Premier Heritage Scope

Premier Reticles is a name synonymous with scope modification and customisation but now they have moved into their own line of optics. When a Tactical scope lands on your desk with a price of £2429, a performance promise and a specification list to match it, the sceptical engineer in me wants to see proof of membership to this exclusive club.

Prime Target

Upon opening the box, the first characteristic that struck me was the visual and proportional similarity to what has become the current benchmark in this field, the Schmidt & Bender PMII, so Premiers’ prime target was clear. There are a lot of specification choices that can be made with reticules and turrets/click units and these, along with full reticule subtension information are easily accessible online. Anyone buying a scope of this type will more than likely study these carefully and/or certainly has knowledge of their individual features before reaching for their wallet.

The specific model sent to me was 5-25x56. The reticule here is a `Gen2 XR`, essentially a variation on the standard MIL-DOT with extra hash marks every half Miliradian (Mrad). Being set in the first focal plane (FFP), it exhibited the usual compromise of staying precisely relative in size to the target image at the expense of being large or small at either end of the zoom range. MIL readings, aim-offs, adjustments and zeroing are virtually impossible to do incorrectly but as magnification bottoms out, the reticule reaches a fifth of its former size.

Modern tactical turrets are beyond fingertip size and the ones here were getting on for fist-sized grip requirements, so no problem with gloves on. Clicks were 0.1 Mrad with a more solid detente and heavier click every full Mrad.

Within each rotation 15 Mrad are available and the turret is double turn, the spec shows 28 Mrad are available but in use after zero, I was limited to 18 Mrad although at approximately 64 Minutes of Angle (MOA), this is roughly the same as the S&B PMII and quite adequate. Here the turret was clockwise for `up` but anti-clockwise ones are an option more favoured by the Americans, again, just personal choice.

What is missing here is a rotation indicator. Although a zero stop is featured, helpfully situated 0.5 Mrad below `Zero`, there is nothing to indicate you are into the second full rotation. Mistakes could easily happen here, confusing 1 Mrad with 16 for example is a BIG miss! Windage is clearly marked by an identical turret and runs 6 Mrad left and right of zero. Alternative turrets are available and can be easily retrofitted by the user to alter the click values.

All Metal

Every external surface on the scope is aluminium, no rubber or plastics in sight and rotating components are all machine knurled for grip. The matt anodised 34mm tube is well finished and the left side parallax knob also has a telescopic illumination control within it. Simply draw it out and dial from 1-11 for reticule illumination. Between the numbers the lights go out allowing you to have quick on/off near your chosen setting although the turret does not push back in unless you dial back to zero.

A `Butler Creek` pop-up objective lens cap coupled with a custom cap at the back were a welcome addition. One step that seems to stand out is that there isn’t a fast focus eyepiece; in its place we have the older style lock ring and rotating lens body to which the cap clips. I don’t have a problem with this as when correctly set. I have rarely if ever had to alter one quickly but it seems unusual not to have followed recent trends but he diopter variation is broad and no problem was found in its function at all.  The 90mm of eye relief kept the scope well clear of my eye during recoil.

Yes or No Answers Please

The most unusual and questioned feature of this scope are the `Slip Knurled Clutch` turrets, which are small toggles on the elevation and windage dials. Instead of zeroing your scope and using a small Allen key to re-zero the markings, all you do is flip up the lever and rotate the knobs back to zero and then latch them back down. That sounds great but what seems unnerving is that when you do this, although the reticule isn’t moving, the turrets still click as normal and it is a little leap of faith to be sure you have used the lever to correctly disengage the turret. Some will like it, some will not but I for one certainly re-checked zero after their use and although sceptical, I was not let down.

Baptism of Fire

With a 34mm maintube, the Heritage fitted easily into a Third Eye Tactical `Unimount` onto a .308 Rem 700. The benefits of the MIL-dot system coupled with FFP reticules were immediately obvious with a 3 shot zeroing session and 1 extra to check those `clicks`.

I went straight into a head to head steel plate match at 400 yards with both turrets dialled straight into zero at range. I find fast, competitive shooting is a good test of optics as it forces your eyes to work very quickly, both acquiring targets and focusing on the relevant reticule and target images. Poor optics flag up here with extra ocular effort required and I am pleased to say, even my dickey eyes had no room at all for complaint. Both the field of view and edge-to-edge clarity were exemplary. Although this comp was single aiming point territory, the 0.5 and 1 Mil increments had worked in total harmony with the turrets to zero or aim off for wind although below about 10x magnification, the reticule was getting very small and harder to gauge.

Illumination covered the central tree but was generally only used on its highest setting as balanced against any quality of glass, there is no point seeing a reticule without an image to partner it. I tested the optics alongside a few other top end scopes as light faded and I was very impressed with the extra field of view, clarity and brightness offered, no light conditions were encountered where any flare was a problem and colour rendition seemed honest, it was simply a scope that raised no question marks. A very nice scope with optics and quality to match the makers name. Long-term use will prove reliability. Reticule choice is a personal factor and always polarises opinion on equipment such as this, but in my opinion, a definite `Club member`! GM