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Rifle Scopes M7xi 4-28 thoughts

Tikkaguy

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Minuteman
Aug 16, 2020
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Just seeing what m7 owners out there think of them, I just got one that I have been playing around with more. I don’t have a ton of time behind it yet. Overall I like it a lot. But my sample has a slight tunnel effect from 4-maybe 4.5 or 5 power then goes away. Razor sharp until about 12-16 power. Then loses a lot of clarity and brightness then on up. Not that I care that much I don’t really use that much power very often just was hoping for a little more. Checking to to see if others have similar results.
 

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Ya, sorry to bash them, especially since you just bought one, but the pictures don’t lie. The CA looked even worse in person.

I know a lot of people praise them, which is why I bought one, but I don’t listen much any more to internet talk. I ordered one so I could make my own decision and to be honest, I didn’t think it was that bad when I first looked through it until I put it next to one of my ATACRs.

Maybe I just got a bad one but if that’s the case, how’d it make it past QC.
 
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Ya, sorry to bash them, especially since you just bought one, but the pictures don’t lie. The CA looked even worse in person.

I know a lot of people praise them, which is why I bought one, but I don’t listen much any more to internet talk. I ordered one so I could make my own decision and to be honest, I didn’t think it was that bad when I first looked through it until I put it next to one of my ATACRs.

Maybe I just got a bad one but if that’s the case, how’d it make it past QC.
No I get why you were mad, I heard of some of the early samples were bad. Mine was made this year tho. Kinda depressing. I have had a new p4xi 4-16s and I loved them.
 
I just had to send my new M7X back today. It was absolutely terrible. Thank goodness they took great care of me though and are issuing a refund for the full purchase price.

They were willing to make it right and issued me a return label and were gonna expedite fixing it and getting it back to me, but I just politely asked for a refund and said I wanted to move on.
 
Ouch. I'm in the market and thinking seriously about a 4-28 or 2.9-20 M7Xi... leaning towards the latter. I get a smoking deal on Steiner and I don't want to wait a year for the ATACR 4-20 the NF rep quoted me. This makes my decision even harder. I've heard mostly great things about the Steiner 4-28 and almost nothing at all about the 2.9-20. Seeing that CA causes me some apprehension.
 
Mine was the worst scope I think Ive ever looked through, once above about 16x. It was pure trash. Obviously something wasn’t right.
 
Ouch. I'm in the market and thinking seriously about a 4-28 or 2.9-20 M7Xi... leaning towards the latter. I get a smoking deal on Steiner and I don't want to wait a year for the ATACR 4-20 the NF rep quoted me. This makes my decision even harder. I've heard mostly great things about the Steiner 4-28 and almost nothing at all about the 2.9-20. Seeing that CA causes me some apprehension.

I put my buddies NX8 2.5-20 besides this one because I couldn’t believe it, and sure enough, the NF destroyed it in the optical department. Wasn’t even close.

Also, my zero started to noticeably shift around on me after the first 50 rounds. So you can see why I just simply wanted a refund. I obviously got a lemon, but hell at this point, I think I’m just gonna get a ZCO and be done with it.
 
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Mine was the worst scope I think Ive ever looked through, once above about 16x. It was pure trash. Obviously something wasn’t right.
Did you have the 4-28 or the 2.9-20? The one thing about Steiner is their warranty is decent. Even if they're not the best to deal with, they pride themselves on the lifetime aspect of it. NF speaks for itself as a brand, but I don't know that it would go the same.
 
Did you have the 4-28 or the 2.9-20? The one thing about Steiner is their warranty is decent. Even if they're not the best to deal with, they pride themselves on the lifetime aspect of it. NF speaks for itself as a brand, but I don't know that it would go the same.
4-28. Bought brand new from them directly using the GOVX discount code.

The NF warranty kicks ass actually, lol. I’ve used it twice and my brother has used it once. They don’t fuck around when shit isn’t right.
 
Steiner QC has gone in the shitter recently, I personally look through every product when I get it and I'm always sending stuff back and railing them. When you do get a good one it's awesome, but QC is an issue.

I would’ve loved to have gotten an awesome one. I would’ve absolutely been tickled pink if it would’ve been real solid optically, well and holding zero properly too. It checked all the right boxes for me. Sucks I had to get a bad one, it ruined me ever going back to them again.
 
The NF rep was one of the best I’ve dealt with. He replied to my emails over their Christmas/New Years break and had me call him. The lead times though… Steiner is available now.

ExpertVoice has one… didn’t see it on GovX but I didn’t know you could use a code from them and buy direct. Never did that… I’m guessing it’s the same price though.
 
Well I have friend that just ordered a 2.9-20 and used 3-15 m5xi. Going to do a little
Comparison. I guess only time will tell. Or what they will even fix, or how long it will take to get it back. On 16x it was still better at resolving things than my p4 4-16x which is a good little scope for the money but this supposed to be a teir 1 scope. The controls and overall feel of the scope are amazing. Just once I leave 12 power I feel let down. And I’m a steiner fan boy at heart. So it hurts.
 
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The NF rep was one of the best I’ve dealt with. He replied to my emails over their Christmas/New Years break and had me call him. The lead times though… Steiner is available now.

ExpertVoice has one… didn’t see it on GovX but I didn’t know you could use a code from them and buy direct. Never did that… I’m guessing it’s the same price though.
Ok so, you have to use their Steiner webstore, then basically go through the checkout process, without completing it, and it will let you click on a GOVX link, and it takes you there and redirects you to log in to GOVX, then gives you a discount code, then you apply that to the Steiner cart back on their webstore. It’s a stupid good deal. I didn’t even pay tax or shipping.

Definitely do the Steiner webstore directly, using the GOVX discount code. Don’t even mess with ExpertVoice for this one.


And yes, my NF contact kicks ass. He has always gone above and beyond for me.
 
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Thanks, that’s on the money. I didn’t even know I could do that. Not a big EV fan but I picked up a T5Xi a year and a half ago from there and it worked out.

Actually, for the discounted price, that T5Xi was not half bad.

Now I’m super conflicted between NF and Steiner. Part of me feels like buying the Steiner is rolling the dice based on what you all are saying. Ouch.
 
Well I have friend that just ordered a 2.9-20 and used 3-15 m5xi. Going to do a little
Comparison. I guess only time will tell. Or what they will even fix, or how long it will take to get it back. On 16x it was still better at resolving things than my p4 4-16x which is a good little scope for the money but this supposed to be a teir 1 scope. The controls and overall feel of the scope are amazing. Just once I leave 12 power I feel let down. And I’m a steiner fan boy at heart. So it hurts.
I contacted a higher up at Steiner and he acted suprised that mine basically fell apart above 12x like yours did. So he was adamant about getting it back and fixing it. I figured maybe mine was a fluke. But it’s sucks that I’m not the only one who has experienced this.
 
Ok so, you have to use their Steiner webstore, then basically go through the checkout process, without completing it, and it will let you click on a GOVX link, and it takes you there and redirects you to log in to GOVX, then gives you a discount code, then you apply that to the Steiner cart back on their webstore. It’s a stupid good deal. I didn’t even pay tax or shipping.

Definitely do the Steiner webstore directly, using the GOVX discount code. Don’t even mess with ExpertVoice for this one.


And yes, my NF contact kicks ass. He has always gone above and beyond for me.
I don't see that option. It just takes me to payment, no GOVX anywhere.
 
I contacted a higher up at Steiner and he acted suprised that mine basically fell apart above 12x like yours did. So he was adamant about getting it back and fixing it. I figured maybe mine was a fluke. But it’s sucks that I’m not the only one who has experienced this.
Yeah I know some things fall through the cracks so I’m not trying to bash them too hard. They have built the name they have by building good optics for a long time. Just gotta keep the qc up. Especially as they just raised all their damn prices.
 
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Thanks for checking! I might have been searching for that for a while. EV has a 2.9-20 with MSR2 or a 4-28 with Tremor 3. The Tremor 3 isn’t an option.

NF ATACR 4-20 pricing isn’t far off from the 2.9-20 for me… just one comes next week and the other comes next year. Though I’m going to throw whatever I get on a Waypoint I have on order from Springfield which may well be another 9 months anyway….

Tough choices.
 
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I like mine. I don't have any CA until past 20x, and I don't use 20X and above unless shooting at paper or ELR stuff, which is rare. If you think the CA is bad, look through a k525i...

SIMILIAR here. Next to my TT they are neck and neck till about 18 power when it indeed darkens a bit. Nothing like the 2 reviews above. I would rank it 3rd behind TT and ZCO to my scope snob eyes.

I would buy with confidence it sounds like they will send a new scope asap IF you arnt happy. not sure why people are cryin over a company trying to fix a bad scope.

nvr noticed any CA. couldnt be happier. and it blew away any NF I had it next to.


MSR2 is pretty sweet. WAY better than the reg MSR. Used it at a night match and needed a little more illum on the horizontal but other than that very usable and literally noone here will be using it at night so almost a non concern.


GL
DT
 
SIMILIAR here. Next to my TT they are neck and neck till about 18 power when it indeed darkens a bit. Nothing like the 2 reviews above. I would rank it 3rd behind TT and ZCO to my scope snob eyes.

I would buy with confidence it sounds like they will send a new scope asap IF you arnt happy. not sure why people are cryin over a company trying to fix a bad scope.

nvr noticed any CA. couldnt be happier. and it blew away any NF I had it next to.


MSR2 is pretty sweet. WAY better than the reg MSR. Used it at a night match and needed a little more illum on the horizontal but other than that very usable and literally noone here will be using it at night so almost a non concern.


GL
DT

Mostly agree. The S&B is also better optically but the Steiner is no slouch.
 
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SIMILIAR here. Next to my TT they are neck and neck till about 18 power when it indeed darkens a bit. Nothing like the 2 reviews above. I would rank it 3rd behind TT and ZCO to my scope snob eyes.

I would buy with confidence it sounds like they will send a new scope asap IF you arnt happy. not sure why people are cryin over a company trying to fix a bad scope.

nvr noticed any CA. couldnt be happier. and it blew away any NF I had it next to.


MSR2 is pretty sweet. WAY better than the reg MSR. Used it at a night match and needed a little more illum on the horizontal but other than that very usable and literally noone here will be using it at night so almost a non concern.


GL
DT

I actually love the msr2 at night behind a clip on at 6x ony sb520us, it's perfect
 
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I’m really considering the 2.9-20 given the general consensus that the M7Xi is good… I just wish I knew about that specific one and not just the 4-28. If their CS is as good as some people say, it shouldn’t be a problem I guess. I just hate getting something I end up not liking.

The MSR2 is by far the most interesting field reticle I’ve seen and I really want to try it. Limits scope options.
 
okay so i got off work a little early today and had a chance to get behind it a little more. i did a very basic field tracking test. i shot a group at 100 yards, had one cold bore flyer but group was okay. it was shot with a batch of handloads which have a old batch of Winchester primers, not my usual federal match ones i tend to like. keep in mind it was 3 degrees outside at my range and i was shaking like a leaf on a tree haha. i then shot a little bit better group with a few of my federal primed loads. dialed on click left to correct my zero slighly and continued to basically dial the turrets back and forth through the adjustment range. again its cold and I'm not being nice to it. i then dial to my 500 yard dope of 3.2 mils and hit my 3.5 inch gong 2 shots in row quite easily. then i dial back to 100 shoot the last 2 of my hand loads one of which was missing a tip (140eld-m) . overall i think it tracked and held zero just fine.

now to the bad, optically my findings were kind of confirmed.... from 4-12 i love the glass. everything is sharp and crisp. colors a great and im happy. all besides there is also a pretty substantial tunnel effect around the edges of the glass from 4-5 power which is also a let down. i tried to get some pic down the tube with my phone but i couldn't get any decent ones. past 12 power the scope very quickly loses it alpha class glass. the image gets a little fuzzy and darkens up. once you pass maybe 15-20 power the image takes on a blue hue and chromatic aberration get pretty horrible and eye box gets very iffy. on 28 power it gets downright bad. the image is half blue loses focus almost. so i guess the scope will be headed back to Steiner sadly. im sure i have just gotten unlucky. i did get a good deal on it straight from their webstore but. i expected to be blown away. i just pray they will replace my scope instead of sending it back for repair in Germany. and i surly don't want the Burris factory to attempt to fix it, ive heard too many bad things come out of their repair shop unfixed. just started to get into coyote hunting hard this winter and i dont want my 260 down for 3-6 months why i wait for my scope to show back up. i still love my steiner scopes i just have a bad one im afraid
scope test.jpg
 
I’m really considering the 2.9-20 given the general consensus that the M7Xi is good… I just wish I knew about that specific one and not just the 4-28. If their CS is as good as some people say, it shouldn’t be a problem I guess. I just hate getting something I end up not liking.

The MSR2 is by far the most interesting field reticle I’ve seen and I really want to try it. Limits scope options.
i am in love with the msr2 its a great reticle!!! i have a cousin who just ordered a 2.9-20 should show up soon
 
I talked to them again and they told me that the scopes no longer go back to Germany, that they are now fixed in CO. She said a couple weeks to fix it roughy. I said, can I just get a brand new hand picked scope and she said yes… so I’m now on the fence about just trying out another one. Who knows, or maybe I just get my refund, we shall see.

Hope that helps you guys some.

@Tikkaguy, my scope, optically, was doing the same as yours. It rapidly starts to fall part above 12x. Image quality on the upper end quickly turns into a Barksa or a UTG. The zero shift really pissed me off tho. That was the nail in the coffin.
 
I talked to them again and they told me that the scopes no longer go back to Germany, that they are now fixed in CO. She said a couple weeks to fix it roughy. I said, can I just get a brand new hand picked scope and she said yes… so I’m now on the fence about just trying out another one. Who knows, or maybe I just get my refund, we shall see.

Hope that helps you guys some.

@Tikkaguy, my scope, optically, was doing the same as yours. It rapidly starts to fall part above 12x. Image quality on the upper end quickly turns into a Barksa or a UTG. The zero shift really pissed me off tho. That was the nail in the coffin.
that is scary that they don't send them to Germany anymore. havent heard many great stories come out of the burris repair center as of late. the even more sketchy part is i purchases mine straight from them as a blem which when it showed up is had no marks on it. and they said my serial number was already linked to someones rma. could be a mistake from the person im talking to in support. basically im guessing they had a return come in that wasnt mounted and they said "eh good enough" and threw it on the store as a blem... blems are supposed to have demo marks and functional be 100% she said she would double check my serial number lol. i would give them a second chance tho haha
 
This thread isn’t making my decision easy at all. A lot of pros, a lot of cons. I think if I wasn’t able to get such a great deal on Steiner and I had to look at MSRP, maybe I’d go straight for something else. At my price I’m not sure what else I can get that competes, with a reticle I like as much as the MSR2.
 
This thread isn’t making my decision easy at all. A lot of pros, a lot of cons. I think if I wasn’t able to get such a great deal on Steiner and I had to look at MSRP, maybe I’d go straight for something else. At my price I’m not sure what else I can get that competes, with a reticle I like as much as the MSR2.
Well I’m going to give them the benifit of the doubt, if it’s anything in Germany like it is over here. Good help is hard to find atm haha. If they do right by me then they will stay in good graces with me and I will keeping their scopes
 
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Haha yeah I suppose that’s sometimes true but Look at trjicon and s&b steiner non of its cheap haha. I hope for their sake they fix this crap and stop running their own name down the shit pipe.
 
Maybe it’s in line with all the other manufacturing issues as of late. I’ve heard that a lot of otherwise reputable manufacturers are dropping the ball in other areas. I certainly hope that’s not the case… it’ll be very hard to buy quality even from formerly reputable brands.
 
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Maybe it’s in line with all the other manufacturing issues as of late. I’ve heard that a lot of otherwise reputable manufacturers are dropping the ball in other areas. I certainly hope that’s not the case… it’ll be very hard to buy quality even from formerly reputable brands.
Yeah unfortunately it’s hard to find people to work at least in the u.s that know what they are doing. I think I’ve seen alot of the same stuff there in Germany with the mass protests and things. People aren’t happy