Fancy Glass

Field Target (FT) has well and truly come of age, and with the competitor allowed to use the scope to range-find, the trend for ultra-high magnification has really taken off. High magnification creates a shallow depth of field, so with the scope correctly set up, the shooter should be able to dial the parallax knob until the target comes into sharp focus - then read off the distance. So, fancy practising the dark arts? Well, here we’ve laid out a few of the leading scopes that may just guide you to a place on the rostrum.

• FALCON X50 10-50x60 MOA SFP

  Price: from £799 (guide) Contact: Falcon Optics - www.falconoptics.com Falcon’s T50 model was popular, but the new X50 has generated plenty of interest on the FT competition circuit and is now a regular sight. Sporting a one-piece tube construction, these Japanese-built scopes are capable of parallax correction down to 9m. Target turret clicks are 1/8 MOA, whilst the reticle is Falcon’s MOA200SFP. This design is fairly conventional, with the sub-tensions on offer, and it is very precise and clearly marked. Indeed, the relatively uncluttered image could be seen as quite refreshing, although this area of design is wholly subjective. Side wheel parallax adjustment is a prerequisite in today’s FT world, since it creates larger gaps between marked distances, making range-finding easier. So, Falcon’s optional add-on of a quality, custom-made Harris Engineering 130mm side wheel, has proved a real bonus.

  

• KAHLES K1050i 10-50X56 FT

  Price: £2610 (guide) Contact: Swarovski UK - www.kahles.at/en/ This model needs a double take for sure, and not just for the RRP, as the curiously positioned, top-mounted wheel challenges traditional thinking. Top British Field Target shooter, Matt Hirst, was involved with the design and development, and whilst the 125mm wheel probably needs removal before storage in a gun case, in use there’s no doubting the slick handling when it matters. This model has a 30mm body tube and weighs 37.1 oz. Parallax is from 9 to 65 yards, and an MHR reticle is all part of the design. 1/8 MOA turrets are utilized, and all adjustments are smooth in operation, and nicely damped. Image quality is excellent, with an impressively shallow depth of field, whilst build quality is also spot on, as you would, of course, expect, given the eye-watering asking price.

  

• SIGHTRON SIII FIELD TARGET SFP MH IR 10-50X60

  Price: £1499 (guide) Contact: Optics Warehouse - www.opticswarehouse.co.uk Top shots, John Costello, and others have helped promote Sightron as a brand, with great success in competition. The solid build and good glass are all part of the draw. There’s the ZACT-7, which is a seven-layer multi-coating that’s applied to the precision ground lenses, and a 30mm body tube constructed from aircraft-grade aluminium. MH denotes a Mil-Hash reticle, and there’s also Sightron’s ExacTrack windage and elevation adjustment system. The company’s reputation for quality has soared in recent years, helped in no small part, of course, by the odd FT World title win, and word gets around fast in the hard-fought FT arena. Brand loyalty can play a big part, but you only have to handle one of these models to appreciate the quality of the glass and the obvious pedigree.

  

• HAWKE SIDEWINDER 30 SF SYSTEM H5 8-32X56

  Price: £599 (guide) Contact: Hawke Optics - www.hawkeoptics.com Whilst a maximum magnification of 32x may seem a little conservative in today’s FT world, I would say it’s the minimum power setting that will still allow for parallax-based range-finding. The versatile spec here means this model can effectively double up, appealing to hunters and FT shooters alike, and can switch duties when necessary. As for the quality, Hawke’s fully revised Sidewinder now sports H5 class glass, plus a rotation ‘witness window’. The latter is a feature designed to enable the shooter to keep track of where the adjustment is exactly on the turret, and for anyone who has taken a shot with the turret ‘one whole rotation out’, this will come as a big relief. A slick level of build overall elevates the brand somewhat, and the scope comes complete with a sidewheel, sunshade, and caps.

  

• KONUSPRO M30 12.5-50x56

  Price: £415 (guide) Contact: Range Right - www.range-right.co.uk Still great value for money, the Konuspro M30 12.5-50x56 comes complete with a lens cloth, quality flip-up lens covers, and a 3” sunshade. Plus, at 30.6 oz, it sits as a mid-weight contender in this sector of the market. Target turrets, a built-in level, side focus, and an illuminated modified Mil-Dot reticle are all part of the specification, whilst the turrets are 1/10 Mil click values, equating to roughly a cm @ 100 yards, and a quarter of that over 25 yards. The turrets are push-pull lockable, whilst click movement is audible and positive, too. The range of turret adjustment is less than some rivals, but given many FT shooters now centre the scope and basic zero using adjustable mounts, this aspect is largely academic. A 5.25” side wheel is also available as an extra for around £60, but focusing with the side knob proved surprisingly good on test.