Minox RS-4 3-12x56 - Affordable Quality

I have enjoyed some great hunting success with Minox optics in the past and was delighted to see the range re-invigorated earlier this year with a lineup of four modestly priced, yet ideally specified, hunting scopes. The range spans a 1-4x24 for driven game, a 2.5-10x42 for daylight hunters, a 2.5-10x50 for those wanting a little more low-light performance, and the ever-popular 3-12x56 for those needing that extra reach into twilight conditions.

Four times zoom
The RS-4 name is based on the 4x zoom range available from the internal optical packages. I chose the 3-12x56 scope because I think it will be very popular among hunters in the UK. It provides a wide field of view at 3x magnification for woodland hunting and can zoom in to 12x for longer shots over open areas like fields or hills. A 56mm objective lens, believe it or not, directs 25% more light into the scope over a 50mm version, so it’s well worth considering for the brightest of images, well before light transmission values are even considered.

No toys included
The RS embodies pure functionality without any excess ‘fat’ to distract from the facts. The scope shows a cleanly finished, hard-anodised body with a 30mm tube for simple scope mounting. Both ocular and objective bodies transition smoothly from smaller to larger diameters, with plenty of space for rings. The central saddle is similarly profiled and carries low, capped dials for initial zeroing. The caps are heavily knurled for grip and the first encounter with their internal threads is an immediate indicator of excellent machine standards externally, which are no doubt continued internally, where exacting standards are even more important. The scope is made in China, but Minox is clearly demanding quality control standards akin to their German optics.

Dial up
The elevation and windage dials offer 1cm@100m click values (0.1 MRAD), with 80 clicks per rotation. The windage is logically marked left and right of centre, and the elevation shows up or down. This is the kind of setup you zero and use, like we used to with aim-offs. It is not really a dialling scope for long-range, although it is available with an optional BDC turret if desired. Regardless, the dials show a 27mm diameter and are easily gripped. They track reliably, with firm clicks that allow you to make repeatable adjustments without necessarily having to look directly at them. You can feel them, hear them, and they don’t overrun.

Light up and focus
The parallax dial sits on the left-hand side and runs from 10m to infinity. There doesn’t appear to be any backlash and the image is crisp, even when at 12x magnification and at close range. This is unlikely to be needed with a centrefire, especially on full mag. The illumination control on the end offers 10 intensity stages for the second focal plane reticle’s centre red dot, which is undoubtedly my preferred choice on a hunting scope. Combined with a wide field of view and uncluttered reticle, you can accurately position the dot exactly where desired, and with intensity control, adapt it for the ambient light conditions without distraction.

Accessibility and accessorise
The scope’s ocular body shows a 46mm external diameter and is parallel in profile. This offers a large lens within and enables you to add additional accessories, such as scope cameras, night vision devices etc. Minox has kept the eye relief at 90mm, which I think is the ideal dimension for a sporting rifle in all but the very heavy calibres, as it aligns with the optical benefits of a more versatile and forgiving eye box and faster, more intuitive access to the exit pupil in all scenarios. The field of view is also wider, and with flat focus edge-to-edge, there are no distortions to either the reticle or the image. This kind of quality is not common to all Chinese optics, but Minox has clearly demanded it.

Come closer
The magnification is controlled with a rubber-surfaced collar at the front of the ocular body and there is a small fin to aid grip and offer tactile perception of position. Similarly, at the very rear there is a fast focus dioptre adjustment rim, allowing crisp focus of the reticle. Again, for accessory additions, this is fractionally smaller than the aluminium body’s diameter, so won’t interfere with any add-on components.

Simplicity
The scope threw up no zeroing issues and tracked accurately, with the point of impact moving the correct 10mm per click. In a world where high magnification is a selling factor driving the market, it’s great to appreciate how lower magnification optics have benefited from the relentless optical purity pursuit their big brothers are more critical of. Ten years ago, the image quality offered by this Minox only came from European marques at twice the price, but the coatings and lens grinding offered from China are now seriously challenging big names in the mid-market. The colour balance is good, the clarity and image resolution are about 80% perfection to my eyes, and that low light performance factor is similarly hard to beat, even if just not quite as glorious in the richness after the sun has set.

Conclusion
The 3-12x56 RS should be on everyone’s radar, as it truly showcases the advancements in Chinese optical manufacturing, which have been tailored to real hunting needs. There is no excessive marketing of unnecessary features, making it a true hunting tool with image quality beyond its price point. It is snapping at the heels of premium brands at double the price.