The Pecar Black Carbon 2.5-10×50 a top-notch hunting scope selling for only $700 with many desirable features, and it delivers performance way beyond its price.
Pecar is a name to reckon with, going back decades to when Pecar-Berlin built innovative, top-quality and rugged rifles scopes when scopes were a rarity.
A few years ago the Pecar factory in Germany closed, but Queensland company Pro-Tactical has brought out a new line of riflescopes under the name of Pecar Optics.
The Black Carbon range covers four variables: a 1.5-6×42 ($649); 2.5-10×50 ($699); 3-12×56 ($745); and 5-25×56 ($1195), all with 30mm tubes of aircraft-quality alloy, anodised a dull matte black.
Most feature a No 4 illuminated reticle in the second focal plane, the exception being the 5-15×56, which has a long-range type reticle in the first focal plane. Every scope comes with a pair of interchangeable target turrets included.
Pecar is a name to live up to, so I was keen to find out how good the new line is. Pro-Tactical sent a Black Carbon 2.5-10x50mm attached to a Voere LBW rifle to put through its paces.
Having a length of 330mm and weighing 360g, the Pecar is more compatible with a trim hunting scope than many other high-range switch-power rifle scopes.
The 50mm objective and other lenses are fully multi-coated, which can brighten a picture at high magnification. The optics give fine resolution, excellent contrast, clarity and perfect colour balance.
This working-class scope is big enough to yield a 5mm exit pupil at 10x, while allowing the use of medium-height rings on most rifles.
The ocular lens is 35mm in diameter, which not only allows long eye relief of 89mm, but an increased field of view in the 2.5-10x of (at 100m) 17m at 2.5x and 4.3m at 10x.
The Pecar’s large 50mm objective lens gives superior light transmission. Mated to fully multi-coated lenses using Pecar’s proprietary coatings, it provides a bright, sharp image. Light transmission of the 2.5-10x is 88 percent.
All things being equal, however, a scope’s brightness is largely dependent on the size of its exit pupil, which is derived from the objective lens diameter divided by its magnification. The human eye is capable of only dilating 5-7mm, so any exit pupil greater than that is wasted light. An exit pupil of 5mm at 10x is a usable amount of light in most light conditions.
In really poor light conditions, the illuminated reticle glows red on demand. It features 11 levels of brightness and is powered by one CR2032 battery housed in the left turret.
Additionally, the Pecar features constant eye relief which is a good thing, especially on a hard-kicking rifle. With some variables, particularly those with high magnification, eye relief can shrink up to an inch simply by dialling more magnification. With the Pecar you are not forced to crawl the stock as you zoom in and out.
Straight out of the box this affordable scope doesn’t have the exposed elevation turret considered so essential by some of today’s distance shooters. Turret caps afford protection from the elements — and from accidental adjustments to one’s zero while in the field. This might give the impression that the Pecar is intended solely for basic hunters, who sight in their rifles and don’t touch the elevation turret again because they almost never shoot beyond 300 metres.
That’s all good, but Pecar supplies a set of interchangeable target turrets which replace the standard turrets in the event you want to indulge in long-range shooting. This a pious idea, since it expands the optic’s usefulness.
Swapping turrets is easy. It requires unscrewing each turret and threading on the target turrets, taking care to align the bar with a matching slot in the scope’s adjustment mechanism. Dial to the correct mark and shoot.
The ¼ MOA clicks are crisp and clean and precise. Maximum adjustment is 30 MOA.
At the range, settling behind the rifle, I saw the image quality was bright and sharp. However, such things are frivolous if the scope doesn’t track reliably. After shooting the square, starting in the centre of the target, and carefully shooting a three-shot group while adjusting windage and elevation, the Pecar came through with flying colours.
Not having the time to test the elevation turret out to 1000m, I tested it against the grid in my collimator and found it would have given a perfectly straight, vertical line of shots.
Glass manufacturers and optical design continue to improve. The optical glass in Pecar scopes is Japanese. Many prestigious European scopes use Schott glass, but the same glass technology is used in Japan and is just as good. Purely from a quality standpoint, the best optics coming out of Asia are superb, equal to those being made in Europe.
For most people, a power range of from 2.5x through 10x will take care of any hunting situation they will ever engage in. The 2.5x setting is ideal for heavy bush where shots will be no farther than 50m, and 10x is plenty of magnification for long shots on deer-size game.
Given its modest price of $699, the Pecar Black Carbon 2.5-10×50 is within the budget of most shooters. For me, the cost is outweighed by the Pecar’s many excellent features. At the factory, it undergoes shock-testing and is nitrogen purged and waterproof. All Pecars carry a 10-year guarantee.
For the average hunter, this scope represents a good buy.
SPECIFICATIONS
- Manufacturer: Pro-Tactical
- Reticle: Illuminated; second focal plane; German No 4; ¼ MOA clicks
- Eye relief: 89mm
- Lenses: Japanese; fully multi-coated
- Main tube diameter: 30mm
- Magnification: 2.5-10x
- Field of view: 4.3-17m @ 100m
- Exit pupil: 5-20mm
- Length: 330mm
- Weight: 360g
- Maximum adjustment: 30 MOA
- Diopter: +/- 2
- Accessories: Target turrets, end covers, one CR2032 battery