Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Optics Planet, Bear Basin, SWFA

Anyone dealt with them? How do they sell so cheap compared to most places?
I bought a scope from SWFA several years ago(before I discovered CameraLand NY) with no problems, but I'd like to hear from others.

Is their stuff the same as anyone else's, but they have less overhead?

I mostly buy from cameraland but i get a few things from opticsplanet,they sell reloading stuff,rings, bases as well as optics and you can do a review on items you buy and get a 10% off coupon to use later on. Never bought from bearbasin.

Thanks. I've read some bad reviews of Optics Planet and SWFA, but I can find bad reviews on about anything. I was just wondering what some people here may have to say.

I've bought from SWFA many times, and my experience has always been positive.

I've bought from SWFA and it went very well. I've also bought from Optics Plant and it was a good experience. The complaint about OpticsPlanet is that they often don't have the items in stock and you don't know until after you order it. This sometimes happens with SWFA since they don't list the stock on their site. Make sure you call them first.

That said, I don't find their prices to be all that great. They are decent, but most of them are selling for the MAP price. You can sometimes find some of the optics cheaper somewhere else, sometimes not.

They only seem cheap compared to my local dealers in this area that want to rip everyone off on everything they sell. It's no wonder they don't have many customers.

I find the prices are pretty similar between the various suppliers.

Cameraland has some very nice sales and access to demo units which represent a really good deal.

They also help support this and many other shooting sites.

The $30 you'll spend on a C&R FFL will ensure that you'll never pay retail for scopes again.

Interesting. Thanks guys.

I've used SWFA the most, the others once or twice, and not had problems with any of them.

I have ordered from SWFA, optics planet and Cameraland NY, Benn happy with all three.

If Doug has what your looking for and the price is close, I would go with Doug. Its better service and for me its very quick, being 1 day from NYC.


I have used both optics planet and SWFA and both sell the same good stuff, they both often have good prices. One warning on SWFA, if you need it quick call and check inventory, It used to be that you didn't know if it was in stock when you place a web order.

SWFA kept me hanging for over a month saying a scope was back ordered. Turned out it was discontinued. Got the last one available elsewhere, and mostly deal now with Cameraland.

I ordered a scope on sale from Opticsplanet a few months ago and they emailed me that they sold out of that particular reticle.

They asked if I would take a different reticle and I told them "sure, if you will sell that one at the advertised sale price of the other reticle" (there was a $70 difference).

They did so and delivery was quick.

Can't beat that.

And I generally order from Cameraland, but they don't carry this particular scope.

I bought mine from both Cameraland and SWFA. Both are great to deal with

Alex Roy at Euro-Optic for me - great guy & great deals!!!

I have ordered mostly from Cameraland the past couple of years BUT when I want a Leupold product I always deal both SWFA and Optics Plant and all sales have gone well.

You can't beat the service of Cameraland NY. Always friendly and very helpful. I've bought several scopes and binos from Doug, even a couple cameras for my wife over the years, and never had any trouble. Super fast shipping as well.

I've bought several things from OP when Doug didn't have it, but find their website lacking at times.

I quit using SWFA because they were dishonest on their 110% low price gtty. Tried to get them to match a lower price on various products 3-4 times before I gave up. Sometimes they were just flat rude about it, sometimes they made up BS excuses. Just don't particularly care for false advertising.

I was impressed with Doug. I asked about a scope they had on sale. He was prompt to reply telling me all of them were sold and he did suggest an alternative. I didn't buy his suggested scope but was happy with the response. I'll keep watching their sales.

Mirrors my experience as well.

Didn't care for the funny math used to determine their 110% price match... left me with a bad after taste for that outfit.

I have made a grand total of one purchase through SWFA... Leupold Ruger rings (1" low and 30mm high) and Seekins 30mm Picatinny rings. Sale went fine.

Now CLNY, on the other hand, has gotten a lot of my money. Two Viper PSTs, four or five Conquests, and some Minox products. And probably a Swaro Z3 soon.

I've bought 3 scopes from bear basin without any problems