Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics What do you think of S&B's?

When you get to the "nth" degree of optics, I can't imagine anyone having it all over someone else....

Truth is at that level they are all so good that any preferences are largely subjective


March does have variable eye relief and finicky critical eye relief at higher powers. So it's got that going. For it, which is nicel

I wouldn't buy an s&b because i think it would allow me to see or shoot something that I couldn't see through a zeiss swaro etc...there are other reasons but optics alone, no

Here is a pretty thorough test

Eyes sure see things different

"The March Scope also failed to impress optically, finishing towards the bottom of the list in image quality. It had one of the narrowest field of views."

"Among the specific scopes I tested, the optical clarity of the Zeiss and the Schmidt and Bender 5-25�56 scopes were in a class above the rest (see the optical post for more details on that). It also had one of the largest field of views."


http://precisionrifleblog.com/2014/09/19/tactical-scopes-field-test-results-summary/

fwiw,
I am working on this as we speak. I would actually appreciate anyone who has a stake in Schmidt Bender to take the time to write a letter in regards to the unacceptable warranty situation. You can mail it to Schmidt Bender USA at 741 Main Street Claremont, NH 03743. Put them to Marcia's attention and request they be forwarded to Biebertal, Germany.

The "new and improved" warranty is the result of a younger management team. We need to let them know that 2 years on PMIIs and 10 years on Hunting Scopes is unacceptable. Compare them to the competition... This is likely the single dumbest thing the German part of Schmidt Bender has ever done.

We can live with the standard 10/30 warranty, however, 2/30 is completely unacceptable...

I believe they make the finest scope on the market, however, the warranty situation needs to addressed. There is a movement afoot to get this changed, however, your input would be greatly appreciated. It need not be a book. Short and to the point generally wins the day...

Regards, Matt Garrett
757-581-6270

Still love my S&B, but to be fair and add to my post from last year, this year I did knock the scope five minutes off zero from a hit that was much less severe than the one I described from the knock it took the first season. So though I think it pretty tough for a variable, I no longer kid myself into thinking it bomb proof, as they can be knocked askew.

Best

fwiw,
I grew up on a farm. I was given a John Deere 4840 with duals and 1,200 hours on the clock, a new IH Case 485 Disk, and a new 6 row Brillion Cultipacker when I was 12. My grandfather, a man to ride the river with, reminded me that anything, despite how heavily built, could be beat into submission. He told me that even an anvil could be beat to pieces if you took the time... You sure as hell can beat anything from Nightforce or Schmidt Bender into submission, however, both brands will typically take MORE than their share of abuse...

Regards, Matt in Virginia.

Matt

I am that guy spoke of, in a rubber room with two ball bearings, lose one and break the other. Kinda the reason I switched to S&B on my variable. Love the scope.

For the record, the March scopes I looked through, none were the 42mm version. I believe all were 52-56mm. And they did not exhibit finicky eye relief.

I like to form my opinions based on actual experience, not from reading internet tests. Especially those conducted indoors at 100yds with eye exam charts from sources I hardly consider credible.

One of the best things I found of the March scopes I looked through was the wonderful color rendition and resolution compared side by side to other scopes. Something that was obviously not trly tested nor hardly even discussed in said test. In addition, I would find it very hard to believe that any of the scopes in said test would not allow for very clear, acute reading of a black and white eye chart at 100 yds. under lighted conditions. Or that such a "test" could even actually depict anything of the true optical quality of said glass.

My own "tests" were outdoors, at various/unlimited ranges, utilizing actual colors, and varying degrees of ambient light. You know, real world conditions....

And yet there was a descending order of resolving detail by a cross section of observers.

I like real world tests. My very own a couple/three years ago told me that I could kill a 185"+ muley buck just as dead at dusk thirty with a 3-9xVari X IIc as I could with my hunter's S&B.

So then I guess we can surmise a vari-x II IS as good as an s&b! I guess the debate is over. Additionally, I had a Bushnell sportview as a kid, it never left me wanting....
there is no right answer here I believe were all different


Lastly, If vari-x II and vari-x III were optically that great why did they launch vx-III and vx-3, the vx-7, vx-6, index matched lens system, etc...just marketing hype?

Exactly what do you think you could NOT see on a B&W chart at 100 yds in controlled lighting with such high end scopes? Do tell, because I can read the fine print on targets with a lot lesser scopes.

That test is a joke IMO. As is everthing I have ever read on that website...

Here are a couple things I just found on March scopes. First time I have ever read/googled it, or care to. All I truly know is what I have actually seen in person. I do not feel these links/findings make me wrong or right. Take them at face value. They merely show that I'm not the only one who feels March is very good optically.

Optics are a VERY subjective thing. Something I confirmed yet again just yesterday, but that is another story.

Here is a link referring to a March scope I have some experience with. The 40x52. I agree with everything stated in the text, 100%:
http://www.accurateshooter.com/optics/target-scopes/

And here is a quote/link from Ilya Koshkin I found. I know many here are familiar with him:

"Optically, March is as good or better than ANY scope I have seen to date, given the same size objective lens".

http://opticsthoughts.com/?page_id=145

Again, these are just opinions. Opinions that I happen to agree with.

Take them for what you will.

As for S&B, they are obviously great scopes. I just get tired of hearing from those whom I'm certain don't know $hit about them, proclaim them the best simply based on hearsay or price tag.

They may well be the toughest, most repeatable scopes ever made. I honestly couldn't say. But I can say, that no S&B glass has ever impressed me like the 52-56mm March glass I have looked through. YMMV.

I will happily keep on slumming my NF NXS and fixed Mark 4 M1s....

I dont know what the best scope is. It might be March. The title of this thread is "what do you think of S&B's", so thats why people are talking about them. As far as March, I have no need to hunt with a 52-56mm objective (heard the poor eyebox was 42mm version), i have just never needed or wanted an obj that big on a sporter rifle. Plus glass from multiple vendors is so good that a 40-42mm will get most what they want.
I also dont need adj parallax and a 10x erector on a big game scope..I personally dont shoot far enough to warrant it. Others here may need those extras...

I dont slum because I just have one dedicated big game rifle (crazy I know) so I figure no matter what I have, i have less money in my setup than others that own 5,10,15 rifles yet "cant afford" a particular scope.....

Agreed. 40mm is the largest scope I hunt with......

My favorite size range as well. Almost all of my rifles for BG hunting now wear a scope with obj in the 40mm-42mm range. My two favorite scopes are the Elite 2.5-10x40 and I recently bought a Leica ER 2.5-10x42. If I can't get it done with those, it is long past legal shooting times where I hunt.

Don't go there.

I run the 12-42x56 NSX
The 10-60x52 March and the 5-25x56 PMII for 1000 yard BR.
I like them all.
But optically in my opinion.
The PMII has a slight edge in the color/contrast contest.
YMMV.

dave

S&B telescopic sight is to scope what Mont Blanc writing instrument is to a pen. I do think it would look lovely on Westley Richards, Holland & Holland or Hartmann & Weiss magazine rifle.

There are few other scopes out there with the same optical and build quality. Other scopes may meet your needs just fine. For my money, since the Zeiss Victory line went to second focal plane, S&B is the only scope out there that meets my expectations for a hunting scope.

I really like my PM II, it's excellent optically, dials dead on, and I like the reticle.

I had a Summit but sold it. Great scope, but for that kind of money I want one with more versatility, as in the ability to dial.