Sightmark's Presidio 5-30x56 rifle scope has all the features of scopes well over double its price. In fact, I used two other scopes that I own to compare it to. One costs $300, and the other costs $1300. With the Presidio listed at $449.97 at sightmark.com, I overpaid for my $1300 scope, especially because it's less feature-rich than the Presidio. To be transparent, I purchased the $1300 scope about eight years ago. The price of some of this technology is coming down, so manufacturers can build better quality scopes at a lower price. However, the Presidio 5-30x56 is a massive package for its price.
Features and Specs
Scratch-resistant lens coating
6:1 zoom ratio
5-30x Magnification
Exposed, low-profile locking turrets
Zero-stop elevation dial
Fully multi-coated optics
First focal plane reticle
Hard, anodized finish
Red illuminated reticle
Single-piece 30mm tube
Shockproof with Aircraft-grade Aluminum
IP67-Rated dustproof and waterproof
Reticle Type - LR2
Reticle - Etched glass
Illuminated Red
Reticle brightness settings - 0-6
Magnification - (6x) 5-30x
Objective lens diameter (mm) - 56
Exit pupil diameter (mm) - 36.6
Eye relief (in/mm) - 3.7/95
Field of view (m @100m) - 6.71m - 1.13m
Field of view (ft @100yd) - 22ft - 3.7ft
Tube diameter (mm/in) - 30 / 1.18
Parallax setting (yds) - 20 - ∞
Mil adjustment (one click =) - .1 Mil
Windage adjustment range (MRAD) - 18
Elevation adjustment range (MRAD) - 18
Windage & Elevation lock - No
Maximum caliber - .338
Battery type - CR2032
Battery life (hours) - 150 - 500 hrs
Nitrogen filled (yes/no) - Yes
Shockproof (yes/no) - Yes
Fog proof (yes/no) - Yes
Focal plane - First
IP Standard (water rating) - IP67 - waterproof and dustproof
Lens coatings - Fully multi-coated
Length (in/mm) - 15.67 / 398.02
Weight (oz) - 33 oz
What's In The Box
Flip-up lens covers
Throw lever attachment
1x Battery CR2032
2x Hex key
Lens cloth
First Impressions
I spent about 6 hours playing with the knobs, testing the zero stop, looking through the glass, taking it apart, and putting it back together to test the quality. Compared to my $1300 scope, I'm speechless. To say I'm surprised at the Presidio's overall quality, along with being packed with features like the illuminated first focal plane reticle, is an understatement. The Presidio 5-30x56 should be on your list if you're looking for your first long-range rifle scope or an upgrade. At under $500, this should fit even a tight budget.
This budget-friendly scope comes with a good set of scope caps with the Sightmark crosshair logo. That's just a second kind of cool. It's definitely more aesthetically pleasing to the eye.
This package also has a throw lever that can be installed and is perfectly centered between the magnification range. However, the design of the magnification ring is done right. It has a good-sized hilt that is comfortable for the hand, so the throw lever is unnecessary. But better to have it as they say.
Turrets
The turrets have a solid yet smooth feel with an excellent audible sound. After taking it apart, I could see the large and stout turret mechanism. This is what aids in the tactile and audible clicks. You can clearly hear and feel the clicks as you make your adjustments. With such a large turret mechanism, it's so wonder the turrets have zero play. The Mil markings on the turret also line up perfectly. That's one thing that I look for. It's common on lower priced optics that the Mil marks on the turrets don't align with the indicator on the scope's body. The turrets also have a very aggressive knurling, so even with wet hands making adjustments is not a problem.
Zero Stop
The zero-stop design on the Presidio is one of my favorite features. It's not built in like on most scopes I have seen. It has a highly machined insert placed under the turret cap and held in place by three hex screws. You can remove the insert if you don't want a zero stop. I love this design because it allows you to set how far below your zero you want it to stop. Most scopes zero stops that I have seen will stop at zero or dial down .5 Mils below your zero.
I don't believe this was thought about when it was designed because there is no literature on it, but once zeroed, you can slip your turrets to zero, dial down your quick drop number, then install the zero stop insert. This insert allows you to use your zero stop as intended but allows you to dial down your quick drop number and use your reticle as a BDC reticle for rapid engagement. You can also use it as a second zero for a different bullet. E.g., My bullet of choice for long-range shooting for 6.5 Creedmoor is the 147 ELD-M. My hunting bullet is the 95 V-Max. The V-max bullet is .3 mils higher than the 147 ELD-M. I can set the zero stop .3 mils below my zero, so it's perfectly zeroed when I switch to my hunting bullet. This gives me more options to decide how to set up my rifle.
If you're interested in learning more about Quick Drop, refer to my blog at:
YouTube video:
Tracking
The Presidio only has 19 mils of adjustment in the windage and elevation turrets. This was a little disappointing as many other scopes with a 30 mm tube have around 30 Mils. However, this is not a deal breaker or unheard of. I vaguely remember one of the Schmidt and Bender PMll having only about 22 mil of adjustment. This was years ago, and I assume that's no longer true. With a 20 or 30 M.O.A. rail, 19 Mills is enough adjustment to get to 1000 yards with a .308. On my rifle with a 20 M.O.A. rail, I was left with 15 Mils of elevation. That's just enough to get me out to 1200 yards.
I was surprised by the tracking test. I ran the test several times. I slowly turn the turret one Mil at a time with about a one-second pause for each Mil. I detected about a 1% tracking error. I have seen scopes over twice the price have more of a tracking error. A 1% tracking error means if you dial 10 Mils, the scope will be off .1 Mil. That's almost unheard of for a scope in its price range.
Glass Quality
The glass quality is on par with the scope's price point. A beginning long-range shooter or someone with some experience would be more than happy with the glass. My first shot looking through the scope was at 530 yards, and I could see the target just fine. With this scope, you pay more for the features than the glass. As an experienced long-range shooter, the glass left me wanting just a little better. However, it's enough to make first-round hits at extended ranges.
Reticle
The LR2 is a first focal plane, illuminated, milliradian reticle featuring six brightness settings. At its highest setting, the illumination is very bright. At the lowest setting, it was the most useful. I prefer more settings on the lower side of the brightness options. One test I'll do is leave the illumination on its highest setting for 24 hours to see what happens. As advertised, the battery lasts 150 - 500 hrs. I'm assuming 500 hours at the lowest setting and 150 hours at the highest. (you can see the results in Overall)
The reticle offers 18 Mils of total windage and 19 Mils of elevation in .5 Mil increments. The reticle's top, right, and left sides offer .1 Mil increments after 5 mils, allowing you to Mil targets more accurately. Every other Mil hash mark is also numbered to avoid getting lost with holdovers or holding for wind. The numbered Mils is definitely a feature I appreciate.
The LR2 reticle is complimented with wind dots running the entire length of the bottom 10 Mils. The christmas tree style wind dots give you a precise location to aim when holding for the wind, which aids in a more accurate shot. The only potential downside to the LR2 reticle is that the wind dots start at 1 Mil past the crosshair. With a .308, you would need a 10 mph half-value wind at around 1000 yards to engage the wind dots; at 600 yards, you would need at least an 8 mph full-value wind.
In The Field
First things first. I had to zero the scope. To bore sight and zero the scope, it only took 4 shots. I set the zero stop to dial down 2 Mils below my zero. Sliping the turrets and setting the zero stop only took a few minutes. Everything was smooth and easy; this speaks to its quality. I then whet straight to 530 yards and shot 4 rounds at a 6 inch plate. 4 shots, 4 impacts. It was around 102Fº shooting due East at 10AM. I can see the target, but I'm dealing with mirage and having the sun in my eyes. In these conditions, the glass has a slight haze to it. With no sunshade, this could be the sun, mirage, or glass. Either way, I was able to get impacts. The impacts also tell me the tracking is good.
The rifle I'm using to test the Presidio is a Remington 700 5R in .308. I dialed down my Quick Drop number of 1.8 Mils and used the reticle as a B.D.C. (Ballistic Drop Compensator). This way of setting up the zero stop allows me to hold over 1/100 of my distance/5.3 Mils at 530. I took a few more shots, getting impacts. Overall, I am very pleased with this scope for its price range. It's defiantly a scope that can get the job done.
Overall
If I was given a rifle to shoot with the Presidio on top, I know I could get the job done. It's a good quality scope at a fantastic price point. I prefer high-end optics but my wallet and wife, not so much. The eye relief is longer than I'm used to, and the tracking is good. The scope also looks really good. I love the black-on-black of the brand name. The ergonomics are excellent, and the turrets are very nice. You can tell they focused on getting the tracking and turrets correct.
Battery test - I tested the battery life and illumination brightness on the highest setting for 24 hrs. There was a significant change in brightness after only 24 hrs. However, It's still plenty bright, maybe too bright for low-light appliances like hunting at dusk or dawn. So, if you leave it on overnight with a full battery, you're still good to go. I left the illumination on until it was what I would consider so dim that it's no longer helpful and logged a battery between 72 and 84 hrs at the highest setting. At 84 hours, it is no longer usable in daylight. The battery still had life for low light/night shooting. The illumination time will depend on the quality of the battery.
Wind dot engagement - My first time on the range with the Presidio, I was shooting 530 yards. I had a 4 - 8 mph wind at 5:30, giving me a .1 to .2 mil hold. So, unfortunately, I wasn't able to employ the wind dots. This happened every time I went to test the scope. But that's long-range shooting for you. Very rarely do you get the conditions you want.
Value - 4/5
I consider this a high-value scope because of the quality and all the features, such as exposed turret knobs, first focal plane Mil reticle, 5-30 magnification range, 56 mm objective lens, side parallax adjustment, and a fully adjustable zero stop.
Durability - 3.5/5
I wish I could drop and slam this scope around a bit, but it's not mine. I disassembled and inspected the turret shaft. It looks to be made from a very thick, rigid piece of brass. I cranked down on hex screws, leaving no scratches or indentations. The body is made from aircraft-grade aluminum with a single-piece 30mm tube. It's shockproof, IP67-Rated dustproof, and waterproof.
Availability - 4/5
Available at Optics Planet, Amazon,*Sportsman Warehouse, Sightmark, and more. While it is available at many places online, I can only give 5/5 if it's in big box stores as well.
Pros
Full of features
First Focal Plane Reticle
Fully adjustable zero stop
Price point
Cons
19 mils of elevation
Glass could be better
The instruction manual is not very detailed for setting the zero stop and the reticle's sub-tensions
Wind dots start at 1 Mil
What would I change?
The wind dots on the reticle are the first thing that just jumps out. They start at 1 Mil, leaving you in a situation where if you use holdovers, you may not be able to use the wind dots. The Presidio is marketed to novice and upper entry-level long-range shooters. I don't think most newer shooters will be shooting in low-light conditions. Using the money for the high magnification range and illuminated reticle would be better spent on better glass. A 5-20 magnification would be better to cut costs and keep the overall quality while using better glass.
The Overwatch
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