PAO HD MAX Ultra Compact riflescope review

What are the key features of the PAO HD MAX Ultra Compact?

With a 44mm diameter objective, side-focus parallax, lockable BDC turrets and a Half-Mil-Dot multi-stadia reticle, it still manages to boast a long list of shooter-friendly attributes. Oh, and it even comes with flip-up lens covers, a larger P/A sidewheel, a sunshade, a zoom throw lever and two-piece mounts.

As a brand, PAO – Professional Airgun Optics – is both well-known to and respected by airgunners. Its offerings invariably over-deliver in terms of performance and build quality versus price, and this new HD MAX is no exception. Despite its impressive USP and accessory-packed box, the £239.99 Ultra Compact managed to match and, even, outshine my raised expectations.

How does the HD MAX lens coating affect light gathering?

In terms of the sight picture, nothing has been lost to the uniquely squat format. As its HD MAX moniker suggests, PAO has chosen high-definition coatings on its new scope’s lenses. By also choosing a 44mm diameter objective and pairing it with a 30mm body tube, this results in a bright and clear target image.

The extra 4mm of a 44mm diameter objective sounds like a 10% improvement over a standard 40mm lens. Actually, though, it’s significantly greater in terms of the all-important “light gathering” surface area – 21% more to be exact. So, while there aren’t many zoom scopes that can handle dim lighting on 16x power, you’re not forced to wind down the magnification with this little PAO.

Is the PAO Ultra Compact suitable for spring rifles and recoil?

In my opinion, the new PAO’s diminutive size is going to appeal to shooters who prefer lightweight springers, but who find conventional high-magnification scopes simply too cumbersome. As the Ultra Compact has been engineered for “all recoil” levels, I tested it on a variety of springers and can report that the scope held its zero perfectly. Its short length didn’t interfere with break-action rifles and its light weight also helped combat the “creep” that heavy scopes often suffer under recoil.

How does the Half-Mil-Dot FFP reticle work for rangefinding?

If the Ultra Compact’s diminutive size is its main USP, a close second is its glass-etched reticle. Set in the first focal plane (FFP), PAO dubs it a Half-Mil-Dot (HMD) crosshair. Based on milliradian dimensions (MILs or MRADs), it’s incredibly practical. Because its FFP layout means that both the target and crosshair remain in constant proportion, I was able to use it for range-finding across the entire zoom range.

What is the minimum parallax distance on the PAO HD MAX?

One unique feature about this short PAO’s design is that parallax error can be dialled down to just three yards. Most conventional 16-magnification scopes struggle to get below 10 yards, making this scope ideal if you practice on a short-range garden or garage set-up. On full power, the point at which the target “snaps” into sharp focus is extremely prominent, allowing for very accurate range estimation when using the included 60mm side wheel.

Does the PAO HD MAX use MOA or MRAD turret adjustments?

I was very pleased to see that this scope’s elevation and windage turrets feature 1/4 MOA clicks rather than 0.1 MRAD. Minute-of-angle (MOA) is a much finer measurement over typical airgun distances, allowing for a more precise zero. At 25 metres, an MOA turret shifts the point-of-impact by around 1.5mm per click, compared to 2.5mm for an MRAD unit. The turrets are also “pull-to-adjust” and “push-to-lock,” ensuring your zero stays put in the field.

Is the PAO HD MAX Ultra Compact worth the money?

Performance-wise, this scope is more than a match for any of its rivals in the sub-£250 sector. What really elevates the Ultra Compact into a league of its own is its size. How PAO has squeezed 4-16x performance into an optic not much bigger than the palm of your hand is quite an achievement. In all other respects, this scope is short on nothing!