Maven RS1 2.5-15x44mm MOA Drop Evaluation

[Formidilosus]

This is a drop evaluation of the new the original Maven RS1 2.5-15x44mm SHR-W MOA scope. There have been questions as to whether the RS1 and RS1.2 were “the same” scope, and whether or not the RS1 is as reliable in zero retention.


This scope was sent to @Ryan Avery from a forum member to be evaled. The ammunition used was Federal Gold Medal Match 168 SMK that was purchased by Shoot2Hunt for these evals. The 20 round proof group was 1.2 MOA.



Scope and weight:






Turrets:

Capped, not revolution indicated, 20 MOA per turn, no zero stop.



Turrets are much more “snappy” and firm than RS1.2.



Zeroing:


Mounting was 20 in-lbs on ring caps, 65 in-lbs on base.


First three shots after bore. sighting are the ones left of the center dot. Adjusted right .75 MOA, the next three are in the dot. Adjusted right .25 MOA, and the next 5 are on the left dot. Adjusted right .5 MOA, and the last three are in the bottom dot.








Notes during zeroing:

Adjustments did not seem to move as they should. I had to make a total of 1.5 MOA right adjustments to get it zeroed (when the initial three only need .75), and with the cone that is unlikely to have been the case. The initial groups were small at only 3 and 5 shots, but- it did not seem to be responding as it should.




Drop Evaluation and “Tracking”
For an explanation see- Scope Field Eval Explanation and Standards


The “test” consists of three 18” drops on a mat- one left/right/top with a shot to check zero after each drop. Then the exact same thing repeated from 36”. Then three drops on all three sides for nine drops on the last part- 15 drops total. This is not “abuse”. The 18” drops are a joke really. The 36” start showing something. And when a scope make/model consistently goes through the whole thing without losing zero, failures in actual use are almost unheard of.

This one was conducted on semi packed dirt, with a 2x padded shooting mats on top.



Shifts were predictable- left side drops bullet impacted left, right side- bullet went right, top drop- bullet went high.






The drop eval was a failure for the RS1- though the center remained the same. It was not an abject, catastrophic failure as it was still zeroed after the drop portions, but during drops the first shot after an impact showed a shift. It is possible that I could remount and drop it again- and I will if the owner would like me too, however the impacts had a predictable shift in the corresponding direction and that is a pretty reliable indicator that the scope is shifting.




Cont…

 

[Formidilosus]

After the drop portion, I mounted the first RS1.2 mil on the rifle to compare.



Zeroing:


Went as expected. None of the shoot/adjust/shoot/adjust/shoot of the RS1. Bore sight, 3 shots, adjust from center, 3 more shots- in the dot. After the second 3 shot group I adjusted up .1 mil (I should not have).






Drop evaluation:

Same exact mat setup as the RS1.









The center of the group is .1 mil high- see initial zeroing. But, for good measure I did the drop evaluation 2 more time- that’s 9x 18” drops, and 36x 36” drops. The only
Modification was that, for time expediency- I did the three 18” drops in a row then shot one round. The 36” were conducted normally.


Drop Evaluation #2 and #3:



This RS1.2 continues to show very good performance- I believe that this is 7 or 8 full drop Evals with this particular scope, as well as a severe car wreck that broke another scope, a fall off a rock ledge then being pinned under me on the rock and bending the objective bell. 20,000 miles of driving with a lot of FS roads with gear and other rifles thrown under, around, and on top- never being in a case, and it has yet to shift zero. It will hit 3,000 rounds on it without much fuss I predict.






Conclusion:

The original RS1 is a different scope- it objectively is as it has different turrets that also feel very different, parallax knob is much looser, magnification ring feels different, turret saddle is different, etc.



Turret saddle on RS1-





Saddle on RS1.2-




It may share the same tube and some of the same internals- but the RS1 and RS1.2 are different scopes in some aspects and that seems to have an effect on their zero retention through drops.
The RS1 may prove to be a reliable scope that can be counted on for most hunting, I don’t know, but it cannot be said to be the same scope as the RS1.2.

 

[Formidilosus]

Remounted the RS1 in the rings from the RS1.2, and rezeroed.

Boresight, then aiming at middle right dot shot 2 rounds (BS). Made a right 6 min adjustment, then aiming at left dot fired 1 round- high. Adjusted down 1.5 min and shot the remaining 7 )it over adjusted). Made a up .75min adjustment and 3 on the middle right dot (it drifted slightly right).





Conducted a 2nd Drop Eval. Same rifle, ammo and conditions as the first.


First 18” drop on left side shifted it off the dot. Then labeled as you see.




Made an adjustment based on the majority of shots- right .75 MOA.

Next 3 shots-




Conducted a 3rd Drop Eval-




This time it stayed on the 1.5” dot, but….


Checked adjustment value “tracking”. 24.5 MOA between top and bottom dot. It adjusted within live fire error (2%), however as you can see it was off zero again-




At “0” after the 3rd drop eval-



At 24.5 MOA-



After the “tracking” check, it wa confirmed that the scope needed between up .5 MOA and up .75 MOA to be zeroed.



Conclusion of RS1:

It consistently has to be rezeroed by .5 to .75 MOA after the drop evals. It also is consistently weird in small adjustment to zero requiring more rounds than usual.


This is an almost scope. It almost holds zero correctly, it almost adjusts correctly, etc.
This scope is like it needs 5% more to be there.