Adam Scepaniak 12.19.25
As a seasoned hunter with 30+ years of experience under my belt, I have seen a lot of optics over the years that range from the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly to quote a famous movie title. One of the nostalgic brands from my childhood and early adulthood was Redfield. Known for being affordable with glass quality that punched above its price tag, it was always a reliable bet to head out into the woods with a Redfield optic on your firearm. In recent years, that brand name had gone away after being dropped by the company that formerly owned it. Now, it is owned and operated by Academy Sports + Outdoors, and it is roaring back to life! So, today we are going to take a look at a new riflescope that Academy Sports + Outdoors is bringing out in the Redfield Reveal 4.5-14x42mm SFP Ballistic Plex MOA. Let’s dive in!
Redfield Coverage
Specifications – Redfield Reveal 4.5-14x42mm SFP Ballistic Plex MOA
The Redfield Reveal 4.5-14x42mm SFP Ballistic Plex MOA is a hunting riflescope that is meant to be that perfect “happy medium” for hunters – enough magnification to shoot at distance while not so much that it is overpowering on close shots. It is fogproof, waterproof, and shockproof so you never need to end a hunt early due to the elements, and it retails for the very affordable price of $349. All of the important technical specifications you are going to want to know about the Reveal 4.5-14x42mm SFP Ballistic Plex MOA is listed below as presented by Redfield:
- Finish: Charcoal Dark Grey Anodizing
- Magnification: 4.5x – 14x
- Objective Size: 42mm
- Tube Diameter: 30mm
- Parallax Setting: 20 Yards – Infinity
- Reticle: Glass-Etched, Ballistic Plex
- Manufacturer Warranty: Lifetime Limited
Features – Redfield Reveal 4.5-14x42mm SFP Ballistic Plex MOA
If we want to get a little more nerdy about the Redfield Reveal we’re looking at today, this riflescope has a large field of view allowing for quick target acquisition, a long eye relief also allowing for greater flexibility in head positioning, the 3:1 zoom ratio is meant to deliver bright and crisp imagery across its entire magnification range. Some of the other prominent attributes and features that Redfield wants you to know about the Reveal are listed below:
- 1/4 MOA adjustment for precision
- Adjustable parallax from 20 yards to infinity
- Side focus/parallax adjustment is easy to use
- Waterproof, fog proof and shockproof construction for all-weather reliability and durability
- Fully multicoated optics reduce glare and increase light transmission for bright and clear images
A Word from Redfield on the Reveal 4.5-14x42mm SFP Ballistic Plex MOA
Get clear images with the Redfield Reveal 4.5-14×42 Riflescope. This riflescope has a custom-designed illuminated reticle and fully multi-coated optics that reduce glare and increase light transmission for clear images up close and at distance. Designed with motion sensor technology to extend the battery run time, this riflescope has a glass-etched reticle to help you aim precisely and accurately.
What’s in the Box?
One of the most common and recurring questions I receive reviewing firearms is, “What’s in the box?” Meaning, what do you all get with your purchase. This is important because what you do and do not get will dictate what type of accessories you need to additionally buy depending on what you want your end-product or weapon system to look like. All this being said, this is everything that you will receive:
What’s the Upsell? What’s the 30 Second Elevator Pitch?
So, what is the upsell to the riflescope compared to others in the marketplace today? What is the metaphorical and literal elevator pitch to this optic? If I had to boil it down to one primary element, I would say the reticle and everything attached to it. From its custom design to the illumination and even the motion sensor that extends your battery life out in the field. So, these are all of the take-home elements of the Redfield Reveal 4.5-14x42mm SFP Ballistic Plex MOA in a nutshell.
- Custom-designed illuminated reticle
- Motion Sensor technology extends the 200 hour battery life
- Illumination dial integrated into the side focus for easy access and streamlined performance
- Glass-etched ballistic plex reticle offers shooters highly functional, intuitive and detailed hold points
Reticle Subtensions – Redfield Reveal 4.5-14x42mm SFP Ballistic Plex MOA
An important aspect of any riflescope that you are going to take into the field to go hunting are your reticle and its subtensions (the hashmarks or stadia lines, and what they mean). Once our chosen rifle – a Savage Arms 110 Trail Hunter .308 Win in an Academy Sports + Outdoors exclusive camouflage Hogue stock – was properly married to our to our Redfield Reveal 4.5-14x42mm SFP Ballistic Plex MOA, the first thing that is typically tested out at the range are the reticle subtensions. When we look at optics and their reticles in a retail store we make the assumption that if a manufacturer states their subtensions – or the little hashes on a reticle – equal a specific increment like 1 MOA (Minute of Angle), that they do. It would be wonderful if that were true, but unfortunately, it is not true for all scope manufacturers. So, to test that, if you know the “size” of that subtension or stadia line and what it should be in your reticle when looking at them, you can simply look at them at a known size target (one inch squares on paper, etc). If everything matches up like its supposed, you’re good to go! That was exactly the case with the Redfield Reveal 4.5-14x42mm SFP Ballistic Plex MOA while we were sighting in on both steel and paper targets before our upcoming Texas pig hunt.
Tracking – Redfield Reveal 4.5-14x42mm SFP Ballistic Plex MOA
The next test to ensure this optic is up to par is to verify it “tracks” correctly. What is meant by this is if you make an adjustment – either windage or elevation – by clicking a fixed amount on your turrets, that should actually pan out on paper. You never want to adjust your elevation, say 3 MOA, and then an optic does not respond accordingly.
I did not personally execute a tracking test on this optic, but the folks from Academy Sports + Outdoors who invited me on this Texas pig hunt did.
Typically, to test the tracking you would shoot a confirmation 5-shot group at 100 yards. Then, adjust a given input – say, 5 MOA – of elevation up, and then an equal amount of input like 5 MOA of windage to the right. Next, you’d want to shoot a second 5-shot group. Finally, you would adjust back to your original spot by moving 5 MOA of elevation down and 5 MOA of windage to the left. A 3rd and final 5-shot group would then be sent down range. If the scope gave you all of the correct adjustment, you should end up exactly where you started.
Parallax – Redfield Reveal 4.5-14x42mm SFP Ballistic Plex MOA
The next test I put the Redfield Reveal 4.5-14x42mm SFP Ballistic Plex MOA through was to verify its parallax. The parallax of any scope is a very misunderstood property. Most people tend to believe your parallax knob (if any scope offers one) is there to make your image clear. This is an extremely rudimentary way of expressing what your parallax actually accomplishes.
The parallax of any scope is meant to get your reticle and the object you are looking at on the same focal plane. When this is achieved, yes, your image will look more clear, but once again that is an overly simplistic explanation for what is going on. Most parallax knobs will have yardage markers to indicate at what revolution point on the knob you should hopefully hit that “sweet spot” of your reticle and target being on the same focal plane. While the numbers are not always perfect, its a good baseline.
To test your parallax, you can simply look at objects at varying distances, spin your parallax knob to the appropriate distance you are looking at, and if your image becomes crystal clear like one would hope – TA DA! – your parallax is working perfectly. This was, once again, the case for this optic we are testing here today.
Range Experience – Redfield Reveal 4.5-14x42mm SFP Ballistic Plex MOA
So, we discussed a lot of the elements that you want to test and look out for whenever you are purchasing a new riflescope for a firearm in your arsenal, but now we want to talk about the overall range experience. While we were in Uvalde, Texas testing this optic, it was 100 degrees outside. So, any bit of shade we could find was our friend. With a bench setup under a canopy, we began the process of sighting in several rifles that our hunting party would be taking out on a pig hunt the next day.
The Redfield Reveal 4.5-14x42mm is our scope, but what about our rifle? The rifles that we were using for this hunt were another Academy Sports + Outdoors exclusive item in a uniquely packaged Savage Arms Model 110 chambered in the venerable and time-tested .308 Winchester cartridge.
We started close – like, one might expect – and we slowly started walking our rifles out to distance. In the end, I was ringing steel out to 600 yards on a rifle that was foreign to me 30 minutes prior. So, this combo of the Redfield Reveal plus a Savage Arms 110 Trail Hunter was working great together. The ammunition that we were shooting for the day was Hornady Match.
Texas Pig Hunt – Redfield Reveal 4.5-14x42mm SFP Ballistic Plex MOA
The culmination of our hunting trip was about to begin as the 1st night of our pig hunt was upon us. We did all of the necessary steps: rifle and optic chosen, zeroed, reticle/subtensions tested, parallax tested, tracking tested, and everything was good to go. So, we headed out in the juniper bushes, sage, and brush of south Texas in pursuit of some wild pigs.
We hunted out of some elevated box stands, which was a small matter of safety since there were so many game animals on the ranch we were hunting, but also to give us an elevated position for shooting and to get out of the sun. While positioned over a feeder (legal in Texas), we saw all kinds of wild game: Aoudad, whitetail deer, skittish pigs, Nilgai, Axis deer, and a lot more.
We got out to our box stand maybe 3 hours before dark. We had plenty of animals to entertain us, but it seemed that the wild pigs were pretty nocturnal, or simply wise to our game. We saw a few darting from one patch of brush to another, but never long enough for an ethical shot to be placed.
Finally, with about 15 minutes of legal shooting light left, I spied 3 pigs to my left. I pulled up my scope and it was fairly dark outside already. So, it was difficult to see the pigs even through the optic. They pigs were cleared concerned – or educated – and did not want to come out into the open quite yet. Even in the waning light, it was too much light for them to want to reveal themselves. Nevertheless, one of the mature pigs stepped out just enough where I could see its chest broadside. I built as stable of a shooting position as possible while shooting out the window… controlled my breathing… gentle trigger press.. and…
BANG!
My pig dropped right in its tracks! One shot. One harvest. My hunt was successful with the help of the Redfield Reveal.
Final Thoughts – Redfield Reveal 4.5-14x42mm SFP Ballistic Plex MOA
So, what are my final thoughts on the Redfield Reveal 4.5-14x42mm SFP Ballistic Plex MOA riflescope?… Overall, like I alluded to earlier, this riflescope punches far outside of its weight class in regards to quality. It is feature-rich, extremely affordable, forgiving in its eye relief, and well-balanced. The only small critique I have is that it didn’t gather light quite as well as I hoped while on my pig hunt, but I was still able to harvest my pig in the end. I wouldn’t want the tube size to be any bigger since it is already a 30mm (jumping up to 34mm would add too much weight). So, maybe in the future a 44mm or 45mm objective diameter could be considered to let in even more light. Regardless, I would still highly recommend this riflescope to anyone who wants an extremely affordable option that delivers a lot of value. The value proposition for this $349 optic is outstanding.
In closing, I want to say thank you to Redfield for allowing AllOutdoor and myself the opportunity to try out their Redfield Reveal 4.5-14x42mm SFP Ballistic Plex MOA riflescope. That is greatly appreciated. Also, we would like to know what all of you guys and gals think? Do you believe that the Redfield Reveal 4.5-14x42mm SFP Ballistic Plex MOA riflescope is something worth spending your money on? Would you get one and take it on your next hunt? As always, let us know all of your thoughts in the Comments below! We always appreciate your feedback.
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