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Nikko Stirling Panamax Scopes

Nikko Stirling Panamax Scopes

Nikko Stirling have brought us many models of scope over the years, from budget-priced beginners ‘tellies’, to topend, fully featured optics for both hunter and FT shooter.

As new optical technology enables a scope to be bettered or a feature to be modified, then it’s not difficult to realise why the Panamax range has been introduced. Firstly, a wider field of view than is the norm is now preferred by certain shooters, a multi-aim-point reticle is always a bonus and more recently there seems to be a ‘leaning’ towards optics that quite frankly are as cosmetically appealing as they are sensibly featured for optimum performance.

The two models here on test ideally illustrate this – these being the 4.5 - 14 x 50AO and 6 - 18 x 50AO IR Panamax, both obviously sharing commonalities of build, while the latter having a dual colour illuminated reticle facility. But first, an overview of the build construction.

Stylish and Solid

The Panamax ‘collection’ is a very comprehensive one, with too many individual models to list here but they range from a 3-9 x 40 right up to an 8 - 24 x 50AO IR spec’ model. They’re also split into two categories: non-illuminated and illuminated. In the latter, you have a greater choice of magnification range models, which in my opinion indicates IR scopes are very much in favour at the moment. Besides the saddle mounted 5-position dual (red & green) colour rheostat, all share similarities in overall appearance and feature layout. These include ‘traditional’ front Adjustable Objectives and the obviously very strong monocoque construction is built around a 1-inch body tube. The chunky eyebell features a fast focus ocular and a uniquely configured zoom ring. The lowprofile capped turret adjusters are finger friendly on all models and the parallax adjustment ring is marked for ranges that will suit the airgun and rimfire shooter.

I don’t want to dwell on this but the company has certainly managed to style these optics to stand out from the crowd, as although ‘adjusters and caps’ are obviously in the right places the Panamax scopes have a very individual and highly appealing appearance. Starting at the rear, is the unique zoom ring, the reason I used this term is due to the fact the zoom has a raised hub with a deep groove milled into it that acts as a pointer to the magnification numbers that are actually printed on the eye-piece rather than the ‘revolving’ ring itself. Also, as well as the main magnification level, half magnification points are clearly marked between each. Now that is unique!

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The outer of the zoom (including ocular, turret cover caps and AO etc.) is best described as being configured as a collection of chunky separate block square sections. In use, these are very grippy and as practical as they are cosmetically pleasing. The AO is marked for ranges of 15-, 20-, 25-, 30-, 50-, 75-, 100-, 200-, 300-yards and the (00) infinity symbol. However, the scopes actually focus down to approximately 10-yards and there’s plenty of room between the airgun hunter’s favoured ranges for marking a few of your own should you prefer to use the AO for range indication. However, it’s only on the higher magnification models where you’d be able to sensibly use this feature as a range finding reference. However, more on ‘ranging’ when I detail the reticle.

Saddle Up

The saddle area holding the turret adjusters is equally stylish and uncluttered – even the illuminated models manage to incorporate the dual-colour rheostat on the left without it looking out of place or have this section of the scope look bulky. The ¼ MOA turret adjusters have ‘aggressive knurled’ edges, allowing you to easily dial them around using your fingers. On both models tested, the windage turrets gave approximately five full rotations, while the elevation turret gave approximately six, with both having 60 clicks per turn. They indexed around very positively and audibly to each station, and on the rifles I used for testing, setting zero wasn’t a problem and once set it stayed put even on a rather ‘snappy’ recoiling springer!

The Rheostat on the IR model takes power from a single CR2032 button battery housed under the unit’s neat serrated edge cover cap. The brightness levels are clearly numbered from 1-5 and a directional arrow from either the letter ‘R’ or ‘G’ obviously indicates the selected colour of illumination and when seen from the rear, when either letter is set to the white dot facing you, the illumination is switched off. I mention this because on some IR scopes it’s very easy to leave the ‘lit’ reticle on a very low setting and when you come back to use it the battery’s run dry.

HMD

No, not some department of the government, rather the ‘HMD’ denotation refers to the glass etched Half Mil Dot reticle. This design has become increasingly popular but if you’re not used to it – it can be a tad confusing. Thankfully though on the Panamax models you can attain a very precise and ultra-crisp reticle image thanks to the ocular adjustment facility, so take time to set this to suit your particular eyesight. It’s a true Mil spacing on 10x magnification but being set on the 2nd focal plane it changes in size in relation to the target should you wind the magnification up or down. Due to the magnification range not being high enough to use the reticle to assess an exact range to a target, it can however be used to bracket a target to give you range estimation as long as you know from ‘real time’ usage what certain ‘bracketing points’ relate to when set on a certain magnification. It also gives the user a multitude of aim points for when you need to allow for holdunder or holdover.

Conclusion

Both scopes on test give an extremely wide field of view, which is stated as being 20% greater than a standard similar specification 1-inch tubed optic and in use I can’t argue with that. The multicoated green tinted lenses give an extremely bright sight picture to the very edges of the lenses and colour contrast even in low light was impressive. All rings operate very smoothly yet positively and on the IR model there’s no blurring of the ‘lit’ ret, even on the higher settings. Even more impressive is although they might currently be one of the most attractive and ‘trendiest’ of optics on the shelves, they carry price tags that certainly don’t indicate that anybody is trying to make a fashion statement.

 

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