Review: Griffin Armament 1-10x Mil-R SFP LPVO

Griffin Armament is understood for making high quality suppressors, solid-performing AR-15s, and well-thought-out equipment, together with their low-profile M2 folding iron sights that I’ve used for years with nice success.

What we don’t know them for, nonetheless, are optics, however we must always. When Griffin Armament launched Micro T2 mount prisms in 1x and 3x late final 12 months, it bought me to take a better have a look at the corporate’s different optics, all of which struck me as financially approachable whereas providing a characteristic set with nice worth.

That’s precisely why I jumped on the likelihood to get hands-on expertise with the complete lineup when Griffin Armament supplied to ship them over for overview. Spoiler alert: I’ve been pleased with all their optics, however the one I’ve spent probably the most time on up to now is the Griffin 1-10x Mil-R SFP with an MSRP of solely $449.95, and that’s the one we’re speaking about on this overview.

The Griffin 1-10x Mil-R SFP contains a 34mm predominant tube and 28mm goal lens, placing it on the bigger finish of the LPVO spectrum at 25.75oz and 10.8” in size. I don’t really feel these further ounces in sensible use, however I respect the significantly stable construct and wonderful gentle transmission the Griffin 1-10x supplies. Moreover, outsized turrets make it straightforward to see the place you might be dialed at a look, a pleasant characteristic for a scope with exact 1/tenth MIL adjustment increments.

Unboxing is easy, with a CR2032 battery, microfiber cleansing material, and instruction card accompanying the optic. The included entrance and rear flip-up lens covers are a pleasant contact that I want all scopes got here with. I used to be a bit of shocked concerning the absence of a throw lever for the magnification ring, largely as a result of Griffin Armament appears to have considered every part else right here, as we’ll go over, so I received’t make that any extra of a difficulty. I’ll say that the magnification ring is easy and simple to govern however has simply sufficient rigidity to maintain it from turning inadvertently whereas bumping round in your gear.

Essentially the most cheap optic to match the Griffin 1-10x Mil-R SFP to stands out as the Major Arms SLx 1-10x, which is similar worth, nearly the identical size, is a second focal aircraft optic and has a 34mm tube with a 28mm goal lens. Sadly, I’ve no private expertise with the Slx, however a distinction that jumps out at me is the smaller capped turrets versus the tactical turrets I are inclined to desire on the Griffin 1-10x. One other comparability could possibly be the Vortex Strike Eagle, which sells in an identical worth vary regardless of having a $100 increased MSRP, however that individual optic is a 1-8 with a 30mm tube, 24mm goal, and capped turrets. General, the Griffin 1-10x Mil-R SFP brings a novel characteristic set to your choices for a sturdy but inexpensive LPVO.

Second Focal Aircraft

Earlier than I’m going on, I wish to speak briefly about operating a second focal aircraft optic. Since this isn’t a primary vs second focal aircraft article, I’ll depart you to analysis that in case you haven’t already, and there’s no lack of web assets on the topic. In a nutshell, the reticle in a primary focal aircraft optic zooms in with the picture once you improve magnification, and the reticle in a second focal aircraft optic stays static whereas solely the picture zooms in. The benefit of a primary focal aircraft optic is that your subtensions shall be correct at any magnification stage. Benefits of a second focal aircraft optic sometimes embody finer stadia strains at magnification and decrease value.

Let’s have a look at this from a sensible standpoint on my 14.5” barrel AR-15. As a combating rifle, I need issues to be fast at brief to medium vary. Utilizing frequent 55gr ammunition at 2900fps, a degree clean vary (PBR) zero at 36 yards with a fight efficient 8.5” affect zone provides me a distant zero of roughly 270 yards and a most PBR inside that zone of 310 yards. I can use my reticle crosshairs to simply over 300 yards with out worrying about subtensions. Something past that, and I don’t thoughts dialing up the magnification to 10x for a greater goal ID and extra exact shot, at which level my holds are correct. For the kind of rifle and magnification vary, a second focal aircraft optic works nice.

Reticle Design

The reticle is intuitive however uncluttered, with subtensions calibrated for 10x magnification in half MIL increments. Nevertheless, it additionally supplies auto-ranging capabilities for targets with generally identified dimensions, a characteristic impressed by the Redfield ART TEL 3-9x optic used on the Vietnam-era XM21. When the identified goal measurement is bracketed inside the circle on the middle of the reticle, the space corresponds to 100 meters occasions the present magnification, so 500 meters at 5 energy and so forth. I discovered this characteristic fast, straightforward, and correct whereas testing it towards my laser rangefinder.

Specs

Size: 10.8″

Tube Diameter: 34mm

Knob Width: 3.11″

Weight: 25.75 oz

Magnification: 1-10x

FOV: 23° – 2.3° | 40.7m – 4m | 122ft – 12ft

Max Elev. Adjustment: ≥28 MRAD

Max Windage Adjustment: ≥14 MRAD

Dioptric Quick Modify: ≥ ±2 Diopters

Parallax Setting: Fastened @ 137m

Eye Aid: 90mm (3.5in)

The place To Purchase

Zeroing the Griffin 1-10x Mil-R SFP

Earlier than adjusting the optic and putting in the zero cease, I examined the turret monitoring again to zero by putting the crosshairs on the bullseye of a goal at 50 yards and dialing a substantial means in every course with the rifle held in place on my tripod. Every time I returned the turrets to zero, I used to be again on the bullseye. Check handed.

Zeroing the Griffin 1-10x is a chunk of cake and doesn’t require any instruments. The windage and elevation turrets lock, retaining your dials from being bumped out of adjustment. Pull up or out to unlock them. When you’ve discovered your zero setting on each dials, you should use a coin or shell casing to unscrew the cap on prime of every turret and gently carry the dial off the scope with out inflicting any further changes.

For windage, line up the zero mark to correspond with the zero indicator on the scope, gently decrease the turret into place, and reinstall the cap. Elevation works a lot the identical, however with one further step to make the most of the optic’s zero cease. Earlier than you come back the turret to the scope with the zero mark and indicator lined up, place the supplied zero cease ring down as seen within the image under, aligning the zero scale line. When these steps are all completed, screw the cap again into the highest of the elevation turret and also you’re performed.

Talking of dialing the turrets…

As a man who likes to shoot long-range, you’ll be able to wager I’ve an arsenal of glass, together with Nightforce ATACRs, Leupold MK5s, Vortex Razors, and extra. Don’t attempt to make these comparisons right here, as Griffin Armament is placing these optics out as a high quality possibility for individuals who wish to get on the market and practice with succesful and dependable tools that they’ll match into an affordable funds. That being stated, I like to check the tactile really feel of the dials by sitting in a darkish room, selecting a random variety of clicks, and dialing them in any given course on each turrets. As soon as I’m completed, I dial again the identical variety of clicks, solely capable of really feel and listen to them in pitch darkish. I returned exactly to zero every time by really feel and audible click on alone. One other check handed.

Illumination

The Griffin 1-10x Mil-R SFP is out there with both inexperienced or purple illumination and options twelve brightness settings. My copy with the inexperienced reticle was shiny sufficient for many daytime use, relying on the background. Once I aimed out into the snow or gold-colored pastures, as they’re this time of 12 months, taking direct daylight, I may now not see the illumination. Nevertheless, when pointing the optic towards such a shiny background, you’ll be able to think about how a lot the black reticle stands out, making goal acquisition straightforward. One thing I actually love about this LPVO is that it additionally options twelve off-settings between every illumination stage, permitting me to maintain the dial off proper subsequent to the setting I need the quickest entry to with out having to dial all of it the best way again every time. Good contact!

Mount

Whereas the 1-10x Mil-R SFP doesn’t include a mount, I wished to say it as a result of the good individuals at Griffin Armament had been variety sufficient to ship me one among their soon-to-release Light-weight Cantilever Mounts. Just like the GPM line, it employs a staggered technique of securing the rings that I’ve but to see elsewhere, however the characteristic makes it suitable with Accent Interface Suite Expertise and Griffin’s Fast Transition Optic Plate system for ambidextrous use of an offset purple dot. The mount itself is powerful and confidence-inspiring, wanting prefer it may take a severe beating, and the added contact of displaying the torque specs on the bottom is one thing I respect.

On the rifle

Whereas the Griffin 1-10x Mil-R SFP will carry out on nearly any platform, the principle focus was its use on my BCM RECCE 14 AR-15. I did run 5 magazines by means of it on my SCAR 17 simply to be hateful, however if you need greater than that, you’ll be able to chip in for ammo. Regardless, I skilled no shift in my zero, and the optic appeared advantageous with the SCAR’s abusive nature. Restricted SCAR 17 check handed.

For the AR-15, ammunition was supplied by HOP Munitions by means of their .223 55gr FMJ, which ran and not using a hiccup and was pleasantly correct and constant relative to most 55gr I’ve shot over time. I’ve been pleased with their polymer 147gr 9mm poly flat nostril on the vary, so this was no shock, although I’m wanting ahead to testing out extra calibers and choices of their lineup.

Griffin Armament lists the attention reduction on the 1-10x Mil-R SFP as 3.5”. I received’t attempt to measure that, however I’ll say from a shooter’s perspective that I didn’t have any points with the reduction or the attention field at any magnification. In fact, it was most forgiving at 1x, however even 10x felt ample sufficient to shoot by means of {a magazine} from a standing place with out shedding my sight image to scope shadow. That’s a move additionally.

Optical High quality

General, I’ll say that the optical high quality of the Griffin 1-10x Mil-R SFP follows the identical sample of worth I’ve discovered to this point with this LPVO’s options. The picture at 1x is shiny with loads of distinction, a large subject of view, and has a really flat picture with no distinguishable distortion. The identical stays true by means of the magnification vary with a slight falloff in brightness between 8x and 10x, however not sufficient to make a tangible distinction throughout use. Edge-to-edge readability by means of the zoom vary is spectacular for an optic on this worth vary, with that coming from a retired photographer and rifle optics snob. I induced a bit of little bit of chromatic aberration by searching for it whereas I pointed the optic into very brightly lit snow, however that isn’t a sensible check that the majority scopes would move, nor does it make a distinction whereas taking pictures.

I’ll reiterate that I’m not attempting to benchmark the Griffin 1-10x Mil-R SFP towards optics three to 6 occasions its worth and up. To be truthful, these optics have a tendency to point out off their worth beneath less-than-ideal circumstances like first and final gentle, however the price-to-quality ratio right here places one other examine within the win column for Griffin Armament.

Preserving in thoughts that I don’t run an optics lab and that my observations are subjective and relative to my expertise, I wished to attempt getting a good look down the scope utilizing my digital camera whereas the rifle was mounted on a tripod. I’m both actually unhealthy at doing this or I simply don’t have the correct setup to get it performed. To the bare eye, nonetheless, I’d say Griffin Armament 1-10x is a keeper.

When you have a specific setup you want to make use of to perform this, let me know within the feedback under.

Conclusion

The Griffin Armament 1-10x Mil-R SFP shocked me with its worth. I’ve spent about two months with it on my BCM RECCE 14 rifle, which is the one which goes with me in every single place on the ranch. I don’t bash my weapons into issues on objective, however I do are inclined to throw them within the truck a bit of carelessly after I’m in a rush or depart them leaning on the barn door, solely to have them fall over. , real-world use out right here within the nation. I haven’t had any points with the optic sustaining zero, monitoring, or the rest for that matter. I discovered 10x past usable, which is sweet when stretching out to distances of 400 yards or extra, and I respect the picture at 1x, the place I are inclined to maintain the optic more often than not.

If you happen to want a flexible optic that’s feature-rich, sturdy, a pleasure to make use of, and inexpensive, the Griffin 1-10x Mil-R SFP is likely to be your LPVO. Don’t spend time pining over a dream optic which may be a good distance from making your funds. Get on the market and practice with an optic which you could afford proper now that shall be reliable and current nice worth. Chances are you’ll even discover that optic fits all of your wants and frees up your gear fund to buy ammunition and practice some extra, and I like to recommend testing HOP Munitions once you do. The purpose is to search out the most effective optic to suit your funds, then get off the web and go shoot! On this worth vary, I’ve but to attempt one out that I’d select over the Griffin.