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#10731194 11/27/15
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I'm just not too familiar with them. I hear great things but what sets them apart and what do they compare to?

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If you measure rifle scopes by optical quality and light weight, there isn't much to get excited about - SWFA SS's are heavy and there glass/coatings are middle of the pack for the price point.

If you measure optics by durability, retained zero, returning to zero, accurate reticles turrets that track reliably over and over again, and range of tracking, then SWFA SS's are about the best bargain available.

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Was wondering the same as Drummond...thanks for the explanation C9...


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Originally Posted by Canazes9
If you measure rifle scopes by optical quality and light weight, there isn't much to get excited about - SWFA SS's are heavy and there glass/coatings are middle of the pack for the price point.

If you measure optics by durability, retained zero, returning to zero, accurate reticles turrets that track reliably over and over again, and range of tracking, then SWFA SS's are about the best bargain available.

David


Are you saying that holds over all the SS price points which do vary quite a bit?

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Originally Posted by Canazes9
If you measure optics by durability, retained zero, returning to zero, accurate reticles turrets that track reliably over and over again, and range of tracking, then SWFA SS's are about THE best bargain available.


+1

They're currently having a Black Friday sale. Fixed 6x & 10x for under 260 and a 1-4 with illuminated reticle for under 300 are fantastic bargains.

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Only thing I would add is the excellent customer service from Chris Farris and his crew, in the unlikely event that you have an issue.

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Originally Posted by huntsonora
I'm just not too familiar with them. I hear great things but what sets them apart and what do they compare to?


Me too....

They seem to be the rage right now and it makes me wonder if I'm missing the boat by not getting in on the Black Friday sale or wait 6 months until they start showing up in the classifieds.

Thanks for the info C9 and Fos.

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Originally Posted by Canazes9
I.

If you measure optics by durability, retained zero, returning to zero, accurate reticles turrets that track reliably over and over again, and range of tracking, then SWFA SS's are about the best bargain available.

David


that to me is what matters most.what good is a scope you can trust mechanically it can have glass made by god but if the mechanicals cant be trust what is the point. I will take cheap glass and robust mechanicals any day.

the one thing about the SS series is they are marketed primarily to the tactical crowd. Most of them are mil scopes with ffp reticles. not ideal for hunting nor are the fixed pwer scopes. i am going to get a 20x model for load development

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Chris Ferris, owner of SWFA has come up with some gems over the years.

You, me, or anyone else can go to an optics maker, give them your specs and price point and they will contract to produce scopes.

About 20 years ago, he took a Swaro and a Schmidt & Bender to Hakko, a Japanese optics maker. They produce any thing from medical grade microscopes to binos and rifle scopes. Told them to reverse engineer the German scopes and come up with something that approaches them at a much lower price. He got them made and sold them under the brand Tasco Eurscope/Titan. This was when George Rosenfield still owned Tasco.

These were first called Tasco Euroscopes, then they they had a revision and became Titans. I have several and have hunted in the US, Europe, Africa, and Argentina with them and never had a failure with any of them. They still sell for several hundreds bucks used on Ebay when they come up. People who have had them love them.

The Super Sniper line came out of Tasco putting in a bid for a military contract for a sniper scope. Rosenfield had the specs drawn up, the scopes made and submitted for the military contract. The scope faired well, but was not ultimately chosen.

Rosenfield sold Tasco to Celestron, who lost interest in riflescopes of quality and contracted all the lines out to China, and hense the Walmart reputation of what was once a decent scope for the cash (Tasco Worldclass Japan).

Farris knew that Hakko was sitting on a design for a very rugged scope, and went to them and contracted a run of them. No marketing expense, no advertising expense, no middle men all equals a $1200 scope for $300.

I have a 6 X 42 Super Sninper and think it is great. It is heavy, the turrets protrude more than I'd like on a sporting rifle, but so what'I think the summation by C9 about is accurate. I think a little more of the lens coatings than he, but not enough to pick a fight.

So there you go...


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Originally Posted by mathman
Originally Posted by Canazes9
If you measure rifle scopes by optical quality and light weight, there isn't much to get excited about - SWFA SS's are heavy and there glass/coatings are middle of the pack for the price point.

If you measure optics by durability, retained zero, returning to zero, accurate reticles turrets that track reliably over and over again, and range of tracking, then SWFA SS's are about the best bargain available.

David


Are you saying that holds over all the SS price points which do vary quite a bit?


I haven't seen every scope they make, but in general, yes I think it's true. Top quality glass and coatings are very expensive, often only providing minor incremental improvements in optic quality - that's not where SWFA spent their money.

I'm not saying their glass sucks, its pretty good. But if you had $600 to spend and want the best glass you can get in a 3-9x42, the SWFA SS isn't it. Same is true for their 3-15x42. I haven't looked through their 5-20x50. I hear the glass is quite good, but again, I'm betting that if you spent that kind of money and were only concerned with optical quality you could do slightly better for the money.



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The one I have is a 6x42. It looks pretty darn clear for a $299 scope, and that's on top of its mechanical virtues. I've not tried the models you mentioned.

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Originally Posted by mathman
The one I have is a 6x42. It looks pretty darn clear for a $299 scope, and that's on top of its mechanical virtues. I've not tried the models you mentioned.


Agreed on the 6x42 being excellent for the money. In my opinion, it is the absolute value leader in the SWFA SS line.

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Mechanically they are one of the two most solid scopes lines made. The other being Nightforce. They work.


Have had dozens of SWFA's on the range, on hunting rifles and at work. The fixed powers optically are similar to Leupold VX2. The 3-9x42mm is closer to VX3 and the 5-20x HD model has fantastic resolution and color rendition and is very, very bright. .

Having said that, "glass" is the least important feature of a scope as they are aiming devices, not bird watching devices, and for what matters in a scope, they are at the top of the heap.

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Nothing else like them. SWFA is giving the little guy the chance to run an absolutely reliable scope for just three bills. I've tried the 3-9, a 6x, and the 10x. The 10X w/Mil Quad for open country sold me completely on the scope and reticle. Zero complaint about "glass" or weight for what it does. Easy resale used.... Originally thought the MilDot might be best but the MQ is great. For any application one would want to dial for distance, these are the heavy duty bargain of the industry. That's why so many guys are ditching the other stuff to run them. That's why folks in the know, right here on the Fire, not just mall ninjas, are saying "buy SWFA!". The offers of 20% and 25% off already awesome prices is like Mr Farris handing you cash just to try them.

Dead nuts reliable FFP MIL/MIL for $300 $260 with rings and bubble level! With a forever warranty and an easy resale value of, well $260. What is there to loose?
[Linked Image]

Or the 3-9x42 FFP Mil Quad for $450 right now.
[Linked Image]

Or the Illuminati 1-4x24 for $300!
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Take it from someone new to dialing.....the 6X42 MQ is not hard to like.

After tutorial from Big Stick, less than 30 rounds under it with two loads and both loads are finding a 6" bull at 600 yards.

That's using either the reticle,or the turrets.Tracking is very good,reliable.

Maybe I'm less fussy but I find that the optics don't require any apologies.My eyes are 65 years old.

I've been having so much fun at 600 yards I have not even gotten around to the ritual of shooting "groups" at 100 yards. Frankly, who needs it? smile




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I wouldn't say the glass is middle of the road. I have a 5-20HD and it is very nice optically. Tough as they come.

You don't buy a SS for the "glass". You buy it for durability and repeatability. You could go buy a new Zeiss Terra and it would have better glass than a 6X SS but which will have the durability to not let you down when you need it? And I own a Terra 3-9.

Look at all the leupold threads on here. They regularly go TU and people complain. Not many out on the WWW about a SS. There are some but not many.

I will leave you this. On Snipers Hide one of the mods (who competes regularly) ditched his highend scopes, night forces and S&Bs, when the SS 5-20HD came out. Not sure if he has kept them or switched again but he felt there was a better mouse trap with the SS.


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Thanks guys! Dogshooter swears by them and I trust his judgement completely but wanted a better explanation I guess

That being said, what would you guys recommend for my 260 that will be used shooting anything g from coyotes to deer in relatively open country


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Originally Posted by huntsonora
Thanks guys! Dogshooter swears by them and I trust his judgement completely but wanted a better explanation I guess

That being said, what would you guys recommend for my 260 that will be used shooting anything g from coyotes to deer in relatively open country

I am using the 3 x 15 for hunting. Killed a lot of coyotes and several deer now and it works great. Rock solid adjustments and return to zero. Had one on my 243 for a year and a half now in the truck almost every day using it for work. One hunt into the Bob Marshall wilderness on horses. Through it all I have had to adjust my scope 1 horizontal click at 200yds.lots of twisting on the knobs too. Pretty reliable.

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10x MQ would fit the bill nicely.

I have run quite a few of the SS series. I had the 5x20 HD and loved it, perfect corrections and great glass. My 3x9s have middle of the pack glass but the most important feature of a scope is holding zero and tracking. If these were binos or a spotting scope I would be disappointed but I have never had them let me down in the field.

I have a pair of 1x4 coming, one for the AR and the other for the .35 Whelen. I am down to only two non SWFA scopes as of now.


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I need to order one but sorry I'm going the MOA route, my brain has been too wired for that for the past decade.


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