Senior Optics Editor
15+
Years shooting
120+
Scopes tested
Peter Makulek has been shooting in the United Kingdom for over 15 years, with a current .308 Winchester and 6.5 Creedmoor stalking authority under UK Firearms Licensing (Section 1).
Testing for aiscopes.co.uk takes place in genuine shooting conditions — not bench sessions in controlled environments. Scopes are mounted, zeroed, and evaluated in field stalking conditions across English lowland estates and Scottish Highland ground.
Over 120 riflescopes have been evaluated to date across brands including Kahles, Nightforce, March, Schmidt & Bender, Vortex, Swarovski, Leupold, Pulsar, Hawke and Zeiss.
Every scope is fired a minimum of 60 rounds before re-zeroing is attempted. Zero shift of more than 0.5 MOA post-recoil is noted and scored. High-recoil calibres (.300 Win Mag, .338 Lapua) are tested where the manufacturer targets those applications.
All variable-power scopes with adjustable turrets undergo a standardised box test at 100 m: four 5-shot groups fired at precisely calculated offset aim points. A scope passes if all four groups land within 0.25 MOA of their predicted position.
Glass quality is assessed for edge-to-edge sharpness, chromatic aberration, and resolution at extreme magnification. Twilight performance is evaluated using a standardised low-light resolution target at dusk.
For First Focal Plane scopes, subtension constancy is verified across the full magnification range using a standardised grid target. For SFP scopes, the specific magnification at which the reticle reads true is confirmed and disclosed.
All scopes undergo a rain submersion test (hose at close range for 2 minutes) and temperature cycling (−10 °C to ambient, 3 cycles). IP/waterproof ratings are verified against real-world conditions.
aiscopes.co.uk participates in affiliate programmes including Amazon Associates and manufacturer direct schemes. Affiliate relationships are never considered during scoring — scores and editorial commentary are finalised before any commercial relationship with a brand is established for that product.
For scope loan review requests or press enquiries: editor@aiscopes.co.uk