Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting SWFA 12x42 MRAD Review

I suspect that Leupolds new Firedot Reticle might work well for the guy that needs both a fine tectical reticle and the ability to see the reticle in poor light. The dot oinly covers .3ths of a Mil, and can be turned down until it can be barely seen in bad light. E

Nick,

I'm always open to hearing others experiences. Your positive experience in low light is good to hear.

My remarks were pure speculation and opinion. I haven't yet actually tried these at first/last light.

The crux of my comment was simply that all else being equal, a thicker reticle should be easier to see in bad light, than a finer reticle.

Nick, out of curiosity I went over to the SWFA site to look at the subtensions on the 3-9X, but looks like they are not provided.

The illustration of the reticle looks heavier than that on the fixed power models though.

The thin center of the 12X subtends .04 mils, or .14 moa.

Shane,

I was shooting with Carl this morning and he pointed out the same thing. The 3-9 appears to have a slightly larger subtension for the reticle. I did not realize that to this point, but they seem noticeably darker and thicker.

It would seem that the 3-9 really is a great hunting scope in this case.

But the real lesson is that I just need to STFU when I think I know better than you!

A TMR reticle that covers 1" at 100 yards sucks ball sacks.

That's the same subtension as the Heavy Duplex. Surprising that the TMR is that heavy...

The 3x9 is most defiantly darker & thicker than the fixed powers.

While better I find the 3x9 to be sorely lacking in dim light also.

When it comes time for killing, give me a good ole plain duplex reticle every time.

I just picked up one of these for my 308 after using a couple different ones on my friend's rigs. I am hoping to get the same consitency with mine as the others have. I do love the reticle.

Saturday I took the 12X SWFA out for it's first real day of field shooting.

This scope is mounted in Badger Ord rings, on a 45 MOA Badger Ord base. This arrangement gives 33 Mils 'up' available, and 10 mils 'down'.

Rifle is a Rem 700 308 Varmint, cut to 22", braked, bedded in an A5, with an aluminum Badger Ord M4 floorplate, and a Timney flat trigger.




Ammo used was moly'd 208 AMax over 49.0gr RL17, on Win brass, lit with a CCI 200 primer, and an OAL of 3.05". Velocity in conditions was around 2590 fps. The ammo performed with excellent consistency to 1200 yards, darn good to 1500 considering conditions, but fell apart past that distance.

Conditions at the firing point were El 4600', about 25.3 Hg pressure, 40F temp, and wind 15-30 mph, from about 4:30 (half value).




Targets were shot at distances from just over 200 yards, out to a mile (25 mils, wind was too much to report any type of consistent accuracy out there, but that's not a scope issue). A lot of turret cranking, returning to zero between targets. Fired a total of 72 rounds.

The scope performed perfectly. I can't think of anything negative about the scope or how it performed. I'm very pleased with the decision to go this route.

Bitchin'...



Travis

Nick, Carl, and another LR shooter met up with me for some LR shooting Saturday.

Nick's 260 launching 140 Bergers at over 2900 fps was pretty darn consistent at a mile, considering conditions. I was impressed.

Also, Carl had brought along a pair of the 10X Bushnell BRFs. They were ranging a mile with ease. Nice piece of kit.

can someone tell me what one of the $300 ones accually weigh? I know they are listed at 21oz but have heard some talk how heavy they are ?

I think I need to move down that way.

Can I live with you until I find a place?

I got a 10X SS on my .243 that I need to put through the paces this week...


Travis

I believe 21 oz is pretty close.

6titude.

There it is, 20.9 oz for the 6X.

The other power SWFAs can't be a whole lot different.

I had forgotten just how much I like that scope and reticle till I shot yours again. I'm planning on getting one for a 22LR sometime here. The spotter with a reticle sure was nice too.

Shane is pretty slick single loading that 308...

Carl, I've just done it enough it's practically a subconscious movement.

Ya know what I wanted to do Saturday, and never got to it/kinda forgot about it,

I wanted to get all four of us doped on the same target, and fire together on command. Four shots at once, 1000 yards, give or take. Just for S&G.

That'd be fun, maybe we can catch up with you another time and make that happen.

That would be fun. We definitely need to meet up again, I realized I managed to forget to take you up on the offer to shoot that .308. My loss for sure.