hope more of these scopes are imported.
I use Brownells risers, too. Brownells is a licenced exporter, and their products are exportable.
My sniper rifle is wearing a F-M FFP scope. Wasn't too sure about the metric adjustments - one click/1 cm./100m. - until it occurred to me that that is pretty darn close to 1/3 minute. The old dog won't have to learn any new tricks.
Hungry is shooting 25gr. of the W735 with the Hornady 68. I'm using 23.5, primers are flat, but not alarmingly so. At 24, flattening is more pronounced. Different rifle, different barrel, different chamber. Accurate ammunition.
 
Interesting Hungry. I was looking into that scope too "If" I switch to a reciever mounted scope for my M14. The price is right and now you have confirmed the rest. How does it keep it's zero so far?

Hungry here: I've been super happy for the past 2 months with this boomstick bumping around in the gun case inside my 'Yota' Rav4, around the dirt roads on Charlie & Alpha Ranges at Connaught. Totally reliable whenever you return them down to "0" index after running the 400m plus of Match 12. Not a single doubt or hesitation. I'm glad I bought this unit. Especially for this price of $ 300ish. :D
 
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Funny you should ask. I sighted things in at 25m and POI (point of impact) was 2in. below POA (point of aim). Then I left things at that. Dismounted the scope/riser assembly using the 2 thumb screws on the Brownell's 1/2" riser.

Then I mounted my fake NSN TA01 ACOG on and zeroed for the Connaught matches. All was good for the 09-10 May Connaught Service Rifle matches. Then I swapped optics and without any re-zeroing I trusted my Brownell's riser mount and Falcon Merlin to the 200yd Match 1 in Borden 23-24 May. RIGHT on the freakin' money. My 25m zeroing is the answer for my 200m zero. Dead nuts on during the deliberate. Wow :eek: Life does not get any better!

How's that for keeping a zero and maintaining my confidence in this product?

I realize this is a tiny anecdotal experience, but I'm hoping of great things to come (again and again.)

Hope this helps,

Barney
 
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Thanks for the review and the kind words Hungry.

The 1.5-5x30 is being redesigned by Falcon right now. It should be pretty much the same. There may be a new reticle and the internals are being upgraded. Not sure about light transmission changes.

I am hoping these will be back by the fall.
 
Just returned from my 2nd Service Rifle match with this unit. Super reliable, no nasty surprises like, "Why are my settings inconsistent?". No Sireee ; all is great. Nice and trusty just like my previous MR/T Mark4 3 x 9 x 36mm M1. I'm most happy with this unit after the latest match.

Got another match coming up at Borden for the weekend of 20-21 Jun 2009 and I'm looking forward to putting this optic to the test. :D

I fired all the matches in 5X setting. Did not even use the illuminated reticle at all since my batteries were weak from forgetting to turn off the unit (left side windage knob) after the match :cool:

I'm super happy with the single MOA dot in the middle of the german reticle. During the match 1 run down, the dot did not obstruct the target acquisition process (huffing & puffing all the time). That dot was nice and small to say my mantra of "Sight picture, sight picture, sight picture" while centering that little black MOA dot between the super FAT posts.
All the while, the dot did not obstruct the image during the deliberates, snaps and rapids. Hey, I even shot a 48 in the 300 yard rapid and won that match. :D That dot nicely covered the wris####ch area aiming point on the fig.11. I believe I shot a 49 during the Match 6 300 yard snap, too. Don't ask about my 25 point or 22 point rundown Match 8, my 2 hip replacements are slowing me down. :rolleyes:

Anyways, more to come on this scope's work this season. Most happy! :dancingbanana:

Peace out!

Barney
 
My Falcon Menace 1 1/2 - 5 has now been through three full sets of service rifle matches. Two days were in the rain. The scope got good and wet.
No glitches or problems.
Adjustments are predictable, dependable. Wound on the come-up for 500m this morning, first sighter was a 5. Windage corrections were responsive.
 
I just did a google search of the scope; Bushnell Elite 4200 1.25 x 4 x 24 (30mm tube) and I discovered that the lack of finger manipulated turrets might mess you up when changing distances (unless you want to start messing with different holds at different ranges), especially in the run down matches. If you can hold over or hold high just like the soldiers did back in 1992 when CFSAC was shot with issued iron-sighted C7 (M16A1 sights & carry handle) then you might have a contender. :D
 
Hungry said:
I just did a google search of the scope; Bushnell Elite 4200 1.25 x 4 x 24 (30mm tube) and I discovered that the lack of finger manipulated turrets might mess you up when changing distances (unless you want to start messing with different holds at different ranges), especially in the run down matches. If you can hold over or hold high just like the soldiers did back in 1992 when CFSAC was shot with issued iron-sighted C7 (M16A1 sights & carry handle) then you might have a contender. :D
Click to expand...

Many thanks Hungry - I'm going to contact Bushnell and see if they will install target turrets a la Leupold's Custom Shop...


blake
 
How do I know? I was busy running the line (safety RSO), but yes, it's fantastic set at 1.5X and red/green dot ON! :evil:

Seriously, don't buy ONE of these scopes, but buy TWO of them! Great glass for the money!

I forgot to mention, on 21 Jun, I shot a personal best of 523.23V (something like that) using this scope. Truly, it ain't the scope, I've been working out like crazy lately. TimK knows that! I've been on his case a great deal! :evil:
 
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