Minox Scope blues.

[old 30-06]

I have had other Minox scopes, and have been very pleased with them. That is why I bought this one. This one, however, is different. This is a ZA 5i scope, in 5 to 25 by 56 HD, assembled in America, illuminated mil dot style reticle, target turrets, and plenty of magnification. I thought it would be a perfect all rounder for the shooting I do. Where do I start ?

When you turn the magnification up above 15, it looses its sharpness. The more magnification, the worse it gets. There is no sharpness to the definition. You can see the target, but where you want higher magnification at longer range, there is no clear detail. The objective lens seems to have a fine layer of dust/dirt on the inside, which may be the cause.

The locking elevation turret is graduated with lines and numbers and has 60 clicks for a complete revolution. The problem is that to go "up" the numbered turret moves BACKWARDS. To add five clicks up you go from "O" to 5.5, wher I would expect to be on .5. Up another seven clicks, ( when I would like to be on 1.2 ), and you are on 4.8. Its just madness. Surely they got it ass about face ?

On the scope box it shows just the central dot illuminating. However, when you turn on the illumination it is the entire reticle. It is overpowering. This blots out what you are trying to look at. Although it has six brightness settings, even the lowest one is far too bright for night use.

Minox are now part of the Blaser group. I have contacted them. They replied promptly, and were very friendly. They were no help at all. The scope is discontinued, there are no spare parts, it is out of its warranty.

I do not want to sell this scope on to a fellow member, and inflict someone else with the pain. Has anyone else got one of these ? Do you have the same issues ? Have you been able to fix them ?

 

[Stalker-of-the-deer]

Just googled it....

See what you mean about the elevation being wrong! Its a counter clockwise elevation drum with a clockwise scale.... so your subtracting from 6 instead of adding from 0! So yes adding .5 mil takes you to 5.5 mil and not 0.5

Im guessing the windage is back to front aswell?

Is it by any chance a 2nd focal plane scope to confuse you more when aiming off using the ret?

 

[VSS]

On the scope box it shows just the central dot illuminating. However, when you turn on the illumination it is the entire reticle. It is overpowering. This blots out what you are trying to look at. Although it has six brightness settings, even the lowest one is far too bright for night use.

This point ^^^ alone is enough to make me say get rid.
It seems to me, from my (albeit rather limited) experience of illuminated reticles, that good scopes have either a small central dot or, at most, a small illuminated cross, and naff scopes have the whole shebang lit up like a Christmas tree.

I accept that my comment is a sweeping generalisation, and that someone is bound to respond and tell me that their umpteen-thousand-pound Schmidt & Bender [other top-end brands are available] has a fully illuminated reticle that's absolutely perfect, but I don’t care

 

[Stalker-of-the-deer]

This point ^^^ alone is enough to make me say get rid.
It seems to me, from my (albeit rather limited) experience of illuminated reticles, that good scopes have either a small central dot or, at most, a small illuminated cross, and naff scopes have the whole shebang lit up like a Christmas tree.

I accept that my comment is a sweeping generalisation, and that someone is bound to respond and tell me that their umpteen-thousand-pound Schmidt & Bender [other top-end brands are available] has a fully illuminated reticle that's absolutely perfect, but I don’t care

My zeiss has an ultra bright tiny .5 mil dot in the middle which is great as it doesn't blind you and is great for low light/lamping or shooting against a dark background. Really draws your eye in.

My ior and khales on the other hand, the entire ret lights up but its not ultra bright. Also being decent scopes you dont get the bleeding into the image like you do on the cheap ones that mess with the image quality even at x25 or x40

I wouldnt expect any of these problems on a minox scopes though who have always had a decent rep....

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

I have had other Minox scopes, and have been very pleased with them. That is why I bought this one. This one, however, is different. This is a ZA 5i scope, in 5 to 25 by 56 HD, assembled in America, illuminated mil dot style reticle, target turrets, and plenty of magnification. I thought it would be a perfect all rounder for the shooting I do. Where do I start ?

When you turn the magnification up above 15, it looses its sharpness. The more magnification, the worse it gets. There is no sharpness to the definition. You can see the target, but where you want higher magnification at longer range, there is no clear detail. The objective lens seems to have a fine layer of dust/dirt on the inside, which may be the cause.

The locking elevation turret is graduated with lines and numbers and has 60 clicks for a complete revolution. The problem is that to go "up" the numbered turret moves BACKWARDS. To add five clicks up you go from "O" to 5.5, wher I would expect to be on .5. Up another seven clicks, ( when I would like to be on 1.2 ), and you are on 4.8. Its just madness. Surely they got it ass about face ?

On the scope box it shows just the central dot illuminating. However, when you turn on the illumination it is the entire reticle. It is overpowering. This blots out what you are trying to look at. Although it has six brightness settings, even the lowest one is far too bright for night use.

Minox are now part of the Blaser group. I have contacted them. They replied promptly, and were very friendly. They were no help at all. The scope is discontinued, there are no spare parts, it is out of its warranty.

I do not want to sell this scope on to a fellow member, and inflict someone else with the pain. Has anyone else got one of these ? Do you have the same issues ? Have you been able to fix them ?

Whilst I understand your pain, where you are finding things not to your liking, some may think it’s fine!?

I’ve only had 1 minox scope and I sold it as quickly as I bought it, there was no fault with it, it just wasn’t on the same page as a Schmidt Bender.

I’m afraid if you want better build and feature quality, you have to open your wallet wider.

But I will say magnification of that high without parallax is poor design and also not really the scope for a laminated reticle either.

Personally I hate illuminated reticles.