Some time ago we presented the first rifle scope of the Sight Mark hoping to be able to try an example on the field: the opportunity has materialized with this Mod. Citadel aimed at medium-long distance shooting and hunting with all the values that mediate, in the most appropriate and balanced measure, the various needs. Several hints to this beautiful product have already emerged in the passages in which we proposed the new one kipplauf SKL 20 of Sabatti, both in its technical presentation and in the really satisfying one of the shooting tests where the Sight Mark has provided its valuable contribution to the achievement of very appreciable results.
Let's immediately give some values to mentally position the instrument: length 330 mm, width 56 mm and weight equal to 740 g. As you can see, even with the available values of 3-18 × 50, the whole is really compact and above all of limited mass: some unfavorable experiences in the past lead us to consider how the combination of a telescope with a kipplauf it must be proportionate, under penalty of a certain dispersion of the shots in the group. Nothing so serious, but if the shotgun allows you to stay in 1 MOA, just to give an example, we do not see well the use of a scope that, due to its exuberant mass, leads to stay in 2 MOA. Before receiving everything from Sabatti, whom we thank again, these were our fears vanished as soon as we got ready for the first tests in Carrù: evidently the 740 g, the metric compactness, the stem and the rings of the Contessa brothers with the right sizing of the slide obtained on the weapon does not pose the slightest problem and everything works properly.
The structure, the lenses and the adjustments
The exterior of the telescope it is made from a solid block of aluminum alloy where the two elevation and swing turrets protrude in the enlargement of the central part of the 30 mm tube, to which is added the third dual function: battery container, electrical system and adjustment of the light point plus the coaxial ring for parallax adjustment. This shows the distances in yards from 50 to 500 and then infinite: a little hasty corrections from 200 m up, but without practical problems in shooting.
The turrets are of the lifting type to quickly arrange the rotation and just as quickly rearrange them in the locking position with the certainty of excluding unwanted movements; a central screw frees the drum for zeroing after calibration at the chosen distance. The shots are clearly perceptible to the fingers and can be easily counted even in the longest excursions, such as when we subjected the optics to the square test. As anticipated in the passage concerning the different shooting tests, we asked the Galli twins, who at the Carrù shooting range are known, given their young age as "I Galletti", to perform the five shots with the kipplauf Sabatti.
We have only taken care of supplying the five cartridges step by step and working on the turrets: after the first shot in the upper left escutcheon we take 25 shots to the right and the second shot maintains the right height and the due deviation. Another intervention, this time on the vertical correction turret and with 20 clicks below: the third hole is almost perpendicular to the upper one. Change of the shooter and fourth shot returning 25 shots to the left: leveled with the previous one, if we want a higher hair, but just a trifle probably generated by the variation of the performer, with an appreciable perpendicularity with respect to the first hole. Fifth and last shot giving again 20 shots at the top: the Galletto Due intersects the hole of the Galletto Uno. We all look at each other and nobody talks: such a result is truly satisfying, confirming not only the qualities of the rifle and ammunition, but at the same time asserting the guarantee of the mechanics of this Sight Mark.
Returning to optical considerations, the yield of HD type lenses, therefore in high definition, can be appreciated in different light conditions without chromatic or shape aberrations even at the periphery of the visual field. Let's move on to the wire distance reticle, defined by the company as MR2, positioned on the first focal plane and illuminable: the entities reported obviously also on the turret drums are in Mil Rad, the unit of measurement long chosen for the optics intended for military uses. To provide a comparison to those who, like us, are still mentally tied to the fractional inch system, we report that ¼ of MOA is equal to 0,1 Mil Rad (i.e. one tenth of a Mil Rad) and therefore 1 MOA is equal to 0,29 Mil Rad. In addition, the excursion of the two turrets of the Citadel covers a range of 60 MOA or 17,45 Mil Rad. A little mental exercise, some experience in the shooting range and you acquire the necessary manual skills for quick and precise interventions.
Continuing the observation of the other adjustments and starting from the eyepiece, we will notice how the good interpupillary distance (about 90 mm) and the width of the egress pupil do not force us to make tiring postural adjustments of the eye, sometimes impeding rapid targeting. of the wild that, as the Master repeats, is not there waiting for our comforts: this facilitation is pleasing to everyone, especially to those with some vision problems. All the command rings retain the peculiarity of the knurling with deep transversal notches, aesthetically pleasing and above all functional.
This is how the edge of the eyepiece already presents itself, without a rubberized protection which we have not felt the lack of, on which to intervene for the adjustment of the diopters (from -2 to +2) according to one's vision; further on there is the multiple ring for the adjustment of the magnifications, from 3 to 18 therefore with a factor of 6x, where a protruding lever, anchored to a ring base, allows faster interventions at the price of a little more trouble and a certain aesthetic disturbance. A little pain because those who do not appreciate this accessory take it off by unscrewing an Allen screw: we have kept it appreciating its functionality. We have already dealt with the three turrets and we therefore conclude with attention to the objective lens, diameter of 50 mm, well recessed in its seat set back just enough to ensure a certain shelter from the rays of light: there are concentric scratches on the surface. metallic to favor the result. The protective covers are of the snap type and the front one can further serve the purpose by moving it forward.
Conclusions
At the end of the tests, conducted by several hands and started with the risk of the lack of compatibility of such a telescope on a kipplauf, we are definitely satisfied. We are unable to convey in writing the pleasantness of acting on the different settings or the yield of the lenses and the functionality of the reticle, but the results in the form of targets prove to be fully adequate to represent the validity of the instrument to those who follow us.