IOR 3-18 x 42 Scope

[NDNorm]

Jon A
you've given one of the fairest responses to a unpleasant experience i have read in any form, you are to be commended.
As a owner of a second batch 3-18 ffp on a 15.5 pound total - 7mm wsm - the recoil is absorbed by the weight I'm thinking it should last. time will tell.
Norm

 

[katigroszek]

That German company - I-E-A (Home IEA MIL-OPTICS GmbH) - is willing to export to Poland (cost 18 Euro, payment by money transfer to bank account) so perhaps it would sell to US customer as well. Worth asking if You like the scopes, but might come up all too expensive compared to S&B.

 

[ScottBerish]

That German company - I-E-A (Home IEA MIL-OPTICS GmbH) - is willing to export to Poland (cost 18 Euro, payment by money transfer to bank account) so perhaps it would sell to US customer as well. Worth asking if You like the scopes, but might come up all too expensive compared to S&B.

I think it's a little more complicated than that. These military grade scopes fall under ITAR, and the EU requires an export permit and the US Dept. of State requires an import license, just as if you were importing firearms (welcome to the New World Order ).

Still, no doubt in my mind the market is here, just look at S&B.

I'd bring them here in a heartbeat if they were serious, but the permitting process and licensing is pretty big $$, not too mention the cost of the scopes.

 

[katigroszek]

I think it's a little more complicated than that. [...]

It explains my trouble to import the USO scope - could not find a licensed importer on my side willing to receive the scope for me.

As for me - it is quite easy (with I-E-A), as the S&H is pretty cheap, and they said the've exported to Poland already. I guess it is that we're (Germany and Poland) all EU now, and the scopes here do not need all the paperwork that guns do. So I'm collecting pennys now - 3-12 or 4-16 choice depending on how much I manage to save and how they compare to new S&B prices.

Sorry to bother than.

Over&Out

 

[Jon A]

Jon A
you've given one of the fairest responses to a unpleasant experience i have read in any form, you are to be commended.
As a owner of a second batch 3-18 ffp on a 15.5 pound total - 7mm wsm - the recoil is absorbed by the weight I'm thinking it should last. time will tell.

Thanks, Norm. I would expect a very long life on your rifle, maybe forever. In fact, I'll bet if I had been bolting these things onto my 7-08 instead of the 300 I wouldn't be having any of these problems. The only second batch ones that broke I know of came on a 300 RUM and a 338 Edge. I think there's a reason for that.

So I'm collecting pennys now - 3-12 or 4-16 choice depending on how much I manage to save and how they compare to new S&B prices.

Nice. Let us know how you like it. I don't think I like the reticle quite as well, but otherwise they look like pretty sweet scopes. I'll bet the low light performance will be out of this world with 56mm of the best glass Zeiss makes.

What's your honest assessment of the IOR FFP 3-18X42 on a .308 AR platform?

I don't have experience with those so I couldn't tell you. It seems to me though it's just the straight on brute force G-forces of my rifle that breaks them so easily. A factory refurb may not be a bad idea at all in this situation. Heck, you might get one of my old scopes! Maybe the tech that fixed it replaced whatever broke with something stronger.

 

[Sean K.]

Jon A,
Oddly enough your glowing report of how much you like the IOR except for it breaking is a large part of why I went ahead and bought Scott's refurb.

I hope I'm as impressed as you (I'm sure I will be).

Thanks for the detailed write ups.

Sean

 

[Sean K.]

Quick question (I see no mention of it on IOR's site or at Liberty Optics)...

Does the FFP 3-18x42mm come with zero stops?

Just wondering.

Sean

 

[Jon A]

Thanks for the detailed write ups.

No problem. Just promise not to hate me for it later.

Does the FFP 3-18x42mm come with zero stops?

No zero stop but it's not something I miss on this scope for my use. My S&B has it but I'd still trade elevation knobs on it with the IOR if I could (I like the lower profile, smoother feel and clicks being farther apart).

The biggest advantage of having a zero stop is being able to crank it down to zero without looking or in the dark, etc. If you're sniping stuff in the dark you might need to be able to do that. I don't.

The other good use where they can really help out even in daylight when you are looking is with smaller knobs that require many turns to get to distance. If you're on your 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc, turn of the elevation knob it can be easy to lose track or turn back down and stop on the wrong turn. It's nice to be able to quickly crank it down hard until it stops so you can start over and have 100% confidence it's right.

But with scopes with big knobs and 10 or 12 mils per turn, pretty much all "normal use" for me is on the first turn of the knob so it's never an issue. It's hard to loose track when you're always on the same turn for normal use or at worst a turn an a half for the most extreme range plinking that won't come up for me in the field.

I was opining over the last week using the Falcon next to the S&B that the Falcon is the one that could have used the zero stop more than the S&B since it only has 6 Mils per turn and I was on the second turn as often as not and never got off the first turn of the S&B. Though it wasn't as bad as my old 4-14 IOR was with only 13 MOA per turn. I was often on the 3rd turn for that one. It would have been nice to be able to just crank it down and know it was back to zero.

Just my opinion on the matter. It's certainly a nice feature but not something I feel I need on a knob with 10+ Mils per turn. If I was sniping stuff in the dark, the MTC knobs on the S&B would shine. But since I'm not, I feel they're kind of wasted on me and actually like the big IOR knob better.

 

[Sean K.]

No worries. If it turns out to be a bad choice, it's my fault....I made the decision.

Oh, and thanks for the info on the zero stops.....shouldn't be a big issue for me either, just wondered.


Take care,
Sean

 

[Jon A]

It has about 60 rounds on my 300 so far, which is about when the 2nd one went and more than either the first or third took before they broke. I'll keep track and keep you updated, but I really don't expect any problems.

I shot it again yesterday, so it now has over 70 rounds on my rifle, which officially puts it beyond what any of the three 3-18's lasted. No surprise there but I figured I'd update as it might be replaced pretty soon.

The optics impressed me a bit more, I was clearly seeing 30 cal and 7mm bullet holes in paper at 300 yds which is pretty darn good for a 12X, but I still think I can do better for that kind of money. So, I put down a deposit on the new 3-15X50 Premier. And it's not just the glass, the Premier has some other features I think I'll like better than the S&B as well. The S&B will likely be sold as soon as the Premier gets here, unless I don't like the Premier. We'll see.

 

[Pdvdh]

So, I put down a deposit on the new 3-15X50 Premier. And it's not just the glass, the Premier has some other features I think I'll like better than the S&B as well.

Jon A,

I'm not familiar with the Premier. Is Premier the brand name, or is that a Model designation. Could you post a little more info or a web link so I can check this scope out further? I'm in scope shopping mode also. Thanks.

 

[Jon A]

Brand, Premier Reticles. They're the guys who used to modify Leupolds--swapping reticles, knobs, boosting power, etc. They patented the Gen II reticle a while back. I actually mailed one of my Leupolds to them to be upgraded to the FFP Gen II reticle years ago. Unfortunately they were out of stock at the time or I'd probably still be using that scope now and have a lot more $ in my pocket....

After splitting with Leupold they won the USMC Day Sniper scope contract which is the current S&B with their reticle and modified knobs (exactly like my current one) and became the US S&B service center.

The scope is a 3-15X50, with the Gen II reticle. 22 Mils elevation adjustment in a single turn of the knob in .1 Mil clicks with zero stop. Illumination control properly integrated into the sidefocus knob. I think provisions to lock the turrets. And the glass is supposed to be a good shot better than S&B. Well, that's the claim anyway, I'll have to see what my eyeball thinks. Every single mechanical part 100% made in the USA. The "best glass available to the optics industry" doesn't come from the US, but that's the only part.

Unfortunately there's no link with info on it at the moment; right now you can call and discuss it with them if interested. I saw preliminary drawings of it a while back and wish I had saved them but wasn't interested at the time and they've since been taken down. Within a month or so, you should see pics and all the info you want.

So hell, if it's even 1/2 as good as they say it will be it should be pretty good. The guy I talked to wasn't a salesman so he didn't know the exact details but they're going to have some sort of 30 day return policy...and it's actually a bit cheaper than a new S&B.... So I figure what the hell, might as well check one out and see if I like it. If I'm going to spend this much money on a scope I'm going to be picky and find something I really like.

 

[Pdvdh]

Good information. It sounds like a high end scope in both quality and cost. I'll watch for more information to become available on this Premier scope, but it may exceed my price range if it's up there at USOptics and S&B rates. Thanks for the additional information.

 

[crypto666]

I am a little late here, but wante4d to throw in my 2 cents.

I have owned a IOR 4-14x50 with the MP-8 reticle for over two years now mounted on a DPMS .300 SAUM. This reticle is the best I have been able to find, I think Zeis has something comparable.

At any rate, the reticle is why I bought it. The scope is the clearest I have used and the features kick ***. My only complaint is the illumination is too bright.

It is very durable and has taken a couple falls. Once it rolled off a concrete step at the range because I didn't watch where I set my rifle down. It fell a good 10-12 inches and landed on the turrets (caps on). Picked it up and it was still zero.

It took another fall from the bench on to concrete; about 4.5 feet. I did not see how it landed, but the gun must have landed right side up. Picked it up, and it was still zereoed. Made me sick however.

I love the scope, however, I looked at another IOR at the range and was not impressed. It almost seemed like a different scope. The crosshairs did not looked etched, and the fit and finish did not look the same, granted it was a lower end model.

A friend of mine bought a 10x50 fixed with the MP-8. I have not seen it since the first time he went to the range, it also feel off the bench, but without turret caps on. It did not survive.

THis is were it gets ugly; the warranty would not cover it. WIth other scopes you might be covered in this case. IOR said because of the severity of damage in order to get it fixed it would have to be sent to ROmaniam, which takes several months and would cost as much as a new scope. They eventually worked out a deal and took his broken scope and gave him credit on a new one.

I love my IOR and swear by them, but I will probably get something that has a better warranty in the future.