Last updated on September 19th, 2025
I recently had the chance to run the new Discovery Optics XED 6-36×56 SFIR FFP-Z through its paces. Designed for long range shooting with a first focal plane reticle, 6–36x magnification, 56mm objective lens, and ED glass this scope claims serious performance for a pretty good price. After time on the range, here’s what stood out.
Discovery Optics @PrecisionRifle
Optical Quality
The clarity of the ED (Extra low Dispersion) glass is noticeable straight out of the box which I was worried about being a budget long distance scope. Colours are true to life, with no artificial tint or hue, and sharpness stays consistent across the field of view even when scanning. Chromatic aberration was minimal, only showing faintly around high contrast edges if I really looked for it. For practical shooting at the price point, it’s not an issue for me.
Thanks to fully multi coated lenses and sunshade, glare can be kept in check even in low angle sunlight. Light transmission is great, especially at low mag, making the scope still surprisingly usable around dawn and dusk. At 6x to 15x looking downrange with my Tikka T1x, the image remains bright. At 36x, as expected, the image darkens and physics catches up with that 1.5mm exit pupil. Still, resolution holds up pretty well at high power. I found 24–30x to be the sweet spot for my long range .22 work.
Importantly, no major optical quirks no fisheye distortion or strange edge effects were found. Contrast stays solid, aiding in spotting impacts. Overall, the XED performed really well, offering clarity, colour fidelity, and detail that rivals other scopes in the price bracket.
Reticle
I have the MRAD “Christmas tree” reticle, but there’s also an MOA variant. The reticle is etched, illuminated, and in the First Focal Plane meaning it scales with magnification, keeping holdovers consistent at all magnification levels. At 6x it’s fine but usable, at 36x, it’s detailed without obscuring targets too much thanks to the floating dot. The layout is clean with plenty of reference points for wind and elevation holdovers.
Illumination is red with six brightness levels. It’s great for low light but won’t compete with daylight nor is it really meant to. There’s no light bleed or halo effect even at max brightness, and the control is integrated into the left side parallax turret for easy access.
The reticle’s features shine when holding for wind or drop. Shooting in breezy conditions, I found it intuitive to make holdovers, with the fine hash marks offering good reference marks without too much clutter. It’s a busy reticle like all Christmas tree styles, but functional once you are familiar. These capabilities in an optic speeds up follow up shots by eliminating the need to dial every time. But if you prefer a cleaner reticle, this might not be the optic for you.
Turrets
Like other scopes from Discovery I have used, I know they like their oversized comp style turrets. The turrets on the new model keep the tactical theme and are on the larger side, luckily with audible, tactile 0.1 MRAD clicks. The elevation travel is a massive 35 MRAD, and windage offers about 18 MRAD thanks to the big 35mm tube. That’s more than enough for most peoples long distance work.
Click feel is solid, though not ultra crisp like you will find on a high end scope, its good for the price point. There’s a faint hint of play if you overshoot and reverse direction, but in actual use the adjustments were accurate and tracked perfectly well. I ran a box test at the range and it returned to zero without issue. There’s a little reminder on the elevation turret that tracking is guaranteed wit this scope just in case you forget.
A zero stop is included and easy to set just loosen a set screw, rotate the internal collar, and lock it down. Once set, I could dial up for distance and always return to my 100m zero. The turrets don’t lock, so some caution is needed when moving the rifle around. In fixed positions like the bench or prone, this wasn’t a problem for me. For hunters or dynamic shooting, a quick turret check before each shot wouldn’t be a bad idea.
Magnification & Focus
The magnification ring offers a massive 6x to 36x range. It was stiff out of the box, but luckily Discovery Optics include a throw lever that makes it a lot more manageable. I kept it installed, and it made mag range adjustments a lot more smooth.
The side parallax knob focuses from 40 yards to infinity and worked smoothly through its range. Focus was found cleanly at each distance I tested. The turret is large and grippy, making it easy to adjust without breaking position. The fast focus eyepiece also held its position well after initial setup. At max magnification, the field of view narrows significantly around 0.9m at 100m but that’s typical. For finding targets, I’d often start at 12x–15x, then crank the magnification once on target. This combo made for faster engagement while still taking advantage of that big zoom range. The scope offers 95mm of eye relief, plenty for folks like me that wear glasses.
Build Quality
Out of the box it feels solid. The 35mm maintube helps with the robust design, with a matte black anodised finish that’s so far resisted scuffs. It’s a hefty optic at 1.28kg with caps and sunshade but that weight adds stability on a precision shooting setup which I dont mind. Different story for a hunting rifle. Discovery Optics rates the new scope as shockproof, waterproof, and fog proof. I haven’t seen ant shift in zero or had any effects from weather. The finish held up to mounting and minor knocks just fine.
For the price point it sits in, all the features feel well thought out. Turrets tracked, threads were smooth, and the included accessories including the sunshade, flip caps, rings, throw lever, scope level were all solid. The included 35mm scope rings do the job and attached onto my Tikka T1X’s picatinny rail. Overall its a well built, no nonsense scope that can handle serious use. The fact that it comes with a lifetime warranty is an added bonus too.
In the Field
Once mounted and a few sessions under the belt I know it’s not a do it all scope. It’s a scope for entry level long distance work. It’s way too large and heavy for most hunting rifles but from a mat or bipod, it does its job. I do alot of shooting on a tripod as it offers good stability and it can be more comfortable.
At the range I appreciated the clarity and detail in the resolution, picking out tiny .22 bullet holes at 100m, seeing trace, and reading mirage became easier. The reticle’s tree design let me hold for wind or drop without ever needing to touch the turrets. When I did dial, the huge turrets made quick, accurate changes a breeze.
For target-rich environments like varmint fields, I kept it around 10x–15x and zoomed in as needed. At 6x, the field of view is ~6m at 100m not massive, but serviceable for scanning. For PRS-style timed stages, I could see this scope being slower to acquire targets unless you plan your power setting strategically.
The tight eye box at high zoom meant I had to get into solid position before making precision shots but once there, the image stayed clear and stable. I wouldn’t use it for hunting on foot or snap shooting, but for any deliberate, precision-based use, it’s well suited.
Summing Up
At around $700 USD (roughly $1,000 AUD after taxes/import), the Discovery XED delivers tremendous value. Comparable scopes from bigger brands easily cost 2–3x more. The feature set ED glass, FFP reticle, massive adjustment range, throw lever, sunshade, rings is usually reserved for much pricier models.
I’ve also used Discovery’s ED-PRS 5-25×56, which is excellent for its price. The XED builds on that with more magnification, more internal travel, and upgraded controls. If you don’t need 36x or the extra elevation, the 5-25x is a great budget option. But for stretching the legs, the XED is the better tool.
Other brands are pushing into the sub $1000 range with similar offerings, but in my view the XED’s optical clarity and thoughtful design place it at the top of the heap. It delivers 90% of what you’d get from a $1,500+ optic, and for many shooters, that last 10% isn’t worth the 25% extra spend.
Plus, it’s a scope I feel comfortable actually using not babying. If it gets a scratch, so be it. It’s built to be used hard. And if something goes wrong, Discovery’s lifetime warranty is there.
PRECISIONRIFLE
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