Meopta began in 1933 as a Czechoslovakian-based company that, since 1960, manufactures its products in the US as well. Producing everything from precision medical and scientific instrumentation to military weapon systems, and even digital cinematic projectors, Meopta’s diversification is impressive. Of interest to me are their optical products for shooting and hunting, including riflescopes, binoculars, and spotting scopes.
The ‘RD’ in the Meopta MeoSport R 3-15×50 RD SFP name indicates its red dot illumination and ‘SFP’, Second Focal Plane.
The affordably priced riflescope has a 30mm aluminum tube with an overall length of approximately 13¼ inches, with a maximum eye relief of around four inches. The MeoSport R was a perfect pairing for the Mauser M18 I’m reviewing.
I knew I’d use this combination on targets from 100 to about 400 yards, from both the bench and one of my shooting rests used for hunting (in this case the 4StableSticks Ultimate Carbon, standing shooting position model), which is why I wanted a scope with larger magnification. I have older eyes and find it much easier to see distant targets with riflescopes with 15x magnification or more.
The MeoSport R 3-15×50 RD SFP has a 50mm objective, making it a bit brighter, again helping my aging eyes, especially when, on the morning of my range work, the fog had moved in. The data presented below demonstrate the effectiveness of the brightness and magnification for accurate shooting under less-than-ideal conditions.
The turrets, provide for zero reset to a pre-sighted distance, as well as adjustments for other distances, making ‘holdover’ unnecessary when hunting. These turrets lock preventing accidental changes.
The battery for the illuminated reticle lies under the parallax and lighting adjustment turret of the riflescope.
Turrets are lockable with zero reset and have .1 mil adjustments.
The range work took two forms as usual. An accuracy test and a Box Test. The accuracy data appeared in the review of the Mauser M18, reproduced here in MRAD, rather than MOA. Simply put, the accuracy, from both the bench and fieldrest was excellent. This reflects well on the rifle and indicates how reproducible the shots were through the Meopta riflescope. The distances fired were 100-300 yards off the Ultimate Carbon and 100-400 yards from the bench. As an aside, I do sometimes take shots off the 4StableSticks rest at 400+ yards when hunting. However, I was running low on the Hornady, American Whitetail ammunition, and limited the fieldrest to 300 yards. In fact, the smallest group by far came from two shots made off the Ultimate Carbon at the 200-yard target.
The Box Test determined the reproducibility (or lack thereof) of the mechanics of the MeoSport sighting components. Each shot occurred from the bench rest and with the crosshairs of the riflescope centered on the lower left bullseye (indicated by the black circle). With the turrets unlocked, and except for shot number ‘4’, I adjusted windage or elevation with the goal of making the best ‘box’ possible. Shot 4 reflects a second attempt because I felt I jerked shot ‘3’ high. Apparently, I was correct.
Though the box is not as square as I would have liked, the success of placing shots ‘1’ and ‘6’touching one another indicates how well the riflescope performed through all the major adjustments; in other words, it returned to a near-perfect zero.
The MeoSport riflescope was very bright, very clear and its magnification was ideal for my needs. Turning it down and up revealed the SFP characteristics I prefer with the crosshairs remaining the same size across magnifications. Its price doesn’t shock the user into worrying about accidental, rough treatment when out hunting, or at the range. Overall, it is a great riflescope for mounting on a rifle that is going to see use, especially up in the hills where its weight is not going to cause a heart attack in those of us past our physical prime.
Specifications: Meopta MeoSport R 3-15×50 RD SFP
Tube size: 30mm
Field of view: 37.5-7.5 feet at 100 yards
Eye relief: 3.94 inches
Focal plane: 2nd
Length (OAL): 13.29 inches
Weight: 23.1 ounces
Reticle: 4C
Illumination: Red dot
MSRP: $499.99
Rating (out of five stars):
Overall * * * * *
This riflescope is an excellent product, and at the ~$500 price tag, it’s even better. The sharpness at all magnifications, and in the less-than-ideal environment during my range workup was outstanding. I really appreciate the light weight for lugging around the hills and rough country I often encounter, and the adjustable turrets make for a relatively quick resetting if needed. I couldn’t find anything to cause me to deduct stars, so it earned top marks.
Mike Arnold writes for several outlets; you can find links to other articles here.
Mike Arnold is also a Professor of Genetics at the University of Georgia and author of the 2022 book, BRINGING BACK THE LIONS: International Hunters, Local Tribespeople, and the Miraculous Rescue of a Doomed Ecosystem in Mozambique. Mike’s book is available for purchase at bringingbackthelions.com, Amazon and local bookstores.
[All photos courtesy of Mike Arnold.]
