Review: Meopta MeoPro Optika6 3-18x50 BDC rifle scope

I’ve always liked the MeoStar and MeoPro riflescopes, but have been more impressed by the new MeoPro Optika line for their appearance, workmanship, design innovation, optical performance and overall value for money.

These scopes are built to appeal to the serious hunter who’s interested in a European quality scope at a reasonable price.

Meopta MeoPro Optika6 3-18x50 BDC rifle scope — For a 3-x18x50 rifle scope, the Optika6 is pleasantly compact

Optika6 scopes have a six-times zoom ratio and the range includes 1-6×24, 2.5-15×44, 3-18×50, 4.5-27×50 and 5-30×56.

Tube diameter is 30mm except for the 4.5-27×50, which is larger at 34mm. Unlike many 30mm scopes, this one houses a full-size erector assembly with big lenses — two critical components necessary for strong optical performance.

Every model offers the buyer a choice of having the reticle in the first or second focal plane and illuminated.

They are constructed using a lightweight one-piece 30mm tube from aircraft-grade aluminium alloy given an abrasion-resistant, anodised, matte-black finish. The Optika6 has simple, clean lines and typical Optika elevation and adjustment turrets.

My sample Optika6 3-18×50 has raised, finger-adjustable knobs with ¼ MOA clicks protected by large screw-on caps that guard the knobs from abuse or accidental changes.

On the left is a knob for parallax adjustment, which allows a shooter to quickly and easily focus the scope’s image and eliminate parallax. The caps and power change ring are oversized and rubber coated, with a ribbed pattern providing a non-slip surface.

What sets this line apart is Meopta’s proprietary MeoBright lens coatings. This is an ion-assisted multilayer lens coating that promotes a denser anti-reflective coating on all lens surfaces, providing improved light transmission of 91 percent and a brighter image.

The end result is a very handsome yet rugged European scope with excellent optics.

The test scope is a top-of-the-line optic with magnification running from 3x to 18x, which gives it a wide range for field use at a variety of distances.

Field of view shrinks from 11.3 metres on 3x to 1.9m on 18x at 100 metres. Range of adjustment is 262cm at 100m in ¼ MOA clicks. Eye relief is 90mm. This model features a focusing eyepiece.

Optika6 optics are superbly crisp and clear, with excellent contrast and lifelike colour representation.

All Meopta scopes are shockproof, dust and waterproof and nitrogen purged to prevent fogging in extreme climatic conditions. The MeoDrop hydrophobic exterior lens coating repels moisture, dust and smudges, while a new MeoShield anti-abrasion coating protects the lens elements.

Meopta lists 25 different reticle designs for the Optika6. My 3-18×50 has the Dichro BDC ballistic-drop compensating reticle, etched on glass so there’s nothing to move or break.

The heavy side bars are a transparent red and the thin centre section has a small red dot and a series of hashmarks, short and long. The marks on the horizontal wire compensate for a 16km/h (10mph) wind, but their vertical spacing is more useful to the average hunter, calculated to indicate bullet impact at various ranges, though of course you’ll have to match them to the ballistics of your ammunition.

BDC reticles are exponentially faster than rotating a turret when it comes to making that first shot count or following up with a correction since there are no clicks to count and forget.

For a hunter shooting game inside 300m, there’s no reason for using anything other than a simple reticle. Even with milder big-game cartridges, a 200m zero will allow the shooter to hold dead centre on even a smallish fallow deer and still land a bullet in the heart-lung area.

It’s not all plain sailing, however. Hunters are often told to sight in at 100 or 200m and that the hashmarks will fall at 100m intervals (or yards, depending on the scope). Alas, this is a gross approximation since many hashmarks were designed for specific cartridge and bullet designs. While this may work reasonably well for shots out to 300m, it doesn’t serve you well for anything beyond that.

Nevertheless, for a hunter who understands the capabilities and limitations of a BDC reticle it is a good option. It’s only when you extend the range out to 600 or 800m that it becomes a problem.

The reticle is made for one ballistic coefficient, velocity and air density. If any of that changes significantly, the reticle is worthless.

For the hashmark system to work most effectively, you must know the distance subtended by each hashmark for the specific ammunition you are using.

After you have zeroed your rifle to coincide with the ballistics of your load using the Optika6’s elevation turret, it is time to utilise the zero reset. Screw off the top cover of the knob, pull the knob out a little so that it turns freely, align the mark on the knob with a white line on the tube, reinsert the cap and screw the top cover back on.

The reticle is positioned in the second focal plane and is designed for varmints, big game and long ranges. The Optika6 has 262cm of aim-point adjustment at 100m for dialling the correct come-ups for a long-range shot.

I don’t recommend using the reticle for range estimation, since game animals don’t come in standard sizes. Most serious hunters measure the range with a laser rangefinder.

I’ve heard the argument that game doesn’t stand around to be measured. Well, if the deer is far enough away to need an accurate measurement, it usually isn’t aware of the hunter. Once you know the distance, you’ll know which hashmark to use and it should be all over, red rover.

Aberration, clarity, resolution and contrast are all related and are the result of the total design of the optical system. Meopta pays particular attention to engineering the colours of the spectrum to all hit the same focal point. Having the advantage of being able to perform their own optical and mechanical engineering has given Meopta the ability to develop the features their customers want without outsourcing parts from other optical component manufacturers — it’s all done in-house.

Whether for the target shooter or varmint hunter, the Optika6 3-18×50 is an excellent riflescope. The big-game hunter, however, will probably prefer the Z-Plex reticle which stands out boldly and is faster to aim with under varying field positions and conditions.

Over the years I’ve reviewed various Meopta products and my spotting scope is a rugged H75 20-60x which has survived decades of hard field use. When I visited the Meopta factory I was amazed at the size of the plant and how it worked 24/7 all year round. The company doesn’t boast about it, but it is rumoured that they sell lenses to a number of other premium optics manufacturers in Europe.

Offering exceptional quality, the Meopta Optika6 has the advantage over the majority of European riflescopes that it’s affordable by the average shooter.

The name Meopta stands for quality optics at reasonable prices. I’ve been using Meopta riflescopes and spotting scopes for many years now and can recommend them without reservation.

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