MonstrumBlackbird V2 1.5X Prism Scope | Black

Etched illuminated reticle, not a blurry blob of red or green like with reflex dot-sights. The 1.5 magnification is nice with a clear view. Etched reticle is clearly visible without illumination. I don't notice the weight difference verse my red dots. the construction quality seems very sturdy.You will have to position is closer to the eye like a normal scope, the eye relief is short.

Ill preface this review by saying I cannot comment on the reliability of the sight since such guarantees are only really obtainable from years and years of testing across a wide number of samples.I can, however, tell you about the product itself, features, and build quality.Lets start with the build quality. Its fantastic. I see no scuffs or sharp edges. Its a bit on the heavy size coming in at around 250 grams (almost 9 oz) but the sight feels good in the hand and definitely feels like a sight that could take a beating -at least in theory.The glass quality is good too. If you position yourself within the eye box, you'll have a pretty undistorted image with an o-kay reticle. The reticle is a classic circle with dot.This is kinda silly that I HAVE to mention this but other products of this similar category sometimes omit the mount even with a +$200 price tag. Luckily, this sight comes with a picatinny mount. Plus for that considering the Blackbird is a sub $100 sight.So, with that said. I have two complaints.One, I've seen some reviewers online mention that the sight is daylight bright. Considering this has an etched reticle, I'd say that's not AS important BUT, its def not daylight bright. Comparing it to my Primary Arms 1-6x raptor, the reticle on that one does actually get bright where on the Blackbird, the illumination is pretty much washed out in bright daylight. You'll still see the etched reticle, it just wont be lit. I even swapped the cr2032 that came with the sight for another one to make sure it wasn't the battery dying. On that note, the box says it has red/green illumination but the model I received only has red with settings going from 0-11. I checked online and there is indeed a model that has both red and green with settings going from 1-5 on each color. Mine didn't.Two, it has poor eye relief. I originally bought this for my Henry Big Boy X in .44. Figured an etched reticle on a prism would help if I lost battery power since I can't really bring up back ups on a lever action. However, because of the very short 2.5 inch eye relief, I can't get the prism far back enough without using a cantilever -which I refuse to use on a lever action rifle- or moving my face cheek so far forward my nose is brushing up against the hammer. I did try it out on one of my ARs and it worked OKAY. Its still way farther back than my other sights but its usable assuming you don't mind a short length of pull.SO. TLDR. Great build quality and for the price, its really the only prism optic you can get sub 100 bucks. HOWEVER, the poor eye relief makes for an uncomfortable experience, especially if you plan on running it on rifles that don't allow for a closer cheek weld.

Super sharp etched reticle, not a blob of red or green like with dot-sights. The 1.5 magnification isn't really noticeable. I treat this more like a regular dot-sight system, although it is noticeably heavier.Battery you'll need is an cr2032 coin cell. Very plentiful on Amazon. The build is very solid.Make sure to inspect your Monstrum product. I had gotten one that was clearly a used product. It had dings all over it thst were covered up with sharpie marks. And the built in tool on the adjustment caps were very chewed up, aka already used. I returned it and got another one.

This is a solid Prism Scope for the money (not to be confused with a Red Dot Sight). While this optic is illuminated, it is not the same as a holographic / red dot sight, so if you’re used to red dots, this will feel different to you. The eye relief is similar to a standard scope sight picture. If you do not like that, then go with a traditional red/green dot optic. It isn’t really a fair comparison to put this optic up against red dots since they are different sighting systems.All that being said; This Prism Scope is clear and functions well. Even with the illumination all the way off, the blacked out reticle is clearly visible and useable (depending on your lighting conditions of course). If you’re used to scopes or just want something a little different than a red/green dot sight, I think this is a solid pick. Of course there are more expensive/“better” Prism optics on the market but if you’re just looking for something affordable, that will work, I think you’ll be pleased with this one. I know I’m happy with it.

Installed this on several firearms to verify, and confirmed the machining places the scope to the right of the barrel centerline.This is most apparent given that it’s a 1.5X and you are able to look down the barrel through the scope.Other than that, I like the circle dot and ease of adjustment and it holds zero well!

It works really great. My son liked it so much he asked me to send him the link to buy one himself. Highly recommend.

Solid build. Nice glass. Crisp reticle. Reticle visible even without illumination due to prism glass. Easy to adjust. Choice of red or green illumination. Remember, this is a prism design, meaning that there's an optimal eye relief distance, unlike red dots. So this is more like a scope than a red dot. I don't have any issue with the eye relief...which is around 3-4 inches. There's a diopter adjustment which is helpful to get a perfectly crisp reticle. It's 1.5x magnification....which I actually like. I can shoot with both eyes open without issue. The battery is a standard cr2032.What I don't like...no mention of battery life....no mention if the illumination turns on or off automatically. It's a bit bigger than most micro red dots. But most bothersome to me is that I'm right eye dominant, the power knob/battery component is too big...it sticks way into my field of view on my left eye. This is fine for left eye shooters, but for right eye shooters you'll lose a not insignificant amount of field of vision. I may end up returning it due to this reason.

Very clear, daytime Brite