A new range of scopes with a familiar name gets the editor’s attention
It seems that our appetite for scopes is insatiable, and Birmingham-based importer, Armex, has added a huge new range to its catalogue. It’s not just the number of new models, but also the variety of designs that most impressed me. There are very conventional hunting scopes right through to innovative, combat-style models, all sitting alongside simple basic scopes that are ideal for beginners. Armex claims that there’s something for everybody, from beginner to professional.
They sent a selection to me to have a look at and, to begin, I wanted to look at some models designed for quick-fire, close-range shooting, such as Iron Plate Action Shooting, or IPAS as we know it. This demanding sport requires you to hit steel plates as fast as you can against the clock, and red-dot sights are king here. A wide field of view and a bright, clear aiming point are vital, plus a rugged build to handle the inevitable knocks and bumps that the sport dishes out.
Two versions
Up first is the ENF 1 x 32 which is a blatantly military looking sight with a very robust build that is felt the moment you lift it from the box. There’s clearly a lot of metal used in the body, plus a great deal more in the Weaver mount. This has large thumb wheels to lock it into place and because you need no tools, swapping it for a different sight on the move would be easy. It’s powered by three, tiny, hearing-aid-sized batteries hidden below the main body. Zeroing is done just like you would with a conventional rifle scope, which I prefer. Finally, if the sight should fail, there’s a set of chunky open sights on the top so that you can always aim, no matter what.
The second sight is the ENFL1 x 24 x 32 holosight, which as the name suggests, uses a hologram of the reticle projected on to a screen that you look through toward the target. I have a lot of experience with this type of sight, but this is like none I’ve seen before. It uses a synthetic body surrounded with a thick metal guard to protect all the delicate parts from damage. The reticle is a circle with a dot at the centre and it can be illuminated red or green to suit your eyes, and the conditions. It also uses a Weaver mount. I think this could be used on pistols as well as rifles, and even some of the CO2-powered machine gun replicas we’ve seen recently.
These are just two of the already large variety of scopes that Enfield offers, and I’m told that the range will continue to grow. They appear to offer good value for money, allied to a substantial build, with plenty of innovative design elements to keep us engaged.
ENF 1x32 red-dot scope TSP: £44.99
ENF 1x24x32 red-green illumination holosight TSP: £44.99
Visit the Armex website here.