First Impressions on the Barra FT 5-25X50 Scope

[qball]

Out of curiosity I got a barra 3-12 to try since they are only 120 bucks on eBay from the seller I got the 5-25 from. 



Holy smokes it’s clear! Yes it’s clearly marked as made in China but it is clear! Eye box is huge and edge to edge clarity at 12 x which VERY forgiving eye box that 12x! This thing blows my vector vyron 3-12 out of the water in terms of brightness and clarity.


It does have some drawbacks:

- short eye relief, some like it and some don’t

- BCD reticle....I basically treat it as a simple cross

- a bit heavy at 22 oz for a 12x scope, it’s longer than the vyron also. I really like the size of the vyron 3-12

- cap turrets so no dialing but I use it for close range 

- does not come with sun shade which I like to always have on a scope

- difficult to range or large field of depth, a plus for short range if you ask me 



Maybe because of the shorter than normal eye relief I found the scope has very large field of depth and low parallax shift/error. I set my parallax at 30 yards and can see anything between 20-30 quite clearly. over all if you ignore the BCD reticle and use it for 50 yards and below this thing rocks big time! Might have to get another one 

 

[scratchcoobster]

Hey, thanks qball. Sounds like a nice scope for the money. I take the caps of the turrets, don't need them and they just end up getting lost. I know, it would be really nice to have a sunshade, but at that price you can pass - maybe find another one that fits.

 

[qball]

So I tried to shoot a group At 30 yards with the barra 3-12 and found another “flaw”.......the reticle is too Thick for precision shooting. I had to move the reticle to see the holes. It’s a good hunting reticle but bad for precision shooting. Guess I’m not replacing my vector vyron scopes with barras, it’s an good addition though.

 

[qball]

Hey, thanks qball. Sounds like a nice scope for the money. I take the caps of the turrets, don't need them and they just end up getting lost. I know, it would be really nice to have a sunshade, but at that price you can pass - maybe find another one that fits.

not is a very nice short range hunting scope For the money! The caps stay on quite securely plus the internal doesn’t look sealed/weather resistant so I wound zero and leave the caps on like all the other hunting scopes.



think it will go onto my AEA semi auto that’s in the mail or the PP750, but the eye relief most likely will be too short for PP750.

 

[Odoyle]

Out of curiosity I got a barra 3-12 to try since they are only 120 bucks on eBay from the seller I got the 5-25 from. 



Holy smokes it’s clear! Yes it’s clearly marked as made in China but it is clear! Eye box is huge and edge to edge clarity at 12 x which VERY forgiving eye box that 12x! This thing blows my vector vyron 3-12 out of the water in terms of brightness and clarity.


It does have some drawbacks:

- short eye relief, some like it and some don’t

- BCD reticle....I basically treat it as a simple cross

- a bit heavy at 22 oz for a 12x scope, it’s longer than the vyron also. I really like the size of the vyron 3-12

- cap turrets so no dialing but I use it for close range 

- does not come with sun shade which I like to always have on a scope

- difficult to range or large field of depth, a plus for short range if you ask me 



Maybe because of the shorter than normal eye relief I found the scope has very large field of depth and low parallax shift/error. I set my parallax at 30 yards and can see anything between 20-30 quite clearly. over all if you ignore the BCD reticle and use it for 50 yards and below this thing rocks big time! Might have to get another one 

I first bought one of the Barra H30 4-16x50 illuminated version for $180 with free shipping and it came with a sunshade. I bought several more after that from EBay after finding them for less than half price of what I paid for my first one then that deal was suddenly gone without warning just like the HERO FT 5-25x50. I kinda Shared this secret a while ago but nobody believed me nor heard of Barra so nobody scored on that $80 shipped EBay deal. It would be absolutely perfect if it only had the Alpha6 reticle! Beware scam sites selling them for $60-$89-$99 those are not legit so don't get scammed and do your homework before giving your CC info.

It's really clear and really blew me away especially at the price I paid ($80 shipped each) and if you can't afford the SWFA SS 3-15x42 this Chinese Barra comes REAL CLOSE in brightness and clarity with a much better eyebox and in fact I let a couple of friends look through my SWFA SS 3-15x42 and the Barra H30 4-16x50 H30 and they All thought the Barra had a nicer picture but they aren't critical as I am about clarity. It is well worth the double the price charged at Optics Planet (just under $200) IMHO. Only negative is the HO-HUM but very useable BDC reticle. 

Qball how does your China Barra H30 compare to your favorite Vortex Diamondback tactical 4-16x ?

 

[qball]

I wish it has Alpha6 or vector reticles, eBay barra reticles are way too thick for trying to put a group in target at only 30 yards. Scope itself is really good and clear, I moved it to my pp750 because that’s my close range backpack gun. The AEA will get alpha6 1-6 tactical scope after watching the tactical training with Airguns videos. =P

 

[Caballes1]

Hello ! New here but not new to barra optics.I own 15 barra scopes from the 1.5x8x32 all the way to the 6x24x50 ffp scope.I honestly think poor marketing killed this company , I knew about these scopes about a year now and bought as much as I can of these hidden gems .there is a deal on the 6x24x50 ffp scope online for $250 shipped reach me for the link if interested.

 

[Caballes1]

Also stay away from the Chinese models I only buy the FT and MP models barra only made ffp scopes in the MP models the 4x16x50 and the 6x24x50.

 

[JungleShooter]

Also stay away from the Chinese models I only buy the FT and MP models. Barra only made FFP scopes in the MP models the 4x16x50 and the 6x24x50.

I am a little disappointed that there are only 2 FFP scopes — thanks for noting that, Caballes1. And of those has a 40y min. parallax = non-negotiable dealbreaker for most of us.



I finally went and looked at the specs of the Barra scopes — I have always been scared away by the high price tags at the mfctr's webpage....

So, did I understand this correctly, these $600 and $800 scopes can be bought for $300 and $400 elsewhere? Where??



So, here are the scopes that have at least a 9x top magnification, and that are (as per Caballes1's post) — from the MP or FT line.



Note that there are only 5 that have a min. parallax down to 10 yards....

I'll eventually include these in my Scope Specs Tables — if a sub $500 price is feasible.

Matthias





FT 2-10X44 SF

https://barraoptics.com/ft2-10x44d-ft2-10x44sf.html

SFP

Price: Mfctr. 699$





FT 3-15X50 SF

https://barraoptics.com/ft-3-15x50e-ft3-15x50sf.html

SFP

Price: Mfctr. 799$





MP 4-16X50 SF

https://barraoptics.com/mp4-16x50sf-0fh-4-16x50sf.html

FFP

Price: Mfctr. 699$





FT 4-20X50 SF

https://barraoptics.com/ft-4-20x50f.html

SFP

Price: Mfctr. 899$





FT 5-25X50 SF

https://barraoptics.com/ft-5-25x50sf.html

SFP

Price: Mfctr. 999$





▼ ▼ ▼ Min. Parallax = 50y ▼ ▼ ▼

MP 2.5-10X50 SF

https://barraoptics.com/mp2-5-10x50sf-0fh-2-5-10x50sf.html





▼ ▼ ▼ Min. Parallax = 40y ▼ ▼ ▼

MP 6-26X50 SF

https://barraoptics.com/mp6-26x50sf-0fh-6-26x50sf.html

FFP



▼ ▼ ▼ Min. Parallax = 40y ▼ ▼ ▼

MP 12-60X56 SF

https://barraoptics.com/mp12-60x56sf-0fh-12-60x56sf.html

 

[Odoyle]

Hello ! New here but not new to barra optics.I own 15 barra scopes from the 1.5x8x32 all the way to the 6x24x50 ffp scope.I honestly think poor marketing killed this company , I knew about these scopes about a year now and bought as much as I can of these hidden gems .there is a deal on the 6x24x50 ffp scope online for $250 shipped reach me for the link if interested.

I'd like to see pictures of all 15 of your Barra scopes you have.

This is a public forum. Please post that link here. Otherwise it kinda sounds like a scam. Just thinking out loud here new member...

 

[DARKHORSE1967]

Mine is still in the box and unmounted 

Oh, I forgot to order a side wheel for it 

 

[Caballes1]

Owned 15 ,Have 10 scopes in boxes , gave 3 as gifts and two on my powder burners. 3x15x50 on a .308 and the 2x10x 44 on a .223 this scope is a bdc set for a .223 shooting 56 grainers.

 

[Caballes1]

Ive been looking for sunshades no luck threads dont match.If you guys know anything about riton scopes , the first gen riton scopes the (model 7)?? i guess their high end scopes are a exact match to the barra ft model so i bought a riton 50 mm sun shade and no luck.

 

[Odoyle]

Not even the Barra H30 50mm Sunshade works for the 50mm Hero FT.

Post the link where to buy the $250 Barras.

 

[scratchcoobster]

Had some time today to test out the turrets and tracking on my Barra FT.

The first pic shows my 3-shot groups tracking the box from the upper left hand corner (the X) and finishing back on the X with the final 3 shots.

The group on the right hand side, in the lettering, was for sighting in purposes - 3 shots.

The wind was gusty and unpredictable, and probably closer to a max of 7 mph in the direction of the arrow, pushing the pellets to the right. However, it tracked well and ended up pretty darn close to the original starting point. Also, my shooting could have been better.

Used 10.34gr JSBs in .177, which were probably more affected by wind than if I had used my .22.

The following pic shows the same tracking with less wind, done a bit later in the day. Single shots tracked to each corner.

NOTE: Can't upload the second pic for some reason. Will put in a following post.

 

[scratchcoobster]

Here's another attempt to upload that second box target.

The following pic shows the same tracking with less wind, done a bit later in the day. Single shots tracked to each corner.

So, all in all a pretty good showing for a scope this reasonably priced, no?

 

[Caballes1]

Barra mp 6x24x50 just came in i have 2 in all both focus down to 10 yrds, this is the ffp scope. One negative the recticle is mildot but turrets of course are in moa.The ft models are mdot but the turrets are in mils , but for $250 shipped cant beat that .Also the glass in my eyes are as good or better than the vortex vipers .

 

 

[Caballes1]

30 mm tube this is a heavy but short scope , about 3 inches shorter that the 5x25x50 ft scope.

 

[Odoyle]

Barra mp 6x24x50 just came in i have 2 in all both focus down to 10 yrds, this is the ffp scope. One negative the recticle is mildot but turrets of course are in moa.The ft models are mdot but the turrets are in mils , but for $250 shipped cant beat that .Also the glass in my eyes are as good or better than the vortex vipers .

 

Comparing Japanese glass to Philippine $899-$999 Vortex Vipers sure aren't saying much some had claimed even their cheap Chinese Alpha6 was better. They are like overpriced Sightron S-TACs. Of course Japanese glass is going to be better.

 

[JungleShooter]

We're talking about the MP 6-26x50 FFP, right?

So, your photos clearly proove 10 yard parallax.

But the Barra website says 40 yards. I crossed that off the list in a hurry. Now I need to put it back on....!

Why can't scope makers pay a tad more attention to such fine — but HUGELY important details?!? 



I sent Barra a webmail last week — we'll see if they fill in some of the blanks of their sketchy product info — like what reticles are available, and how they look like(!), or the max. elevation adjustment, or what "Power 42476" means...!

Cheers,

Matthias