Monstrum Tactical Blackbird

[BigWaylon]

Ordered one of these today. 1.5x20 prism scope.

Blackbird V2 1.5x20 Prism Scope

The Blackbird 1.5x20 Prism Scope is as sharp as it looks. Featuring a hard annodized aluminum finish with 1.5x magnification. Ideal for rapid mid-range target acquisition out to 100 yards. This scope uses a glass prism optical system rather than a refracting lens system like traditional scopes...

monstrumtactical.com

I have two of their Raven 3x32 prisms, but haven’t installed them yet. Thought I’d try one of these. Objective is in between the Raven and the Bushnell Lil P (which I also have two of) and the same size of the Vortex Spitfires I’ve been buying on Closeout (6 so far).

Anybody ever used one of these? Thought it would make a nice sight for the 11.5” 5.56 AR pistol.

When it gets here, I’ll make a thread on initial comparisons between the two Monstrum prisms, plus the Vortex & Bushnell varieties…but thought I’d ask about this one separately. At $79.99 it’s roughly half the price I paid for the Lil P and Spitfire prisms.

 

[JohnnyTyler]

I have one of their 3x30 prisms which I have mounted but not had to the range yet. I like it so far but will hold final judgement until it sees real action. Interested in the 1.5. I hope the eye relief is better than the Lil P which I really wanted to like but couldn't see a damn thing through it.

 

[BigWaylon]

I have one of their 3x30 prisms which I have mounted but not had to the range yet. I like it so far but will hold final judgement until it sees real action. Interested in the 1.5. I hope the eye relief is better than the Lil P which I really wanted to like but couldn't see a damn thing through it.

Not saying you’re saying this…but a lot of reviews mention the eye relief issue, but it’s pretty clear they’re used to red dots and don’t understand these need to be mounted further back.

I was working on a little chart and all four list and eye relief around 3.5”. The weird thing is the other three list a FOV value, but the Blackbird doesn’t.

 

[JohnnyTyler]

I am used to traditional red dots so that probably was part of it. I had it mounted at the very back of the rail but still felt I was just hunting for the dot most of the time. I guess I just wanted faster acquisition with it and maybe trying to use it in a way it was not intended. Or maybe I'm just old and stubborn. Probably the latter.

 

[NKD]

I wish they’d make more prisms as close to true 1X as possible. As a replacement for a red dot.
Don’t really get the 1.5 thing. But just my opinion for my use.

 

[rbell2915]

That's certainly interesting, I am following this.

 

[Average Joe]

I wish they’d make more prisms as close to true 1X as possible. As a replacement for a red dot.
Don’t really get the 1.5 thing. But just my opinion for my use.

I’m with you. I have one of the pre 100K MROs and that little bit of magnification throws me off when I switch between weapon systems.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BigWaylon]

Got it out of the mailbox last night. Messed around with it this morning. First impression was I’m sending it back. But now I think I might order a couple more.

I’d seen a lot of reviews talking about how poor the eye relief was. Started a thread on here this morning about eye relief, and think it should be ok. What worked best for me was I took the sight off the mount and reversed it, which pushed it back almost an inch.

Same pic from the first post, so you can see how it comes from the factory.



And this is it flipped around on the mount:



Installed on the suppressed 15-22 pistol:



Always hard to get a good pic of the reticle, so here are some bad ones. 🙄




It also has green, but I didn’t take a pic with that color on.

My biggest complaint at this point is I wish the bigger knob (illumination control and battery compartment) was on the other side or the top. Time will tell if it works ok being where it is and shooting with both eyes open.

 

[BigWaylon]

@Exile_D

Here’s the thread I did on the Blackbird.

 

[BigWaylon]

Quick update. MT released a v2 of the Blackbird, which seems to just be an updated mount (based on my feedback among others). I got three of them, and am trying to get just a new mount for the other one I have.

The new mount makes a huge difference. You can see the original here (top) and then when I swapped the optic around on the old mount (bottom) which was a definite improvement.



And then here is the new mount, which pushes it back even further…



instead of the two ridges that fit the rail being centered in the mount…they’re at one end, which allows the optic to move further back over the rear tang of the receiver