Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Shcmidt & Bender thoughts

I run a 3-12X50 Zenith on my .264 beanfield rifle and a 4X on my .338-06. When game is in the cross hairs I feel like a blessed man. These are outstanding optics.

Terry

TC1,
Kind of a geek out with Ringmans Swarovski experience.
Buying several to get a good one sounds like Leupold engineering ....something to be avoided.
Pig hunting buddie has a 3-12x50 Zenith Flash Dot.
Other one has a 4-16x50 PMII.
I have a collection of 7 of them myself.
Only general rule i've seen is that the bigger objective they have, the better they work in the dark.

dave

We were using .24 and .25 bullet holes at 100 yds.
If you want to split hairs, fine. The scope I had would rate no better than a 7 if compared the very sophisticated way that Barsness tests his scopes. But get even a littler dust on the lens, or have any change in atomosheric conditions at the longer ranges and the results can easily change for the worst.
Then there is the matter of degradation from even the most carefully done cleaning of the lenses. Leupold's VX-6 comes with super hard lense coatings. S&B's don't. E

Eremicus,

Thanks for getting back with me.



I do.

That, of course, is your call. But, again, atomosheric differences and any dust on the lenses can make those differences erratic at best. In time, they all degrade from routine maintence as well.
To me, alot of other characteristics matter more on a hunting rifle. E

Doesn't matter really, cause neither of the scopes you guys are talking about have Rainguard type coatings. Rainguard HD is weather repellent and durable. Best of both worlds, if you're a hunter, that is.

Water repeelant it is. But tough it is not.
I hunt dry climates so it's a moot point to me. E

Rainguard HD is both.

Says who ? If it's so good, how come it isn't widely copied like all the other good ideas in rifle scopes ? E

You mean like Zeiss's Lotu-Tec and Leica's Aqua-Dura ?

Back on subject....to the OP!

I have one S&B

I bought it on recommendation of Johnny B,Dave 7mm,and JWP475.It is the best variable I have ever owned.

Buy one.You will love it.

Someone was selling one here in the classified's, brand new, for $1300 or maybe slightly less.

Mighta seen it...good deal.They are cheaper than kidneys....

Unlike S&B's, you only need one kidney.

True! Kinda like knives!

I said widely copied as in nitrogen purging, duplex style reticles and side focus/parallax adjustments. Not a few very expensive, top quality scopes that hardly anyone buys.
Oh, and where are the tests that prove these coatings are tough ? E

That was mean Bob.........

Bushnell tested these coatings by cleaning them with a pencil eraser and they detected no measurable loss of coating thickness or water repellency.

The fact that Bushnell had patent rights on Rainguard might have had something to do with others trying to copy it.

I don't know if Diamond Coat is as durable as Rainguard HD. Besides, it doesn't repel water so it's irrelevant.

RD when they got done did they try tapping the pencil on the objective?
You know, to see how far off they could move POA?

dave

Yes. The pencil shattered.