I’ve been shopping around for a scope for my new .308 long-range rig, and while I thought I had a pretty decent budget for this glass ($1200), it’s been surprisingly hard to find the exact configuration and combination of features I wanted.
Here were some of the key items I’ve been looking for in this scope:
80 MOA or more of elevation adjustment
Outstanding glass, with top of line coatings and 95% or greater light transmission
A “first focal plane” (FFP) reticle, rather than the standard SFP approach
An MP-type reticle with the hash markings rather than standard mil dots
Illumination
Side focus knob
Relatively compact: 14" or less, 20 oz or less in weight (this one is close enough, 21 oz)
Believe it or not, this IOR Valdada Tactical scope, 2.5-10x with MP-8 illuminated FFP reticle, is the ONLY scope I’ve been able to find in existence that meets the above features and does it within my budget. There’s a new Leupold Mk 4 that has an FFP reticle and comes close, but the Leupold has their TMR reticle, which I don’t want, and also they will not combine illumination with an FFP reticle ( you have to choose one or the other, I guess). And Nightforce has some nice MP-style reticles and features, but their stuff is EXTREMELY bulky and heavy, plus they do not seem to have FFP reticles yet. US Optics meets most of my specs, except they are priced out of reach.
So the IOR Valdada is the only one that comes close. Ironically, the “Falcon” Menace scopes, which you can get for under $400, seem to have almost everything I wanted on them with the exception of the illumination, and you could get one for under $400!!! They even have the option of getting one with the MP-style reticle. And they actually get good reviews on Sniper Central. But I’m not quite trusting them because they’re made in the U.K., only have a 5-year warranty, and aren’t all that well known here yet. If anyone knows anything about the Falcon scopes, I’d appreciate hearing it.
So bottom line: Does anyone else own an IOR Valdada tactical scope, and would you recommend them? Or would I be better off saving my money and taking a chance that the Falcon Menace is as good a scope as it appears to be, for $385?
Here’s the IOR MP-8 reticle (the Falcon’s reticle looks similar):
I am running a 2-12 on my XCR and a 3-18 on my .308. They have seen some field use and the 2-12 got dropped from a height over 10 foot and didn’t loose zero. I like the glass and love the reticle.
I believe IOR Valdada are made in Romania. They are getting a pretty good, and growing reputation here in the U.S. Initially I heard a few complaints about their service when someone would have an issue, but apparently this has been corrected over the past couple of years.
I’m a little leery about buying them over Leupold, but the thing is, their scope that I linked to above is the only one that has what I really want on the scope, within my price range. Just not sure if I trust this company enough yet to give them $1K of my money, whereas with Leupold, I’d have no hesitation. That is, IF they had a scope configured the way I wanted it.
I started hearing about them a couple years ago. I think someone said they were made in Russia, I guess it’s all the same for some people.
Thanks to this thread, I’m looking into them, or the Falcon that was mentioned. Time and money will tell…
Great scopes from what I’ve always heard from owners (I see a lot of them at the ranges around here)… I don’t know about the customer support, but the glass is incredible, and can almost match Leupold’s and rival Nightforce’s, IMO. The reticle seems to be very well-thought out as well… But, if I were going to get one, I’d save another $200 or so and get this: http://www.valdada.com/product/2db3f757-a005-4e3d-a442-ea0370a2a1a8.aspx
Has the same reticle as the one you linked to, 35mm tube would offer wicked adjustment range, and 3-18x… can you think of a more perfect power range?
The 3 - 18 is very versatile and I love mine. The sweet spot on eye relief seems as big as any other scope I have used. One of the other snipers here has a NF 5.5 - 22 and I think the glass on the IOR is a little better. At higher magnifications the colors seem sharper.
I have a slight issue with mine as there are two small “specs” in the glass. I have contacted Liberty Optics and I have a RA to send it back to the Colorado office. Since it doesn’t affect zero, I have asked to wait until after my next training day and they have been very accomodating. My hope is that I get it back between training days but so far so good as to customer service.
One other thing that is nice is the elevation knob has 25 MOA on one turn. This gets me out to 700 yards on one turn. About the only way it would be nicer is if it had a zero stop.
I called Valdada’s US operation in Colorado to ask them why, on the 2.5-12x models that have FFP and illumination (that’s the one I want), they have no side-focus or parallax adjustment.
They told me: “You don’t need parallax adjustment on a scope this size, and with glass this good. All the US Optics makers, like Leupold and Burris, think that you need side adjustment on scopes of only 10x or 12x, but most European makers that use better glass don’t do it that way, it isn’t necessary.”
Honestly, I hate those kinda’ comments, because they COULD be true, but I have no way of proving it. If anyone knows anything about that, I’d sure appreciate hearing it.
i haven’t found the need for the parallax adjustment on my 2.5x10, and the glass in mine looks better than my brother’s Mark4. if you’re really interested try out:
That’s right. At 10x, the maximum for that scope, parallax is going to be very very little, and only at very long range, and any parallax that is noticable is going to be minimal, if not alleviated by focus ring adjustments… Over 10x though, can have severe parallax - especially 14/16x scopes, if not equipped with adjustable parallax. So, you’re not interested in the 3-18x? It has adjustable side-focus parallax… a bit more expensive, but you get a LOT more range of adjustment as well…
I MIGHT be interested in 3-18x in terms of power, but looking at the offering that Valdada has in that range, I don’t want the weight. I’d really like to keep total weight to 20oz or less. Don’t want to get so bulky. That, along with cost, is also why I’m avoiding Nightforce.
