MaY 2012 Issue - Target Shooter Magazine

The March-FX40 Power First Focal Plane ReviewBy Richard WildEnter Deon Optical DesignCorporation and their desireto break new ground in opticalequipment through theirMarch range of rifle scopes.After demonstrating that highmagnification, high zoom ratioworked well in Second FocalPlane models such as the 10 – 60and the 8 – 80 models, they tookon the challenge set by March’sAustralian dealer, Stuart Elliottof BRT Shooters Supply, to builda FFP scope that exceeds theperformance of all other FFPscopes on the market.At the time of writing, five March-FX’shad been produced and the scope underreview was the second to be assembled.The March-FX 5 – 40 x 56mm FFP ismore than a technology demonstrator.It looks like it will set a new benchmarkfor FFP scopes in the market because itdoes what a shooter wants of it; but withunderstated ease.Technical SpecificationsAt the heart of all March scopes lietwo very important things; quality ofmanufacture and lens quality.The Deon factory is not a high volume assemblyline. One engineer can only assemble two Marchscopes a day due to the amount of hand fittingrequired to assemble each unit. But when youlook at the components used, the level of precisionmanufacturing becomes clearer.The base frame for the March-FX is the 8 – 80 model.This has a 34mm tube, which offers the designers theextra internal capacity in the scope to get the massive5 – 40 zoom range. The FX model is shorter than the80-power version (387mm) but slighter heavier; this isthe trade off when changing from second focal planeto first.There is no plastic used in the construction of theMarch. The scope body, for example, is machinedfrom a single piece of aluminium bar stock and allthe lenses are glued in. This makes for a structurallysolid piece of equipment that is much stronger thanpossible through other methods of manufacture. Butthe offset is, of course, a considerably more costlymanufacturing process.March scopes also use a heat treated, flat-type erectortube spring as the design engineers work on theguiding principle that coil springs tend have a memoryproblem, regardless of the material. All this heattreating means that parts need to be carefully handfitted. For example, the focusing group tube unit (eyepiece assembly) needs to be hand lapped to fit thefocusing tube liner body.Finally, all March scopes are purged with argon gas,which is heavier than the nitrogen usually used inscope manufacture and does not leak. Gas purgingis used to minimise internal corrosion and preventinternal fogging during quick temperature or humiditychanges.84