Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Where do Sightron scopes fall in the hierarchy of scopes?

I have some S1 and S2 series Sightron scopes and like them, with the exception of the 3-9x32RF.

S1 1x20
S1 2.5x20
S1 2.5-10x44
S1 3-9x32RF
S1 3-9x40
S1 4-12x40AO

S2 2.5-7x32
S2 2.5-10x32
S2 3-8x42
S2 3-9x42

They seem like good scopes, but they don't seem to get a lot of love. None of my friends own any, even though I've recommended them, recently the 4-12x40AO S1s.

What other scopes do you have?

Sightrons were the new darlings of the "informed internet optics experts" a few years back. I tried one {s1 3-9x40} for awhile, wasn't impressed, sold it and moved back to my old standby's. At the time I bought the s-1 you could get a Weaver classic v-9 for just 20.00 more and the Weaver was quite clearly superior. Vortex is now the new internet darling and although I have checked them out I won't be buying and will stick with the old tried and true brands.

I look at Sightron like I do Vortex and Minox. No real advantage to anything they make over other brands that are already proven in the field. I've guided, or helped guide over 100 hunters in the past 11-12 years and I've never seen the first Sightron, Vortex, Nikon, or Minox rifle scope show up in camp.

Alphabetically:

Ajack
B&L
BSA
Bushnell
Cabela's
Herter's
Kollmorgan
L.M. Dickson
Leupold
Litschert
Lyman
Maxwell Smith
Nikon
Norman Ford
Pentex
Redfield (Denver)
Redfield (Reborn)
Savage-Suwa
Sightron
Simmons
Stith (Kollmorgan)
Stith (Weaver)
Tasco
Unertl
Universal
Weaver (El Paso)
Weaver (Reborn)
Zeiss

A couple of European sniper scopes, British, Swiss, and Swedish, that I'm not sure about their actual manufacturer.

The S1 4-12x40 AO for under $150 seems like a pretty good value. Those that I have bought have worked well on the 17HM2, 223, 243, and 6.5 Creedmoors that I've put them on.

I've got a 4x16 SII that I've had for nearly 20 years. It's been a good scope. I'd put it with Weavers and Bushnells, I suppose. Basically, good serviceable scopes that will do the job without any fuss and for less money than some of the other more storied brands.

I have heard that the Big Sky scopes are in a much higher class than the normal Sightrons but I've never laid eyes on any of them.

Thats a long list....where do they fall in your hierarchy of scopes?

My very limited experience is with a single SII 3-9x42. I bought one several years ago out of curiosity and was sorely disappointed. To my eye, it was not as sharp, nor as bright as a Redfield Revolution. Eye relief was worse and the eyebox was terrible causing a complete "blackout" with the slightest movement. To me, they are very low in the hierarchy of hunting scopes, but I read plenty of good things about them over and over on the internet so clearly they appeal to some folks.

Perhaps their appeal is with non hunting applications...

Slightly edited to reflect my own experience. One thing I will admit is that the adjustments and tracking were superb.
I put it down to a bad model as others who bought it had similar comments. I have never hear a negative word on a Big Sky or SIII.

In my hierarchy the S1s and S2s would fall into the same bucket as mid-grade Nikons, Denver Redfields, and reborn Weavers.

I have five mounted on what I would consider to be 1st tier rifles. A 2.5-10x32 on a Winchester 70 Ultimate Shadow in 500 S&W and 4-12x40 AOs on a Marlin 917M2 in 17HM2, Remington 700 SPSs in 223 and 243, and a Weatherby Vanguard 2 in 6.5 Creedmoor.

I have a 6x42 big sky I'd put up against most anything I've sern under $1k

Everyone has their own opinion and mine is that Sightron SII and SIII series are really nice scopes. I thought they were very sharp and had more then enough eye relief. I wouldn't hesitate to put one on any rifle I own.
Although I don't own one I have looked thru several of the Big Sky series scopes and found them to be very nice.

Big skys and s3's are about the best value for scopes going IMHO...

If you look at the specs you'll see that like a lot of companies Sightron offers from entry level to much higher. Specifically the S11 Big Sky models and the S111 have much upgraded glass and features. Basically they are the same line, the big sky with 1 inch tube the S111 30mm.

I only have experience with my S11 Big Sky 6.5-20x50 LRMOA which is mounted on a 223 target rifle. The clarity is outstanding although not completely to the edges but its a huge sweet spot and its sweet. I understand the 111s fair better here. The erector system does not disappoint. I was looking for advice for decent glass that wouldn't break the bank on my first bench rifle and this scope was recommended to me as a foot in the door at well under a grand from a fellow who shoots a lot of 1000yd competitively and on the world stage in the past. I'm quite happy with it.

I don't have any experience with them in hunting applications but I use a Sightron SII 36X and a Sightron Big Sky 36X for .22 rimfire benchrest competition. The SII was purchased over 10 years ago and still sits atop my favorite comp rifle. The Big Sky is on my back-up. The optics are clear enough for me to see the very small dot that we shoot at at 50 yd and 50 meters. The best part for me is the easy, positive and repeatable windage and elevation adjustments. There might be slightly clearer scopes out there but that doesn't interest me as much as the accuracy of the adjustments. For me, first and foremost, a rifle scope is an aiming device. How it holds zero and the accuracy of the adjustments are of utmost importance to me. When I need the bullet to move 1/16" at 50 yards, one click gets it done. That's all I care about.

I see quite a few Sightrons on our 600-1000 yard local club. Schmitt & Bender Rep told me @shot show Sightron patented tracking is probably the best on the market.

I sold 6 Nightforce NXS's and am slowly replacing them with SIII's, mostly 8-32's with the LRMOA reticle/exposed turrets. I love that reticle.

S3's have a large following and are known to track well.

The optics are a step above many other scopes in the same price range.

I have experience with the Si, Sii and Big Sky. The optics on the Big Sky is really good, the image is crisp and clear and it tracks well. I would put it somewhere between a VX2 and VX3. I have not hunted this rifle very hard though and have yet to see how it will hold up.

The Si is on my friend's rifle now and is way better in low light than my Nikon Fieldmaster (called something else in the US but falls between the Monarch and pro staff). The Si is on a 30-06 and have never lost ZERO. My friend hunted the rifle and scope pretty hard over the last two years. The rifle took two huge knocks (he tripped and fell), where in both cases the scope got dented and did not lose zero.

The Sii is also on a 30-06 and has been flawless for three and a half years. The rifle was also hunted pretty hard and fired more than a 1000 rounds.

I think they are hard to beat for what you pay for them.

Pieter