Introduction
Minox is a Germany-based manufacturer of sports optics that produces riflescopes, red dot sights, binoculars, spotting scopes, trail cameras, night vision devices, and related accessories. The company is owned by the Blaser Group and its main production facility is located in Isny Allgau, Germany.
History
Minox was established as a maker of miniature hand-held cameras in Wetzlar, Germany in 1945. Hand-held cameras had only been produced by a select few optics manufacturers at the time, and Minox’s approach was appreciated by many. Its first camera, Minox A, became an instant hit among the public and the brand became known as the maker of high-quality cameras for spying and reconnaissance. Following a huge demand for its flagship product, the small factory turned into a production power-house for cameras in 1951.
Acquisition by Leica Camera AG
The company ran into financial troubles in the early 1980s and the management laid over 700 employees to sustain the losses. Following the worsening situation, Minox was acquired by Leica Camera AG in 1996. Minox started to thrive under the leadership of Leica and seeing exponential growth in sales, the management turned to other products that employed similar technology. In 2000, the company began producing sports optics, particularly riflescopes, spotting scopes, and binoculars. Minox separated from Leica and became an independent business entity in 2005, which became the basis of its publicized merger into Blaser Group Wetzlar.
Acquisition by Blaser Group
Minox remained independent until 2013 when it was acquired by the Blaser Group, one of the largest firearms manufacturers in Germany. Minox, Blaser, and Optronika joined hands to become German Sports Optics (GSO), a consortium of optics manufacturers located in Wetzlar. In the following years, GSO was ultimately renamed Blaser Group Wetzlar. Being a part of a leading arms manufacturer has not affected the product line at Minox and many of the previous products, such as cameras and hunting optics continue to be produced by Minox.
Production Facilities
The production facility of Minox was originally located in Wetzlar, which is where Minox riflescopes were produced for the very first time. At the beginning of 2020, the factory was relocated to Isny Allgau, Germany, to benefit from frequent collaboration and information exchange between other members of the group, all of which are located in the city of Isny.
Isny Allgau, Germany
Minox is known for its German heritage and the quality of its products. Since the day it was founded in the aftermath of WWII, the company has paid special attention to the quality of products, which is the primary reason for its survival during the period of the Cold War and global financial crises. The new factory in Isny is equipped with world-class CNC milling and lathe equipment, which transforms high-quality solid bar stock of raw material into the shape of riflescopes. Individual components are checked for irregularities at every stage and any non-conforming component is sent back for rework. The lenses and prisms are manufactured similarly using high-tech equipment and numerous grinding and washing operations are carried out to achieve the design requirements. All lenses and prisms are coated with Minox’s proprietary multi-coating that is designed to enhance the optical properties and protect the surfaces of the objective and eyepiece lenses from abrasion and water contamination.
The assembly operations at Minox are carried out manually by a highly skilled workforce in an atmosphere-controlled assembly hall. The workers wear gloves and coverings on the head and face to prevent dirt particles and hair from contaminating the cleanroom. The metal parts and optical elements are bonded together using specialized glue, which reduces metal-to-glass contact throughout the riflescope assembly. After the scopes are hand-assembled, the scope is fitted with sealing O-rings and the optical cavity is purged with pressurized Nitrogen gas to remove moisture content and any lingering dirt. The procedure is performed with extreme care, which has earned the IPX7 dust and waterproof rating on all Minox products.
After Nitrogen-purging, finished scopes are subjected to a number of rigorous tests which simulate real-world circumstances to check the performance of scopes. These include vibration, shock, waterproof capability, Nitrogen leakage, and alignment at extreme temperatures. Non-conforming products are sent back for rework if possible.
Series Origin
All Minox products had been produced in Wetzlar, Germany since the company was established. In 2020, the factory was relocated to Isny Allgau, Germany and the production of riflescopes has been shifted to the new factory.
MINOX Riflescope Allrounder
The Minox Allrounder is a series of high-end riflescopes that are designed to suit a range of hunting situations, such as driven hunts, stalking, stand hunting, low light hunting, and mountain hunting. Equipped with a large eyepiece lens, the scopes offer a generous field of view which, in turn, increases the first-shot accuracy, which Minox calls Fast Target Acquisition (FTA). The scope is fitted with an incredibly thin Glass Fiber Point illuminated dot that is usable during daylight or the darkest of twilight hours. Additionally, the scope features the proprietary M*plus coating which increases the light transmission rate dramatically.
The primary features of the series include up to 94% light transmission, 5X optical zoom, second focal plane reticle with auto-off illumination, elevation/windage adjustment controls, fully multi-coated optical elements, single-piece main tube of 30 mm diameter, Nitrogen-purged fog, and waterproofing with an IPX7 rating. All variants of the Minox Allrounder scope are equipped with the German #4 reticle.
The Allrounder series is available in three configurations:
Allrounder 1-5×24
The Minox Allrounder 1-5×24 is an ultra-compact riflescope that is designed to enhance close-range shooting accuracy. Many a time, the most difficult shots are at close distances since the game can sense the hunter’s presence. The 1-5×24 variant of the Allrounder series offers a true 1x optical zoom along with an expansive field of view, allowing the shooter to take shots accurately, especially during stalking and driven hunting. The primary specs of this scope are 1-5X magnification range, 24 mm objective, a field of view of 37.1-8.2 m/100 m, 100 mm of eye relief, 11.4-4.9 mm exit pupil, parallax fixed at 100 m, elevation/windage adjustment of ±100/100 cm with 1 cm per click adjustment, and 30 mm main tube.
Allrounder 2-10×50
If you are looking for a multi-purpose hunting scope that is light on the pocket but full of potential, the Minox Allrounder 2-10×50 is the perfect device for your needs. The scope is built to acquire targets accurately and quickly, which is why it is ideal for short to medium-range hunting applications, including stalking, stand hunting. The multi-coated 50 mm objective promises exceptional clarity in all weather and lighting conditions, no matter when or where you intend to hunt. Some specifications of this scope are 2-10x magnification range, 50 mm objective, a field of view of 18.9-4.0 m/100 m, 100 mm of eye relief, 11.4-5.2 mm exit pupil, parallax fixed at 100 m, elevation/windage adjustment of ±100/100 cm with 1 cm per click adjustment, and 30 mm main tube.
Allrounder 3-15×56
The 3-15×56 variant of the Allrounder series is the ultimate medium to long-range hunting scope that is designed for a variety of hunting types, particularly stalking, varminting, high-seat hunting, and mountain hunting. Additionally, the scope is perfect for use in all lighting conditions, the credit for which goes to its fully multi-coated 56 mm objective system. Provided its high built-quality and comparatively small weight of just 760g, the scope can handle virtually all rifle platforms, making a true “All-rounder”. Specs include 3-15x magnification range, 56 mm objective, a field of view of 11.9-2.3 m/100 m, 100 mm of eye relief, 11.4-3.8 mm exit pupil, parallax adjustable from 50 m to infinity, elevation/windage adjustment of ±55/55 cm with 1 cm per click adjustment, and 30 mm main tube.
MINOX Riflescope Long-Range 5-25×56 LR
Available in only 5-25×56 design, the Minox Long-Range is a specialized riflescope for extremely long-range hunting applications. Daylight or Dusk, the scope promises superb brightness, razor-sharp clarity, and outstanding colour accuracy. The characteristic features of the riflescope are high-quality lenses and M*plus coating, which ensure brilliant light transmission, true-to-life colours, and exceptional contrast levels. Some other features of the series include 5X optical zoom, first image plane reticle, elevation/windage adjustment controls, fully multi-coated optical elements, Nitrogen gas-purged waterproofing with an IPX7 rating.
Specifications include 5-25x magnification range, 56 mm objective, a field of view of 7.2-1.6 m/100 m, 90 mm of eye relief, 10.6-2.3 mm exit pupil, parallax adjustable from 50 m to infinity, elevation/windage adjustment of 280/60 cm with 1 cm per click adjustment, 34 mm main tube, and rugged construction of aircraft-grade Aluminum alloy. This variant comes fitted with an illuminated LR reticle with 11 brightness levels.
MINOX Riflescope PRO
The Minox PRO ZP is a line of high-performance riflescopes that are designed to perform in challenging long-range hunting applications where precise shooting is usually difficult to achieve by ordinary scopes. Featuring a rugged one-piece design and excellent mechanical precision, the ZP scopes are perfect for use with heavy-caliber hunting rifles. With this series, Minox offers a high value for money in the form of a high-tech scope that can handle a variety of targets with ease.
Some of the features of the series are 5x optical zoom, first focal plane reticle with auto-off illumination, locking diopter adjustment ring, tactical-type turrets, elevation/windage adjustment controls, fully multi-coated optical elements, single-piece main tube of 34 mm diameter, Nitrogen-purged fog, and waterproofing with an IPX7 rating. The PRO ZP scopes are fitted with large turret dials that can be precisely controlled even with a pair of gloves.
The Minox PRO series is available in two variants:
ZP5 PRO 3-15×50
At 15x optical zoom, the 3-15×50 variant is perfect for acquiring long-range hunting targets, while also providing hunters with ample zoom capability to engage game animals located at close to medium-range distances. The scope offers excellent contrast levels and outstanding image clarity thanks to M* multi-coating, which promises up to 94% light transmission. The main specifications of this scope are 3-15X magnification range, 50 mm objective, a field of view of 12.8-2.8 m/100 m, 90 mm of eye relief, 11.5-3.33 mm exit pupil, parallax adjustable from 50 m to infinity, elevation/windage adjustment of 28/±6 mrad with 0.1 mrad per click adjustment, and 34 mm main tube. Available reticle options include MR2 and MR5.
ZP5 PRO 5-25×56
The ZP5 5-25×56 is an exceptional hunting scope that is tailor-made for hunting big game, such as elk or deer. Equipped with M* multi-coated 56 mm objectives, the scope promises vivid details, brilliant contrast levels, and high colour accuracy, regardless of the shooting distance and lighting conditions. The PRO series is known for its virtually indestructible construction, which allows hunters to take bold steps when hunting in challenging terrain. The main features of this scope are 5-25X magnification range, 56 mm objective, a field of view of 7.6-1.6 m/100 m, 90 mm of eye relief, 12.0-4.4 mm exit pupil, parallax adjustable from 50 m to infinity, elevation/windage adjustment of 28/±6 mrad with 0.1 mrad per click adjustment, and 34 mm main tube. Available reticle options include MR2, MR4, MR5, and THLR.
Conclusion
A Germany-based manufacturer of sports optics, Minox has become a synonym of quality and relentless performance. Founded in the aftermath of WW2, the company produces some of the best sporting optics, especially for long-range applications. Minox is headquartered in Isny Allgau, Germany, and is primarily known for high-end surveillance cameras, riflescopes, binoculars, night vision devices. The company is presently owned by the Blaser Group, which is a well-known brand of firearms based in Germany.
What started as a hand-held camera manufacturer in the 50s has become one of the finest brands of riflescopes in Europe today. After years of dedication to innovation, quality, and performance, the company has set unusually high standards for reliability and durability, which is one of the reasons for its success in a relatively short period, considering it only started producing sports optics in the early 2000s.
The company currently offers three series of riflescopes, namely the Allrounder, Long-range, ZP5 Pro and ZP8, all of which are proudly manufactured and assembled in Germany. If you are looking for quality riflescopes without emptying your bank account, Minox products are the way to go. The brand promises the same level of German engineering that people expect from other Germany-based brands, but at comparatively lower prices.
Thanks for reading. We hope that you have made your choice by now. Happy shopping!
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