Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles Sneak Peek--SS1-4X24HD FFP Prototype!

Much better.

Any word on battery life?

No word on battery life yet. I asked but they don't have a firm number yet.

I had been meaning to update this for a while now, sorry for the delay, folks. First here are some pics to give you guys an idea what the reticles look like in open-spaces longer range use vs. the close range use of the pictures above. Please forgive some being out of focus--that's not a reflection of the optics of the scopes, I was just not having my best day with the camera.

100 yds, 12" Gong:





200 yds, 12" Gong:





300 yds, 15" Gong:





500 yds, 18X24" Gong:

[img]http://www.jonaadland.com/Hunting/SuperSniper/1-4X24/FinalReticles/PICT0081s.JPG[/img]

[img]http://www.jonaadland.com/Hunting/SuperSniper/1-4X24/FinalReticles/PICT0102s.JPG[/img]

Personally for this type of use, 100 yd+ on 4X, I like the T reticle better as it simply looks like a good tactical reticle you'd expect to find in a higher powered scope. Though I like the circle reticle better at close range on 1X.

Which one I like better I guess depends upon how I plan to use the scope the most. Luckily either will work for either use very well so it's hard to make a "wrong" choice. They're both very fast on 1X and at 4X both give a clear, uncluttered view of the target and about 25 mils around the target which few 1-4's that are fast on 1X provide.

OK, enough about the reticles. In the time I spent with these, the #2 biggest impression they made on me was the optics--specifically on 1X.

The S&B Short Dot is obviously very good. Despite being rated at 1.1X it's very easy and comfortable for me to use. My mind seems to pretty much cancel the difference in magnification through most of the FOV. Pretty much anything more than a few yards away I can look at with both eyes open and get a nice unity view through the scope--for most of the FOV.

Toward the edges of the FOV I see objects begin to separate and see them double, but only toward the edges. The "sweet spot" where I see objects as single entities is most of the FOV so I can use this scope well without really noticing the edges. There is a blue tint, but you don't really notice it too much unless you're comparing it side by side with the SS so it's not really a problem.

In short, it's hard to find much flaw with the Short Dot, obviously. It's a hell of a scope.

The SS, though, to my eyes provides an even better view on 1X. The "sweet spot" in these scopes is basically the entire FOV. With both eyes open I can track an object from the side, see it "enter the scope tube," track across the FOV and exit the tube with very little noticeable distortion of any sort. They provide the most "looking through the window of an Eotech or Aimpoint" or "looking through an empty tube" view I've seen. With both eyes open you need not do any mental tricks, concentrating on what one eye sees more, to have a very clear and undistorted view as if the scope wasn't there. There's no blue tint either.

The NF was a distant 3rd in this comparison. It's supposed to be a true 1X, so one might expect better. I don't know enough about optics to explain exactly what was the cause but it just doesn't agree with my eyes. With both eyes open I basically see double through it for most of the FOV. There is a small "sweet spot" right above center where objects look singular giving me a comfortable unity view, but it's very small. The rest of the FOV I see double much like I do with a 1.5X, 2X, etc, scope where I have to concentrate on disregarding what one of my eyes sees.

Naturally that makes it pretty uncomfortable and slower to use even disregarding reticle differences. Again, I don't know why or if they look that way to everybody, I can only report what my eyes see.

Anyway, to me the optical prowess of a 1-4X on 1X has to be right up there in importance, maybe only #2 to the reticle/illumination since their purpose is to try and be as close to a red dot in speed as possible. If your brain takes extra time to process what you're seeing, that's a disadvantage.

I guess this is a case where there's more to the story than the spec sheet will tell you. I highly encourage anybody shopping for a 1-4X who plans to use it on 1X much to look through as many models/brands as you can side by side before buying.

Latest word on price (nothing official) is they'll be around $799. They should be available very shortly now but I don't have an exact date.

No official word on battery life, though I did leave them on for days at a time and never killed a battery. The next guy to test these prototypes had one finally die. So sorry, no official number yet but they certainly aren't short lived. And of course one of the strong points of these scopes is they'll still be extremely good without illumination, where by comparison, the Short Dot really needs the illumination to be fast even in broad daylight.

On a 1-4, I think I'd be partial to the circle reticle for quick target aquisition. Might have to squeeze one of those into the mix....thanks for the updates Jon.

That looks pretty damn good. Will have to see where the $$ comes in, though.

No need to wait to see where the price comes in at. They're up on SWFA's site at 799.

Very nice looking scope.

But somehow milliradian adjustments and mill hash marks on the reticle of a 4x scope meant for a weapon that is lucky if it shoots 2MOA makes me snicker.

JonA, I wish that I might have seen this thread earlier, I could have alread been saving up for one.

I think you gave the best review I've ever seen on a scope, all of your through the scope pictures are just great, thank you very much.

I also note that while everyone is entitled to their opinions, those that are based on facts and actual experience are worth far more than those based on conjecture and rumor.

Thanks again for the review, I had seen on of the earlier cheap SS scopes and was unimpressed. I've heard that the newer ones were better but your pictures and reveiw actually demonstrates it, thanks again......................DJ

Everybody here whose AR�s will only shoot 2 MOA if they�re lucky, raise your hands.



Thanks DJ. Yup, the new SS stuff is a whole new ballgame. Here are a couple reviews where the 10X HD is included against some high dollar stuff:

High End Tactical Scopes

High End Tactical Scopes Part II

They've got some more stuff in the pipeline as well. The one I'm waiting for the most is the 5-20X50HD. Just wait until you see this thing....

Great reviews, thanks for posting the links.

I always enjoy what Ilya Koshkin has to say about optics.

I also thought it interesting he was building a 264 LBC like I just did.............................DJ

For anybody interested: http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2359334&gonew=1#UNREAD .

Ball ammo, chrome lined carbine barrels w/NATO chambers.

<MOA every time I tell you.

I currently have an Aimpoint and Bushnell Elite 2.5-16 Mil-dot so the "Donut" reticle below would make a nice in between for me.....