Meopta Optika 6 MeoPro 4.5-27 x 50

Meopta is one of those old school scope manufacturers that keeps on evolving to continue to provide shooters, with not only value for money rifle scopes and binoculars, but also really good optical quality. This Czech Republic firm has been manufacturing optics and scopes since 1933 and today has produced some of its most user-friendly scopes. The Optika6 MeoPro range is aimed at shooters that require no compromises and are on a budget below £1000.

The range includes short, medium and longer-range scopes and this Optika6 MeoPro 4.5-27x50 model is about as good as it gets. It boasts a 6x magnification boost that’s usually found on top of the range European scopes, as well as impeccable optical quality with really precise adjustments. There is a selection of stadia driven reticle types (both second and first focal plane options) that are all illuminated. Plus, parallax adjustment starts at 25 yards, making this scope very versatile.

Specification

It’s not a big scope really, despite the fact that it weighs in at 31.0oz and measures just over 14” in length. It shows a 30mm aluminium main tube and there are ample scope mounting positions on either side of the central saddle.

Also, having a 50mm objective rather than a 56mm one, allows you to mount it that bit closer to the rifles action, so balance is not impaired. The eyepiece is the fast focus type and it offers plenty of focus adjustment, plus it shows rubber edging for protection too.

I particularly like the magnification collar, as the digits are sited on a rear-facing ring, so you can instantly see them with the rifle in the shoulder. It also has a very large, ridged rubber zoom ring for extra grip, with increasing magnification counterclockwise, and just to be sure, you can reposition the extended screw-in zoom lever as necessary (four positions are available).

The 6x magnification range from 4.5x allows a wide field of view measuring 21.9 ft/100yd or for clinical longer-range shots on the maximum of 27x power, 3.6 ft/100yd.

What else?

There is a choice of first or second focal plane (FFP or SFP) reticles. I had the latter, as the reticle was the simple 4C version, which shows a thin but wide, 4A-type format, with no solid upper post. A fine dot sits in the centre perfectly and it can be illuminated. Power comes from a CR2032 battery on the central saddle housing, on the left side. Six brightness setting points are shown, with cut-offs between each selection. Only the centre dot is illuminated, which I prefer. Alternatively, there are eight stadia-type reticles, which would benefit the FFP version for a consistent aim point in relationship to any magnification chosen.

The parallax adjustment, again side-mounted, has a very useful 25 yards minimum, so was great on the .22 LR Anschutz. It maxed out at infinity, which is good for anything.

I really like the MeoPro’s excellent external turret adjustments. There’s a choice of ¼” clicks or MIL and I opted for the former, as my brain works in inches, rabbit ears and deer nose lengths!

In use, there’s a maximum of 84 MOA total adjustment range, for both elevation and windage, so pretty good for this high mag scope. To adjust, you simply lift up the turret, rotate it, then drop it back down to lock. This system helps prevent accidental manipulation. There is a zero stop, and this can be engaged by removing the elevation turret only and adjusting a pivoting catch inwards. The Meopta tracks well and the precise, individual clicks are heard and felt, with no backlash or overrun – very impressive!.

Optically, Meopta scopes always amaze me and, for the price, I don’t know how they do it. There is edge to edge clarity with great definition at all magnifications. Perhaps the only difficulty is getting the correct exit pupil position at the highest magnification. eye relief is also generous at 3.94”.

The light transmission is also impressive and seeing rabbits on a dark and wet autumn evening proved no problem. Meopta quote 91% light transmission during daylight and 88% in twilight conditions, and I agree with that. This is because Optika6 rifle scopes come with Meopta’s MeoBright lens coatings.

In the field

The uncluttered 4C reticle allows for very precise aiming and it was really intuitive to place that centre dot exactly where I wanted the bullet to go. I fitted the Meopta to the new Anschutz 1761 .22 LR rifle and zeroed in with Norma’s 22lr subsonic rounds. These shifted along at 1035 FPS and produced 95 ft/ lbs of energy. I shot several rabbit silhouette targets at differing ranges to get my eye in and soon found the Meopta and the Anschutz were a match made in heaven.

I did track the elevation up/down to check the accuracy of adjustment and found the MeoPro to be absolutely precise, returning to initial zero every time - nice!

The illumination of that centre dot is all you need and I like to adjust my aim off, if after rabbits, as a quick shot is often necessary and there’s no time to click turrets. The dot showed no bleed, so a very clear aim point, even when it was quite dark.

Conclusions

I know what I want! Great value, even better optics, some great features, a choice of reticles, 100% tracking and the focal plane options make this scope a no-brainer for vermin, deer or target shooters alike.