MTC Optics Connect-01 prismatic scope part deux

[Parabuteo]

Thats better...sorry about the break in the middle....too much waffle I'm afraid

Where were we? oh yea

More recently, I have taken several rabbits very cleanly from the standing position, something I would not usually have done, but the perceived stability of the connect made it a doddle, even with my buggered back.

One thing to be aware off though. It is a large sight that sits high on the gun. It has to be with all that glass on board, so it may not fit your standard gun bag, and you need to be careful putting the gun away too. I have a bratton sound extra deep 5 gun cabinet, and it will fit nicely in the centre spot, just.

The 410k with connect fits nicely into a Logun tactical carbine bag (or any of the other similar branded bags), but I doubt it would fit topped with a laser.

Lamps & low light

The FOV on the connect has to be seen to be believed for a 10x mag, and as stated earlier, the use of available light is superb.

This got me thinking. I use SR6 scopes that need to really be left on a fixed mag (of 12 with my guns as it turns out…not great for lamping).

My past attempts at lamping have been, at best, mediocre, but that said, I do not depend on lamping as a form of hunting, just as a fill in when the hawk is not ready, so it has always been a bit half hearted. Happily, I know my ground well, and even with the lower output of the Logun lamp, and a 6x scope I did alright for a newbie….it all could have been so much better though.

I could have used a bigger lamp, but I didn’t need or want to. I could get close enough to use the logun, and I didn’t want to get the rabbits to lamp shy for the hawk.

While the logun unit is small, and some would say a bit weedy for rabbitting, the only problem I had was picking up the targets quick enough with the narrow field of view and poor light transfer on a standard sight.

Initial trials with the Connect have given me real optimism.

Firstly, the low light performance is better than anything I have tried. After the near miss with the rabbit, I stayed put hoping it would come back. It didn’t (told you it wasn’t daft), the reason soon became obvious. Reynard was about. A beautiful dog fox was nosing about in the corner of the field. I had him in great detail at about 60yds in light that would have blanked my other scopes out totally some time ago.

Now then, add a lamp and…well, that’s where the problems start. The tube on the Connect would seem not take any proprietary lamp bracket as far as I know. I guess you could build a lash up, or work with an oppo, but for shooting alone, you need a solution.

You could use the weaver rail, but it would make the whole combo very high (not my thing), and I guess it would need some sort of home made adaptor adding even more height.

My solution was dead simple, and took about 10 minutes.

Because the Logun lamp has a small pillar through which the screw goes, into the lamp housing (which connects the whole unit to the sight tube clamp), all that is required is a flat plate sandwiched between the top and bottom half of the sight bracket. There is a gap of about 1.5-2mm with the bolts form down.

Using an old piece of polycarbonate plastic sheet (from a model helicopter gyro mount…tough as old boots and very flexible) I fashioned a flat plate with holes to align with the mount screws, and another to put the lamp mount screw through and voila…sorted bosh!!

The only pain is that the power connector for the lamp enters from the left, which precluded a close fit on the right, so I settled for a close fit on the left. It wont be a problem with the FOV on the connect.

As I said, pick up of fixed target was similar to daytime use, and the lamp sits almost at the same height as the lamp being mounted half way up its tube.

I have yet to try this out with quarry, as I want to do some night target practice first, and work out some more range finding points for lamping ranges, but it looks encouraging.

I guess this method could be used to mount most small lamps and still leave the weaver rail for a laser if required.

So that’s it then. Sorry if I disappointed any of the more technical amongst you, but I did my best, and I hope it helps a few more take the plunge and try out one of these totally unique sights…you never know, you might love it.

I do. I won’t go into anything tacky like having to prise it from my “cold dead fingers”….but you get the picture.

Going back to a standard sight in the same session is amusing....you can't find the bloody targets for love nor money

If you want some more usefull info, try this

http://www.rusmilitary.com/html/c-optics_press.htm

[some bloke]

Superb review - so was the gyro plate from a Kyoso or Kalt?

ATB, Dave-G