IOR Ghost 1-10x26 FFP Riflescope Review | Optics Trade Reviews

By Maja Pahič Feb 7, 2023

This blog post will provide a comprehensive assessment of IOR Ghost's 1-10x26 model, aiding you in determining whether it is the right fit for your shooting requirements. We'll look at this scope from all angles to ensure you make the best possible decision.

About the IOR company

Established in 1936, IOR has stood the test of time. The Bucharest-based company originally manufactured optical products for military use during World War II and subsequently diversified its offerings to include eyeglass lenses, microscopes, and a variety of other products.

Nowadays, they are still a major supplier of a broad range of items, such as measuring tools and military optics. Additionally, their products include cutting-edge optics like night vision devices, red dot sights, and even riflescopes. IOR is a globally renowned brand, particularly due to its array of rifle scopes.

IOR riflescopes stand out from the competition by eschewing a series name and instead granting every scope its distinct moniker. From this Ghost to the Terminator, Invictus, and more, these creative names are just one of many reasons why IOR's products have earned such renown in the world of rifle scopes.

Physical properties

IOR Ghost 1-10x26 FFP is IOR's top-of-the-line riflescope with an extraordinary 10x zoom factor. This makes it incredibly unique, as there are not many scope manufacturers that offer such a powerful magnification to their customers.

Constructed entirely of metal, this rifle scope is designed with no rubberized components. It comes with a sturdy flip-up cover made of rubber to ensure maximum lens protection, though we must admit that opening it can be difficult when wearing gloves. Fortunately, you're able to rotate the cover in any direction for accessibility.

The scope is suited for all calibers, even 50 BMG. It is nitrogen-purged to make sure you can use it in any environment—hot or cold—without worrying about internal fogging. Its operating temperature range starts at an impressive minus 22 degrees and goes up to a remarkable 50 degrees Celsius.

This hefty riflescope measures 290 millimeters in length and tips the scales at 850 grams, making it one of the heaviest wide-angle models on the market.

Reticle

The reticle is positioned in the first focal plane. When you adjust the magnification on the Ghost 1-10x26 riflescope, its reticle adjusts accordingly. Unfortunately, users don't have any choice but to use one reticle, as no other option is available.

The MP-8 dot reticle is similar to the well-known extreme reticle from other IOR riflescopes. To make it even better, there is now a small center dot and an illuminated circle surrounding it that helps with aiming accuracy when zoomed out at lower magnifications. This circle is crucial; without it, pinpointing the center of the reticle at lower magnification would be exceedingly challenging.

When you zoom in to the highest level, you can only make out up to 10 MIL markings. At 5x magnification, the circle surrounding the dot measures 2 MIL, which is equal to 20 centimeters at a distance of 100 meters, and a small dot inside measures 0.25 MIL, or 2.5 centimeters, at 100 meters from your line of sight.

The reticle covers quite a bit of the target, but since wide-angle riflescopes are not designed for precision shooting over long distances, I reckon its performance is satisfying nonetheless.

Illumination system

The illumination system can be operated from the side turret and has 11 intensity settings. The illumination is not bright enough for daytime use, which is not ideal for a wide-angle riflescope, where it's very important to be able to see the illumination clearly at lower magnifications.

IOR Ghost 1-10x26 side turret — Illumination system is operated on the side turret

As for the Ghost 1-10x26 scope, from 3x magnification and up, it is more than bright enough to use in the daytime. However, at lower magnifications, even with just a bit of sunlight or snowfall, I find it difficult to see the illumination.

You can choose the setting of your illumination, and there is no off position between selections. If you're wanting to shut off the illumination, make sure to flip the switch into the "off" position.

You can easily access the battery compartment, which is situated on the side turret; simply unscrew the cap with a coin. The illumination requires just one CR-2032 battery for operation.

IOR Ghost 1-10x26 FFP battery compartment on the side turret — IOR Ghost 1-10x26 features battery compartment on the side turret

Turrets

The turrets on this optic are tactical and uncapped, allowing you to make direct adjustments as desired. Each click equals 0.1 MIL, which is approximately one centimeter at 100 meters. The clicks are nice and audible for clear reference points, though not particularly tactile.

The lack of tactile clicks on the turret makes it easy to accidentally make adjustments when transporting or packing up your scope, which can be an issue for military users.

With one full revolution, the elevation turret offers 5 MILs of travel. This turret is of the multi-turn variety and provides 33 MILs of travel in total.

The turn indicator is practically nonexistent, merely consisting of small white lines at the bottom of the turret. Making it extremely difficult to determine which revolution one is in.

IOR Ghost 1-10x26 turn indicator — Turn indicator is consisting of small white lines at the bottom of the elevation turret

Setting the zero

The elevation turret can be zeroed. You just have to unscrew horizontally positioned screws at the side of the turret, and then the turret rotates freely. You need to rotate it back so that the zero is facing forward and is aligned with the white dot on the main frame. Carefully tighten the three screws to firmly secure the turret, and you'll be done.

Zero stop

The zero stop can be set with the help of a screw located at the top of the elevation turret. When you are at the range, set your zero. The easiest way to set the zero stop is to rotate the elevation turret up by two clicks. Atop the elevation turret is one screw that needs to be tightened until you feel some pressure. Normally, when doing this, the turret will go exactly two clicks below, thereby setting your zero. Adjusting the zero stop in this way is easy and effective.

IOR Ghost 1-10x26 elevation turret — Screw for setting the zero stop is located at the top of the elevation turret

Windage turret

As previously mentioned, the elevation adjustment range spans an impressive 33 MILs and 23 MILs for windage. While I do personally find this multi-turn turret to be slightly inconvenient due to its lack of clear lines that indicate where you currently stand in terms of adjustments, it can still provide effective results if used carefully.

The windage turret grants you a total of 2.5 MILs of travel in both the right and left directions, with a color-coded system of white for the left side and red for the right side. But you can go further than 2.5 MIL. So you have to be a little bit more careful since it's possible to go in the wrong direction of turret, resulting in an entire rotation of an error.

Windage turret on IOR Ghost features a color-coded system

Resetting your windage turret is simple—it's nearly identical to resetting the elevation turret. Just follow the same procedure, and you'll be good to go.

The windage turret on the IOR Ghost 1-10x26 scope is notable for one thing in particular: it doesn't feature any locking function. The clicks are nice but not very firm, leaving you vulnerable to making errors when making adjustments. A cap for the turret would help to provide extra protection and stability here so that you don't have to worry about making untimely mistakes with your windage adjustments.

Overall, the turrets on this riflescope are pretty good, but having a locking mechanism or at least a cap for the windage turret would improve the design of this product significantly.

Optical performance of IOR rifle scope

The optical performance of the IOR Ghost 1-10x26 FFP is fantastic. The magnification range is a wide range of 1–10, with a 26mm objective size diameter. Its zoom factor is extremely rare at 10 times. The field of view is wide at the one-time magnification.

At lower magnifications, you may notice a slight tunnel effect when looking through the scope, but thankfully this only becomes visible up until approximately 1.4 times magnification; after that, it's not visible anymore. The light transmission rate is more than 90%.

Furthermore, its eye box feels great at one-time magnification and acceptable at 10 times magnification—it's still easy to look through the scope despite not being perfect here either. It also boasts exceptional image quality; colors are accurate, and ultra-sharp detail can be seen in the images produced by this first-focal-plane riflescope.

The IOR Ghost riflescope offers amazing optical performance. The magnification ring moves smoothly from 1 to 10 times magnification, with audible clicks at 3x and 6x. This allows for accurate bullet drop calculations and distance calculation at all magnification levels, making it perfect for both close-range and long distances.

The scope features a European-style fast-focus eyepiece, which allows you to make precise adjustments and ensures that your view is crystal-clear. The magnification ring feels incredibly smooth, and the quality craftsmanship allows you to feel confident in its durability.

IOR Ghost 1-10x26 features European-style fast-focus eyepiece

Parallax adjustment

The IOR Ghost does not offer any parallax adjustment. It's fixed at 100 meters, but the image stays sharp when looking at longer distances. This means your image remains sharp and focused without any unnecessary adjustments or movements, allowing you to stay on target and accurately line up your shot.

Mounting solution

The Ghost 1-10x26 scope stands out from the rest with its 35-millimeter main tube diameter, an uncommon feature among wide-angle riflescopes. Leupold is one of the few manufacturers that offer this size, though no other comes to mind at this time. This unique attribute certainly sets Ghost riflescope apart from the competition.

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Mounting of the clip-on attachments

I think it is important to mention that the objective doesn't have the same 35-millimeter diameter throughout its entire length. There is a small bump where the flip-up covers are attached to the objective. This design is not very good if you wish to use the scope with a night vision clip-on attachment. Because of this bump, I don't think it is secure enough when you mount the clip-on device. Because of this, you have to use a clip-on device that attaches in front of the scope on a Picatinny rail or with some other mounting solution.

IOR Ghost 1-10x26 FFP regular price and warranty

The IOR Ghost 1-10x26 riflescope is an investment, with a price tag to match. It comes in at around 1900 euros. It's made entirely in Romania (European Union), but the top-of-the-line lenses come from Germany, so quality isn't sacrificed for excellence.

With this purchase also comes peace of mind: IOR offers a 30-year warranty on their riflescopes, ensuring that if anything goes wrong with your piece of equipment, they will be there to help you out.

Scope of delivery

When you purchase the IOR Ghost 1-10x26 FFP, you get much more than just a riflescope. You'll also get an essential flip-up rubber cover, which helps to protect the front lens and keep it safe from dust or scratches.

Furthermore, the IOR package includes a cleaning cloth and a manual that contains all of the necessary information about the product so that you can enjoy it without difficulty. To top it off, every purchase comes with a warranty certificate in case something goes wrong, as part of their commitment to customer satisfaction.

Pros

When it comes to the IOR Ghost 1-10x26 FFP riflescope, there are some major pros worth mentioning. First and foremost, this product is built like a tank. It's made from tough materials and meant to be used in extreme environments, so you can rest assured knowing that your scope won't let you down no matter what.

The optical quality on this riflescope is fantastic too, with great image quality and edge sharpness, despite some minor tunneling effects. The zero stop is easy to adjust—a great feature—while the parallax is also very forgiving. Lastly, considering its top-notch construction and sophisticated optical technology, its price tag of 1900 euros feels fair. All in all, the IOR Ghost 1-10x26 FFP riflescope has lots to recommend it.

Pros summary:

build quality
great optical performance
zero-stop
price

Cons

When it comes to the IOR Ghost 1-10x26, there are a few cons that should be noted. First off, the clicks on the turrets are too soft, making it easy for users to accidentally make adjustments without even realizing it. Additionally, these turrets are of the multi-turn variety, which may not be ideal for all applications (such as sports shooting and military use).

As far as features go, there is only one reticle available, meaning different users have no choice but to make do with the same design. The scope itself also isn't quite bright enough to use in daylight conditions, and its 35mm tube isn't designed for clip-on devices due to its bulging structure. Lastly, this wide-angle rifle scope is one of the heaviest on record at 815 grams.

Cons summary:

clicks on the turrets
only one reticle
the reticle is not daytime bright
clip-on devices can not be mounted in front
weight

What are the main competitors of this scope?

IOR Ghost 1-10x26 FFP VS Kahles K16i 1-6x24

When comparing the IOR Ghost 1-10x26 and the Kahles K16i 1-6x24, it is important to note that both riflescopes are great options.

IOR offers an impressive 10-times zoom magnification and improved optical performance for superior results in long-distance shooting. Meanwhile, the Kahles provides a slightly more affordable option but comes at the cost of having less zoom power. The K16i is also smaller in size and has a better fit and finish, a wider field of view, better illumination and has no tunneling effect.

It is important to keep in mind that IOR Valdada scope weighs almost 300 g more than Kahles.

Ultimately, each one will have different applications depending on your needs, so be sure to weigh your options carefully before making a decision.

IOR Ghost 1-10x26 FFP VS March Tactical 1-10x24

When it comes to riflescopes, there's no question that the IOR Ghost 1-10x26 FFP and March Tactical 1-10x24 are two of the top contenders. Both sport a 10x zoom, but when you take a closer look, they have some differences.

The IOR has a first focal plane reticle, which means that the reticle remains the same thickness even when magnification is changed. On the other hand, March Tactical scope has a second focal plane reticle.

Moreover, the IOR is capable of bullet drop compensation on all magnification settings - something which is not possible with March Tactical's SFP scope. I have to mention that IOR Ghost is 300 grams heavier than March Tactical.

All in all, both scope options have their advantages and drawbacks - whether one is better will depend largely on your needs and preferences as a shooter.

IOR Ghost 1-10x26 FFP VS March Tactical 1-8x24

The IOR Ghost 1-10x26 FFP is a great budget-friendly option when compared to the March Tactical 1-8x24. The Ghost 1-10x26 has much more magnification than its competitor, at 10 times magnification, whereas the March only offers 8 times magnification. Ghost also costs much less, coming in at about 1900 euros - much cheaper than the 2400 euro price tag attached to the other option.

March Tactical 1-8x24 offers three reticle options - all of which feature a big circle in the middle for easy aiming. IOR Ghost is also significantly heavier than its counterpart.

If you're looking for an affordable rifle scope that offers easy aiming with great magnification, you'll want to take a look at the IOR Ghost 1-10x26 FFP.

IOR Ghost 1-10x26 FFP VS Kahles K18i 1-8x24 SFP

When comparing IOR Ghost 1-10x26 FFP and Kahles K18i 1-8x24 SFP riflescopes, there are a few key differences that set them apart.

Firstly, the IOR Ghost is more economical, as it is roughly 400 euros cheaper than the Kahles 1-8x24. Additionally, the IOR Ghost has a b at 10 times compared to the 8 times available on the Kahles. The IOR Ghost is also a first focal plane scope which means bullet drop compensation can be used at any magnification, whereas this feature is only available at the highest magnification on the Kahles 1-8x24 SFP.

It's also worth noting that the IOR Ghost is significantly heavier than its counterpart, weighing in at around 900 grams—almost 300 grams more.

However, when it comes to features, the Kahles K18i 1-8x24 SFP offers several reticle options, better optical performance, nicer fit and finish, and better illumination.

Whichever riflescope you choose will depend on your budget and specific requirements. But if you're looking for an affordable yet reliable riflescope with a powerful magnification option and bullet drop compensation across all magnifications, then the IOR Ghost is certainly worth considering.

Final thoughts on IOR Tactical scope

When it comes to final thoughts about the IOR Ghost 1-10x26 FFP rifle scope, I'd have to say that this is one of the best riflescopes on the market for its price. Its design stands out - not only is it built like a tank and able to withstand even the harshest environment, but its optics are top quality as well.

The one downside is that it's relatively bulky compared to other riflescopes on the market, but if you're looking for a quality optics with excellent optics and great durability - then this should definitely be your go-to option.