Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics S&B 6x42 riflescope?

Yep, I like mine very much. Bought them out of the classifieds. Bargains that way.

You are preaching to the choir, Bob...

I own and use the fixed S&B. Speaking strictly to low light, they outperform S&B's variables--for me. I have compared them side by side...and Swaro...and whatever, for 20 years of buying and comparing, specifically for low light performance.

OTOH, I certainly would not disagree with John. To me, it is the same as the endlessly repetitive cartridge arguments--and somewhere, sometime, the statistical difference on paper may manifest in the field and actually turn out to make a practical difference on game. How much money, or rather what percentage of the budget gets allocated to that margin?

I like to hedge my bets--have never hunted the east but Maine looks familiar. For me, hunting whitetail in the Great Lakes, the Midwest, and Canada, a great binocular will always outdo a great scope in making IDs-- and yeah, it getting pretty dark if you can ID it with the bino and then shoot the wrong whitetail. Others of us have done that, too...and the wrong deer may not have had horns...:)

But if it was a 2.5-8x Leupold duplex, then it was the reticle--not the glass...just saying.

Now if someone read what I said and then had a cat because his or her new 2500 dollar scope has a wow factor of ten and clear as crystal, then they missed my point. I have a friend that busted a marmot at over 1200 yards with his S&B. Magnification and glass quality was what he told me--I believe him and would take his advice.

But if a guy is shooting far, it isn't lowest light. In lowest light, fixed power scopes with wire reticles end up in first place. fwiw, imho, bwtfdik...

Eurooptic has the A7 reticle alloy version on sale as a demo for $290 off. I ordered one and will replace a Swaro Z3 with it on a CZ550 in 30-06.

This isn't vehement, but a reason why. Leupold 6x42. Shot at around 200 and the Deer walked off. By the time I walked the distance I was reaching for the flashlight to look for blood. Heard him kick and he was about 20yards from where he stood at the shot.

Think the S&B would have made a difference? You bought what you want, others didn't. Brag up your choice if you want, but why not "Let it go" when others don't look at it the same.

Well you done went and blew it Bob....I knew that you knew.

I'm always curious if the posters I quote/question are talking out their wazooo, or really believe some of the crap they post, ya know? Most of the time they're just talking out their wazooo.

in case you haven't checked..these are the subtensions I had in my notes when purchasing the S&B--wouldn't hurt to confirm

A4 Reticle
6x covers .60"
8x covers .50"

center section between heavy posts
6x - 25.20"
8x - 26.20"

We all have our experiences, which is probably why we use what we use if I were guessing. 95% of the time I'm in the field I either have a Swaro SLC HD, Gold Ring HD, or Meopta HD around my neck, all in 10x42. They are all superb. I've noticed that if I cannot make out/determine/judge a shooter buck through my binos, then there's no use in looking through whatever scope I may be using at the time, euro stuff included.

To my eyes, as the light wanes the Z3 was noticeably better than the VX3. Only when you get to the VX-6 compared to the Z3 did it become even (Z3 still edged it out by a hair to my eyes at last light).

That's strictly comparing optics/glass.

When one factors in the reticles, Leupold IMHO pulls ahead as Swaro has some piss poor reticles. Too thin/fine and spaced too far apart for my tastes.

I have the Z6 as well. Glass is indeed extremely good. However, again, the reticle choices are piss poor.

IIRC, the AV & Z3 have a wire reticle. When the AV first came out, they passed more light thru than the PH...according to the catalog.

Agree 100%.

I stated in the other thread the Z3's have served me well in the 40mm objectives. I don't care for the larger ones. I do have a couple of Z5's.

My comparison is based on the M8 6x42 vs. the Z3 & Z5. I did not own any newer Leupold's at the point of comparison.

Relaoder,
this might update your perspective a bit so I will share. I bought a VX3, set it to 6x and compared it at length against my M8 6x42 in fading light. To my surprise the VX was brighter and just better in every way. No doubt a new FX-3 would be even brighter. EFW now has my old M8 and has just bought a FX3 6x36. Hoping he can do a comparison.

I haven't shot mine yet, but I am extremely surprised by how large it is. I am not going to use it on the rifle I was planning to because of this. It is light compared to variables, but the physical dimensions are rather large. Here it is compared to a few scopes I had on hand.

From bottom to top: 2.5-10x42 Nightforce NXS Compact, Zeiss Victory Diavari 1.5-6x42 *T, S&B Klassik 6x42, S&B PM II 3-12x50.


Next to the Zenith 1.5-6x42. The biggest difference between them appears to be an etched reticle in the Zeith and a wire reticle in the Klassik. Physically it is longer and sleeker than the Zenith.

A few years ago I had an M8 6x42 MC4 Heavy Duplex and FX3 6x42 Duplex side by side. In failing light the heavy would have allowed aiming for several minutes longer. As it's been said, reticles matter. FWIW They both worked better than a $1200 scope I'd never have. Maybe it's time for an all out 6x scopeapaloosa, everything from Chinascopes, Weaver, SWFA, Leupy, Meopta, IOR, S&B?

Well I have and had a few Weaver K6's, still have a Burris 6x40, a Meopta Artemis 6x42 and had an M8 so i might have a clue. Nikon and Sightron appear to have left the 6x42 building so for a new model I guess it comes down to Meopta versus Leupold. Likely little optical difference between the two except that I am partial to the Meopta #4 reticle. Leupold weighs a maybe two ounces less. Slight edge in FOV to Meopta..I think. I would love either one.

Does anyone have a pic of one of these actually mounted on a rifle?

Trying to decide between the SB 6x42 or a Z6 1.7-10 for a plains game/do it all rifle.

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CZ 550

BTW, the newest 6X42 Leupolds are 11 ozs., not the 13.5 ozs. they list on their website. Weighed mine when I bought it.
The other thing I really like about the Leupold are the super tough coatings they use. Important if you have to clean your glass much. E

Always put those big S&Bs in detachable rings. That way if you wound a critter, you can save ammo by beating it to death.