German Precision Optics GPOTAC 8X 1-8x24i

The optics world has experienced a surge of manufacturers over the last decade, and the traffic has fostered an evolution in quality and pricing that benefits the firearms community. The days of spending top-tier money or ending up with an optic that gives you eye fatigue after five minutes are pretty much in the rearview mirror, with budget optics stepping up, in many instances, to answer the demands of shooters and competitors without having to max out credit cards and take out a second mortgage. 

From a gun writer’s standpoint, the lower end of the price spectrum has stepped up product design, features, glass, and quality control to close the gap, an effort I try not to take for granted. High-tier optics manufacturers have also noticed the trend, continuing to develop flagship products at prices that will offend most of our significant others while supplementing them with quality lower-tier product lines to compete with emerging brands. 

While I do not dispute the adage about “no free lunch,” it seems the sacrifices required of consumers looking for a better deal on equipment have diminished somewhat. But what if you didn’t have to sacrifice performance, feature sets, or the kids’ tuition? Impossible, you say? Maybe not anymore, as I’ve recently experienced while reviewing the German Precision Optics (GPO) GPOTAC 8X 1-8x24i. 

Let me start by saying the GPOTAC 8X 1-8x24i is not an inexpensive optic with an MSRP of $1989.99, but what I’ve seen thus far places it in a category of LPVOs that bring major value to its price point. 

Who is GPO USA?

GPO USA is an American optics manufacturer specializing in premium riflescopes, binoculars, spotting scopes, and rangefinders. Based in Midlothian, Virginia, the company was founded in 2016 and is operated by CEO Michael Jensen. Jensen is an industry veteran with extensive experience, having been the president of Zeiss for five years prior to GPO and having held previous leadership roles at Remington, Swarovski, and Kahles. 

I spoke at length with Jensen, who works hand in hand with German-based GPO GmbH to design and engineer optics with a quality control process he describes that meets and exceeds some of the most rigorous standards I’m aware of. Every optic produced is inspected by hand and function-tested one by one, with batch testing being a convenience that GPO does not partake in. Instead, the company seems more focused on the convenience of its customers, not wanting them ever to need to use their Spectacular Lifetime Warranty, which I will touch on later. 

Jensen tells me that GPO USA is committed not only to the enhanced optical experience of outdoor enthusiasts but also to safeguarding the quality of its global supply chain. Its contracts only permit payment if materials are exactly to specification, eliminating defects and waste before passing the savings and peace of mind on to its customers. GPO USA aims to offer a premium product with better features at similar prices or similar quality products at better prices, and publicly supports organizations that protect conservation and the Second Amendment.

Unboxing…

Unboxing the GPO GPOTAC 8X 1-8x24i is a straightforward experience. With my inner child on full display, I rushed past the elegant packaging to find the optic adorned in one of those clear lens bikinis I’d rather turn into a slingshot, a microfiber cleaning cloth, and an instruction booklet. Here’s where I’m going to list the only negatives I ran into during the review, and as you may notice, I am nitpicking so as not to seem otherwise biased in what I will spoiler alert you right now is going to lead to a glowing endorsement.

I can’t fathom why any manufacturer bothers with these bikini-style lens covers, even with clear lenses on both ends. Nobody wants to look through extremely nice glass, which I assure you this GPO optic has in abundance, with one of these things filtering the image. Additionally, you can’t operate the nicely oversized turrets and illumination dial without these things getting in the way. Why don’t we agree to dispense with this nonsense and include a fitting set of front and rear flip-up lens caps instead?  

My last gripe for this review will lead me to say more positive than negative, a good problem to have if you’re an optics manufacturer. The GPOTAC 8X 1-8x24i does not include a throw lever, per se, but instead has a nub that protrudes just shy of a quarter-inch above the nicely knurled magnification ring. Soon after noticing this, however, I discovered just how smooth that magnification ring is, making me reconsider whether or not I needed any extra help. Fast forward several months, and I can tell you that I have been placing my support hand on top of the scope and rotating the magnification ring with a single finger on the nub, and zero issues. I’m not sure how GPO found the exact combination of smoothness and tension to prevent unwanted changes to your setting while making the rotation so buttery and effortless. Well played.

The mount…

The GPO GPOTAC 8X 1-8x24i features a 34mm main tube, which contributes to many of the traits I find so attractive in this optic, from its brightness and adjustment capacity to its impressive field of view. I knew I’d have to abuse it on the FN SCAR 17, and no mount in my book is a better host for that mission than an American Defense Manufacturing (ADM) AD-Delta, adapted by SOCOM specifically for the FN SCAR program. Special thanks to ADM for providing the mount and making the choice easy. 

Build Quality…

I can’t speak to heavy abuse either via unnatural means or a combat environment, but my first impression of the GPOTAC 8X 1-8x24i was that the optic feels solid and tank-like. I’m definitely not one to baby my gear, however, as the everyday routine here on the ranch tends to suss out weaknesses without the need to drop things off the roof or set them on fire, especially when mounted to the SCAR. I’ll save you a lot of trouble and keep this section short by saying the GPOTAC 8X 1-8x24i survived all the off-road pasture plundering, banging on other gear, general clumsiness, and chunky 7.62mm bolt carrier cycling I could throw at it over three months. 

Reticle and zero…

The GPOTAC 8X 1-8x24i is a first focal plane optic with GPO’s HSi reticle. While I don’t find first focal plane optics necessary in the typical LPVO magnification range, they certainly don’t hurt if the reticle is well designed. With a first focal plane optic, the reticle increases in size as you zoom in on the image. The convenience of this is that your subtensions remain accurate for holdovers throughout the magnification range, while the inconvenience, aside from the higher cost to manufacture, is that the reticle must be well thought out to be useful at 1x without being overly cluttered at 8x. 

GPO accomplishes this through the simple yet intuitive HSi reticle design. I could not find an image of the reticle that I thought was a perfect representation at 1x and 8x, and for the life of me, I couldn’t take a decent photo of it with my iPhone, so I turned to Photoshop to make a comparison. 

As you can see, at 1x, the horseshoe and center dot act like a traditional albeit somewhat smaller  “circle of death” red dot reticle when illuminated. Without illumination, the black reticle stands out enough to see the contrast under most daylight conditions. This view is clear, uncluttered, and exactly what you’d want for high-speed close-up engagements. 

Zoom to 8x, and now you have additional information in the form of a MIL reticle in half MIL increments, perfect for holdovers and calculating range estimations without being overtly distracting. It’s worth mentioning that the center dot is very fine. This means that even at 8x, the GPOTAC 8X 1-8x24i aiming point is precise, indicative of that reticle forethought I mentioned earlier. 

Zeroing the GPOTAC 8X 1-8x24i is quick and easy, whether you’re like me and use Point Blank Range (PBR) or prefer to standardize at 100 meters. Shoot your best 3-shot group, find the center, make your adjustments, and confirm your final zero. When you’re done, simply reset the turret zero by unscrewing the center caps on the elevation and windage dials, gently lift each dial off the optic, rotate the turret so the zero lines up at the appropriate marking, then lower the dials back onto the scope and tighten down the center caps to secure them. 

Turrets…

While LPVOs tend to be used for faster engagement at short to medium distances that favor holdovers versus dialing firing solutions, I prefer tactical turrets like those on the GPOTAC 8X 1-8x24i over capped turrets. My reasoning is simple, as I use the PBR method to zero my rifles for a combat-effective 8-inch target zone. This gets me to roughly 300 yards using my center aiming point with zero hassle. However, taking the time to record load data and develop a ballistic chart, especially for .308 Winchester, which is effective at considerably longer ranges, allows you to dial in settings for longer and more precise work. 

GPO uses a locking turret design on the GPOTAC 8X 1-8x24i to prevent accidental bumps from throwing off your settings while carrying or transporting your rifle. The mechanism is simple and works great. Pull outwards on the elevation or windage dial to unlock it and adjust your firing solution. Push the dials back inwards to lock the turrets in place. Dial increments are set to 1/10th MILS, which equals one centimeter per click at 100 meters. 

Being a long-range shooter, I tend to be critical of turret feel, looking for tactile adjustments that I can dial in the dark if need be. The GPOTAC 8X 1-8x24i did well here also, with clicks that were easy to count out in the dark, audibly, and by feel. This makes the tactical turrets that much more useful and not simply for show, as long as they track accurately, which I confirmed using a standard box test. 

Illumination…

The red illumination on the GPOTAC 8X 1-8x24i is quite bright. I won’t compare it to red dot brightness that glows nuclear like an Aimpoint, but I could see the illumination effectively even during daylight. However, what’s new to me is the iCONTROL system, which features a stepless dial that adjusts illumination gradually along the smooth throw rather than step-by-step increments. The iCONTROL system also features auto-off functionality that saves battery life by shutting down illumination after three hours. 

On the rifle…

Mounted to my FN SCAR 17, I had a lot of room to play with eye relief, as there was plenty of room there to complement the very forgiving eyebox, even at 8x magnification. Understand, however, that if you mount the GPOTAC 8X 1-8x24i to an AR-15 or any other non-monolithic platform, you will need a cantilever mount, otherwise, you’ll end up pushing the optic forward enough for the mount to bridge the receiver and Handguard, which isn’t ideal since any flex in the Handguard will effect your zero. 

The elevation, windage, and illumination dials are large and have aggressive knurling for better grip and control when making changes to settings, similar to the magnification ring. The overall ergonomics of the GPOTAC 8X 1-8x24i leave so little to desire that I’m not sure I’d change or add anything. 

Optical Quality

Let’s face it. This is what most have been waiting for, which is why I saved it for last. I’ll start with the fact that I’ve had to double and triple-check my findings because the GPOTAC 8X 1-8x24i is so good in this category that I had to be sure. I’ve spent an unknown number of cumulative hours behind this optic trying to find a chink in its armor. It’s actually getting a little frustrating. 

Edge-to-edge clarity is outstanding. If there is any falloff, it is imperceptible to my eye, as is the presence of any distortion. This is a pattern I find consistent throughout the zoom range. At 1x, the image is flat, with a wide field of view, and it remains this way all the way through to 8x. Brightness is more of the same, as I could not perceive any change, even at maximum magnification. I found the sharpness of the image especially impressive for a fixed parallax optic.  

The optical coating also did its job, with only the faintest hint of chromatic aberration under a harshly backlit horizon, excellent flare resistance, and remarkable light transmission even at dawn and dusk. 

Conclusion

As I sit here checking off every box, I realize I am comfortable comparing the quality here to well-known heavy hitters like the Leupold Mark 5HD and Nightforce ATACR series, and to be honest, this wasn’t what I had expected from an optics company that was not already on my radar. The review went so well that I’ve started to look at a few more GPO optics with future projects in mind, and will be reviewing the company’s CENTURI 4-16x44i FFP Super Compact rifle scope next. 

So, who is this optic meant for? Obviously, you have a healthy budget and have developed a taste for higher-end optics, and likely finer things in general. However, you still appreciate a company that offers a level of value and accessibility that makes these things easier to obtain. You also appreciate a company that stands behind its products to the extent that it offers what GPO refers to as its Spectacular Lifetime Warranty. The agreement is fully transferable without needing to register your product, fill out a warranty card, or show proof of purchase. GPO promises to repair or replace your optic at no expense to the owner, no matter how long you’ve owned it. 

There you have it. The GPO GPOTAC 8X 1-8x24i is a robust, feature-packed LPVO built like a high-end optical tank. At this point, I think it goes without saying that GPO USA has made me a believer, and I recommend the GPOTAC 8X 1-8x24i to anyone looking for a dependable and optically magnificent LPVO with great value from a company that stands behind its products. 

For more information on GPO’s entire line of optics and accessories, please visit gpo-usa.com.

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