I recently purchased a German Precision Optics (GPO) Passion 6x 2.5-15x56i scope, and Doug from CameraLand asked me to post a short review after checking it out. In between migraines and other health problems, I cobbled some thoughts together. My review is rudimentary, boring and doesn’t offer as much detail as I’d prefer, but it’s all I am up to doing right now. So here it goes:

First off, I should preface my comments by noting that – for me – performance in low light and moonlight are of paramount importance. I can’t get out and stalk game due to my health and restricted mobility, so my shot opportunities are minimal and often involve a dark target deep into the night.

Thus, I have gone through countless scopes – from middle-of-the-road to the true alphas -- in hopes of finding the perfect low-light performer for those 150-175 yard shots on hogs in moonlight. To be honest, the perfect scope does not exist, and I find fault with them all. I am not brand-loyal and do not care if my findings suit the forum cheering camp of certain manufacturers. I simply call them as I see them, so to speak. Anyway…

The scope arrived with a CR2032 battery pre-installed, as do most of the higher-end illuminated scopes today. Also included and mounted on the scope was a clear, flip-up objective lens cover; a black plastic replacement insert is also included in case you don’t like the see-through option. Oddly, there is no protective cover included for the ocular, so I located an appropriate Butler Creek flip-up to fit onto it.

I chose to mount the scope on a Contender rifle that features a 1:9/24” Match Grade Machine barrel in 6.5x30-30 Ackley Improved. With its favored hunting loads, 3-shot, 100-yard groups routinely hover around 0.55 to 0.6”. Given good conditions, groups at 200 yards seldom exceed one inch.

Mounting the scope in medium Warne Maxima rings, I bore-sighted and made the necessary adjustments to give a 100 meter zero. The 1cm clicks are crisp and precise– and you can easily feel each and every adjustment. Both the windage and elevation dials are easily resettable to zero for those who like to twist turrets. I don’t. But I still like to reset them to once I’m done. That way, I can switch loads, make the necessary changes and then return to zero once I return to my original loading.

I normally sight in at 200 yards. But at this time of year, mirage can be an issue, so I wanted to minimize variables as much as possible since my first step was to shoot “the box” to test for reliability of tracking. From bore-sighting to establishing a firm zero took only three shots as the adjustments were sufficiently precise and moved the point of aim the intended amount. The target was placed at 100 meters since the calibration of the clicks is 1 cm at 100 meters.

During the sight-in session, I also gave the side parallax adjustment – which has a range from 15 yards to infinity -- a workout and found the corresponding markings to be as close to reality as any scope out there. I’ve seen numerous expensive models have parallax correction in which the indicated ranges were nowhere near the results achieved. But at least in this particular 2.5-15x56i, it’s spot-on and features a silky-smooth dialing range.

Shooting “the box” was done over the course of an hour and in the very early morning, before temperatures began their daily ascent to that dreaded 100-degree mark. Because the accuracy of the rifle and load had been established long ago, I elected to go with 2-shot groups. This also minimized cooling time. There’s no need for unnecessary detail here as the session was quite uneventful. Every movement ended with groups in the intended location, and the final two shots literally overlapped the original two and combined to create a 4-shot group that measured 0.611”. The following day, I fired five more shots into the same target diamond, and the point of impact remained steadfast and simply turned the original group into more of a ragged hole than anything else.

The reticle used in the GPO is a near-clone of the popular Zeiss #60, and the illuminated dot does not exceed the size of the center wires and thus appears “inside” of the reticle itself (the graphic that appears on the website is incorrect). The reticle is quick to acquire, and the center wires are bold enough to easily see 30-40 minutes after sundown and even later under good conditions. I didn’t receive a subtension chart, but from my crude findings, the center wires appear to subtend approximately 0.3” or a bit more on 10x at 100 yards. Unfortunately, other manufacturers often choose center wires that are too thin – in the 0.18 to 0.24” range – which results in the crosshairs fading into the background, particularly against a darker target. That’s something you won’t have to worry about with the GPO.

I am not generally concerned about eye relief as the calibers I use are all quite mild. GPO claims 3.74” for this model. My own measurement, which should be taken with a grain of salt as this wasn’t done with laboratory precision – indicates eye relief is closer to 3.58”, still more than adequate for even magnum calibers. Going from 2.5 to 15x, I noted only the slightest of shifts when approaching maximum magnification. It was certainly not disconcerting and likely would never be detected under field conditions.

As to overall design, the GPO rates highly as well. On a number of scopes, manufacturers have tried combining the illumination and parallax on the same rheostat knob. Some work. Some will leave you frustrated as turning one invariably moves the other. But the GPO is set up nicely and poses no such problem to the user. The magnification ring operates smoothly and is easy to grasp. Overall, it's a big scope but is user-friendly and has lines that keep it from looking overly-gaudy or cumbersome.

THE GLASS

I never make any judgments on resolution or low-light performance of an optic until after I’ve spent significant time with it – and under as many possible variations when it comes to both lighting and atmospheric conditions. A cursory look through an optic, in my opinion, is quite meaningless. Even in upper-end scopes, some that perform exceedingly well under normal circumstances can fail to impress when the sun dips well below the horizon. On the other side of the coin, certain scopes that may seem to be middle-of-the-road when it comes to image quality in daylight may knock your socks off, so to speak, in low light or moonlight. The Kahles CSX 3-12x56 is a prime example. Its coatings render a daylight image that is more neutral in terms of contrast, so it doesn’t have the vivid rendition or “pop” that other comparable scopes do. But when the light gets low, it truly comes into its own, edges ahead of numerous competitors and is only out-performed by a handful of other scopes.

Nonetheless, my initial impression of the GPO 2.5-15x56 from a purely-optical standpoint is one of awe. Observations under pre-dawn, early morning, late afternoon and 30 to 45 minutes after sunset indicated the resolution will indeed encroach upon and compete with the upper-echelon of hunting scopes.

The image field is surprisingly flat with more than adequate edge-to-edge sharpness. Typical of high-transmission scopes, there is a notable center sweet spot, but it is generous and doesn’t end nearly as abruptly as it does in scopes like the Zeiss Victory HT. And its control of stray light and glare is among the best in the recognized alpha class of optics, a characteristic particularly beneficial to top low-light performance and – believe it or not – somewhat lacking in a couple of high-dollar models.

Even though the attributes of the 2.5-15x56 were many, I remained somewhat skeptical as to how the GPO would render detail once the sun has been below the horizon for 45+ minutes or when the only illumination was from the moon. I quickly learned that my worries were unfounded: the images through the GPO in moonlight and near-dark conditions give up nothing to the top offerings from Schmidt & Bender, Zeiss and others – and does so at a price that is substantially lower as well.

Those familiar with the requirements of a low-light hunting scope understand that magnification is crucial to being able to see ample detail and binge able to make an ethical shot. Of course, one must also have ample transmission to use higher magnifications, and the scope must possess lenses of high enough quality to render usable images under tough conditions. With relatively clear skies and in the 99 percent moon phase a few days earlier, I was able to use 14x on the GPO and could easily identify small animals near midnight at a protein feeder, which is 155 yards from my bench location. On another night, when thin, wispy clouds moved in to diffuse the overhead lighting, resolution charts, inanimate objects and whitetail deer provided little challenge to the 2.5-15x56i scope, which on this night was producing images that were slightly richer and more detailed than the competitors. At this point, the GPO definitely had my attention.

Without getting into boring details, only the S&B Polar appears to have an edge in perceived brightness to my eyes, and that advantage is minimal. But there was no moonlit target I could have engaged with the Polar that I could not have successfully center-punched using the GPO as well. And for the record, to level the playing field, I did set the parallax of the GPO to the same generic 100 meters as featured in the other scopes.

ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLD


But now comes the bad news: The illumination on this unit is daylight-only usable and simply too bright for any applications in moonlight. CEO Mike Jensen went out of his way to try and make things right, but he could not come up with a solution to make the scope workable for me. Apparently all of their available modules currently feature this level of intensity.

The news was disappointing to me. Aside from the illumination issue, this particular GPO has already positioned itself as one of the top low-light performers in the industry. With a darker illumination curve, it would be even better.

But even with this situation, it remains an incredible optic – just not suited to my personal needs. If you hunt whitetail deer, elk or bear 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset or in the dark forests, the GPO is an exceptional choice – trust me on that. It’ll provide you both fine detail and eye-pleasing images – not to mention a precise aiming point. It will both please and amaze those who purchase one for such applications.

But if you plan on using it to snipe a hog or predator in moonlight, you’re out of luck as the lowest power setting overwhelms the target and creates flare spillage even in strong moonlight. One solution to the illumination issue would be for GPO to introduce a heavy , non-illuminated reticle similar to a Zeiss #4, but GPO made no mention of plans for such an offering.

Sadly, the scope has been returned to GPO as we couldn’t come up with a viable solution. I hope Mike and his crew eventually decide to address the illumination. In my opinion, they are only one minor issue away from having an incredible – and affordable – low-light optic that can perform in the worst of lighting scenarios. And if they do, rest assured that I’ll be on the phone to order one. Electronics aside, there is no other scope in the $1500-and-under price range that I have tried that matches the pure low-light optical performance of the GPO 2.5-15x56i.

Bobby, honest and well written.

That seemed a damned good review to me, Bobby, the sort of thing you never see in a magazine, where an ad for the reviewed product is always indecently close by.

I'm interested in your comments about the parallax knob, which also enhances focus of the target. Would it be possible with this scope to focus the target and then use the knob reading as a range finder?

I wonder if the difference you note in the eye relief between claimed and measured could be explained by many makers' practice of measuring to the lens, not the the eyepiece?

Glad to hear it's a good scope. I haven't used one but hate the name. It manages to misrepresent the place of manufacture and insult the supposedly German origin by expressing it English, in one word.

As a side issue, is the extra rear mount an effort to prevent zero loss in the event of the long, enormous objective being bumped?

quote:

Would it be possible with this scope to focus the target and then use the knob reading as a range finder?

As a side issue, is the extra rear mount an effort to prevent zero loss in the event of the long, enormous objective being bumped?

Thanks, Sambarman338. I personally wouldn't do that as there is always a margin of error -- not to mention atmospheric conditions to consider. A standard rangefinder works best for that. Plus, there is only so much room for spacing the markings, so the reading has to be somewhat on the crude side and can't possibly be expressed yard-for-yard.

As to the 3rd ring, it is certainly not necessary. I did so because the rings weren't equi-distant from the turret housing, so it's simply a matter of cosmetics and nothing more.

Thanks Bobby. My query was much to do with my failing to find the range finder when I've wanted it, esp. after it rolled down a shingle slide in my daypack, never to be seen by me again .

I guess being sure the target is perfectly focused could be a problem, anyway.

Does the distance at which the parallax knob best focuses the target, necessarily correspond with the parallax?

quote:

Originally posted by sambarman338:

Does the distance at which the parallax knob best focuses the target, necessarily correspond with the parallax?

It does on this particular scope -- at least reasonably close and moreso than some brands. I've had some scopes in which the yardage readings weren't even in the same ballpark as the focused image.

Excellent review.

Reading this reminds me why I don’t read any gun magazines and throw out my American hunter from NRA in the recycling on way back from the mailbox.

Mike

I must check the parallax focus on that Nikon Monarch 4-16 of mine. I seem to recall it was not too close to the figures shown. Maybe I could calibrate my own dial and re-place the numbers.

FYI, To help get the word out on GPO scopes we are running a promotion:



GPO Passion 4X 6-24x50 MOA Riflescope Outfit only $999.99
Includes at no extra cost to you:
A certificate in the box for a free customized Kenton Turret.
A 3" sunshade
A bubble level

PASSION 4X
This premium 30mm line of riflescopes gives additional advantages to the shooter, with higher magnification and larger low-light objective lenses. The excellent range of adjustment on the 6-24x50 makes it perfect for long range shooting. It features exposed MOA turrets, and a MOA ballistic reticle in the 2nd focal plane that MOA's at 24X.

30mm main tube
iControl illumination options
Extreme range of adjustment
Large low-light lenses
Brilliant optical performance
GPObright lens coating technology
Double HD objective lens technology

Incredible: PASSION 6-24x50 has 4.3” of eye relief and 104” adjustment range, dwarfing other European premium brands.

The GPO PASSION 4X 6-24x50 premium 30mm line of riflescope gives additional advantages to the shooter, with higher magnification and larger low-light objective lenses. Specialty features such as a second focal plane ballistic MOA reticle calibrated at 24x, the extreme 104" of vertical adjustment and a free individualized KENTON turret make this scope perfect for long range shooting.

30mm main tube
¼ MOA external ballistic turrets
1 free individualized KENTON custom turret
2nd focal plane MOA ballistic reticle
Extreme range of adjustment
GPObright lens coating technology
Brilliant double HD objective lens optical performance

Specs:
Magnification: 6x - 24x
Field of View (FOV) ft @ 100y: 17 - 4,5
Field of View (FOV) m @ 100m: 5,6 - 1,5
Objective diameter (mm): 50 Effective diameter
Exit pupil diameter (mm): 8,3 - 2,1 Measurement of the pupilary ocular beam
Eye Relief (inches): 4,33 From the last optical surface
Eye Relief (mm): 110 From the last optical surface
Travel value per click at 100y: .25 (1/4") 1 Click = x / 100y
cm travel value per click at 100m: .63 1 Click = x / 100m
Elevation range total (inches at 100y): 104 100y
Elevation range total (cm at 100m): 288 100m
Windage range total (cm at 100m): 140 100m
Parallax compensation: side adjustment Parallax free at x distance
Transmission Daylight: 90% ISO 14490-5:2005
Height (inches): TBD Without covers
Height (mm): TBD Without covers
Width (inches): 2,8 Fully extended
Width (mm): 72 Fully extended
Length (inches): 15,5 At outside diameter
Length (mm): 394 At outside diameter
Tube diameter(mm): 30 Width of main tube
Weight (ounces): 23,3 Without covers
Weight (grams): 660 Without covers
Windage range total (inches at 100y): 50,7 100y
Mechanical outer diameter(objective mm): 58 Objective end of scope
Mechanical outer diameter (ocular mm): 43 Ocular end of scope

GPObright is a proprietary coating process that maximizes light transmission through each surface of an optical element. As light hits an optical surface, normal uncoated high-performance glass can reflect up to 5% of that light, redirecting this light so it does not transmit through the optical system. However, when these high-performance lenses are vacuum-coated with GPObright lens coatings, up to 99.7% of the available light passes through each optical surface. Furthermore, when every surface of the entire optical system is properly coated, total light transmission can reach up to more than 92%, making the optical image of a GPO binocular or riflescope “bright,” even in the lowest light conditions.

Accessories included with this purchase:
Instruction manual, cleaning cloth, bikini scope cover

If there is anything you're looking for please give us a call at 516-217-1000. It is always our pleasure to speak with you. Always give a call to discuss options and what would be best for your needs