Introducion
Guarder have produced a very nice replica of the ELCAN SpecterOS3.4 scope. Maybe even a better replica than the Samurai scope! This 4x zoom scope has some of the best optics we have seen so far, with great clarity and a smart and easy reticule. With a solid rubber housing it looks to be up to the ruff and tumble of even the most active skirmisher. If you pop this on a M4 you have got a cool looking gun, which you can claim is an SAS rifle for they are known to use the Canadian setup of Diemaco carbine with ELCAN! Either way this is definitely one to add to your wish list...
The Scope
The optical clarity of this scope is outstanding. The scope body is very robust, to the point of being somewhat heavy (you can clearly feel the difference playing with or with-out the scope)/. The outside of the scope is kind of rubber coated. There are no windage and elevation adjustments which minimizes the risk of problem (where water could penetrate the assembly for example). There are no focusing or parallax adjustments. My overall impression is that the scope body is VERY sturdy and robust. Actually what I am missing is some protective caps at the front and the back! However a nice detail is there, and that is the "fixed" front sight and "fixed" rear sight...
History
The ELCAN C79 scope was adopted by Canada in 1989 and is currently in-service on the Diemaco C7A1 rifle. It is now also been used in other countries like The Netherlands. ELCAN (a division of Raytheon, Inc). has also designed and marketed telescopic sights upon a similar platform in 6X and 10X called the Hi-Mag and night vision sights called the Blackcat.
Use ability
The 4x zoom is quite perfect for airsoft. In woodland conditions but even in CQB conditions the scope is useful. Not really in buildings but especialy from building to building to scope provides you extra accuracy. Especially those irritating people behind windows :) Also for recon purpose the scope can be used to spot the tango's far before you normally do... A zoom more than 4x would be irritating for airsoft since we operate at max 50 meter. 3x or 4x zoom is perfect.
The mount
The mount clamps onto any standard 20mm rail. It is tightened via two thumbscrews on the left-hand side of the mount. The mount also contains the windage and elevation adjustments. Windage adjustments are effected using a coin. The windage adjustments are located on the front left side of the mount. Unfortunately, even though there is a clock-wise arrow cast into the mount above the windage screw, there are no markings that indicate what direction (left-right) your group will move when you adjust the windage screw. The mount is just fine and easy. But all windage and elevation adjustments are external, there is a possible way that dirt, mud, snow, etc., could jam the elevation adjustments.
Looks
This scope looks soooo cool! It really is the nicest scope out their in my opinion. The scope is used by several special forces is Canada and The Netherlands (KCT). Above all you don't need any extra's on your rifle to have this cool looking rifle. Just rail on this scope and maybe some camo covers for your rifle and that's it. And impressive, cool looking scope and you are totally in style. Some scopes seems to be larger than your rifle and kinda over done, this one has a nice small style...
Adjustable
The scope is perfectly adjustable for any rifle if there is 20mm top rail availeble. If your gun is shooting straight you can perfectly align your gun with the scope. You don't need any tools or what so ever. On the image below you can clearly see the adjustment wheel, the wheel works with small clicks. With the windage adjustment tool you can align the scope even better, you will find it at the front left side.
The reticule
As shown below this scope uses a quite simplistic recticule to aim with. There are two horizontal hash marks, there are also two longitudinal hash marks on each side of the picket. I think this reticule is really simple and easy to use. This does not look like a sniping reticule as there is not an easy way to easily compensate for windage etc. This simple reticule is perfect for airsoft even more because airsoft rifle's are not that accurate and we mostly operate at max 50 meter. To be clear this is not a red dot scope as other ELCAN replica's do have. Even in bad whether conditions the scope is still usable. Now we are talking about the whether, in very good whether conditions were sun is shining right the scope is very well usable. The scope has a little "sun cap" that prevents the sun shining into the lens. However it's small, it is useful.
Trade Marks
No special things here. The original scope has only one trade mark at the top of the scope stating "ELCAN". Guarder has replaced this by "ELKEN" obviously because of copyright reasons.
Price
The ELCAN original scope retails in at about $850,00 USD. This replica sells at around $180,00 USD which makes it more affordable for airsofters. However it is still quite a large amount for an airsofter. But for what you get, a scope nearly as good as the original ELCAN scope, I think it's really worth it. Especially when you are going for the special forces look or the Diemaco look it's really a must.
Real Elcan vs Guarder Elcan
I had the pleasure to also see this Elcan scope in real for a few seconds. I was playing in Belgium where a Dutch soldier had his ELCAN with him! I showed him my replica and he was impressed for sure! Sizes, material and color are all the same. The only quite large difference is the zoom, the orriginal has a 3.4x zoom and this replica has a 4x zoom. There is a little difference in the front of the scope, but from a distance you couldn't see the difference. Really cool to have such a good replica!
Complete guns with Elcan
External Links
www.elcan.com
www.spector.elcan.com
www.intrudershop.com
www.airsoftsupplier.co.uk
