GPO Scopes

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I have no experience with GPO scopes. And I suspect I never will. Did you happen to notice that this scope offers 4mm of eye relief? Not sure if this is a misprint error on their part but I don't think you will avoid a scope cut from a 416RM with 4mm of eye relief. If it is in fact a misprint, would you really trust a company that doesn't double check their own literature? What does it really say about the quality you would expect from their scopes if you can't trust their print?

For DG, I would not trust anything less than Leupold from a price point and go up from there. The VX-5HD 1-5x24 Illuminated (about the same price) would fit the bill and also give you true 1x at the low end. This also gives 5x magnification that will allow you to reach out to about 250 yards. I would not expect a PH to be giving you the green light on a shot longer than this with a 416RM, regardless of the game being hunted.

Leupold has an outstanding reputation for durability and reliability, along with a lifetime guarantee. Other names I'd trust (in no particular order) are Trijicon, Leica, Swaro, S&B, Kahles and Zeiss. Finding a scope from one of these manufacturers WITH PROPER EYE RELIEF for a big bore rifle should not be difficult.

Going on a DG hunt is not the time to be skimping on glass. This is literally something that you are trusting your life to.

Lastly, I'd highly recommend that you mount whatever you buy in high quality QR ring mounts AND that your iron sights are dialed in for 50-100 yards. Mounts from Alaska Arms, Talley and Warne are all trusted brands and should be available for your choice of scope with your Dakota.

@BeeMaa
You forgot meopta scopes as well my friend. Great optics.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

It is a Chinese made German designed scope

@Muskox.
That pisses me right off. I bought a fridge for off roading that said American technology, nothing else.
I bought it based on that but when I got it in small print was made in China. It was a good fridge for the money but not equal to the Engels or Waco.
Bob

 

[ldmay375]

Totally agree Bob. I have been had by old time brands, bullshit advertising; to only find a small ass sticker that says made in China.

 

[Dirtdart]

For most hunting conditions I want a scope to have a field of view on the bottom end of at least 70+ feet and a minimum of 3.5 inches of eye relief with a comfortable "eye box". Glass quality and being able to take some abuse was all part of the package when most of the top tier manufactures produced models in 1.5-6x42 with #4 or plex type reticle.

As I type this the Zenith 1.5-6 by Schmidt & Bender is still in production. I did not see the 1.5-8x42 Stratos listed currently on the S&B website.

Leica did produce the Magnus in 1.5-10x42 but I believe it has been discontinued. I am sure it is, or was a very nice scope if it was anything like the binos they produce.

IMHO the gold standard general purpose hunting scope still in production is the Swarovski 1.7-10x42 Z6i. No need to look elsewhere but sometimes I get curios.

I am not affiliated with any dealer or manufacturer so the following is just my first impression and objective opinion of a GPO 1.5-9x32i Spectra that I recently acquired. The GPO is a sub 1K priced scope being put side by side with a Z6i that cost well over twice that new.

The crosshairs in the GPO #4 are heavier than the Z6i #4. Looking through each side by side with fading light I am able to see the the center hairs on the GPO after I loose the much thinner center of the Z6. I have always thought the Swarovski reticles should be heavier so for me the illuminated dot is critical in low light. The GPO is not as bright at last light as the Z6 but I am shocked at the margin.

I personally do not care if illumination controls are located on the rear eye piece or the side of a scope.
The GPO is a rheostat type that goes from min to max with no off in between each setting. The dot is very crisp on the bottom end but does "bleed" when maxed out. I can't ever see using a setting of higher than 3 of the 8 on the dial other than possibly in broad daylight. I prefer this setup to the illumination my Leupold VX-6HD as it is just more intuitive IMHO.

GPO claims a field of view of 86 feet at 1.5 magnification for this model. The specs for the Z6 from the factory are 75.6 feet at 1.7. The GPO does have a slightly wider FOV on the bottom end but I can't tell if the margin is that much. As a point of reference Leupold stated that the VX-3 1.5-5 had a FOV of 65 feet at 1.5 magnification. The difference between the VX-3 and the Z6 on the bottom end to my eye is substantial.

I can't tell if the GPO factory claim of 4 inches of eye relief is correct but it has to be close. Easy to get behind.

No "mushy" feel when making windage or elevation adjustments.

The rifle range that I have access to is located in the middle of a hunting lease with our spring gobbler season is in full swing. Out of courtesy I keep it quiet until after the season ends so I will not get around to trying this one out on a rifle for a while. I have a week or so to send this scope back for a refund but I am going to hang on to this one.

 

[Dirtdart]

The Swarovski Z6i that I was comparing this GPO to is a Gen1. When I put this GPO next to my Swarovski Gen2 1.7-10 it was obvious that Swarovski has beefed up the crosshairs quite a bit which broadens the gap between them.
Only one range session thus far with the GPO mounted on a .308 but tracking was perfect. So far so good.