Connect 01

[Korium]

This is the earlier model. I believe they were done by Soviet Bazaar?

Bought it looking for a compact .22lr scope to go on a AP-85. When it arrived, I was very surprised! They are quite large!

The optics are very good, nice and clear, but I have not tried it in low light yet. It has a pretty good FOV for a 10x scope, not like a compact 5x, although not far off. Interesting ret, but very cluttered; something like a post or circle-dot would have been better.

It is built very solidly. One is sure it could hit concrete without sustaining too much damage. They are quite heavy, although this may be an illusion due to the way it is built; I would say it weighs near the average chunky "tactical" 14x scope.

Controls are basic with a large P/X ring towards the front, and very positive turrets. It also has IR which I need to fit a new battery in. Not sure if it has an adjustable eye-piece; I don't fancy taking the scope maximiser off to check.

Mounting system is great. No tools needed.
I think they were available to fit weaver rails too, but this one is 11mm dovetail.

Unfortunately they do have negative points: I found it very uncomfortable on a high mounting bullpup rifle, so tried a traditional sporter instead; it was still uncomfortable to use and fairly unbalancing. I would say, you either need something with a short LOP and/or adjustable cheek-piece to use it. They have no eye-relief and mount reasonably high. It would suit an adjustable FT rifle someone wanted to shoot HFT with; rimfires with the level of adjustment needed to use one tend to be uncommon, and I highly doubt a prone-smallbore shooter would use it.

From photos, it looks as though MTC have updated their model to a much more usable product. This is extremely wide and bulky, their product appears relatively narrow.

This is an interesting scope, more like a compact combat sight than a traditional scope.
I will probably keep it until I have something it is usable with.

[Parabuteo]

Funny that, I have not long sold mine and wish I had not.

I am lucky enough to have one of the new viper connect prototypes, with a production unit inbound, so it would have been nice to have kept it.

I agree with everything you say TBH, the scope was originally built by HTH, and Vlad was a Soviet, so it kind of made sense.

I never tried the concrete test as it goes.

The 01 works very well in low light with quite a low powered lamp, but it gets interesting with close in targets as the hold over can be quite large.

My first shot in anger went over the bunny's nut, the FOV just told the brain that it was further away...unfortuneatley he let me have another shot...foolish bunny.

The problem generally was that there was little leeway with the head position, Standing and kneeling was ok, and the scope gave another point of contact for stability, but prone could be down right painfull.

It worked better with an adjustable stock/cheekpiece.

Misting can also be a problem with the eye in such close proximity to the ocular.

Mine did a couple of seasons on a rabbit gun, then 2 on a squirrel gun.

To be fair though, the only similarity with the viper connect is the clarity and FOV.

[Korium]

To be fair though, the only similarity with the viper connect is the clarity and FOV.

I will have to try one out too on the rimfire.
They do look ideal, and judging from some of the airguns I see them mounted on, head position isn't a problem.

[Parabuteo]

I will have to try one out too on the rimfire.
They do look ideal, and judging from some of the airguns I see them mounted on, head position isn't a problem.

Not really, they are much more tolerant re eye relief than the 01, and have an adjustable eye bell (longer or shorter like some high end binos) and rubber bellows if needed.

Your head position is more or less conventional, particularly if you dont use the optional bellows.

Baz has tried one on a centre fire but it appears it kept nudging his glasses

If you get on with the close coupled eye relief they are brilliant. Going back to a conventional scope after using one is a bit of a shocker to be honest.

They are very flexible as you have a huge FOV and still have 12x mag if needed.