Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Schmidt Bender Pros & Cons

What are the Pros & Cons of using a SB. What other scopes are just as good or better? Your opinions are appreciated.

Excellent optical quality and reportedly high reliability. The 30 mm tube scope I tested was heavy and bulky in comparison to other scopes.

jim

I own one S & B 1.5-6x42 and 3 Zeiss 1.5-6x42. I have used and compared the near identical Swaro. I do not see any appreciable difference other than price.

Excellent glass just to heavy.

My taste in optics dates back to the Civil War,but on the advise of some good folks on here who know their stuff, I got a S&B Summit 2.5-10X40.

This is not a small scope,but trimmer than many 30mm Euro's,and not at all burdensome.I can't claim vast experience with it yet,but so far...................I love that Summit!!

I have a S&B Zenith and a Zeiss Victory Diavari. To my eyes, the S&B just edges out the Zeiss.

However, it comes at a price. In this case, several hundred $$ and 6+ ounces heavier.

+1.....IMO they are the best of the best...been using them exclusively since 2001....heavy = strength. Worth the extra $ to me...

I also just bought a S&B Summit 2.5-10x40 from Doug for my .257 Roberts (Happy birthday to me ) . It's a few ounces heavier than the 2.5-8x36 Leupold that was on it before, taking the rifle to a very tolerable all up weight to 8 lbs 9 ounces.

I have to say the scope clarity and eye relief is incredible. Is it worth about 2x the cost of the Leupy? I'm not sure yet. But it is very very nice and I'll deliver my final opinion after some time in the field (Axis hunt in Texas in April)

I don't care for the aesthetics of the logo on the side of the bell and the other bright silver lettering and I'm going to go with the tactical application of a sharpie or a little lacquer thinner on a Q-Tip and see what I can do about that.

Coin slot or finger adjustable small turrets under caps?

Finger adjustable but there's also a small phillips head that allows you to also spin a turret-like adjustment like a turret so your setting is at zero.

I'll bring it up when I pick up the wild boar hams.

Other scopes as good or better? S&B is at the top of the Pinnicale all by themselves

The cons are that they are heavy and very expensive.Its also very expensive in that you'll never be happy owning just one.Once you get one,rest assured you end up buying another.(Hear that BOB)

I've been using them exclusively for big game since 1986.I got side tracked this year and I wont be making that mistake again.

The pros are some of the best build quality you will ever run across in a rifle optic.I've had several 1.5-6x42s and there bomb proof.I have a 1.5-6x42 Flash Dot thats never let me down.I've got several other models and there just as good.
The euro models have a FFP reticle and a 30mm tube.The new Summit has a SFP reticle and a 1 inch tube.All mine are FFP reticles,and to me these days, a SFP reticle looks screwed up.But thats just me.
S&B sweats the details on there glass like no other company.

"The quality of the coatings utilized on rifle scope lenses (and the skill of the company applying them) are one of the most critical factors in determining the light transmission properties and low light performance of a scope. Good modern coatings are known as "broad band" coatings because they transmit a broad range of the visible light spectrum (i.e., 350 to 780 nm) with a high degree of efficiency. The weighting and mixture of different values of visible light are calculated as "day value" and "twilight value."

Lens coatings are carefully guarded secrets, formulated by skilled physicists. We calculate the makeup of our coatings in direct relation to the physical composition of the glass to which it is applied, since glass can react in differing ways to the same coating. Our coatings are weighted in favor of certain nanometer (color) values, giving preference to certain wave lengths which are most beneficial to the hunter under actual field conditions"

No one else puts this much effort into there glass.No one.If you buy one and spend some time with it.You'll find that out.

dave

how repeatable are the adjustments compared to leupold, nightforce, and the other high enders?

Nightforce and S&B adjustmeents are as precise and repeatable as it gets, S&B is the best lowlight sope that I have ever used and that includes Zeiss, Nightforce and Us Optics

thanks that is what i was wondering. i have a zeiss conquest in 3-9x and if the s&b is better than that in low-light that is saying something!-keith

Dave: I'm trying to ignore how nice it is......

I've used practically everything on the market for low-light/night hunting. Schmidt und Bender Zenith with Flash Dot is as good as it gets.... unless you upgrade to night vision.

Zeiss Victory Diavari is not far behind the S&B in my experience. The Flash Dot IMHO is what makes the Zenith stand out and trump the Zeiss.

Scenar: Accustomed as I am to things like 4X and 2.5-8X scopes, I'm fussy when it comes to too much weight in a scope....but I have to admit that the Summit,while about as "bulky" as a 3.5-10 Leup,really did not feel that "heavy" to me on the M70.....it sort of nicely balanced the whole rig off and made it very shootable......the very long eye relief(even at 10X)makes it very user friendly. No need to be concerned getting whacked with this thing....this scope could go on a 375H&H...no sweat

Bob,

Just to muddy the water a bit... If you really like the Summit, then you would love the Zeiss Victory Diavari 2.5-10x42mm. Weighs a bit less, and balances better. Not much bigger than a VX-III 3.5-10x40mm


**Picture "snagged" from BxRoads**

Stick a fork in you Bob.You're all done.You just dont know it yet.
Just ask jwp475.

dave