I have been looking for a general duty "spare" scope that can go on either my .308mm or 9.3x62mm for "serious use" if required. When not required for this, it will go on a .22LR as a fun/practice rifle.



After looking at the various choices and costs involved I decide to give the Meopta a try and after a few days of waiting, it arrived this afternoon.



As my main scope is a Swarovski 3-12x50, this Meopta looks a little small to say the least!



My first impressions are as follows. The ocular assembly looks a little large, more suited to a 6x42mm in size. This full size ocular assembly means I need medium hight Warne mounts as opposed to perhaps low. Having said that, its still sits quite nicely on the rifle. I have seen more elegant looking German 4x36mm scopes but at well over 50% more in price.



The tube of the Meopta is steel and well finished. It is actually a two part assembly, the ocular being a seperate unit. Again, I would not expect one piece steel construction at this price range.



The click adjustments are 1cm at 100m and feel very precise and can be easily made without a coin...they are also labled in English unlike my Swarovski!...I won't be able to say more about the adjustments untill I get it onto the range.



Now to the optics and I must say I am impressed. At last light it gave great performance considering it only has a 32mm objective lens although they are multi coated unlike the Leupold 4x32mm, the other scope I had considered.



The image itself was very bright and sharp to the outer edges. There was no sign of rainbow effects anywhere. The reticule is German 4a and has additional aiming points on the fine cross hairs; it also has a small "rangefinder" scale that will give the approximate range of a .5m tall object out to 400m. The reticule itself was very black and focused sharply.



The eye relief is quoted as being 80mm but on the rifle it seems a little longer which as a glasses wearer, I am pleased about.



Over all the,the scope is quite short and *just* fits on the long action CZ550 using the Warne QD mounts. I don't think it would fit on one of the Magnum actions without it sitting too far forward..Definately a case of try before you buy!



I wanted a decent/basic spare scope with out spending a fortune. This is not a S&B or Zeiss, but it looks as if it will do everything I want and more. I have used a 7x50mm Meopta for several trouble free years now, and this new 4x32mm seems to be a bit better in many ways.



I know at least one custom rifle builder who offers these as an option on his rifles and he speaks very highly of them, that coupled with my own previous expirience and I am not anticiating any problems.



Regards,



Pete

The 3000 series should have the reticle on the second plane.

The quality of a scope is twofold: mechanical reliability and optical quality.

I don�t question at the least the mechanical quality of Meopta�s. The optical quality can only judged and appreciated at dawn.

Have fun! Hermann