Hi Guys,
For a newbies take on the Vector Optics Continental 5-30x56 Tactical, read on. I have one, it's my main scope, it's actually my only scope now.
Vector Optics Continental 5-30x56 tactical Unboxing and Review
The Packaging Packaging is adequate, but it is by no means Apple level. Vector Optics do themselves such a disservice with their packaging.
They don’t seem to realise that when you buy one of their high-end products, you expect better packaging, better materials and better presentation.
I would have expected an upper and lower clamshell foam design or at least full depth foam for the scope, peel off film on the lenses and dials set to the lowest settings instead of just some random position.
I would have expected a thin box or envelope containing your welcome documentation, manual, freebies, and warranty card.
It’s a high-end scope, I want to keep my packaging for that just in case eventuality.
By the same token when you’re looking at the box, you’ve more than likely already bought the scope, there is no need to carry on with the loud design as though it’s still advertising to you.
Accessories From left to right we have warranty card, a multi-language product manual, a fridge magnet, a lens cleaning cloth, a bumper sticker, a casino style discount chip, and a set of medium rings.
The Specifications• Turret click value:1/10 MIL
• Adjustment Range:17.5 MIL
• Elevation Range >17.5MIL
• Windage Range >17.5MIL
• Turret Type: Tactical Lock (Done=Locked)
• Illumination: 6 Levels
• Parallax Setting 15 Yards to Infinity
• Magnification 5-30x
• Objective Lens Dia. 56mm
• Lens Diameter. 42mm
• Tube Diameter. 30mm Monotube
• Ocular Lens Length 54mm
• Exit Pupil 9.5-1.9mm
• Optics Coating: FMC VePRO
• Field of View 24.9-4.2 Feet@ 100 yards
• Field of View 8.3-1.4M@ 100 meters
• Eye Relief 100mm
• Length 400mm
• Weight: 725g / 25.6 ounce
• Parallax Setting 100 yards
• Side Focus 15 Yds to infinite
• Reticle: Etched glass VCT-20
• Illuminated reticle battery: CR2032 (not included)
• Distance between objective lens part and middle turret: 72mm (2.8 inch)
• Length of middle turret part: 38mm (1.5 inch)
• Distance between middle turret part to power ring: 58mm (2.3 inch)
• Shock tested to 750g
• Fully nitrogen purged to eliminate any fogging of the lenses internally
• Turret lock system with zero reset.
• High quality 6061 T6 aircraft grade aluminium
• Focus mark: 15, 20, 30, 50, 75, 100, 200, 300, 500 and infinite
• Dioptre compensation for fast-focus eyepiece (+2 to -3)
The Specifications are legit, turret tracking is perfect in a box test. Turret click is precise and loud enough to hear with hearing protection on.
I haven’t tested the side focus distances vs real life distances, but they seem accurate out to at least 100m and yes it really does focus down to 15 yards.
The Look The scope looks really good, they’ve matched the black coatings on the various parts quite well, graduation marks are very distinct, clear and easy to read. There are no manufacturing mistakes or unfinished edges anywhere.
Holding it in your hand you’d be hard pressed to find this level of quality fit and finish on scopes in its price range, it compares very favourable to the look of scopes double its price or more.
MaterialsThe Materials are top notch and appropriate in terms of quality and what is made of metal what is made of plastic. The only complaint I have is that they could have done a better job with the colour of the turret grub screws, I would have liked them to be black instead of raw metal, possibly even recessed a bit more and rubber capped.
Build QualityIt’s hard to believe this scope is made in China, but then again China is fast losing its low-quality image especially in light of their decades long foray into building many of our most coveted consumer products, this just has to translate to a general increase in the quality of manufacturing. This scope reflects some of the best build quality components I’ve seen on a scope at any price.
Turrets, Zoom, Side Focus and IlluminationI did the box test a few times at different numbers of clicks each time, the reticle landed exactly where it began …. every time.
Lifting the turret has a very positive feel and sounds loud enough to hear through ear protection, while not as loud the turret clicks are also precise.
Closing the turret back down allows landing on any click as opposed to cheap scopes where you need to wiggle the cap a little to push it down.
The Zoom ring feels nice and tight so you won’t get accidental movement but loose enough not to kick the rifle over as you adjust the zoom, the grips on the various rings feel positive on your fingertips and look tactical.
The MagicYou’ll see in the documentation and the Vector Optics website a few acronyms being thrown around FMC, VePRO and LaREE. All these acronyms basically translate to Vector Optics have gone out and looked at how the Germans and Swiss make their glass and coating, put in a few years of R&D and now do their own glass grinds and coatings.
Their glass tech is the LaREE bit, FMC is an industry stand term and stands for Fully Multi Coated and it’s what the big boys do.
Vector Optics have gotten very good at it and called it VePRO. How good? I’d easily put the clarity, light transmission and image quality up there with the best of the US and Euro offerings at a price range several time greater than the Vector Optics.
ConclusionI absolutely love this scope, it punches way above its weight and I’d be happy to recommend it to anyone looking for a good scope, especially at its price point.