Osprey Scopes Design, Tests and Quality Control

There is a lot that goes into making a quality optic that will stand up to the repeated recoil of a high-power firearm. The Osprey scopes signature, tactical and elite series are all fifty cal BMG rated, and in this article, we will explain exactly what that means, how we get there and why osprey global make the best scopes for the money.

Osprey Scopes: The Basics

Osprey Global makes riflescopes that are durable and fifty cal rated. They are tested in various ways to ensure you get a high-performing optic without any fuss. They are reliable time after time and Osprey Global works hard to ensure the highest possible product without charging an excessive amount.

The Glass And The Glue That Holds Osprey Scopes Together.

The glass is going to be a major component in any optic. As you aim at targets further away and in lower light, the glass is going to be a critical point to ensure clarity. To put it another way, any old optic will be clear at midday in summer, but to track a hog on the run at dawn takes a special kind of scope.

Osprey Global uses fully multicoated layers of HOYA glass on their scopes. It is considered some of the highest quality glass in the world and is known for excellent light transmission. This means that even scopes with smaller objectives, will get a high return on the light that is available. The better the glass the better the light transmission; the better the light transmission the more clarity you get during the day or the dark.

Two other important aspects that Osprey Global has put into their scopes is they paint the interior with anti-reflective paint. This means that if it has an illuminated reticle; like red, green, or blue, it won't bleed out into the glass. It retains the clarity and purity of the glass without sacrificing the usefulness of the lit reticle. ( Illumintaed reticles: Are They Necceesary)

They also install the HOYA glass with 3M or American Loctite epoxy. This is an important point as many optics in this price range use superglue. The Epoxy handles heavy recoil better and also responds to extreme weather and heat with no adverse effects.

Finally, all the glass-to-air surfaces are covered with a scratch-resistant coating. This will ensure that the glass stays blemish-free even when dragged through the Texas brush.

Osprey Scopes Quality Control and Testing Parameters

Osprey scopes recoil test all scopes that come with a 50 BMG rating. First of all, what is a 50 BMG rating? It means that the optic itself can stand up to a 50 caliber 50BMG recoil. To be clear the mounts and scope rings are not 50 BMG rated but the scope itself is.

Most people are not going to mount their Osprey scope onto a 50 BMG weapon but it is reassuring to know that it can handle a much larger caliber. It also means that if you install your optic onto an automatic weapon of some sort it will stand up to the repeated consistent fire. Many scopes can handle a single shot on a high-powered rifle but fall apart when thrown on an automatic weapon like the AK. Osprey makes scopes that will handle all the recoil you can throw at them.

The scopes are also spin tested before leaving the factory. This ensures they are balanced correctly and that the reticle and glass in all in the correct position. Every scope is also manually inspected for quality before being boxed and shipped. This level of quality control helps ensure a low failure or defect rate.

Osprey Scopes: What Makes them waterproof and Fog Proof?

Osprey Global works hard to ensure its scopes are both fog and waterproof. No cold mornings or inclement weather should get between you and your target. Dew and condensation are big culprits for a foggy scope but direct rain and snow can also affect the internals if an optic is not built correctly. The good news is all Osprey scopes are built to withstand all of the above.

What does waterproof mean in a riflescope or red dot?

It doesn't mean you can use it to go spearfishing, it means they can handle what would be classed as excessive water with no adverse effects. The official test to ensure an osprey scope is waterproof is to submerge the optic to 25 cm (9 inches) in 40 degrees Celcius water ( 104 degrees) for three minutes. There should be no interior leaks or fogging after it has dried.

What Parameters Does Osprey Test Its Scopes At Before They Can Be Deemed "Fog-Proof"?

To be classed as fog proof any Osprey scope needs to be able to pass the "fog-proof" test. Osprey has the optic placed in 20 degrees Celcius ( 68 degrees Fahrenheit) for 30 minutes. It is then removed and placed at the ambient temperature. The scope must be clear of all fog within two minutes to get a passing grade. This means you can drive to your hunt with the heating going full blast then walk into a 30-degree hunt with confidence.

To ensure that all of their scopes are fog and waterproof, Osprey takes a few important steps in the production process. Firstly they purge the scope of oxygen. Then they fill the optic with argon. Many scopes are traditionally filled with nitrogen to prevent fogging. Osprey chooses to use Argon gas since it is less water-dense than nitrogen. This means that osprey scopes won't fog no matter the conditions.

To keep their optics waterproof, Osprey uses a specialized hermetic grease to seal all joints and edges that have any possible air contact. This ensures an airtight seal when coupled with the sturdy engineering of the riflescope. Osprey Global guarantee performance rain hail or shine.

Osprey Scopes: Reticle Design.

Osprey Global makes all their scopes with rugged real-world use in the field as the endgame. They can stand up to drops, rolls, and fifty caliber recoils. Arguably the reticle is the most important part of this equation. If your reticle shifts its zero then it renders the whole scope useless. This is a critical point and needs to be reliable.

To ensure a reliable, repeatable zero on their reticles Osprey Global use an etching process on their glass. The crosshairs that you see in an Osprey tactical, signature or elite series scope are etched onto the glass.

It is common practice amongst optic companies to use a stretched wire or a paint as the reticle. As you can imagine this is a fallible process for numerous reasons. The wire can sag after time creating a process of having to tweak the zero repeatedly. Vinyl or painted reticles are not able to be adjusted so when they are off zero they are rendered useless.

Osprey scopes on the other hand are made with the etched reticle process. Since the markings are engraved on the actual glass it means the only way for the zero to shift is if the lens itself shifts. Since the lenses are held in place with either 3M or American Loc-tite Epoxy the chances of a moving lens is reduced significantly.

"Accuracy is essential to beauty"- Ralph Waldo Emmerson

Osprey Global: Scope Design- Summary

Osprey scopes are made with a world-leading glass off of Osprey Globals patented designs. The reticles are etched on the glass and the construction materials are of high quality. There is not a single interior component that is made of plastic, it is all airforce aluminum to keep weight down and reliability high. Osprey Global spin test, recoil test, waterproof, and fog proof ensure before leaving the factory.

It takes a lot to design and produce a world-class optic. Osprey Scopes manage to do it with an affordable price tag and clarity that will continue to impress even the fussiest hunter.