March 2.5x25x52mm SFP scopes?

[lancetkenyon]

I, too, have a March, in the 3-24x52 FFP flavor with the FML-1 illuminated reticle.

While it is fairly new to me, some of the advantages are crystal clear. Weight, huge mag range (8 or 10X), length, low profile turrets, ridiculously easy to set zero stop, lack of CA. Other features are still top notch, like glass quality, color, contrast, reticle, illumination, turrets/tracking.

While there are a few that are better in these fields, they are not so much better that anyone would opt out of the March if looking for a lightweight scope for a mountain pack hunting rifle. Really, nothing else in this playing field that compares. FFP, short, light, illuminated, and a reputation for tracking correctly (since they switched to the more common MIL 1/6400 NATO).

To be honest, I bought mine for a 6CM I am currently building. I made the terrible mistake of putting it on a lightweight .280AI I built last year to take it to the range to test...…..and now it is staying on the .280AI, as that rifle is a more capable chambering to reach out a bit further than the 6CM in a hunting application for deer/elk sized game, so the extra 9X in top end over the 3-15x50 Premier Heritage Light Tactical that used to sit on it, will be better suited to that rifle. So now I ordered another scope for the 6CM that is at the gunsmith......meaning this March just cost me $6K......

 

[brentc]

I have the SFP 2.5-25x52 on my lightweight Edge. All of the above said about the March being a premium option is absolutely true. The eyebox is plenty generous and the adjustments are true. These scopes are for serious LR shooters that don't want to deal with 30-40oz optics on their backpack rifles.

I have developed a personal theory about "eyebox" but not being an optical expert, wouldn't necessarily take it to the bank. At least with my March which I have owned tor a few years, I believe the smaller eyebox supports a more certain correction when adjusting for parallax. When I first mounted my March 2.5x25x52 SFP/MP3 reticle, I noticed my groups were consistently better then when I had my NXS 5.5x22x50. I initially though that it was perhaps a change in my load, but put the Nightforce back on the rifle and found that my groups we're again, more varied in size. One of the differences between the two scopes was the Marches smaller eyebox and the much faster ratio parallax/focus control. When I concentrated on my eye position and "meticulously" did the eye movement check with the Night Force, my groups I fact did match the smaller groups I was getting with the March........but this a tedious process, and took quite some time with the NF, and simply being in focus was not good enough. I "think" the smaller eyebox, by design, brings the eye closer to the center of the scope picture....where parallax effects are less/non-existent). With the March, as long I was in that eyebox and my sight picture was focused, my precision was nuts on...every time and very fast! No checking with eye movement necessary which is hard to do anyway with the smaller eyebox. IMO, the combination of a smaller eyebox and fast ratio control is very fast and precise, very helpful in LR hunting scenarios when time is a factor. After shooting the March for a while, the smaller eyebox becomes un-noticeable, and a welcome feature. iMO..

If I were to take the time to write my thoughts about the March, they would look eerily similar. Needless to say, my Nightforces are all gone for the same reason.

 

[CA48]

I have a March 3-24x52 FFP FMA-2 reticle. I've liked it enough that for awhile now I've just been switching it over to what ever rifle I'm shooting. It has very positive detent clicks that feel good and solid. I like them than better than the NF. The magnification ring takes about the same effort to turn as my NXS but the ring is much easier to grip.

I haven't noticed any issues with the eye box.

I like the parralex adjustment, I don't view as sensitive like most do. I think it's quicker to adjust.

The zero stop is very fast and simple but mine has been hard to release or unscrew.

I took a few rifles out shooting past 1000 yards the other day in the late afternoon, bright sun, 105* and the first thing I noticed was how well the March handled the haze. When compared to my Sightron, vortex viper pst, and older NF. It had become the norm for me as I've been using the March almost exclusively for awhile now. But when having other optics around to compare. It made me realize in the past I might not have even went out to shoot in such conditions at those ranges, not at max power.

This is my first FFP scope, the main advantage is being able to spot for myself and others at any magnification while maintaining the same reticle values to give fast and accurate corrections that are hard to estimate with a spotting scope.

March has the smallest recticle subtensions available in FFP as far as I know so it has been great to use in ELR situations on small targets. At point blank the reticle is small on 3x but the main lines outside of the actual reticle taper down and guide your eye nicely to the center. Just going up to 4x increases the reticle size a lot and is plenty big for acquiring targets quickly up close.

At The last few matches I competed in, I opted to take the March over my other scopes.

For a moderate to light weight hunting rig that will be packed I feel it's in a league of its own. There was a slight amount of bedding material in one of my flush cups at one point, so while carrying on the sling it didn't allow the stud to lock properly and the rifle fell off my shoulder and slammed to the ground. Rezeroed, it was off about 1/2 moa and even with a slight dent in the scope tube it remains to function perfectly. Reliable tracking, great glass that reduces haze which is usually at its greatest while most shots are taken in hunting scenarios. Light and compact while still having over 20x max mag, has high quality flip open covers that don't pop open while being packed, and has all the features that come with heavy, bulky, tactical scopes without having to compromise anything.

 

[drespecki]

This is killing me! Nowhere in my area to look at/through one of these....

 

[brentc]

This is killing me! Nowhere in my area to look at/through one of these....

It was leap of faith for me. I never looked through one before I bought mine.

 

[Greyfox]

It was leap of faith for me. I never looked through one before I bought mine.

Same for me.

 

[Ed AO]

I'm about to buy another one for my 6.5 PRC!

 

[The Oregonian]

Same for me.

Me as well. When Kelbly's was the dealer they said I could order and send back if I didn't like it. Not sure if that is an option with the current distributor.

 

[highplains]

I purchased a 2.5-25x52 SFP March scope several years ago for a new build. I had never handled one before the purchase. I loved the compact size and light weight. This was one of my best purchases. I now have 2 of the 3-24x52 FFP in addition the the 2.5-25. The eye box issue isn't much an issue for me. They all track perfectly, glass is excellent, great in low light, compact, lightweight, simple zero stop.

 

[kiwikid]

The March I bought is the 2.5-25x42mm with the DiPlex reticle and ballistic turrets. Just like many of you I bought it without ever seeing one or having the opportunity to play with one. I was very surprised at how compact the scope is for such a huge magnification range. It may not be the lightest scope I own but I think it might well be the most rugged. Leaning against the large tree in my avatar is my Sauer 202 which is where my March resides.

 

[Greyfox]

I had a few questions about the substentions of the MTR-3 reticle on the 2.5x25x52 SFP. I have attached the information on this reticle. This reticle is my preferred substention in a hunting reticle. Aside from being uncluttered, the reticle thickness just about perfect for a wide variety of hunting conditions. It subtends to the values shown at 20X(50%@10x, both highlighted in red on the power ring). It's thickness(.08MOA) is right between the Nightforce MOAR-T(.0625MOA) and the MOAR(.125MOA). Just the right thickness to not get lost in the shadows and low light, but fine enough to handle shots on small targets at ELR.

 

[hunterdan]

you guys are killing me. Going to cost me a lot of money!!

 

[mnfischer]

After swapping a few direct messages with Greyfox with questions about his March scope, I bought a March 2.5-25x42 MTR-3 about a year and half ago to put on a 6 CM that I had built by TS Customs. The optical quality and mechanical function of the March is easily a match (if not better) than the Nightforce and Swarovski scopes that I own. The deal breaker for me is its light weight. Great scope.

 

[bigbulls]

Just ordered March 2.5-25x52 MTR-3 hoping you all lead me right haven't laid eyes on one, going on faith of what I've read here.