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Tasco Target/Varmint 2.5-10x42AO IR Scope

Tasco Target/Varmint 2.5-10x42AO IR Scope

I’m sure many ‘young guns’ will probably find it hard to believe that, back in the day, Tasco were one of the few companies who had scopes specifically designed for airgun use. I say this due to the wealth of airgun specific optics now available, with ‘specially designed ‘multi-aim-point’ reticles for use for the ranges the airgunner shoots over and most with operating features (except zoom ring) all grouped together at the saddle area.

You can’t help but notice that, at 23 inches, this is quite a lengthy optic considering the magnification range, but weighing in at 20.6oz the scope isn’t overly heavy. Built around a 1 inch body tube and manufactured from high-grade aluminium with a matte black anti-glare finish, it features a Mil Dot reticle. I’ll briefly mention here (but detail it fully later) that due to the way the reticle is configured, it has a very familiar and distinct layout of dots sitting in the middle of thickset side, bottom and top stadia – a design that was at one time used by other manufacturers in many ‘traditional’ types of illuminated Mil Dot reticle scopes suited to airgun and rimfire use. No surprises then that the rheostat is ‘old school’ both in design, operation and positioning, as it sits atop the optic’s quite chunky eye-bell, just rear of the zoom ring. This unit also has 11 numbered ‘lit’ red brightness levels, takes power from a single CR2032 3V lithium battery, that sits under a coin slot style screw off cover cap. At the very rear is a generously sized smooth operating ‘non-locking’ fast focus ocular adjuster.

Turret Time

The target style ¼ inch MOA cover capped turrets are relatively slim but stand quite proud of the saddle. Not a bad thing, as the turret adjusters are finger adjustable and click audibly and very positively to each station as you index them around. Both elevation and windage turrets offer nine full rotations with 54 clicks per turn. Vernier scales are also present, so once you set a zero, you can unlock the turret’s small grub screw to position the ‘0’ on the Vernier to the vertical centreline of the calibrated stainless steel turret barrel they revolve around.

I’ll now detail the reticle configuration more thoroughly – as you’d expect it has four dots above and below where the fine cross hairs intersect and four set either side. This results in approximately only the middle third of the sight picture having aim points, as the thin crosshairs then stop just short of the thick stadia.

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The outer edge of these stadia obviously giving you an extra aim point at the top, sides and bottom. Also, when illuminated only the fine crosshairs and dots ‘light up.’ Particularly impressive is just how (as long as you set the ocular to suit your eye-sight) crisp and well defined the reticle stays and with no blurring, even on its highest intensity. The zoom and adjustable ocular have deeply ridged outer edges for ease of use and operate very smoothly.

Double Marked

Interestingly, the adjustable objective (AO) is quite lengthy and has distance markings ‘given’ in both metric and imperial. Yards are marked in white lettering, while metres are shown in green. Only the colour differs, as quite sensibly the ranges stated are for the same increments those being 10 yards/metres, 15, 20, 30, 50, 75, 100, 200, 300 and the infinity symbol. Obviously, as the zoom range doesn’t go high enough to be of use for estimating range, they do correspond quite well to the ranges when tested on given objects set at known distances.


There’s also plenty of room between the 10 yards/metres mark to the 15, 20, 30 and 50 – good news for the airgun hunter because you’re able to drop a dot of Tippex on at ranges you prefer to know. Another bonus is it has an ultra-close minimum focus range of five yards/ metres – that is of course with the zoom on its lowest setting.

Conclusion

I’ve long-known that Tasco have some very capable optics suited to airgun use – now having tested the Target/ Varmint 2.5 – 10 x 42AO IR I’d say they have some criminally overlooked gems in their range. The fully multicoated lenses are obviously high-grade, as on bright or dull days the sight picture doesn’t disappoint. Add to this the useful illuminated reticle design, sensible magnification range, solid, strong and business like build and you’ve got a very capable optic for many low light airgun hunting situations.

PRICE: £149.99 (Non-illuminated model £115.99)
CONTACT: John Rothery (Wholesale) Co Ltd www.bisley-uk.com

  • Tasco Target/Varmint 2.5-10x42AO IR Scope - image {image:count}

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  • Tasco Target/Varmint 2.5-10x42AO IR Scope - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

  • Tasco Target/Varmint 2.5-10x42AO IR Scope - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

  • Tasco Target/Varmint 2.5-10x42AO IR Scope - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

gun
features

  • Model: Tasco Target/Varmint 2.5 – 10 x 42AO IR
  • Magnification : 2.5 x 10x
  • Objective : 42mm
  • Body : 1 inch
  • Reticle : Type III Illuminated Mil-Dot
  • Length : 23 inches
  • 20.6oz: Weight
  • FOV : ft. @100y ards/metres, 34.5ft – 9.7ft/11.5 – 3.2
  • Click values : ¼ inch MOA
  • Clicks per turn: 54
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