March 2.5 -25 Scope

While many of the well established optical manufacturers continue to present solid dependable units, March are a relative new kid on the block but keen to impress us with their pursuit of ultimate mechanics, optics and versatility. Whilst x3 and x4 erector tubes (e.g. 3-9 or 4-16x zoom capabilities) have been with us for many years, Swarovski introduced the Z6 with x6 magnification ranges and now we see March, are offering a x10 erector tube allowing a x2.5 to 25 zoom spread or on some of their dedicated target models, x5-50 and even x8-80 zoom. This may be very attractive to a dedicated target shooter but I was keen to see if it could apply to a scope more suited to a field, tactical or hunting rifle.

Intelligent Build

With a 42mm Objective lens, overall size and weight are refreshingly modest with a smoothly anodised one piece, 30mm aluminium main tube. Features only start to highlight we are not looking at an ordinary scope when we get to the turrets. The low profile, target-types are calibrated in Minutes of Angle (MOA) and each well-defined click is ¼ MOA. 25 MOA is available in one turn and overall travel is 100 MOA for both elevation and windage, similarly calibrated but clearly marked with Left and Right directions. Hash marks are revealed beneath the elevation dial to indicate which turn you are using and although there isn’t a direct turret rotation indicator, a central screw atop the dial allows you to adjust a zero stop control so you at least cant lose Zero. Allen screws allow rotation of the indicator dial, aligning all marks after your primary zero is set and this rounds off what I consider to be a neat setup, offering all you need without unnecessary bells and whistles.

Oh So Simple

On the left side of the saddle we find the parallax control dial. Reasonably firm with no backlash, it offers clear focus from 10 yards to infinity and I found not only did the markings correspond with the distance, but true parallax correction also coincided correctly with clear image focus. This isn’t always the case and I congratulate March for this kind of optical and mechanical precision. Within the drum we find a soft grey rubberised push button controlling the reticule illumination. First push is ON, further touches increase brightness and your fifth push turns it off. I found this a very simple and fast way to control a function that is often over complicated and importantly on a smaller scope, is neither stealing space from your tube or cluttering an otherwise parallel ocular lens body, here finished with a fast focus eyepiece.

March honestly specifies the technical variation in eye relief to the mm with zoom setting but I did not find any variation particularly noticeable or problematic. Field of view was an acceptable 42 feet at 100 yards on the lowest magnification. The MTR-1 reticle fitted is a simple fine cross with hash marks

traversing it at set intervals. The nice feature here is that on the side of the eyepiece, the subtension (amount of angle represented) of these hash marks is specified at both 10x and 20x magnification. A spotter can easily call fall of shot for the shooter to immediately dial in or aim off a specific correction. This is not dissimilar to Mil-Dot, but here it corresponds, MOA reticule to MOA turrets.

Yes the reticle is in the 2nd focal plane so remains consistent in size but with the zoom ring being clearly marked with red numbers for both 10x and 20x, it is hard to go wrong and certainly made zeroing a 3-shot job. A 75mm sunshade was supplied along with soft rubber lens caps but these were not elasticated and fell off easily when sliding the rifle in and out of a case.

If Carlsberg Made Scopes…

Gary Costello, the Importer of March scopes is an F-Class world champion, he won with a March and this is perhaps his inspiration to bring this brand into the UK. He kindly sent a set of their scope mounts to fit a Weaver/ Picatinny rail along with the scope and this allowed me to test it with both a .222 in the field and my larger .260 at long-range steel plate targets. Considering the Deon Optical Corporation have only been manufacturing March scopes since 2004, they have certainly picked up the necessary skills not only in optical and mechanical design, but perhaps more exclusively, they seem to have almost made the scope to fulfil the needs of a shooter who wants a do all rifle.

For example, at x2.5 you can see and track a target at close range through cover with reticule illumination, at x25 you can engage tiny steel targets at beyond 1000 yards alongside the generous elevation on offer. Tracking, adjustments and general adjustability of the scope seem to be boringly effective with reliable click values, parallax settings and return to zero. Although finer than my slightly tricky eyes prefer, when illuminated no dazzle was encountered with just subtle brightness doing what it should, drawing the reticule quickly into your field of view, but not taking over!

In a similar way to the Zeiss No.60, this makes a fine reticule excellent for precision daylight shooting and low light conditions on larger, closer targets often taken in a hurry. The image presented from the fully coated and waterproofed optics offers edge-to-edge clarity with clear, honest colour resolution. A 50mm objective option would complement the proportions and styling of some rifles. As light faded, the `Far Eastern` glass was not quite able to hang on to the coat tails of `German` optics but, when considering the optical/mechanical versatility shown here in both size, weight and magnification range… I’m difficult to impress, but my hat is off to March!

For

Versatility second to none 1st rate daylight optics Generous elevation travel

against

I’d like to see better lens caps No 50mm Objective model

Verdict

This is one of the most versatile, broad ability scopes I have ever used. Could this be THE scope?