Today we're reviewing Vector Optics Continental 3-18x50 FFP.
Vector Optics
Vector Optics has headquarters in China. They were established in the 2000s. As an OEM manufacturer, Vector Optics initially supplied goods to other businesses. In recent years, they've concentrated more on building their own brand with riflescopes, red dots, and more.
The Continental series remains the most expensive as it's the most feature-rich. This is also the only Vector series with a 34mm tube.
Physical Properties
This particular scope features a magnification from 3x to 18x with a 50-millimeter objective lens.
Vector Optics Continental 3-18x50 FFP is constructed of aluminum alloy 6061-T6, with the ocular being the only rubberized component. The magnification ring moves from the tiniest to the biggest enlargement in an approximately 180-degree turn, making the adjustment very smooth and gliding.
This Vector riflescope sports a 34-millimeter tube. The length of the scope is 337 millimeters. The scope is rather compact, weighing 820 grams.
Nitrogen-purged internals ensure that the glass will not get foggy in chilly weather. Up to .338 Lapua Magnum, this Continental model is also completely shockproof.
Need quality-made 34mm scope rings?
Parallax Adjustment
The side-turret parallax can be adjusted from 10 yards/meters to infinity. The parallax is simple to manipulate for distances up to about 300 yards or meters. After that, this setting becomes more difficult since you must make tiny adjustments.
Turrets
Windage and elevation turrets are MIL-based. This is a true MIL-MIL tactical riflescope.
For this price range, the turrets are exceptionally well-crafted. Both turrets have a locking mechanism with a push and pull design. Elevation turrets also feature a zero-stop function and turn indicator. This is a hard zero stop, as the turret knob immediately halts on the zero position and won't move a click beyond the mark.
The clicks are tactile and pleasant. They have a nice feel to them. In one revolution of the elevation turret, you will reach precisely 10 MILS or 100 clicks.
The windage turret is marked from 0 to 5 mil in both directions. However, the settings may be adjusted even further. Because the windage turret does not have any kind of stop at half of the revolution, user error can be made by going backward in the wrong direction.
Mechanical Turn Indicator
On the second revolution of the elevation turret, a small red pin emerges from the black metal. This is a visible and tactile mechanical turn indicator.
When you reach the third revolution, the red pin pops out even more. This indicates that you've completed the turret's last rotation. This is an good design, but it isn't flawless. You can't detect or feel the difference between the second and third revolutions in low light.
Vector Optics Continental 3-18x50 Zero Stop
The zeroing of the Vector Optics Continental 3-18x50 FFP scope is simple. Simply make the necessary adjustment for your rifle on the shooting range. After that, you secure the turret by locking it in place.
Remove the middle part with an included zeroing tool. When you take down the turret, there is a tiny screw inside that may be screwed back into the clockwise position until a little click sounds. This indicates that you have correctly positioned your zero stop.
Now put the turret back on with a zero towards the ocular. Screw the center part back in and you're ready for action. Once the zero stop is activated, you can always easily return to 100m zero after you have dialed the elevation adjustment needed for longer ranges.
BDC Turret
This scope's travel distance is 44 MIL, which is a lot. However, with the basic, pre-installed turret, only 29 MIL of elevation can be utilized. There's a classic tactical turret included in the box. It has no zero-stop function and no turn indicator. With this particular turret, you may take advantage of the full elevation range of your Vector 3-18x50.
Optical Properties
When it comes to the view-through, Vector Continental 3-18x50 SFP is good value for money. We're particularly happy about the generous field of view and super usable magnification range.
The light transmission through the entire scope is claimed to be more than 90%. The color accuracy is extremely good for this price range. The eye relief is 10 centimeters, and the eyebox is very forgiving. All in all, we're very impressed with the optical performance of the scope.
Vector Optics Continental 3-18x50 Magnification
The magnification goes from 3x to 18x. This means this scope has a 6x zoom factor. The magnification range can be used for a variety of purposes, even hunting.
Vector Optics Continental 3-18x50 Reticle
The reticle is positioned in the first focal plane. Only one reticle is available, which is the VCT. It is a MIL-based Christmas tree-style reticle. The small center dot measures 0.2 MIL. Though this is not a must feature on FFP scopes, the dot on Vector Optics Continental 3-18x50 FFPcan be illuminated.
Illumination
The illumination control on this Vector scope features six brightness levels. All are designed only for low-light conditions as the dot is not visible in bright daylight. Between each step of illumination intensity, there is an OFF position.
Field of View
What's special about the Continental line of FFP and SFP scopes is the wide field of view.
On the 3x magnification, the scope shows 13.6 meters of FOV at 100 meters. This is more than some of the most expensive rifles on the market have. Not to mention the overall image quality remains respectable through all magnifications.
When dialed to 18x, the field of view is 2.3 meters. Let us stress that this China-made scope has no tunneling effect whatsoever.
Scope of Delivery
What do you get in the box? A user's manual, warranty card, lens protection, a sunshade, a cleaning cloth, zeroing key, some advertising material, and mounting rings for a Picatinny rail. In our opinion, they are a little bit too high, but it's still better than nothing. Lastly, you'll receive an extra elevation turret.
Looking for more Continental 3-18x50 accessories?
- Vector Optics Continental Flip-up Cap - Size 50mm
- Vector Optics Riflescope Neoprene Cover - Size M
- Vector Optics Continental Throw Level
Vector Optics Continental 3-18x50 Price and Warranty
All Vector Optics Continental scopes are made in China. The production facility in Shanghai keeps these devices competitively priced. The Vector Optics Continental 3-18x50 FFP model with VCT-34FFP reticle costs €979. Should anything happen, Continental scopes have a 15-year guarantee from the date of purchase.
Find more about Vector Optics production:
Pros
Now for the sweet and sour part - what do we like and dislike about the scope?
The first thing you should notice about Vector Continental scopes is the great construction quality. This 3-18x50 model is incredibly well machined. The components on the scope are all well-made. Except for a few rubber materials on the eyepiece, the construction is made from metal.
The locking mechanism of push and pull is well-designed. The turrets have a good feel to them, with distinct clicks every time you turn them clockwise or counterclockwise.
The next advantage of Vector Optics Continental 3-18x50 FFP is how simple it is to operate the zero stop, at least in one direction. The addition of a mechanical and visual turn indicator is an appreciated premium touch. The large field of view can be compared to more expensive models from other manufacturers. The reticle is quite straightforward and simple to use.
This model is small and weighs just 820 grams, making it ideal for this scope congifuration. Another thing we like about Vector Optics is that they included extra mounting rings with the scope. It's also not something you see every day when purchasing riflescopes.
Pros Summary
- Build quality
- Turret design
- Great optical quality
- Reduced weight and size
- Picatinny mounting rings included
Cons
What are areas that could be worked on? The knurled design of the magnification ring needs some polishing. The edges are so sharp, that you could almost cut your fingers. They were designed for easy grip with a gloved hand in mind.
The locking mechanism on turrets is too loud. With such a widely usable 3-18x magnification, this Vector scope is fit for tactical and even hunting use, if in a pinch. During the hunt, you should avoid loud, unnatural sounds as much as possible. Especially loud clicks of tech equipment.
There's more that could be improved as far as turrets are concerned. The turrets wobble when in an unlocked position. It's not a big issue and does not interfere with the function. Nevertheless, this fault in design could be easily solved. We also believe flip-up lens covers would do better than bikinis.
Cons Summary
- Sharp edges
- Loud locking of turrets
- Turret wobbles when unlocked
- No daytime strong illumination
Final Thoughts on Vector Optics Continental 3-18x50 FFP
Overall, the Vector Optics Continental 3-18x50 FFP riflescope is a great scope for the price. It's well-made, has a wide field of view, mechanic turn indicator, and a simple reticle. The turrets are a bit wobbly and the locking mechanism is loud, but these are minor issues that can be easily fixed. We would highly recommend this scope to anyone looking for an affordable FFP rifle scope.
Interested in Vector Optics Continental?
Vector Optics Continental 3-18x50 FFP Images
