This review contains sponsored content. Originally published in German on Geartester.de.
FFP reticle, Zero Stop, and a 34mm tube for under 800 euros
Mounted on the Bergara BMR-X Carbon
With the Diamond FFP 34mm 5-30x56, Nikko Stirling brings a scope to market that promises a lot on paper, the kind of spec sheet you would usually expect from a higher price bracket: a 34mm tube, first focal plane, a finely graduated MRAD XTR reticle with a Christmas tree structure, Zero Stop, and a flexible 3-position throw lever. At a price of around 769 euros, the question becomes how much of that feature list actually holds up in practice. I tested the scope on a Bergara BMR-X Carbon in .22 LR, both on the range and in everyday handling, and looked closely at build quality, optics, the reticle, and the controls.
Technical specifications
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Model number | NSFFP3453056MRAD |
| Magnification | 5-30 |
| Objective diameter | 56 mm |
| Tube diameter | 34 mm |
| Field of view at 100 m (max./min. magnification) | 1.3 m / 8.0 m |
| Click value | 1/10 MRAD (10 mm at 100 m) |
| Parallax adjustment | from 13.7 m (15 yards) to infinity |
| Elevation/windage travel | 25 MRAD |
| Eye relief | 90 mm |
| Overall length | 392 mm |
| Weight | 880 g |
| Reticle | MRAD XTR (first focal plane) |
| Lens coating | Fully multi-coated, etched reticle |
| Price (Leader Trading) | €769.00 |
About the Nikko Stirling brand
Nikko Stirling is an optics brand focused exclusively on hunting and shooting sports optics. The company was founded in 1956 by Australian big-game hunter Malcolm Fuller, who started Nikko Stirling as the Stirling Scope Company Ltd. in Tokyo, deliberately tapping into Japan’s emerging optics manufacturing capacity at the time to combine his years of hunting experience with high quality manufacturing. On the packaging of the Diamond FFP 34mm tested here, though, it says “Made in China.” That matches reports from the shooting community that Nikko Stirling has, over the years, shifted at least part of its manufacturing from Japan to China.
Build quality and first impression
The build quality of the Diamond FFP 34mm 5-30x56 makes a solid, high quality impression. What’s included is convincing too: alongside the scope itself, you get a metal sunshade, protective caps, a microfiber cloth, and a second, writable turret cap. The markings on the turrets are clean and precisely done. Every adjustment dial feels high quality and turns pleasantly.
What’s included is convincing
Optics and image quality
The optics stay clean all the way to the edges, and the eyebox is comfortable, forgiving small inaccuracies in head position. Light transmission is convincing too. The glass does not operate at the level of a top-of-the-line optic from a German manufacturer, which would not be a reasonable expectation at this price point anyway. For a scope in this price segment, though, the optical performance is surprisingly good.
Reticle (MRAD XTR, FFP)
The reticle is where it becomes most apparent that this is a mid-tier scope. The fine numbers are only somewhat legible with the illumination active. With it switched off, though, everything is very cleanly etched and easy to read.
Implementing a complex reticle with more than a single simple dot is technically more demanding, and I have seen better legibility on other reticles, though not at this price point.
Technically, the MRAD XTR is a genuine precision reticle: the continuous stadia line is finely subdivided down to 0.04 mrad line width and numbered at 2, 4, and 6 mrad in all four directions, so holdover and correction values can be read directly without needing to dial the turrets. Below the horizontal line, a classic Christmas tree grid of several rows of dots at 2, 4, and 5 mrad of elevation adds windage holdover points, so with a known distance and wind estimate you can aim directly at the right point instead of adjusting the turrets mid-shot. Since this is an FFP reticle, all of these measurements hold true regardless of the magnification set.
Since the reticle is a bit tricky to photograph, here’s the official print (source: NikkoStirling)
Illuminated reticle
The illumination dot can be adjusted across 11 brightness levels, though a battery-saving auto shutoff is missing. On the plus side, it is not just the center of the reticle that lights up, the numbers are illuminated too, which is genuinely convenient in practice. Since this is an FFP reticle, the proportions stay constant across the whole magnification range, so the reticle scales with the image.
Adjustment and Zero Stop
The turret clicks engage cleanly and are easy to feel and hear, which makes precise field adjustments easier. Setting up the Zero Stop is straightforward and works reliably. Click precision held up on the range.
The throw lever can be set to three positions, offering a good amount of flexibility. One thing to watch for: in the far right position, the throw lever can collide with the bolt handle on rifles with a wider bolt opening angle.
Here the bolt handle and throw lever block each other, though on the plus side the throw lever can be screwed in at different positions
Field test
The scope was tested on a Bergara BMR-X Carbon in .22 LR. Testing on the range went very satisfyingly. The Diamond FFP 34mm works very well as a scope for a .22 LR plinking rifle for training or as an entry point into long-range shooting. Professional competition shooters or serious long-range shooters will likely reach for higher priced brands regardless.
Value for money
The value for money is very good: there are only a few scopes with this magnification range and this feature set (turrets, Zero Stop, throw lever, and more) at this price point.
Transparency note: the test sample was provided to me free of charge by Leader Trading. This had no influence on my assessment.
Conclusion
The Nikko Stirling Diamond FFP 34mm 5-30x56 leaves a consistently positive impression on test. Build quality, included accessories, and the feel of the turrets sit at a level you would not necessarily expect at this price point. Zero Stop and the throw lever work reliably and are easy to set up, and the clicks are precise and easy to feel. Optically, the glass impresses too, with clean edge sharpness, a comfortable eyebox, and good light transmission, without trying or needing to compete with top-of-the-line optics from German manufacturers.
There are minor trade-offs with the reticle: the fine numbers are only somewhat legible with illumination active, and there’s no battery-saving auto shutoff. Anyone using the far right throw lever position should check beforehand whether their rifle’s bolt handle has enough clearance.
The Diamond FFP 34mm offers a feature package that is hard to find in this magnification and price range. For anyone starting out in long-range shooting, or as a training optic on a .22 LR plinking rifle, it’s a clear recommendation. Competition shooters and serious long-range shooters with higher demands on reticle legibility and optical quality tend to reach for higher priced brands, but for everyone else, the Diamond FFP 34mm is a very convincing value-for-money package.