Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Meopta Meostar R1 vs Leica ERI

While the center wire is on the thin side for my liking, the superb resolution and vibrant contrast atoned for this and allowed for the reticle to be seen easily through legal shooting light (30 min before sunrise and 30 min after sunset) . Mine was the 3-12x50, and at max power, the illuminated dot registered around 0.75" on my grid at 100 yards. With the illumination off, the dot is smaller and just over 0.5" at 12x/100 yards.

Here are some key specs:

http://optics-info.com/leica-eri-3-12x50-rifle-scope-reticle-subtensions/

if Kahles was still importing their decent hunting scopes I would buy one of those, I tried and eurooptic cancelled the order on me as they could not get anymore. I just probably will get a 2-12 VX-6, I have one in 1-6 and despite its trip back to the factory its fine for deer hunting on a black rifle and there is no doubt about the reticle. Sorry for the thread hijack, I did evaluate a Meostar R1 about a year ago, the 56 mm objective scope was very good better than anything else I owned, but that reticle was almost 2moa, not a "happy medium".

From what I've seen on the web,I think the dot on the 3-12X50 4a is a bit smaller than the dot on the 2.5-10X42 4a. The dot on the 2.5-10 does not change size with illumination on.

What reticle on the Meopta are you speaking of? Was it a 1st or 2nd focal plane?

I just purchased a new Leica ERI in 3-12x50. Haven't had much time to play with it yet but just looking the scope in my house I wasn't really impressed with the illumination. Even looking against a dark object the illuminated dot seemed to have to be turned up almost to full power to be really noticeable.

I currently have a nonilluminated R1 3-12X56 with the duplex reticle in the 1st focal plane and i really like the scope beside the 1st focal plane. I'm considering buying one thats an illuminated #4 in the second focal plane to compared it to the Leica and if i really like it use it to replace my other Meopta.

The Leica ERi 3-12x50 is designed for low-light usage and excels in this area. If you ever look at a dark target in diffused moonlight or near-dark conditions, you'll be thankful for the Leica. Look at the same subject in that same lighting with a Meopta R1 or R2, and you'll wish it adjusted a couple steps dimmer as it will negatively affect your eyesight and compromise your view of the target.

If you were looking for a high noon/daylight-bright illumination system, the Leica was not the right choice. It was designed and developed as a premium low-light optic, and in that arena, it know few peers. In terms of low-light performance, it easily surpasses the Meopta R1 you mention, which is a very nice scope in its own right. But the Meopta R1 is not in the same league as the Leica ERi 3-12x50.

If you want a daylight-bright dot, you are better off sticking with the Meopta R1 or R1r -- and the newer R2 even has one higher intensity setting, which really makes no sense to me as who needs or wants a 56mm objective if peak of daylight shooting is the primary function. I thought they should have gone the other direction. After all, they do indeed tout these for low-light applications.

Forgot to say: I really like the glass on the R2 as it offers a bit better transmission and resolution than its predecessor and edges its way into the alpha category. Its low-light properties are truly excellent. But once I turned on the illumination of the 2.5-15x56 during fairly decent moonlight, I quickly lost interest. Meopta's decision to boost the intensity of the illumination on this one instead of dimming it makes about as much sense as Zeiss dropping its #4 reticle. .

I had Doug send me the R1 3-12 x 56, with illumination. The illumination was not as refined as you see on others, the cross wires were thicker than most. I contacted Meopta for a list of reticle subtentions and they were indeed in the 2 MOA range but I forget the magnification I was using, my recollection was that it was thicker than I wanted to use. Now that being said you could if there was any light at all you could still see the reticle, I was "seeing stuff" capable of being shot in the 25-50 yard range well after legal shooting time. I returned it and bought Zeiss victory he had in stock instead, it was more of what I was looking for. Conclusion: check all the specifications before you buy, some may be good and others not to your best interest.

Ive owned 2 meoptas with the illuminated 4C reticle and agree i wish theyd go at least a couple clicks dimmer and the dot smaller. I may check out one of those Leicas myself.

The Leica goes so low I can't see it on the first setting. On the second it looks like a very light shade of red colored dot. It doesn't even look like illumination on this lowest setting,just a colored dot that you can barely see at 9pm. Even near high it wasn't overly bright at night for me. Plenty easy to see in the dark or any low light though,even in heavy dark timber well before legal cut off. I thought the illumination about perfect for hunting. It worked anywhere it was too dark to see the reticle well,but not where you would have to be half blind not to see the reticle.

Heads up, I've got a 3-12X50 ERi with the BDC for sale in the Classifieds