Kimmo H
FNG
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2023
I was looking at FFP Mil scopes for my 22LR practice rifle a while ago, and decided to give a newcomer brand a shot. I ordered a few Element optics scopes to the place where I work, a couple cheaper Helix serie scopes and one Nexus 5-20.
I wasn't expecting much especially from the Helix, but it seems to be a decent scope all around for its price. A friend of mine bought one in 6-24, and I bought the Nexus 5-20 for myself. Both work well, track spot on and return to zero no matter how much you dial up and down, side to side. Both models have zero stop, but the Helix has 6mil rotation on the elevation turret, Nexus has 10.
Image is decent, nexus having a bit more contrast and more defined, sharper edges than the Helix. Nexus has illumination, wich works well also. Zero stops are easy to set, and with a canted ring setup I have 25,5mil of up travel available atm. DLO at snipers hide likes the Nexus, and I can't disagree much. A tiny bit of CA shows that its not a top tier optic, but it doesn't bother me at all in normal use, and I'm very much annoyed by visible CA when shooting.
In short; both work well, and for the price both seem good.
A short while a go Element Optics released their top of the line model scope, Theos 6-36x56 FFP. I pulled the trigger on one, a bit worried about spending a good chunk of cash on an optic I had never seen with my own eyes.
I had a test day at the shooting range, with a lineup that consisted of a Zeiss LRP S5 5-25, Element Theos and a NF Atacr 4-16x42. There were 4 active shooters that really know their optics, and everyone of us considered the Theos better than the Zeiss imagewise, and preferred the reticle aswell. The turrets split opinions, other liked the subtle Zeiss turret with a harder click on full Mils, but I personally prefer the more distinctive feel of the Element. NF has better turrets than either of them imo, but the Theos is really good too.
Optical performance comparasion was difficult between Theos and NF, as the 16 zoom is limiting, but when both were set at 15, the Theos has a slightly brighter image than the NF, but neither had any defects that I could think of, and no visible CA even on whites and branches.
Later on I had 2 more people look through the scopes that are not active shooters, but have reviewed optics with me before and so know what to look for. I covered the model and make markings of both scopes, and let them pick wich they liked more all around, and again on wich was better optically only. Both picked the Theos, giving it the edge with better contrast and less distorted view on low power. The eyebox is a bit tighter on the Theos on 25, than it is on the Zeiss, even more so on 36, and that made the other tester think for a while when he was trying to pick wich to him was better all around.
Sounds like a lot of praise, but thats just how it went. The testing was done on equipment of my work place, on one day, with guys both friends of mine and total strangers. It was cool imo. to see how well everyone liked the scope they had no idea of what it was.
After the test day I jumped on the Theos and put the scope on my 6,5x55 semiweight Tikka rifle with Element Acculite rings, on Tikkas own Picatinny rail. 100m zero was a breeze as the toolles turrets are idiot proof to set and I conducted a tracking and RTZ test at the same range visit. Had a plumb line and a scope level helping me stay straight on the target, and the scope tracks spot on, and the reticle matches the turret movement precisely enough that I can't find a fault in it by shooting without proper testing equipment and fixed test bench.
The next step was to stretch it out a bit, and I shot it at 800meters, and 1030meters. On a calm sunny morning I managed to shoot ~0.7MOA from both distances, wich is about as good as the rifle shoots anyway at those distances. It was a joy to shoot long distance, 800 was shot at x25, 1030 at x30-32 or so. So far I really like the scope! The only thing that worries me is the rev indicator lever on the elevation turrer, as it looks like it may catch debris and dust in it, but time will show how it pans out.
Now all there is left to do is Forms drop test on both scopes and rifles, but I can't afford breaking either one of them on purpose I'm afraid. Would definitely love to see the results though, so maybe I'll do it some day.
Anyone else running an Element scope? How do you like it, and have you had any issues with them? My first impressions are positive for sure.
I wasn't expecting much especially from the Helix, but it seems to be a decent scope all around for its price. A friend of mine bought one in 6-24, and I bought the Nexus 5-20 for myself. Both work well, track spot on and return to zero no matter how much you dial up and down, side to side. Both models have zero stop, but the Helix has 6mil rotation on the elevation turret, Nexus has 10.
Image is decent, nexus having a bit more contrast and more defined, sharper edges than the Helix. Nexus has illumination, wich works well also. Zero stops are easy to set, and with a canted ring setup I have 25,5mil of up travel available atm. DLO at snipers hide likes the Nexus, and I can't disagree much. A tiny bit of CA shows that its not a top tier optic, but it doesn't bother me at all in normal use, and I'm very much annoyed by visible CA when shooting.
In short; both work well, and for the price both seem good.
A short while a go Element Optics released their top of the line model scope, Theos 6-36x56 FFP. I pulled the trigger on one, a bit worried about spending a good chunk of cash on an optic I had never seen with my own eyes.
I had a test day at the shooting range, with a lineup that consisted of a Zeiss LRP S5 5-25, Element Theos and a NF Atacr 4-16x42. There were 4 active shooters that really know their optics, and everyone of us considered the Theos better than the Zeiss imagewise, and preferred the reticle aswell. The turrets split opinions, other liked the subtle Zeiss turret with a harder click on full Mils, but I personally prefer the more distinctive feel of the Element. NF has better turrets than either of them imo, but the Theos is really good too.
Optical performance comparasion was difficult between Theos and NF, as the 16 zoom is limiting, but when both were set at 15, the Theos has a slightly brighter image than the NF, but neither had any defects that I could think of, and no visible CA even on whites and branches.
Later on I had 2 more people look through the scopes that are not active shooters, but have reviewed optics with me before and so know what to look for. I covered the model and make markings of both scopes, and let them pick wich they liked more all around, and again on wich was better optically only. Both picked the Theos, giving it the edge with better contrast and less distorted view on low power. The eyebox is a bit tighter on the Theos on 25, than it is on the Zeiss, even more so on 36, and that made the other tester think for a while when he was trying to pick wich to him was better all around.
Sounds like a lot of praise, but thats just how it went. The testing was done on equipment of my work place, on one day, with guys both friends of mine and total strangers. It was cool imo. to see how well everyone liked the scope they had no idea of what it was.
After the test day I jumped on the Theos and put the scope on my 6,5x55 semiweight Tikka rifle with Element Acculite rings, on Tikkas own Picatinny rail. 100m zero was a breeze as the toolles turrets are idiot proof to set and I conducted a tracking and RTZ test at the same range visit. Had a plumb line and a scope level helping me stay straight on the target, and the scope tracks spot on, and the reticle matches the turret movement precisely enough that I can't find a fault in it by shooting without proper testing equipment and fixed test bench.
The next step was to stretch it out a bit, and I shot it at 800meters, and 1030meters. On a calm sunny morning I managed to shoot ~0.7MOA from both distances, wich is about as good as the rifle shoots anyway at those distances. It was a joy to shoot long distance, 800 was shot at x25, 1030 at x30-32 or so. So far I really like the scope! The only thing that worries me is the rev indicator lever on the elevation turrer, as it looks like it may catch debris and dust in it, but time will show how it pans out.
Now all there is left to do is Forms drop test on both scopes and rifles, but I can't afford breaking either one of them on purpose I'm afraid. Would definitely love to see the results though, so maybe I'll do it some day.
Anyone else running an Element scope? How do you like it, and have you had any issues with them? My first impressions are positive for sure.
