Vector Optics Continental 2-12X44 Rifle Scope (SCFF-69) Review

This is a review of Continental 2-12X44 Rifle Scope (SCFF-69). from coldboremiracle.

Preface

You may have seen my past reviews of other Vector Optics, but today we are diving into another one. This time we are looking at the Vector Optics Continental 2-12X44 riflescope, I think this one fits into a very niche purpose. Its almost a low power variable optic (LPVO) by some standards, and yet it shares some of the long-range features of the other Continental scopes. But will this medium power scope fit into one purpose or the other? Let’s find out together.

almost an LPVO?check out more on that subject here

Vector Optics Continental 2-12

Lets get one thing out of the way, foreign made optics have taken up a massive share of the market. A huge number of them are coming from China, Japan and the Philippines. Whether we like it or not that is the way things are going, and since it’s spoiled us for choice there is a positive side. Vector Optics are made in China, and I’ve mentioned before that these Continental scopes have made a strong case for changing our perception of what made in China means.

The 2-12 is built on a 34mm maintube. Most scopes in these lower power ranges use a 30mm tube or perhaps even the smaller 1-inch tube. This scope like the other Vector’s I’ve tried is a first focal plane design, which means the reticle changes size with the power magnification.

The reticle is moved inside the large erector housing using the exposed turrets. Both turrets have a push/pull locking feature to prevent unwanted movement. And both are graduated in MRAD with 1/10 MRAD clicks and a total of ten MRAD per rotation.

note rotation indicator pin elevated on top of the turret. On the 1st rotation it pops up red, and on the second rotation it exposes the silver under the red.

The adjustable parallax is another nice feature, and one that is paramount for shooting long-range (you can read about why HERE). Additionally, there is illumination for the reticle which is stacked on top of the parallax adjustment knob. This makes the milling reticle even more useful in scenarios where light might not be adequate.

Unboxing the Continental 2-12

Unfortunately, my package was mistreated during delivery which resulted in some damage to the box. But after close inspection the packaging was very good at protecting the scope and its accessories inside.

plenty of added accessories included

Inside the box, there is the scope, a sunshade, a set of 34mm rings, an extra elevation turret (for use without zero-stop). As well as the owners manual, lens cloth, a tool for adjusting the turret, and a battery. It was a very nice package before it was damaged.

Mounting Solution

I really appreciate the included rings with these Continental scopes. Often when rings are included they look so cheap you don’t dare use them. These ones on the other hand look very adequate for a scope like this.

the included rings from Vector Optics

Even so, I chose to use a different mounting solution for my initial purposes. I grabbed a Zro Delta cantilever 34mm scope mount, it would allow proper mounting and eye relief on different rifles. The strong oversized screws give robust even clamping.

With the scope mounted in the Zro Delta mount, I attached it to the picatinny rail of my rifle. This rifle is a hybrid made from an Aero Precision upper and a Desert Tech Quattro 15 lower. After which I did a quick boresight job to get it on paper at one hundred yards.

Shooting with the Vector Continental 2-12

My first outing with the Continental 2-12 was to a rifle range. With a target hung at one hundred yards, I fired a few shots to see where they impacted. With the rifle resting securely on sandbags, I measured the distance from my point of aim to the impacts using the reticle. And dialed the correction with the turrets before firing another shot. That shot landed right where I expected it to, and drew smug chuckle out of me.

Using the scope at 12X I fired a few groups at the 100 yard target. I was quite pleased with how sharp and clean the image was, and at that high power setting the outer ring of the reticle is not visible. Leaving only the center part of the reticle with all its details.

Round Two

For a little more long-range testing, I chose to mount the Continental 2-12 on the Bergara Premier Canyon 308 Winchester. For that I did use the rings that came with the scope, and mounted it to the pinned picatinny rail of the Bergara.

shooting the Bergara Premier Canyon rifle with the Banish Backcountry suppressor

I’d take the rifle into the mountains to see how the combination would perform in more open country. I really liked this setup to be honest, it made an excellent lightweight hunting rifle. The accuracy of the Bergara paired with the sharp images of the Vector made for fast and sharp shooting.

The wide angle of view at low power was excellent. If I had to take a quick shot at a running animal up close, it was ideal. And being able to zoom the scope into 12X made making precise shots very doable. I did find that most of the time I was shooting, I rarely took it below 5-6 power. Mainly because in this open country everything is far away.

The VET-CTR 2 reticle seen at 12X left, and 2X right. When illuminated the outer ring and center most ring are lit.

illumination setting 9 out of 11 as seen at 5X

Zero Stop

Setting the zero-stop requires use of the turret with the red pin. Once the rifle is zeroed, you can remove the elevation turret using the plastic included tool. Underneath the turret, you rotate the inner ring of the turret clockwise until it stops. There is a small pin that snaps into place, you can then install the turret at zero. The turret then will stop at zero every time you wind down the turret.

the two elevation turrets, the zero-stop feature is present only in the left cap with the red pin

If you don’t want or require the use of the zero-stop feature, you can remove that turret and install the other. With the zero-stop set with my one-hundred yard zero, the scope had 29.5 MRAD of elevation left for elevation. That’s more elevation than most folks are going to need with a scope like this.

Turrets

Like the other Continental scopes I’ve used, these turrets are fantastic. The clicks are very crisp and audible, making it easy to adjust even without looking. The push/pull locking feature is also very nice, making it easy to prevent unwanted movement of the turret.

With 10 MRAD per rotation, a lot of my shooting might not even require hitting the second rotation. But the pop-up indicator is excellent for showing you which rotation you are on. The red button pops up when you hit the second rotation, and it pops up even further exposing a silver ring when you hit the third rotation.

check out the YHM Fat Cat suppressor

The parallax adjustment is easily read from the shooting position, and has perhaps a touch more resistance than I would like. But it is perfectly serviceable. The 11 position illumination knob has off settings between each power setting. The texturing on all control surfaces is great for purchase with fingers or gloves.

Optical Performance

The large tube does a great job of passing the image to your eye. The 44mm objective while smaller than some precision optics is still more than adequate at compressing the landscape into a bright and clear image.

steady shooting off my Two Vets No Name Tripod made clear and precise use of the reticle

The HD lenses used in these scopes are pretty impressive considering their price point. I found picking out tiny holes in paper to be surprisingly easy, and seeing the movements of small animals two and three hundred yards out to be suitable for precise identification. I found this scope to be impressive considering it’s only a 12X, engaging targets as far as 1000 yards would still be quite doable. And with all that elevation and precise parallax there’s no reason not to.

I’ve also tested the Continental 2-12 on the Browning X-Bolt 2 308, shooting easily out to 1000 yards

Pros and Cons

Because I am a bit of an enthusiast for long range shooting, I think one thing I would change would be the ring around the reticle. With that said it is handy when trying to shoot using low power settings, because the center part of the reticle becomes very fine and harder to see. This appears to be by design, at 2X you have a ring and a center dot when illuminated. Its like looking through an Eotech in that scenario.

Twelve power isn’t a lot, but it is plenty for much of the shooting I do. I think this scope is an excellent choice for a hunting rifle or a fast action carbine. It has excellent clarity, a good reticle, and an impressive erector range allowing for broad corrections when shooting long-range. The turrets are excellent, the image is fantastic, and removing parallax with the focus knob is simple. There is really very little to take away from this rifle scope.

Last Words

As with the other Vector Continental scopes I have used, this one seems to be a hit. Whether on one of my carbines or a hunting rifle it performed exactly as I hoped it would. And when you consider the price point of this scope, with a street price of only $499 it is hard to pass on it. I would feel absolutely confident in taking this setup on one of my big game hunts, or a shooting competition. If you are looking for a scope in this range, you’d be injudicious for not at least taking look.

-CBM