Meprolight is a name that most shooters have heard of, whether for tritium night sights or reflex sights like the venerable M21. But over the last few years, they have been expanding their product lineup to include magnified optics as well. The newly released MVO 6-36x56 is the highest magnification model yet, lining up against some heavy hitters in the long-range scope world. Let’s see how it stacks up.
Meprolight @ TFB:
Disclosures: Meprolight supplied this scope for review. I have previously reviewed the M22 Reflex Sight, but I do not have a close relationship with the company. These reviews were coordinated by TFB.
Overview & Features
The full model name of this scope is the MVO 6-36x56 FFP M3, MRAD. It joins a family of other MVO optics with various magnification ranges. This MVO is the largest and highest magnification model in the family. Looking at the spec sheet, there are all of the features one would expect in a high-end precision scope.
One feature that may seem minor, but that I really appreciate is the auto shut-off for the illuminated reticle. I have burned out more than a few button cell batteries in other optics. Whether that is because of operator error in forgetting to turn them off (likely) or some kind of jostling in the case turned them back on (unlikely), a dead battery when you need illumination is quite annoying. The MVO shuts down after 12 hours, so this feature is unlikely to interrupt a range session.
Meprolight includes a built-in magnification throw lever. This should really be a standard feature on all variable power scopes. There is also an extended wing that attaches to the integral nub. The extended wing is fairly large and would be more appropriate for a PRS-type setup.
The turrets are one of the key features of a target scope. Exposed turrets with resettable zeroes are the standard for a reason, and the MVO includes them. The clicks are tactile and audible, and with use, I seldom found myself having to click back to the setting I was going for. The locking mechanism is very robust. To unlock, simply pull the turret cap away from the scope body. This makes the turret even easier to access, and makes it visually apparent that it is locked or unlocked.
Resetting the turrets to zero will be a familiar process for many shooters. Simply loosen the two small screws using an Allen wrench, slip the zero mark back to the zero, and retighten the screws. I reset the zero several times while moving across different guns and it was always a quick process. Unlike some resettable turrets, I did not screw up the zero while resetting the caps. Nothing is worse than getting a gun zeroed only to mess that up while getting the turrets set.
The reticle design is the Christmas tree-style that has become so prevalent in recent years, but with a few twists. Thicker stadia lines at 3, 6, and 9 o’clock help direct the eye to the center of the reticle at low magnification. First focal plane reticles can be hard to use at the lowest zoom settings, but those thicker outside lines help offset the trade-offs of an FFP reticle. There are also ranging features on the 12 o’clock side of the reticle.
At higher magnification, the wind holds become more visible. Every other line is numbered (2, 4, 6, etc.) and the wind holds are marked every 0.2 MRAD. Between each row of wind holds is an additional set of dots, each 0.5 MRAD. So if you are holding 1.2 MRAD of wind, but need to add a half for elevation or for extra wind, there are more reference points to do so. In use, this was a nice feature that I found useful without adding too much visual clutter.
This is an illuminated reticle. The center crosshair is fully illuminated out to 1 MRAD in each direction. Additional illuminated points sit at each MRAD of drop, so it is possible to hold over (roughly) in the dark.
Specs
| Overall Length | 15.1” (383.5 mm) |
| Weight (w/ battery) | 39.5 oz (1120.4 g) |
| Tube Diameter | 34mm |
| Eyepiece length | 3.74” (95.0 mm) |
| Rear Mounting Space | 2.2” (55.9 mm) |
| Front Mounting Space | 2.2” (55.9 mm) |
| Objective Length | 5.12” (130.0 mm) |
| Outer Objective Bell Diameter | 2.56” (65.0 mm) |
| Outer Eyepiece Diameter | 1.89” (48.0 mm) |
| Threaded Objective Bell | Yes |
| Battery Cap | Twist Cap |
| Housing Material | 6061-T6 Aluminum |
| Actual Magnification | 6x - 36x |
| Focal Plane | First Focal Plane |
| Objective Lens Diameter | 56 mm |
| Eye Relief (inches) | 3.54” (89.9 mm) |
| Linear Field of View (ft @ 100 Yds) | 6x: 22.5 36x: 3.9 |
| Parallax Control | 10 yds to Infinity |
| Diopter Type | Adjustable, Friction Secured |
| Reticle | M3 MRAD |
| Reticle Type | Etched Glass |
| Reticle Illumination | Yes |
| Reticle color(s) | Red and Green, Daylight Bright |
| Range Estimation | Yes (Yards) |
| Caliber Rating | .338 Lapua Magnum |
| Exposed optical surface treatment | Broadband anti-reflection coating of all glass-to-air interfaces |
| Glass components | Extra Low Dispersion (ED) & High Definition (HD) Schott Glass |
| Turret Style | Tactical, Locking. | Exposed Adjustable |
| Zero Reset | Yes |
| Zero Stop | Yes |
| Turret unit of measurement | MRAD |
| Throw Tab with Lever Extension | Yes |
| Windage and Elevation - 1 click increment | 0.1 MRAD |
| Total Elevation Adjustment UP | 19 MRAD |
| Total Elevation Adjustment DOWN | 13.5 MRAD |
| Elevation Adjustment per Revolution | 10 MRAD (Total 32 MRAD) |
| Total Windage Adjustment | 10 MRAD, 5 MRAD per side |
| Windage Adjustment per Revolution | 10 MRAD |
| Battery Type | CR2032 3V |
| Battery Loading | Left Turret |
| Distinct sight brightness levels not including OFF | 8 Red, 8 Green |
| NV brightness levels | N/A |
| Brightness Mode(s) | Manual |
| Battery life, minimum time of use at brightness setting 5 of 10 with approved battery at Ta1 | 600 hours (@ mid setting) |
| Power ON/OFF | Easy Tap Button |
| Auto Power-Off Duration | 12-hr auto-off |
| Water resistance, minimum depth exposure without leak into optical or battery cavity | IPX-8 |
| Operating Low temperature | -40°F (-40°C) (Conform to MIL-STD-810G) |
| Operating High temperature | +160°F (70°C) Conform to MIL-STD-810G) |
| Storage temperature | -40°F (-40°C) |
| Housing Finish Coating/Color | Type II Anodize, Matte Black |
| Sun Shade | Yes |
| Throw Lever Extension | Yes |
| Flip-Style Lens Caps | Yes |
On The Range
With the specs out of the way, let’s get down to the good stuff. I ran the MVO on a few different rifles, primarily a Bergara B-14 HMR in .300 Win Mag and a PSA Sabre-10 in 6.5 Creedmoor. The .300 WM shooting 212-grain projectiles produces some healthy recoil, but it caused no issues for the MVO. Meprolight lists a .338 Lapua recoil rating, so surviving a .300 WM is no surprise.
My ammo budget is not unlimited, and even with reloading, the .300 Win Mag is an expensive cartridge to shoot. The 6.5 Creedmoor is a lot easier on my wallet, and I was working on a review of the PSA Sabre-10 in that caliber, so the MVO spent a lot of time on that gun. For range use, like shooting groups to see what kind of accuracy potential that rifle has, the MVO was completely at home. The ample magnification and clean reticle made it easy to pick out fine aiming points and build groups. Off the flat range, the MVO was equally at home. The large field of view makes finding targets easy, and the glass clarity is excellent.
The MVO 6-36x56 is a large scope. It is not heavy compared to similarly-featured scopes, but also not a great choice for a backcountry hunting rifle. It feels correct on heavier, precision-oriented rifles, and does not throw off the balance in unexpected ways. Lower mounting is beneficial to keep the weight low, but even on guns where I had to mount it higher, it was not bothersome.
Meprolight put a lot of thought into the turrets. Critically, both the windage and elevation turrets have locking designs. Both the elevation and windage need a firm grasp to pull out to the unlocked position. Dialing is smooth and repeatable, and was also easy to do while looking through the class and counting clicks by feel and sound. The turrets never came unlocked unless I wanted them to.
The tracking was solid as far as I could tell. As I moved the MVO between guns, there were several opportunities to re-zero. Each time, I shot a group, saw where it was, and dialed in the correction to hit my point of aim. It always adjusted correctly to bring those groups into place. Dialing up for corrections at long range also produced the expected changes, and returning to zero faithfully brought the gun back to the expected zero.
Through The Glass
Taking pictures through an optic is never an exact science. It is impossible to really show what the human eye sees through the optic with a camera. Despite that limitation, I still like to include them so you can get the “feel” of a scope even if the clarity and color are not rendered perfectly. It looks better than the pictures in real life. Here are some pictures showing the scope at different times of day to show the lighting change, and at different magnification levels.
Zoom Levels
Here is a grid target at 100 yards shown at 6x, somewhere in the middle of the zoom range, and at maximum zoom.
In Competition
One final test for the MVO was a precision rifle match. My friends pressured me to shoot a Scoped Precision AR Competition ( SPARC) match with them. The stages are 90-second par times, engaging steel targets at varying distances from props like trucks, fences, and pipes. I needed an accurate rifle for targets out to 800 yards while shooting on the clock. I ended up taking my spare competition service rifle and adding the MVO and a bipod. That is an accurate rifle with 77-grain match ammo, and it is a smooth shooter.
I liked the MVO before the competition, but afterwards I loved it. 36x magnification is overkill, but with that much top-end it is very easy to sit at 20x without compromising the image. The eyebox is generous, particularly at the lower 2/3rds of the zoom range, and it was never hard to get a view through the scope even in odd positions. With the nice field of view and excellent clarity, it was very easy to spot my missed shots to make corrections. As I fumbled and bumped my way through the stages, it held zero faithfully. I added the extended throw lever, and that made it easy to move the magnification when necessary without breaking my cheek weld.
Then the weather turned. The last several stages were shot in pouring rain at 40 degrees with 30 MPH wind. Not fun conditions. The included scope caps kept the lenses dry insofar as that was possible. Even with all that wind and all that rain, it kept chugging along, continuing to give a nice, clear image of targets even when the rifle started having malfunctions from being dirty and full of cold water. At the end of the day, my performance was respectable. Service rifle training and a history of shooting 10m air rifle deserve most of the credit, but the MVO was a large part of the recipe for success (along with my trusty ECWCS Gore-Tex suit that kept me mostly dry).
Conclusion
The MVO 6-36x56 competes in the higher end of the market, with an average online price of around $2,900. Other comparable scopes include the Vortex Razor 6-36x56, Nightforce NX8 4-32x50, or Leupold Mk5 HD 7-35x56, among others. The MVO deserves to be in the conversation with those options. It is a solid scope with a great image that stands up well on the range and in competition.
Darwin recently reviewed the MVO 3-18x44, which is worth a look and would be a good fit for guns that don’t need 36x magnification. But if you want more magnification and plan to reach out further, the 6-36x56 is worth a look. The Meprolight MVO series is robust and built for work and hard use.
