I know there have been some rough things said about GPO, their naming of a line “Passion”, and their production arrangement, etc.

It’s beyond goofy to me that they’d call their product GPO, German Precision Optics, be based in VA and build product in Asia. I’ll give you that. Pure goofy! And, IDK if they’ll be in business next year or even next month. (In fairness who thought Nikon would be out of the scope business?)

Call me a certified weirdo because I just had to have one.

I bought a Passion 4X 3-12x56 with a German #4 reticle. I have not shot it yet at the range. But, I can say based on first hand comparison it’s more impressive build wise and optically than my Zeiss V4 of the same configuration. The V4 does have illumination, however.

I really like Zeiss. I’ve owned or do own Victory HT, Victory FL, Meopta Meostar and Optika6: all with large obj 50-56mm. I may get raked over the coals and slandered for these assessments. But, here goes anyway.

To my eyes the Passion 4X falls between the Zeiss Victory and V4, but is much closer to the Victory. All 3-12x56 fwiw.

The clarity, definition, color and brightness are awesome. Looking at individual leaves on oak trees 100 yards away on 3x is impressive.

The Passion is definitely superior to the Meopro to my eyes and very close to Meostar, maybe equal. All 56mm obj.

I’d say this scope is near the Leica ER5 line but not the Magnus line.

Some background of how I use glass: I am a still hunter. I hunt whitetail deer in AL so lowlight is HUGE for me. I do reload. But, I don’t gong shoot, yet. Dialing isn’t an issue for me usually. I use binoculars for scanning and use scopes for shooting.

This Passion 4X is very impressive. I can say if you’re a deer hunter like me and want great glass in a well built scope that’ll get you well past “legal” shooting light, this is a legit scope. It’s A LOT of glass for $600.

I hope this helps someone who may be interested in trying one of these scopes. I’m an unsponsored guy who enjoys the fun of our chosen hobby.

I’ll close by saying I think a lot of what we like in lowlight scopes has a great deal to do with our eyesight. This scope is a really good optical fit for me.

If you’re a guy who doesn’t want to hear about glass until you’ve put a scope through its paces dialing and/or dropping on the ground; I know this review isn’t for you. But, maybe it’ll be good insight for someone thinking about one of these scopes.

Have a great day!

Rods and cones - more so rods when you're talking low light.

I call BS.... It's all in the cones.....

I have owned or tested several GPO products and they come in for me way better then the web would have you believe.

So you’re excited, or should I say full of passion about a new scope, but haven’t really put it through the wringer….I’m not yet impassioned to buy one.

TFF Mechanics trump glass any day, every day. About any scope these days have decent glass. What are you scoping out, the stop sign down the street?

He looks embarrassed 😊

Yessir! That stop sign is incredibly clear. In rural AL one need not go far to test optics in the woods, not on street signs.

And, I’ve probably never put a scope through the “wringer”. A big part of the fun of owning things for me is taking care of them. It’s how I was raised. This scope will hopefully look new when I give it to a grandson one day. If you like “character”, go you! I like new.

I’m relatively new here. I’ve read opinions on scopes and ammo here for a long time. I found it insightful and helpful. Recently started posting. I enjoy most of it. The middle school stuff clutters what could be a much more engaging place.

Disclaimer: I may be a “classified cowboy” who brings no real value to the site. I enjoy buying and selling without fleabay getting 10%.

As far as glass is concerned, you can dial your Nightforce all night long and not see what I will with better glass and capped turrets. I don’t see why that’s such a hard concept/insulting reality for some. A foggy swamp bottom at last light requires the best glass I can find.

I sold the only NF I ever owned last year without condescending remarks to or about people who like them for their intended purposes. It was inferior in low light. Maybe if I ever decide to use my scope as a hammer I’ll reevaluate.

I posted to give a real life opinion on scopes I actually own/owned.

Oh, and, one more thing, ROLL TIDE!!!

By saying to put through the wringer, I meant to actually use it, like with shooting, to see if it’s a functional scope or just a nice monocular. I wasn’t being condescending, just baffled that a scope review would get posted without actually shooting with the scope. That’s kinda like a review of a pickup from the showroom floor. But hey, no offense intended. We all get cited about our new stuff and like to jabber about it. I certainly do.

And what is this “roll tide” thing some people say anyhow??

Yep.

I was very clear about what I was lauding, optical quality. I attempted to be very clear and honest about that.

Maybe I should’ve started with this disclaimer: I am not an expert. I am an enthusiast.

I was only posting about the quality I saw in the glass, knowing some may find it pointless and mock me.

As for the truck analogy. I don’t agree with your assessment of the review. I drive trucks. I look through scopes. I told what happened after looking trough it. You found it useless. Someone else will find it helpful.

I hope everyone has a great day!

Blessings!!!

Oh, and, RTR!

DugE,
It's always good to hear of riflescopes with great glass and better than average lowlight performance.
I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts after you have used it some.
Thanks for the review.
dave

Yessir. Will do. Thank you.

I thought your OP was fine. You were clear that you were evaluating only your perception of optical quality vs other scopes folks might be familiar with. You even summed up with this:





Then in a later reply said this:



Which totally flies in the face of the first quote.

Mr. Journeyman,

I don’t mean to be disagreeable. But I disagree with your disagreement.

I can see more with my Zeiss Victory HT, Meopta Meostar, etc than I could with a 56mm NF. Actually, my Optika6 was better in lowlight. Someone can turn dials as long as they want. I will see more in lowlight with a capped turret Zeiss HT than the best NF.

The simple point is I can see longer with better glass.

I appreciate your wanting to discredit me. But it isn’t sticking. I know what I said and why. One statement doesn't contradict the other.

IDK why some folks lay in the weeds for the express purpose of putting someone in their place or exposing what liars they are.

I’m an honest man who shared my honest opinion.

I wouldn't worry one second what these clowns have to say about your choice of gear. If it pleases you, that's all that matters. I quit caring what people thought of my stuff years ago. Good luck with that GPO, I'm betting you'll love shooting and using it, just like I do my Tract Toric. They could be made in the same place for all I know. That Jensen dude at GPO knows a thing or two about optics and such, as he ran Zeiss sport optics for years.

I went to a shop yesterday and tbwy had GPO at one time. Checked em out and seemed decent.
Sold out. Dunno if they'll get any more.
Had a lot of vortex stuff.

Maybe more profit on them, or maybe customers just want.

Thanks JGRaider!

This site helped me TONS when I first started hunting. I’d only golfed and fished until I was early 30s. I moved to NE AL. In NE AL folks hunt!!!

I couldn’t afford the real high end stuff bc I was buying it all at once. From wool socks to camo to tree stands to rifles, etc. I read about Nikon Monarchs on here. I won an auction for one and it was so awesome the older guys teaching me to hunt bought them.

I’ve been blessed and had the opportunity to upgrade stuff along the way.

I’ve started reloading now. Many articles on here are very helpful.

The classifieds have helped me buy and sell some cool stuff at good prices.

I like the site. I just want to share some of what I’m learning with others.

The GPO thing was just one borne of curiosity. I kept hearing about how great they were or how terrible they were. I’m glad I took the chance on one.

Thanks again for your kind comment.

Thanks for your report on the GPO scope. I have not tried one but own most of the others you mentioned

People who don’t live in Alabama don’t get that a lot of our hunting is at last light in very dim spots.

Turrets are mostly useless. Low light performance and low light reticles are everything here.

Thanks for your report, I understand what you are trying to say

Doc,
Same here for the need for a low light scope. I have turret scopes but they are for range play. My hunting scopes have bolder reticle a and it pays off. GPO made a mistake naming their entry line Passion, which I understand they are correcting. I am looking forward to trying their Spectra 2.5x10.
GreggH

If you are truly that obtuse, I will bow out...and like Bobby Bare, you can be "The Winner."

For [bleep] Sake, I praised your report, said I fully agree with your assertion that folk's eye's differ...The ONLY umbrage I took was when you said that I can not see though a different scope what you can through yours... I disagree, because If I can see a deer with my Leica Ultravids, I can kill him with an NXS or a top end x42 scope..Period..Fact!

We bought our place in Alabama just at 5 years ago, and I've hunted three full seasons, killing my 9 bucks, as well as 18 does and 60+ hogs. Which is a fraction of my annual hunting. Hell, I've been stuck in Europe and Asia the last year because of the Covid just to hunt. Maybe I'm shorting myself in what I shoot in Alabama though, so do me a favor as a recent Alabama (part year) resident...post up some pics of those big bucks I need a 56mm scope for... And I'm being serious, because around where I bought there are 2 schools of thought, with no middle ground...You either need a 56mm Swaro or Zeiss, or you "only" need a frickin' Bushnell.

Again, I'm serious...I really want to take advantage of what there is to offer here... I'm a beginner at the way folks prefer to hunt here. But I'm also serious that I've had 20/15 vision most of my life and I can see to shoot well beyond legal hours both in the am and pm.... EXACTLY as YOU said...because our eyes differ...

I don’t know where you bought in AL. I know what you call a “fact period” is not my experience nor the experience of super smart guys who trained me. I can see deer in my binos 25 min after sunset that I couldn’t with a 2-8x42 Duralyt. Owned it. Lived it. I have mostly 56mm obj now, some 50mm.

I’ve read repeatedly how useless my setups are. But, much wealthier and smarter folks than me have the same large objectives.

As far as posting pics, I’m not the one claiming to be the prolific hunter. I’ve been blessed with some really nice trophies. Only one of them really demanded 56mm. But, I’m glad I had it because it was required. My best buck was/is a compound bow kill.

I’m glad for your successes. Congratulations on your purchases, travels, and multiplicity of kills.

I don’t work for any optics or rifle or ANY sporting goods company. I gave an opinion on the internet. Lesson learned.

Have a great week.

Weak...just post your last nine bucks over the last three years...

Of all the things I’m afraid of being, weak isn’t one.

Of all the things I need to accomplish… proving myself to a stranger on the internet isn’t one.

Maybe Bobby Bare can sing about you now!

Typical poseur...

RTR

Retards Trying Reasoning

Your responses are getting more mature by the minute. I’m really feeling the pressure to prove myself to you now.

Good work!!!

I’ve not felt this close to middle school in years. Maybe you can talk about my Mom next.

Dude, stop while you're behind.
YOU said one's eyesight matters.
I have 20/15 eyesight.
Why are you arguing against yourself?

Likewise, thanks for the report. This coming from someone that before reading glasses had 20/10 and 20/12 left eye vision.

+ 1

OP good review. It's a crying shame this post has become nothing more than a grown mans pissing match.

It IS good to hear more first-hand about them.

However, ‘you hunt in Alabama, so low light is HUGE’?

It USED TO BE important, until legal ended 30 min after sunset.

Now, any decent 20mm obj LPV will get most past last legal, in almost any light in AL. There’s certainly no ‘need’ for more than 42mm of obj, unless you’re trying to shoot late past 400 on bean fields, or night hunt hogs with a day scope.

First, thanks for all the kind responses here and via private message. There are some really cool folks here.

hh4whiskey thanks for your comment. I agree with your assessment on the current legal shooting time basically meaning a good scope will suffice unless… I am in the unless category.

2 things that may shed a lil more light on my statement: (pun intended) My best places to hunt are in swampy areas that are mostly wooded. The greenfield I hunt the most has good deer. It is a narrow field that runs left and right with thick woods on both sides. The best deer are usually about 335 yards to my left and 175-250 yards to the right. The “field” isn’t wide at all. It’s more like a 10 yard wide lane where they cross at 335 yards. Not a lot of light in that scenario.

On the favorite field my son hunts, the absolute best big buck spots are in two narrow fingers that come off the field into the woods. They are planted. They are narrow. They are good. At last legal light they are dark.

As for the woods spots or places we climb, everyone’s plight there is equal. Light fades in those spots quickly.

I’m not complaining about our property. It’s awesome and we are blessed to have it. We see a lot of deer in various times of day at all distances. But the good bucks that live on and/or cross the property act like wild animals that don’t want to be killed. They keep crossing in spots where it’s hard to see them.

My sons and I have a blast prepping, planting, feeding, and hunting the small property we have. We take special pains in processing and preparing the venison. Each son takes special pride in whose deer we are eating. This is a pleasure for us. That’s all.

I don’t mean to imply in any way that a man shouldn’t hunt with what he likes and what he can afford. I want people to enjoy themselves. If you’re happy. I’m happy.

Sorry if that was too long. I suffer from bouts of long-winded-ness at times.

Again, thanks for all the comments, public and private. I hope all of you have a good day!

It was all fun and games until someone ended up in a cone! LOL

DugE,

Don’t feel shat upon on the Optics forum. It matters not what you post as someone will turn it into a clown show sooner rather than later. Phallic worship, homoerotic behavior, and personal insults from the peanut gallery are bound to erupt!

Happy Trails and RTR

Thanks WAM. Funny stuff there.

RTR!

DugE, you nailed it in my opinion.......you're having fun, and with your family makes it even better! Good hunting to you guys this year.

JGRaider,

Thank you, Sir!