This is a review of Paragon 1x16 Compact Prism Scope (SCPS-M01), Paragon 3x18 Mini Prism Scope (SCPS-M03), Continental 1-6x24i Fiber Tactical Rifle Scope (SCOC-44), Maverick 1x22 GenII Red Dot Sight (SCRD-12II), Tauron 1-6x24 FFP LPVO Rifle Scope (SCFF-63) from the-answer-is-42 in ar15 forum.
It seems comments and etc about Vector optics are kind of scattered all over the place. A bunch in the optics deals thread and some derailment of the LPVO thread on the first page here (that I helped with).
Yes - more import optics which some will hate - but they seem to be getting good reviews.
Right now for some reason Vector is running some crazy 30-40% off deals and their dots/scopes can be had for pennies on the dollar. I purchased half a dozen Vector optics on my own dime (in case anyone thinks I got free stuff to post this like the YT guys do)over the last few months to see what they were about after seeing the C_DOES (whos word i trust in scopes) review of the Continental line and some other scattered YT reviews from FocusTripp and etc on the Prism line.
Heres some photos and thoughts of the optics I purchased so far:
Vector Prisms - 1x (SCPS-M01) and 3x(SCPS-M03)
I've seen people rave about the PA prisms for years now so I wanted to finally try some. The Vortex models are all hundreds of dollars and so are the PA models - which even on sale are $189-199. Vector had these on Amazon and their website for $120 and $135 respectively. Pretty much a no brainer to try out.
The glass is VERY good on these with virtually no chromatic or blurring. The reticles leave a little to be desired and are Eotech-esque but the illumination is great and daylight bright with the etched reticles.
They are both using Aimpoint micro mounts which IMO is a detriment to the models with a short eye box - but this is the only issue I had with them. The 1x had a nice far eye box of about 6-7" for me but the 3x was tiny at 3" or so.
At any rate I figured out that Prisms are not for me. I had a double-image issue witht he 1x when shooting with both eyes open and apparently thats just a thing with prisms since the 1X is not really 1X - it's more like 1.25X.
YMMV but if you like Prisms these are an absolute bargain on sale right now.
Another scope on sale is the Continental LPVO line and the 1-6 in this case which is from the C_DOES reviews I mentioned above (SCOC-44). The Continental is the Vector premium line using German glass.
I've been looking for a red-dot style LPVO and the 1-6 and 1-8 models from the Vector Continental line checked the boxes. I already have a Vortex Venom but it's LED lit, not daylight bright, and a little cluttered of a reticle to be a true red dot replacement-style LPVO.
So far comparing the two - and the PA Nova - the Vector Continental is hands down the winner for this style of optic. The fiber dot is very bright and has 6 power settings. The crosshair reticle with drop substensions is a little thick but very clear and useable and doesnt get in the way. And to note you can shoot with those LPVO out of view using the BAC like an ACOG which is great for those 5-15yd distances (with obvious parallax issues, but not an issue up close).
Everything in the C_DOES review is true on these models and again FOR THE PRICE they are currently at of sub-$300 I dont think they can be beat. The Vortex Venom goes hand in hand with it and is also very clear, but has been moved to more of a mid range role for me personally.
The clicks are nice on the turrets and they are pop-up caps. The scope is a little long in length, but anyone who's seen the expensive Kahles models probably wouldnt care.
Last but not least is a basic RDS (SCRD-12II). This was $55 from the Vector website and I'm using it on a .22LR build. With the sea of knockoff and cheap crap on Amazon in the sub-$75 range having something direct from the OEM is fantastic.
So far no complaints with this RDS; although it's a bit odd with the 1MOA clicks and exposed red dot turrets. I'm pretty sure no one is adjusting an RDS for elevation or windage ever so capped would have been better but for the price you cant complain. The RDS is built well and the housing/finish are not the cheap 'shiny black' version you see on all the knockoff optics for airsoft. It's a legit matte black anno and everything on the RDS seems to be built well.
This one uses aimpoint micro mounts as well (seems many Vector optics do) which is great since we all probably have a bunch laying around.
All in all I think for the price based off of what I have in hand - these are all very very good low to mid tier optics from a company thats trying to steal market share in the NA market from Holosun. I believe they are an OEM that owns the factory where all of this is made but thats what I vaguely remember reading online.
After purchasing the Continental 1-6 and being amazed at the value that other buyers and reviewers talked about, I wanted to see what other options Vector had in this space. The deals on the vector website (vector2007.com) are crazy right now with the coupon codes floating around. Something on my list to try has been an FFP LPVO. Normally these are all very expensive and no companies have gotten it right in the sub-$500 range yet to my knowledge.
The Vector Tauron 1-6 (SCFF-63) is an FFP LPVO that fits those specs for me and is listed under $300.
Here’s some photos vs the Vortex Venom 1-6:
And the Continental 1-6:
The Tauron comes in at 19oz which is just 1oz heavier than the Continental line’s 1-6 model. The comparable Vortex Venom, which I’ll compare below, is also 19oz.
On hand I also have the above Vortex Venom 1-6 which is an SFP LPVO in the same price range. The Venom has the same country of origin and uses a similar horseshoe reticle.
The Tauron is shorter than the Continental but slightly longer than the Venom.
The Tauron feels very nice, and the finish is on par with other well-made scopes as opposed to a rough or purple-tinted finish on cheaper optics. It has good fit and weight when you have it in hand.
The adjustable focus eyepiece was not wobbly and is tight. The largest physical difference is in the machined knurling and the turret caps. The Tauron LPVO has pop up caps for windage and elevation that are not covered but are low profile. They are not mushy and make a nice tactile click noise, but the click for each adjustment is ever so slightly softer than the Continental. IMO both are perfectly acceptable and neither feels cheap.
The throw lever is a shark fin style that is included in the box, and screws directly onto the magnification ring which is a HUGE plus. Other models such as the Continental and Vortex Venom use a clamp-on style which adds weight and can slip.
One more thing to note on the Tauron is that it’s illuminated with 6 settings same as the Vortex Venom. The LED illumination is powered by a single CR2032 coin-type battery on the side of the scope and below is a comparison of the housings. The Continental uses what is probably a slightly higher end gold-colored housing and contactors whereas the Tauron uses the silver-colored. Both work fine and have the “3 dots” on the PCB as many will point out when discussing a scope’s electronics.
The LED illumination powers a mil-style horseshoe and dot reticle that is smaller at 1x and larger at 6x due to the FFP. This is why I wanted to try this scope vs the fiber dot model. Only the horseshoe, center dot, and lower mil substensions are illuminated on the Tauron making the reticle Eotech-esque. Most people will say FFP is useless for such a low magnification scope as you are not ranging on the lower magnifications, but I think FFP is useful to make the reticle smaller in the viewport for aiming at 1x.
The downside to this scope’s LED illumination is that, unfortunately, it is not daylight bright on light-colored objects and/or full sunlight. Using this as a red dot replacement for daylight shooting and quick-acquisition will not be as intuitive as the fiber dot models in Vector’s lineup.
The glass quality on this scope is really what stands out the most. I have posted several Vector optics here so far and I have been impressed with almost all of them – from the Prism models to the Continental 1-6 (which, admittedly, does have ‘German glass’ as per the specs). This Tauron does not specify German glass, but it is exceptionally clear for what it is. There is no major aberration or blurring.
The following image is of all 3 scopes at 6X full magnification:
So, with the Continental line specifying German glass and seeing all three at 6X above you can see that the glass on the Tauron is not far behind and field of view is also very. The only detractor I can find is that the 1x is ever-so-slightly more of a 1.1x and not a true 1x like the Vector model I have on hand for this comparison. The Vortex Venom has the same issue. Not a deal breaker, but just something to keep in mind of.
For the price point if you are looking for an FFP LPVO the Vector will be hard to beat for the glass quality, features, and how robust it feels to be made. This is NOT your Amazon special or other imported scope, and it will find a home on something for sure.
To view the original review, please click here.
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