REVIEW: Sightmark Presidio 3 - 18 x 50 LR2

A red dot is excellent for distances up to 100 m, after that you need magnification to still be able to clearly identify your target. If you want to shoot and hit something over 300 m away, you need a good scope, preferably with various hold marks. That's exactly what SIGHTMARK offers with their new Presidio 3 – 18 x 50 LR2 scope. We took a close look at it.

First, here are the technical specifications neatly listed:

Let's get straight to the most important point with a magnified optic, the image quality. Everything appears color-true and pleasantly sharp right to the edges. With lower-priced optics, there can be distortions at the edges, but everything is top-notch with the Sightmark Presidio 3 – 18 x 50 LR2.

The Sightmark Presidio 3 – 18 x 50 LR2 is equipped with a reticle in the first focal plane. This means that as you increase the magnification, the reticle also "zooms in" and becomes larger. You can see this in our video.

The eye box is very small at maximum magnification (18x), which is normal for such optics. The eye box is the area in height and side where you get a complete target picture without black edges behind the ocular. While the eye box in the Sightmark Presidio 3 – 18 x 50 LR2 is noticeably smaller at maximum magnification than at 3x magnification, it still allows for small deviations. However, your position should be perfect at maximum magnification.

The LR2 reticle with all its MRAD hold marks is used for quickly estimating and compensating for different distances and wind conditions. The center of the LR2 reticle is fine enough for precise target images.

All the small numbers, lines, and marks of the LR2 reticle are best visible at about 6x magnification. Below that, it can be very strenuous to identify them, especially against a busy background.

The reticle illumination locks clearly into six levels, with an "OFF" level between each. You only have a red option available. The Sightmark Presidio 3 – 18 x 50 LR2 is powered by a CR2032 battery.

The entire reticle plate is illuminated brightly enough, even for daytime use. However, on a bright summer day, the illumination reaches its limits

The adjustment turrets are good for turning and noticeably click with each use. One click equals 0.1 MRAD.

The side adjustment screw also works very precisely.

On the left side in the aiming direction, you will find the illumination dial as well as the parallax adjustment or sometimes called focus adjustment. You will find this on all optics with high magnification, as otherwise at shorter distances (under 150 m) the image would simply not be sharp.

The magnification selector ring is well executed. It is relatively stiff, which makes sense, but not too much. Thus, the magnification can be smoothly selected between 3x and 18x, which corresponds to a ratio of 1:6. The lever can also be unscrewed if you want to be completely "low profile" on the go.

CONCLUSION: The Sightmark Presidio 3 - 18 x 50 LR2 is a good choice due to its solid optical qualities, for those who want to shoot beyond 300 m. With some practice, the many aiming points allow you to easily hit the target even at long distances. At maximum magnification, the image becomes dark and the eye box smaller, but this is unfortunately due to physics. Up to 16x, the Sightmark Presidio 3 - 18 x 50 LR2 is a dream to use.

The Sightmark Presidio 3 - 18 x 50 LR2 is available from 549.99 € in Black at all retailers carrying SIGHTMARK.

SIGHTMARK online: sightmark.com