Test: Delta Optical 1.5-9x45 Titanium HD – An affordable all-round riflescope for hunting

A riflescope for all situations – that's what many hunters want. Two specialized optics on a rifle also hit twice in the account and, two high-quality quick-release mounts are also not free. All in all, a stable, precise riflescope mount is much easier to buy on a tight budget if you can do without the quick scope mounting and releasing system. However, this also requires the right optic with a universal range of use, from group hunting to raised hide, even in twilight. Curtain up for the 1.5-9x45 Titanium HD from Delta Optical: compact in size and weight, the riflescope with its 6x zoom and a magnification range of 1.5x to 9x with a medium-sized 45 mm objective lens is recommended as a hunting all-rounder. Whether for stalking, walking hunts or sitting up into the twilight, with this concept you are always quite well equipped, as long as you do not plan to use it in moonlight.

Years ago, almost all manufacturers from Germany and Austria still offered compact universal optics with 4x zoom in the range around 1.5-6x40. These are now mostly out of fashion. Manufacturers such as Leica (Magnus), Schmidt & Bender (Stratos) and Swarovski (Z6i) also have all-rounders in their catalogs with high zoom factors between 5x and almost 7x, with lobjective enses around 40 millimeters in diameter and at least 8x max magnification. The latter, however, all break the 2000 euro mark, and can even cost more than 2500 euros. However, there is also competition at a price level corresponding to the Polish riflescope, for example in the form of the Meostar R2 1.7-10x42 RD from the Czech company Meopta – here the price is about a third higher than the 1.5-9x45 from Delta Optical.

Delta Optical 1.5-9x45 specs and price

The Delta Optical 1.5-9x45 Titanium HD under the microscope

As with many current optics in the price range around 1000 euros, the riflescope from the Polish company Delta Optical is not manufactured in Europe: the words "made in Japan" adorn the 30-mm main tube made of high-strength aluminum instead. Delta Optical uses a so-called "2D" reticle in the second image plane with an illuminated dot in the center for the 1.5-9x45 Titanium HD. In principle, the 2D reticle is mostly similar to the popular reticle 4, but with one (non-illuminated) dot on each of the right and left sides of the wide crossbars. For those who do not need these additional dots, Delta Optical also offers the scope with a conventional reticle 4.
The illuminated dot control on the left side of the main tube offers eleven brightness levels, snaps into place in a clearly defined manner, and turns the dot off completely between each intensity level. Brightness was also fine – in sunshine against the sky the dot still appeared sufficiently bright, dimmed down to level 1 the dot did not over-illuminate even in the dark. The diopter adjustment on the eyepiece allows the lens to be adjusted to the user's vision in a range of plus/minus three diopters with a flick of the wrist.

Mounted on a Mauser 18 Waldjagd in .308 Winchester, the test scope completed the box test without any problems. With five squares shot after 30 clicks of reticle adjustment each, the last hits landed back in the first group. The overall adjustment range of 60 angular minutes is appropriate for a riflescope that is used at short and medium ranges. The click detent itself provides consistent audible and tactile feedback during adjustment.
The eye relief of around nine centimeters was on the usual level, depending on the magnification. Turned down to 1.5x magnification, the room for the eye appeared reassuringly large; at the highest magnification, the eyebox shrank a bit, but not to an unusual degree.

The Polish mid-range riflescope left a fundamentally good impression both on the shooting range and during a late-night hunt, although this was somewhat marred by a slight blurring at the edges and a moderate brownish cast in the color reproduction. What we really liked about the compact Delta Optical: at one-and-a-half times magnification, you can also aim with both eyes open, making the scope suitable for driven hunts. The 24.4-m field of view at a distance of 100 meters at the lowest magnification limits the view considerably compared to pure driven hunt specialists with a 24-mm lens. Some manufacturers offer a field of view of well over 40 meters, which is twice as large in direct comparison.

Our test conclusion on the Delta Optical 1.5-9x45 Titanium HD

Overall, the 1.5-9x45 Titanium HD from Delta Optical appears to be a mature all-round hunting optic in the medium price segment. Price is consistent with the quality offered, one must only be aware that in everyday hunting – except for night hunts – a slim and lightweight all-round model such as the 1.5-9x45 can do everything properly, but nothing perfectly.

For more information on the 1.5-9x45 Titanium HD please visit the Delta Optica webpage.

With the Delta Optical 4-24x50 Titanium HD, we tested another all-round scope from the manufacturer.