Meopta Meostar R1

Natebonebusta

Eight Pointer
With all this talk about $1600 glass, I started researching better options for my two rifles. I’ve been hunting with a Weaver GrandSlam the past couple of seasons on one and the other needs glass.

I had my heart set on a Zeiss V4 4-16x44. I like the turret with zero stop. I have an original Zeiss conquest 3-9 so I figured the glass would be on par with that. When I called Doug over at Camera Land he said the Meostar’s were a much better optical choice over the Zeiss. He said the Zeiss was good, but… He basically talked me into the Meopta. The 4-12x40 with MMD reticle.

With all that being said I’d like to hear from the Meopta crowd on how you like this scope brand.

https://www.meoptasportsoptics.com/us/produkt/meostar-r1-4-12x40-639_10505/


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Natebonebusta

Eight Pointer
the ones I have looked through are nice - especially in low light

That was a leading concern of mine I failed to mention. I looked through a Leupold vx3i that I wasn’t that impressed with based on the value of the scope.


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FishHunt

Old Mossy Horns
For what it is worth I have an older 6x Meopta with a #4 reticle that is as bright as my brand new 6x Leupold. It tracks true and does its job.

<>< Fish
 

MJ74

Old Mossy Horns
I don't own one but have looked thru several. The Meostar is a very good scope and to be honest the Meopro isn't to far behind to me.

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TravisLH

Old Mossy Horns
I don’t personally own any but I know a few with them and they’re all happy and rave about them...... also I don’t see many for sale and that says something since they’re not a brand new company and are priced competitively.


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Deerhuntr

Ten Pointer
The meostar or meopro scopes are top shelf. Gonna get another one real soon and leaning towards the meopro so I don't have to get new rings. The low light ability is the best I've used.
 

Natebonebusta

Eight Pointer
The meostar or meopro scopes are top shelf. Gonna get another one real soon and leaning towards the meopro so I don't have to get new rings. The low light ability is the best I've used.

That’s great to hear. Low light is my biggest concern. The crosshair choice is my second. I went with the MMD, but may end up with the #1 if the MMD is too thin. Thanks for the input.


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bryguy

Old Mossy Horns
Meopta was the contract manufacturer for the Zeiss conquest line of scopes....when Zeiss stopped seeking those scopes Meopta kept them going with their own badged version.....

From all I have read, they are alpha glass with out the price of the other top notch euro glass out there.


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lasttombstone

Kinder, Gentler LTS
LOL....... that's why there ain't no bank. That and everything else is in dirt. When you get one of those mega-scopes I know you will be getting rid of those "junk" scopes you are using now. I'll be in line for the deals. LOL.
 

Ashy Larry

Ten Pointer
I have a 3-9-42 meopro. Love it. I shot a 85ish pound doe at around 200 yards 1-2 minutes before last light in waist high broomstraw. If that isn’t a test of low light performance I don’t know one.
 

Guybo

Eight Pointer
I've never owned a Meopta but my neighbor comes over and uses my range and he has one, I don't know what model it is but looking through it the glass is crisp and clear. I have a Leupold vx3i on one rifle and a vx3 on the other. My eyes aren't that good but honestly I can't tell any difference in his and mine. I also don't see any difference in the 3i and the 3. The biggest issue i'm having with Leupold is the tracking, these two I have don't track worth a crap. I've already sent one back and it still doesn't track well at all. After researching it appears that it's a hit or miss these days with Leupold and the tracking. I don't know if it's the vx3 series or I just got two bad ones. I had a vx2 and a vari x 3 that was spot on with tracking that I wish I would have kept.

I'm about to get burned out with this tracking issue and am strongly considering looking into something else. I certainly can't afford $1000 scopes and my price range is around $500. I've been looking at Sightron and the older Vortex HS 2x10x44 which they don't make anymore but there are still some out there to be found. I've never had a Nikon so I may look into those and check out the Meopta as well. Mike
 

TravisLH

Old Mossy Horns
It’s funny this thread was started when it did , I just checked my emails and had a meopta meostar R1 3-12x56 with illuminated 4C reticle offered to me in trade that ima probably accept


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TravisLH

Old Mossy Horns
I'm about to get burned out with this tracking issue and am strongly considering looking into something else. I certainly can't afford $1000 scopes and my price range is around $500. I've been looking at Sightron and the older Vortex HS 2x10x44 which they don't make anymore but there are still some out there to be found. I've never had a Nikon so I may look into those and check out the Meopta as well. Mike
As a guy that plays with a few scopes I’d be happy to let you shoot or checkout any that your interested in that I happen to have. Here are my thoughts on some you mentioned

Leupold ..... unless it’s an older model or thief tactical line I’d avoid any of the under $500 scopes as they’re just not what they used to be

Vortex .... I’m a huge fan and have a few of the viper line (PA, HS, and HST). Probably the best entry level variable pwr long range scope that can run both LR drills and hunting. Only drawback is light transmission, don’t get me wrong they’re not bad but not top line euro glass either.
Vortex diamondback, great for hunting but may not have a reticle you’d like

Sightron..... good quality glass that’s cheaper, tracks great but optical clarity is sketchy at upper magnification range low light is ok but reticles are really fine. Best suited for benchrest shooting

Nikon..... I’d take any of the other options first, unless it’s a $700 model the tracking is a joke and low light is mediocre at best

Another option if your not opposed to a fixed power, the SWFA super sniper line is amazingly high quality and a 6x is easily able to shoot out to 500 yards or shoot a doe at 30yards.


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duckmauler

Eight Pointer
FWIW, I just bought a meopta scope yesterday. Went with the Meostar R2 - 2.5-15X56 with an illuminated reticle. By far the nicest scope I have. Now, just got to decide on a rifle... I’m a huge fan of their stuff.
 

bryguy

Old Mossy Horns
Leupold is notorious for crappy tracking. They are good as set and forget scopes but if you are spinning turrets you need to look elsewhere. Honestly almost everything I have wears either an SWFA or nightforce. I do have 2 2-7 Leupold freedoms waiting to go on a couple of lightweight 308s that are inbound to me. These are really light rifles and I wanted to put together a lightweight rig and I have had good luck with the Leupold 2-7’s.......I thought about a Meopta fixed 6 but for whatever reason I didn’t pull the trigger on them


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Natebonebusta

Eight Pointer
Well I must say the Meostar R1 is a heck of a light gatherer. It just beats out my Zeiss conquest 3-9. The meostar goes right up til last legal light, but those last 5 minutes I struggle with the MMD crosshair. She’s thin!! That’s my only issue with the scope. The Leupold vx3i, is not even in the same class. I honestly wouldn’t waste time or money on that line of optic.

From my testing tonight. I’m quite sure I could use it almost to last legal, but that depends on the setting I’m in. Field I say no issue. Thick underbrush and I’d be in rough shape after a certain time.

I only had one other reticle option at this price and it is the #1 which is the thick German post with east and west crosshairs. So what do y’all think about the crosshairs? Caveat that by saying my eyes are still 38 so I’m not completely blind yet…

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FishHunt

Old Mossy Horns
Using it for big game or squirrel sniping? If it is for big game my 47 year old eyes would do better with a #4 reticle.

<>< Fish
 

Natebonebusta

Eight Pointer
Using it for big game or squirrel sniping? If it is for big game my 47 year old eyes would do better with a #4 reticle.

<>< Fish

It’s for deer. I would have liked to have that option but the price jumps to almost $1000 vs $600 for this reticle.


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bryguy

Old Mossy Horns
Yeah that reticle is going to be an issue in a dark woods setting. Wonder if you could send it back to Meopta and see if they could do a reticle swap for you and put something better in it. Another thing you could try is to see if you could find someone willing to do a swap with you that has a better lowlight reticle in their scope. You may have to throw a little cash in, but that would be better then having a scope that will not work in extreme low light.

Saw that you bought it from Doug at camera land. I would give him a call and see if he would swap it for the other reticle at that price range. That one you have is going to be all but useless around here except for fields.


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brownisdown

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Yeah it dont matter how good the glass is if you cant see the reticle. This is the very reason I will never buy another scope regardless of brand that don't have an illuminated reticle.

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Natebonebusta

Eight Pointer
After testing last night off the rifle and tonight in the stand the conclusion is with about 7 minutes of legal light left finding the center of the crosshair becomes difficult to find.

If I back the power down and get within 50y I could likely pull it off. The glass on these scopes are amazing. The turrets though, they need work. They are a crappy Simmons like design that aren’t very audible or tactile. Doesn’t mean they don’t track, but they need work.

I think for my uses which is the doe train, meat wagon this reticle will work for my needs.


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pattersonj11

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
If you can’t see the crosshairs, look for the center of the scope. I’ve approached bow hunting with that method. That is the only way in low light.
 
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