The new version is. The original HD version that has the mil-quad within a circle is 1st FP. It is still available. The reticle is MORE than daylight bright, uses a common 2032 coin-type battery that'll last about a week left on. The cap carries a spare. I don't think a person could pick a better scope for the woods. I have one of the new versions on the way as well.
Now, having had a chance to use the 3-9x42 for 4-5 months and hunt with it, the reticle seems MUCH thicker than the 6x42. The reticle on the 3-9x42 is well suited for low light use or precision short to mid range shooting, I like the 3-9x42 reticle better.
David,
As much as I like the MQ reticle, I think the regular Mil-dot would be worth considering with the fixed-6x.
Now, having had a chance to use the 3-9x42 for 4-5 months and hunt with it, the reticle seems MUCH thicker than the 6x42. The reticle on the 3-9x42 is well suited for low light use or precision short to mid range shooting, I like the 3-9x42 reticle better.
David,
As much as I like the MQ reticle, I think the regular Mil-dot would be worth considering with the fixed-6x.
Jason
Agreed - I wish they offerred the mil-dot reticle with mil turrets.
Last night I spent a little time comparing the SS 6x42 to my Leupold LRD 6x42 and my SS 3-9x42 set on 6x and 9x. I wasn't really trying to compare the scopes optically, merely trying to determine if I could see the reticle till the end of legal shooting light. The Leupold did appear to be slightly brighter than either SS at 6x, but not by much. In my experience, if I can still see the reticle in the shadows of my backyard on a cloudy night at last light with my eyes unadjusted to the dark, the reticle will work in the twighlight of a real hunting situation when my eyes have had a chance to adjust.
The Leupold LRD reticle was clearly visible 30min after sunset. Past testing at home and in the field has shown that it is easy to see the reticle till the end of legal shooting light.
The SS 3-9x42 worked about as well as the Leupold on 9x, clearly visible past legal shooting light. On 6x the 3-9x42 reticle was visible in my backyard till about exactly the end of legal shooting light. In the field with my eyes adjusted on a recent hunting trip, I fould the reticle on the 3-9x42 set at 6x still visible on two evenings about 10 min after legal shooting light.
The SS 6x42 I have only tested in the backyard. About 5min before the end of legal shooting light, the reticle became difficult to use. Obviously, I don't have field time with this scope in these conditions, but I'm betting that in actual use the reticle will still be usable at the end of last light most of the time.
I took the SS 6x42 to the range today, mounted on my Montana 7mm-08. As often happens, for better or worse, my opinion of the scope and the reticle began to change once I started shooting with it. Shooting from 100-500 yards the reticle made it surprisingly easy to precisely place hits. I'm aware of the usual target techniques to shoot lower magnification scopes at longer distances - they weren't needed with this reticle.
The scope performed as it should, clicks matched prescribed values precisly to the 500yd line and it returned to zero precisily after shooting ~30 rounds from 300-500, adjusting the turrett for each shot. The parallex was still set at 500yds from when Rick had it and I saw no reason to adjust it. I did not notice any parallex from 100-500. Initial sighters to get on paper at 50 did have a little parallex when set at 500yds, I did not attempt to adjust it out - once I got on paper, I zeroed at 100yds.
I'm starting to feel some love for this SS 6x42. It may find a permanent home on the Montana!
The 10x42 Mil Quad Worked Fine for me in low light,I killed a doe on opening day 15 minutes after sundown in a cut over ricefield 250 yards. Next week I went back and Killed a 9 point 5 minutes after sundown in the same field at 125 yards. No problem seeing the reticle at all. Now I expect that in deep woods the reticle would not be that visible at sundown but in the fields where I hunt mostly the reticle works great. Seeing how the 6x42 is going to be brighter than the 10x42 I would expect no issues seeing and using the Mil Quad reticle at any legal shooting time.
I recently acquired a 6x with Mil Dot and would send it your way for a side by side with the 6x Mil-Quad. That said, I have a 3-9 MQ coming so I could compare those. Just like you did, for sighting utility in low light.
I recently acquired a 6x with Mil Dot and would send it your way for a side by side with the 6x Mil-Quad. That said, I have a 3-9 MQ coming so I could compare those. Just like you did, for sighting utility in low light.
Any thoughts?
I've been looking at the specs comparing the two (mil dot vs mil-quad). It appears as if the there may be a slight advantage to the mil-quad looking at the size specs. I don't think there is anything I'm doing in my backyard that would justify a cross country round trip for your mil-dot 6x42. It will be interesting to hear you thoughts comparing the 3-9x42 reticle to the 6x42 mil dot. While the 6x42 mil-quad is definitely a fine (thin) reticle, I believe it will prove to be sufficiently useful for my needs. Shooting it today at the range really made me appreciate the precision it was capable of.
I ordered a pair o 10X mil-quads yesterday. I'd like to order about ten scopes in various flavors, but I'm afeared of what next month's Visa bill is already going to look like.
Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery. --Winston Churchill
Don't have the 3-15x42mm in hand yet, but the specs sure do make it out to be a pig of a scope. Going to mount it to my son's Kimber 8400 Montana .270WSM for giggles. Hell, the 8400 is heavier and the stocks contours and ergo's aren't as svelte as it's 84M brethren, so perhaps the pig scope will balance it out! lol
You're gonna flip your rifle over.....Shot a deer yesterday with a 3-9 SS all setup for long range. At 35 yards I had a bunch of mils lined up on him. Bedded on plains on a windy day and snuck up on him. That scope does track great though if needed.
Taking out my 5 pound 12 ounce or so 223 with a 6x ss to bust some dogs this weekend. Hope it stays upright.