Falcon Menace 1.5-5x30

[Hellequin]

I recently bought back my SFS tuned HW95K (.22) and had been considering several different scopes to put on it to use as my 'short range around the farm' gun. On the short list were; Simmons WTC1.5-5x20, MTC Mamba 1.5-6x42 and the BSA Jaguar 1.5-6x44.

As it turns out, I bought none of these after I found the Falcon Menace 1.5-5x30 on the Optics Warehouse site. I'd not seen this scope stocked anywhere else but I already own the Menace 7.5x50, so reckoned it would be good.

It arrived next day (well done Optics Warehouse) in the now usual plain black box. It was well packaged but like the 7.5x Menace, does not come with any paperwork at all- no instructions or guarantee form. The scope comes with flip up covers front and rear, though they are the fairly cheap plastic type and I've managed to break the front one already!

This version of the Menace has a German 4a type reticle which is illuminated via a sidewheel on the left, with the option of either red or green coloured illumination and 5 levels of brightness in each colour. Having looked through, I think that levels 1 to 3 are fine but 4 and 5 perhaps a little too bright. That's being slightly picky though.

Build quality is up to the usual Falcon standard, nicely finished and with a chunky zoom ring which is 'solid' to turn without being too stiff. Optically it seems very good. I've not had chance to test it in low light yet but it is very clear so should work well. The mag range is fine for what I need. 1.5x is so low I can see the silencer and 5x gives enough mag out to 30 or even 35yds really. The turrets are different to other scopes in the Menace range, in that they are lower profile with the more traditional 'caps' rather than the target style jobbies on my 7.5x50.

Anyway, I put the scope on the gun and took it to get it zeroed today. I wanted to try a shorter than normal zero, I would usually go for 30yds with a 12fpe .22 gun but started out at around 20yds instead- short range gun for round the farm, after all. Pellets used were Webley Mosquito Express, which I think are about 14.3gn in weight.

It took only 4 shots to get 'on zero' at what I settled for which is 22yds. I chose this after reading an article in AGW recently in the hope that it would keep the trajectory as flat as possible over the dictance I expect to be using the gun; basically anywhere from 10 to 25yds.

From my 3 shot zero group of 22yds I then had 3 shots at 10yds, 15yds, 18yds, 25yds, 30yds and 35yds. At both 10yds & 15yds the POI was about 1/4"-1/2" low. At 18yds it was just under 1/2"high. 25yds was a gnats knacker under 3/4" low and 30yds 1" low. I shot at 35yds more out of interest than anything else and the 3 shots 'spread' a little at 1.5"-2" low. Basically, from 10yds to 25yds shots are within an inch, which I'm happy with at this stage though I may experiment further with different 'zero ranges' at a later date.

To sum up then, so far so good! I'm happy with my scope choice for the 95k, it seems to work very well and looks good on the gun too. Good points and not so good below.

Not so good-

No paperwork with the scope- not even a guarantee form. And that's all the not so good, so far!

Good bits-

Clear optics.
Nice chunky (and smooth) zoom ring.
Build quality.
Superb (illuminated) reticle, especially for close range work.
I nearly forgot to say how much; it was a quid the wrong side of £100 including VAT & postage, so a lot of scope for the money IMHO.

All in all I'm very happy with it. I have taken some pics which I will try to upload on here, in the meantime they will be in the link in my sig and I'll update once I've had a few outings around the farm.

ATB
Paul