The science of light is intriguing, complex and even entangled. Hunting retailers don’t have to grapple with the quantum mechanics, thankfully, or even cast a vote in the particle/photon debate. Today’s leaders in the optics industry, like EOTECH, work those equations, and that company’s recent introduction of a new generation of Vudu compact riflescopes reflects a long-overdue, innovative solution that lightens the load, trims length and more.
EOTECH has a hard-earned, sterling reputation for delivering quality, performance and reliability. Its military, law enforcement and tactical designs are considered among the best in the world, and it brings the same expertise to its Vudu hunting line. That fact shows brightly in this riflescope’s optical quality, but the headline features are trimmed length and weight.
Shorter, Lighter
The Vudu 4-12×36 mm FFP measures only 7.1 inches long. That makes it an ideal choice for shorter guns and those with abbreviated receiver-mounted Picatinny rails — and it’s even a viable candidate on longer, precision rifles at moderate distance.
It tips the scales at only 16.9 ounces, a virtue hard for any hunter to ignore. EOTECH didn’t stop there, though. It harnessed the knowledge it’s gained from the military that’s just as valuable to your civilian customers.
Combo/Modularity
Nearly every hunter has watched diligently downrange for a big-game animal, only to have one suddenly break through brush a few feet away. If it hasn’t happened yet, it will.
Filling that tag when it occurs presents two challenges. First, the quarry must be found in the scope’s field of view. That can be tough if the optic is dialed up to high power. Even then, a reticle adjusted for drop at distance will require a hastily calculated holdover, or under, to deliver the shot.
It can be frustrating, but the Vudu 4-12×36 mm FFP Combo provides an elegant solution. Unlike the scope alone, it comes wearing Vudu’s EFLX pistol sight. The 1X red-dot optic is anchored to the riflescope firmly by the company’s Diving Board Mount, which can rest either at the 12-o’clock position atop the optic, or at a 45-degree angle. The latter allows the shooter to quickly twist the rifle to acquire a sight picture, instead of shifting cheek weld. It’s the approach that proved so effective when things got up close for our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
MSRP for the combo is $1,589, but to a hunting retailer’s advantage, EOTECH added modularity. For example, a customer can purchase the scope first — MSRP is $1,219. As discretionary funds materialize, full accessorizing is possible by buying a Vudu 3-9×32 EFLX Diving Board Mount ($75). Add the EFLX ($359), or any pistol optic that has a Leupold Delta Point Pro footprint, and the system is complete.
The added cost is only $64, and it lets a customer stretch out the investment. Regardless of that advantage, performance is key.
Brighter Than Expected
It’s no secret that the light-collecting “potential” of any optic is determined by size of the objective lens. It’s a physics thing. With so many tags filled when the sun’s barely showing on the horizon and shadows are inky deep, the 36-mm diameter glass up front might seem nominal. There’s magic in Vudu’s XC high density, low dispersion multi-coated glass, though.
OK, there’s really nothing supernatural in the low-light performance. EOTECH is offering hunters the same performance it has fine-tuned in military optics.
Bigger glass up front is meaningless if less light passes cleanly through the scope. Coatings are the key, reflection the enemy and dust/dirt its ally. All optics companies closely guard what goes into their secret sauce as if it was the nuclear firing code sequence, so we’ve given up asking.
Testing delivers more information than chemical formulas, anyway. Just before dawn, the pocket gophers infesting my new Arizona compound were clearly visible through the optic at roughly 100 yards. Even in dark shadows with a black water trough behind, they would have been an easy target throughout the scope’s entire magnification range. Since it’s less than neighborly to neutralize the pests before my furniture arrived, they’ve been granted temporary asylum.
Sight picture was crystal clear and contrast crisp. Color rendition was accurate, and between 4X and 11X, there was no discernable chromatic aberration. At 12X, a few bright surface fringes seemed to take on a very slight bluish tone. It was almost impossible to detect, though, and may have been a product of the deep blue overcast.
That optical performance is everything we’ve come to expect from Vudu. As for rugged build, the company also delivered.
Solid Build
The Vudu 4-12×36 mm FFP is constructed from aircraft-grade aluminum. Tube diameter is 30 mm. Turrets are capped, and the scope is fog, water and shock resistant.
It spent two days atop frozen spinach in the freezer. Fog cleared faster than expected when rescued from the vegetable drawer, and there were no signs of moisture ingress.
The torture was far from complete, though. It was then staged for a few hours adjacent to a dusty and unexpectedly busy four-wheel-drive trail. Photos were an ugly failure on that switchback, but the mandatory grime exposure was complete. Still no clouding or gritty adjustments to the optic were detected. Firing-line time followed.
Trigger Time
After zeroing, the reticle never wandered from point-of-impact. Admittedly, the .223 Rem.-chambered rifle used for testing isn’t a hard kicker, but after undergoing deliberate torture and dozens of rounds, it says a lot.
The scope “walked the box” at 100 yards with flying colors. Ten clicks in any direction shifted point-of-aim roughly 3.5 inches without fail. The 0.1-mil elevation and windage adjustments per click were precise, reliable, repeatable and palpable — not quite audible — at each turret. Another nice touch is the fact that once dialed in for a particular distance, returning the scopes turrets to their “zero” position requires only a lift and twist, nothing more.
Reticles
This Vudu compact ships exclusively with first focal plane reticles, which means they enlarge as magnification increases. The system is often preferred by long-distance shooters for its ability to quickly estimate distance through the scope and adjust firing solutions with precision.
Two reticles are available in the Vudu 4-12×36 mm FFP. Both can illuminate in red, and brightness is adjusted by the knob on the left side of the optic. There’s a crosshair on the MD5 version, while the MR5 has a dot in the center. Both are MRAD based and have either have windage and elevation stadia lines or dots.
Power is supplied by a single CR2023 hiding under the same nicely textured knob on the left side of the scope that adjusts brightness. There are 10 settings, and every other click turns off illumination. That feature saves battery life — which is rated at 300 hours of use — but more importantly, it allows a hunter to instantly return to a preferred illuminated setting when needed.
Mounting Versatility
A machined interface at the bottom of the scope comes wearing an EOTECH mount that attaches quickly to any mil-spec Picatinny rail. Ease is one thing, but the approach also eliminates leveling concerns that, left unaddressed, can prove frustrating and potentially negate the precision offered by a first-focal-plane, mrad reticle.
That standard setup can also be altered by swapping an aftermarket mini-ACOG mount with the factory-provided version. That will provide an additional 1.53 inches of height, enough to clear most iron sights. It’s a nice option for customers not interested in re-zeroing or making major changes to their gun.
Other Features
Magnification adjustment is quick and easy, thanks to the scope’s wide power ring. There’s also an elevated “speed bump” to ensure positive manipulation with gloves or in foul weather. The diopter is fully adjustable to ensure crisp focus, regardless of eyesight.
As for the confidence a retailer can feel in recommending the Vudu 4-12×36 mm FFP, we’ll let the firm’s No BS Lifetime Warranty explain. It states, “Should your Vudu Riflescope ever experience any issues, we will repair or replace it, as determined by EOTECH, with a comparable product in equal or better condition, free of charge, PERIOD. You don’t have to be the original owner and you will not need to provide proof of purchase.” There are, of course, certain limitations — like deliberate destruction while filming a viral YouTube video.
This Vudu is already a popular choice among hunters. The early orders are proof. I know its versatility and performance have placed it high on my wish list. Now all I have to do is intercept my credit card bill before my wife does.
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