If you have an aversion to snakes I’m going to ask you to buck up and read on so I can relay info on one of the MTC scopes named after vipers. MTC Optics is a British scope maker around for about a dozen years now and part of the corporate group that owns Breda shotguns and Daystate airguns. It is a company that was started by shooters to provide optics for shooters by a man named Gary Cooper. The model I’ve worked with is the Mamba-Lite in a 4-16x42mm configuration with a low-profile side turret for parallax adjustment from 10 yards to infinity. The body is a 1-inch aluminum tube sporting a matte black finish and the scope weighs in at 20 ounces. The Mamba-Lite offers multi-coated optic glass for brighter edge-to-edge viewing and a red illuminated reticle. The scopes are made to MTC’s exacting quality standards and designed for use with any caliber. Normal scope care is all that is required for maintenance; such as cleaning the outside with a soft cloth and using high quality lens cleaning products.
The reticle design is called the SCB2 (mil) and stands for: Small Caliber Ballistic Reticle (type 2) but can certainly be used with larger calibers and is especially appropriate for long range applications as the reticle is in the second focal plane so the mil spacings remain “true” at the highest magnification. Additionally, ½ mil aiming points have also been incorporated into the reticle. Only the center of the reticle is illuminated and operated by a microswitch on the parallax turret under a waterproof rubber button. Minor pressure on the button for 2 seconds turns on the power and there are 6 illumination levels that get brighter with each press of the switch. Turning off the power is accomplished by pressing the button and holding for 2 seconds, retaining the illumination setting for the next time it is powered up. Something they appear to have left out, however, is an auto-shutoff so remember to check illumination is off before you store your rifle back in the safe.
A feature I particularly liked were the Patent Pending spring loaded, rotatable flip-up lens covers. Sometimes fumbling with lens covers that close by snap fit or friction fit can be frustrating and even require two hands to open in order not to pull the covers completely off the scope. Not so with these covers. They also stay open at your choice of 90 or 180 degrees and can be locked down in the position you choose. Why this is important involves the other nifty feature incorporated into the rear cover – a magnifying lens. When flipped to the 180-degree position, it provides an easy to read heads-up display of whichever turret markings you have it aligned with. Of course, if using it on a center fire rifle you would be well-advised not to leave the rear cover open to the 90-degree setting as heavy recoil may lead to an unwanted scope bite.
Pricing from www.airgunsofarizona.com is $399.00 and the scope comes standard with a 1-year warranty. That can be extended to Lifetime, per the U.S. website, by registering it with the manufacturer within 30 days of purchase. AofA also carries the Sportsmatch scope rings recommended by MTC. Sportsmatch U.K has been making scope rings for over 45 years and these aluminum rings retail at $37.00.
The Mamba Lite is a quality scope made by MTC Optics