I had to give up my beloved Leupold 6x42's a few years ago when I could no longer focus them with my eyeglass prescription for nearsightedness complicated by glaucoma and age. The 6x42 does just about everything I need in a scope with simplicity, ruggedness and style. I tried other 6x42's but they just did not have quite enough eye relief and focus adjustment although marvelous optically (the Kahles Helia C was incredible). I was cautiously optimistic when Meopta announced the debut of a new MeoPro 6x42 at the 2013 Shot Show. I looked forward to the reviews but I knew that I would not find out how it suited my needs until I got one.

I must be the only person in the world who cares about this new 6X42 scope. It was mentioned in a press release but not on the website and there were no reviews coming out of the SHOT show. Only one shop shows this scope in their product list and it is a special order item. Since I would not know how good it is until I had one, I ordered one with the Z-plex reticle on 1 February 2013. It arrived today:

I think the main tube and objective share a lot in common with the 3-9X42 although I have never seen the variable. The eyepiece is separate so this is two piece construction. The scope is shorter than the specified 12.4"; it measured a little less than 12 inches out of the box with no ocular adjustment. It is over an inch shorter than the Zeiss Conquest 3-9x40 and has fewer lenses but weighs about the same. I suspect it is built like a tank. The eye relief is specified at 3.75" which is 0.25" shorter eye relief than the Zeiss 3-9x40 Conquest. Adjusted to my eyeglass prescription it gives me about the same eye relief as the Zeiss similarly adjusted.

I am not capable of discussing the optical performance to the bird-watcher level. The ocular is quite large which is ugly to some but my aging near sighted glaucomic eyes appreciate the larger image. It is a foggy day today and I have only a limited first impression. That first impression led me to immediately order one with a #4 reticule. I will probably need six to eight more of these to replace my 3-9x40's and 2.5-8x32's. I think I have to hang on to my 4x32's for one specific application.

I hope there will be other reviews but I fear not. I am going to buy all I need before they are discontinued.

Cheers,

GrimJim

Thanks for bringing it to our attention. Nice to have another long action length fixed six option. Didn't care for the leup 6x36, the 6x42 was too short, so found a used kahles. Assume the meopta is prety nice. What's it weigh?

sandcritter,

The specs say 15 ounces.

That is a short action in the photo. The scope tube lenght is 5.59 inches compared to the 5.4 inches for the Leupold 6x42. With the longer ocular and adjusted for your eyes, it may be just fine on a Remington 700 long action.

Cheers,

GrimJim

Where did you order it from ? Thanks

I've got 2 or three of these on my list of things I'm going to need before next fall...

OldElkHunter,

You have a PM.

Cheers,

GrimJim

Have they improved the adjustment knobs, or are they still set and forget?

Mathman,

These look just like those on the MeoPro 3-9x42 as illustrated in the Dark Lord of Optics review of the three variables assembled in the US.

There has been very limited discussion on another forum that Meopta would consider offering turrets if demand suffices.

I, living fossil that I am, am a set-and-forget kind of guy.

Cheers,

GrimJim

A big turret wouldn't really be necessary, I'd have been happy with a little lift and reset deal like Conquests and Swarovskis have. Even a resettable reference ring like my thirty something year old Leupolds have would be a nice addition.

You can send your old Leupold 6X42 to Leupold and they can adjust it to allow more adjustment range for your near sighted eyes. I understand they will do this free of charge. E

E, optics wise, they aint even in the conversation. Meopta Meopros are higher end 1" scopes. Not an HD5, but ill take em over a vx3 any day.

You're such a Meopta homer.

You will love it. I have had an Artemis 6x42 for years and it still rocks.

I have a 3-9x42 that I got from 280, and it is a nice scope I like a lot. But I've done direct comparisons with several others out to 300 yards under various light conditions, and IMO old 280 is a bit hyperbolic in his praise for them.

Provided my binos or eyes find them in the dark I can kill them with my 3-9x42's , that is all I need. I can also kill them with a conquest,nikon monarch ,vx-III . I like the 6x42 and think it would be great on my 308 icon and really like the 3.5-14 with the electro dot. I will get one for the 270 WBY.

Oh ? You do understand that the 6X42 Leupold is an FX3, not a VX3, right ?
I dunno about you, but when a scope is good enough to rate a 7+ on Barsness's testing scale, that's more than enough for me. He's only found a few scopes, like the latest Leica, the Summit S&B and the Leupold VX6 that tested any better. And that was by a very small amount.
Using the older M8 6X42, I ran into a herd of 26 elk on a clear, moonless night on top of a wide open ridge. With that scope, I could see antlers on two them. Both were spikes. They never knew I was there. E

I have a Meopta 6x42 but just received it a few days ago and haven't run it through my tests yet. Hope to do at least a brightness test within the next couple of days, but will be wringing it out thoroughly within the next month.

The brightness test will be in the next issue of RIFLE LOONY NEWS in the next few days. (Might also mention that the brightness tests of dozens of scopes come with a subscription, as all issues from the past 4+ years are included.)

MD, will be looking forward to that

Likewise

Yes i do E. Still prefer my Meopta. I run the variables and to my eyes its not even close. I didnt buy either Meopta to twist knobs. They serve their intended purpose well. Both the one i sold mathman and the one I have now.

Is it an "easy" scope to use? Simple to get behind and have the image ready to go?

How much are these running pricewise?

Don't know about the scopes but if they are at all like the meostar bins than they will be top of the line

Well, it didn't show up in the Meostar scope line. The new Meostar entry comes in at about $1100.

This site lists $499.99 for a price and shows a Z-plex and #4 reticle.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/913431-REG/meopta_560810_6x42_meopro_z_riflescope.html

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/913433-REG/meopta_542400_6x42_meopro_4_riflescope.html

That is the source for the MeoPro 6x42 that I have. It is a special order item. I ordered one on 1 February 2013 and received it on 11 February 2013.

It is the first and, so far, only source I have found. Although these will be assembled in the US according to the press release, mine says "Made in Czech Republic."

I have begun to really like this scope. It is "Simple to get behind and have the image ready to go." I want to like it a lot more but I would like to see some optics knowledgable reviews.

Cheers,

GrimJim

Could be that it's made in the Czech Republic and assembled here, Meopta assembles scopes on both sides of the pond. Nothing really wrong with the Czech Republic...they make great beer, CZ & BRNO and made a bunch of my ancestors...I still have a bunch of distant cousins there, I've met several of them.

I received the second Meopta MeoPro 6x42 in eight days. This one has a No. 4 reticle. This is a very nice scope.

I will keep all my Zeiss Conquests but I have found applications for these two 6x42's. I probably need one or two more just in case.

Any chance you could take a picture of their #4 through your 6x scope? That would help a lot.