Sometimes you want just a little bit more. More magnification, for one thing. More features, too, like simple, idiot-proof turrets. I really prefer a scope with a First Focal Plane (FFP) reticle and parallax adjustment. It’s a given that the scope needs to provide clear and enhanced color and sharpness.
All of those features usually mean an optic of substantial size with a large footprint, bulk and weight. The GPO Centuri 4-16x44i Super Compact, however, offers a magnification range from 4x all the way up to 16x, and has all those features you expect in a large scope, except it is packaged in a compact scope. The GPO Super Compact offers economy in size without sacrificing features.
More Magnification, Please
Low Variable Power Optic (LVPO) scopes typically have a magnification range from 1x to 6x or 10x. That’s near perfect for close to medium range work and a good all-purpose magnification range on a scope mounted to an AR-15. But — you know there is always a but — when shooting at farther distances you want just a bit more magnification to better identify the target and zero in on an aiming point. The norm for a scope with more magnification is a larger, heavier scope. That’s the typical tradeoff. More magnification comes with more bulk.
GPO addressed the wanting more, but kept the scope size minimal with the Centuri Super Compact. It is less than ten inches long — slightly longer than a 30-round AR magazine — and weighs a little over a pound. While the Centuri Super Compact is small, it’s no lightweight. It has a 4-16x magnification zoom range. In fact, it punches above its weight class with features you’d expect for larger more powerful scopes.
Feature-Packed Scope
Before I even mounted the GPO to an AR, I could tell this scope was rich with features. The glass — in my opinion — is the first clue on the quality of a scope. The Centuri Super Compact offers a clear, bright, crisp image from the center to the outer edges. The GPO is super clear due to Double-HD glass and GPO’s proprietary GPObright lens coating.
This particular scope is equipped with a FFP MIL reticle that illuminates. The crosshair illuminates red and has eight brightness settings. The MIL reticle is simple, yet allows the user to range-find and features stadia marks for elevation. It uses a 30mm tube, which allows more light in than a 1” tube.
Mounting the Centuri Super Compact Scope
The Centuri scope easily fits most one-piece AR-style mounts. I used a BOBRO Engineering QD Scope Mount that perfectly held the GPO at the correct eye height. This mount is rock solid and offers an excellent interface for an AR. It has an additional 2” forward throw and features the BLAC lever system, which requires no manual adjustment to attain a proper engagement on a 1913 Picatinny rail. I like this QD mount since it doesn’t lose zero if you remove it and then replace it.
I mounted the Centuri to my Springfield Armory Saint Victor AR. It’s one thing to like a scope out of the box, but using it mounted to a gun is the real test of features.
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It took me three shots to zero the scope in at 50 yards, then I moved out to 100 yards to fine-tune the zero. The turrets are large, making them easy to manipulate. Pulling up on the turret unlocks it so it won’t accidentally rotate from a bump in the field. It has 0.1 milrad click adjustments that are easy to feel as they click in place.
I shot the box at 100 yards, cranking the turrets right, down, left and up. The reticle tracks well. Not that you would adjust it to that extent every time you use it, but it provides confidence — especially if you are the type of shooter who prefers to adjust evaluation on longer shots rather than using the stadia marks on the reticle.
Personally, I prefer to use the reticle to adjust elevation. It is faster, but if you know you are going to shooting at a specific distance, then adjusting the elevation turret makes sense. The turret knobs have a built in Zero-Stop function that allows you to set the turret to stop at your zero. This ensures you can easily get back to zero if you adjust for a longer shot.
The Centuri also has a multiple rotation indicator. A small stainless steel post pops out of the elevation turret tops as a visual and tactile indicator that the turret is on the second rotation of adjustment. I like this feature because, as you adjust elevation for a longer shot and you get distracted, you might be wondering was that one full rotation or two. If the post is up, it was two. Plus, you can also go back to your zero and start over.
I like the extra magnification the Centuri offers and the clarity. The built-in throw lever rotates smooth with just the right amount of resistance when adjusting zoom. The GPO Centuri Super Compact is a good fit for those longer shots when you want that bit of precision.
Closing Thoughts
If you are looking for more in an AR scope — more magnification and more features — then the GPO Centuri Super Compact scope is a great option. Be sure to take a look.
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