Immersive Optics 14 x 50 MDE & 5 x 24 MDR

Compact airgun sights have become very popular of late, and whilst red dot systems are perhaps the ultimate for weight saving, their lack of significant, (sometimes any!) magnification and often oversimplified aiming, isn’t going to be a viable solution for many scenarios. However, the prismatic sights, on show here, may well be.

On a theme

OK, the concept isn’t new, and I first became aware of this type of sighting system when MTC launched their SWAT Prismatic. Immersive Optics are a new name to me, and they have several models in their line-up. Under the spotlight here, we have the 5x24 Rapid Mil-Dot and the 14x50 Extended Mil-Dot.

First impressions are, of course, all about the compact dimensions, and with the 5x24 model just over 5”, and the 14x50 coming in just over 6” in length, we are talking super handy optics here. Each sight comes boxed as a kit, with everything you need to get started. Rubber push-fit lens covers are a nice touch, and whilst these are designed to be pulled off and allowed to hang, they can be removed altogether. Both come with a push-fit, soft rubber eye shroud for the rear, dedicated diagonal mount clamp, and three mount bases measuring 3.5”, 3.75”, and 5.3”.

At roughly half the length of a conventional scope, these prismatic models from Immersive could be just the answer for awkward guns with a restricted mounting area, plus the radical internal configuration results in a huge field of view, short eye relief, and a clever adjustable mounting system.

Adjusting the mount

Both sights utilize the same mounting system. The wrap around diagonal mount clamp holds the sight and then connects to one of the three bases via three bolts on the underside. Just pick the base that fits the action on the rifle. All the bases grip over a Picatinny rail, so adaptor blocks will be needed to lock onto a dovetail system.

Position and gently tighten the sight’s base screws on the rifle, at a point where a sight picture is possible without stretching. The design now allows the shooter to roughly zero by using the adjustable mount base. Pre-centring the sight (adjusting the turrets to their mid-point) keeps the mechanics stress free too. Fire some shots and check POI. Now, it’s a process of trial and error. Note where the mount sits exactly on the gun’s rails, then make a precise note of where the sight body sits on the graduated scale marked on the base. Now remove the sight, and slacken the three bolts on the underside. The base is curved to offer integral tilt adjustment, so moving and tilting the front of the scope down, raises the POI, and vice versa. Retighten, and fire a few more shots, then repeat the process. When zero is close, simply tweak the turrets. So, no running out of adjustment here then, and in practice, it all worked well.

Low profile

The turrets are low profile and are neatly blanked off with screw caps when finished with. Clicks are reassuringly positive, clearly marked and click values are 0.1 Mil. The left turret on both models is the side focus parallax adjuster, and this can be dialled to achieve clarity at a specific distance. Differing eyesight affects this aspect of scope use, so Immersive Optics include a set of stickers in the box, to allow the user to set their own distance scale.

The 5x24 MDR

Short eye relief is one of the big advantages of these sights, as parallax error is minimized. The 5x24 model obviously has low magnification at 5x, but the eye relief, at 1.8”, is still roughly half that of a conventional scope. The prismatic system also results in a huge field of view, claimed to be twice that of a conventional model. The MDR (Mil Dot Rapid) is a simplified reticle and I love the uncluttered look and floating arrowhead aim point. The display is powered by one CR2025 battery and illuminates red, and whilst it looks great, the brightness control didn’t work on test. ED (extra-low dispersion) glass is used in these sights, and I have to say the clarity and brightness of the image were excellent. A great general purpose sight, beginners model or hunting tool in bad light. Suitable for recoiling guns too.

The 14x50 MDE

Given the super short eye relief with this 14x model, it’s inevitable that the unit has contact with the face, in order to get a full, crisp, circular sight picture. In use, the rubber shroud sits gently against the rim of the eye socket and the nose. At this point, I should state the obvious and point out that this sight is not suitable for recoiling guns. The FOV is incredible (apparently up to 4x a conventional sight), image quality is great and I love that Extended Mil-Dot reticle, complete with floating dot. Again, illumination of the entire reticle comes at the click of the left turret rheostat, and 5 levels of brightness cycle through. 14X is too high for HFT, but as a hunting tool, it works a treat.

Living with the system

I’m often referring to personal taste in reviews and it’s never more the case than with this radical style of sight. No one can doubt the effectiveness of these clever pieces of kit and I know the parallax busting short eye relief has to be the way to go. Yet on a personal level, I find any contact with the face just too irritating. Get past that (I have friends who have no such reservations) and the quality of image, the ‘eyes wide open’ shooting sensation and that clever mounting system are a huge bonus in the field.

Thanks to Drew’s Lab (www.drewslab.co.uk) for supplying the scopes for this review.