Optics are one of the many sensitive parts to tackle when setting up a rifle, in fact it's what you need in order to make your hits on target in the first place. Low power variable optics (LPVOs) are the rage these days and for good reason. They allow you to aim at a target at 1x magnification and when you need to identify or effectively hit a target at further distances, you turn the magnification knob up to the maximum magnification that scope has to offer. Combinations are also fairly popular such as the red dot (or holographic sight) and flip to side magnifier which simply magnifies the red dot with no in-betweens, although there are a few exceptions of flip to side magnifiers that have some variability.
But what if you wanted something else? Something that gives you the 1x functionality for close quarters and quickly switch to magnification to engage longer distances. Something that doesn't give you the reticle flare because of your astigmatism, or the worry of the battery life? Enter the NPZ Wolf PSU 1x/4x otherwise known as the "poverty Elcan".
Unlike LPVOs and flip to side magnifiers the PSU utilizes a throw lever underneath the scope to switch between 1x and 4x magnification without anything in between those two options, similar in concept as the much more expensive Elcan Spectre DR but never without differences.
The PSU offers the following features
-Quick detach lever mount with adjustable tension
-Two pair of capped turrets (plain or marked for adjustment direction)
-1x and 4x magnification
-BDC markings calibrated for 62gr 5.56 M855 marked out to 700m
-100 to 800 meter height rangefinder
-26 degrees at 1x and 6.5 degree field of view at 4x (about 34ft at 100 yards) -11 non-daylight bright illumination settings (CR2032 battery) -24.6oz weight
-Also comes with a tool for....something.
Now you might have noticed some things regarding the features but we'll get to that in a bit.
The glass on this thing is clear. It uses schott glass and has the infamous Russian yellow tint which supposedly allows better contrast. Impressive. The field of view is also pretty amazing. Coming in at about 34 feet at 100 yards is very close to what you can get out of a Trijicon Acog TA31 which is about 36 feet at the same distance Of course I have to slap it with negatives. As you may have noticed looking at the list of features, focus adjustment is nonexistent. I can see this optic has the potential to be really clear yet it's like this scope was made for someone who doesn't have "perfect" vision. I'm not saying I have "perfect" vision but my eyes are decent enough, yet the targets downrange look like they could be just a tad sharper. At 1x you will also notice a very noticeable blur at the edges.
Out at the range zeroing this thing in for the first time I noticed something odd. In my mind normal zeroing process says that by adjusting towards "UP" for elevation means to adjust the point of impact of the bullets "UP". Instead what this scope does is that when you're adjusting "UP" it literally means that it moves the reticle up, not the point of impact. In short it's reversed and I don't know if that's just a Russian way of zeroing but I know for sure I shot more rounds than I had to.
Once I got the scope zeroed I checked for parallax which didn't seem very significant on 100-150 yard targets. I also check for a very particular problem that also haunts the Elcan, a zero or point of impact shift when you shoot at 4x and switch to shoot at 1x which is best illustrated by InRangeTV's review of the PSU and supposedly both the PSU and the Elcan Specre DR are notorious for the POI shift. My particular PSU did not have that issue. It shot center at 4x and it shot center at 1x and knowing that made me very happy.
(Above: 9 shot group at a ~1in cross made of masking tape, switching from 4x and 1x)
You may have also noticed that I said 11 non-daylight bright illumination settings. They are indeed nonexistent during the day. You can't really see them until sometime right before the sun sets. I think this is a huge issue. While the reticle does have a thick horseshoe that aids in finding the reticle, you still have to work with the fine lines and especially the chevron. I cannot see this optic to be very suitable for CQB although adequate. I live in a environment where there are lots of trees and treelines. Finding that thin chevron reticle takes a bit of time, though you will make some very fine hits at 100 yards using the tip of the chevron. The illumination is bright enough for night use at least with a Surefire M951 outfitted with a LED bulb that produces maybe 400 lumens (don't know how much candela) but it's too bright for night vision use even at the lowest setting. I've yet to take this scope out to extended distances. The furthest I have access to is about 300 yards which leads to my next point about the reticle. Looking at the reticle you can make very precise hits at 100 yards then hover over a little for 200 yards but for 300-700 yards you are working with monotonous parallel lines. using the BDC markings for 300-700 will be no good for precise hits but instead you'll be making combat hits if you held the target in the middle of the markings. I'll be putting that to the test at 300 yards soon enough.
The Build
So what can you expect from a Russian made optic? Best I can describe it is "crude" yet very usable. What you get with this optic is some kind of black finish kinda like it was painted. I ended up hitting it with a layer of metallic spray paint just so it could look a little cooler in my opinion. The battery cap left the battery loose and wobbly so I used some pliers and bent the metal springs til enough tension was applied to mitigate the free movement of the battery. Was it necessary? No it was working fine before that. Are there painted lines that separate each illumination settings like in the google pictures? No. Functionally that's not a huge deal. The threads on the windage and elevation turret caps were also grindy. I added some grease to it. The tension adjustment keepers are made of plastic which aren't a huge deal to me. You're only adjusting it once and there's little likelihood of me taking the scope off but it is a thing to note. The QD lever lock is also a little finicky to work but it is secure. Conclusions
I intend to update this post when I spend more time behind this scope. There are some things I want to test and retest such as checking if the QD levers retain the scope's zero as well as set up a better target to test any POI shift between the two magnifications. I also want to try and run it through a few courses of CQB distance targets. This scope retails for some $1300 and has been replaced by a updated model which I have no information of. For the price, I think it's a great cheaper alternative to the Elcan but for the retail price of $1300 you have much better options if you look at the LPVO market. I paid less than half for this PSU so I'm not mad at all.
Yorumlar