I just purchased one and my initial impression is that it is a lot of scope, especially for the money. Optics are brighter, clear with excellent resolution.

I'm not a glass optics guru and I don't spend a lot of time comparing just glass, but the glass in the 2-10 Toric I have is pretty impressive.

Post some pictures please. Glad your happy.

Clearly, you're mistaken. It can't be any good because... it just can't!

I’ll get some pictures this weekend

Here's a recent Fallow deer I shot with my Toric 3-15. It was fairly late in the evening @ 300 yards. Very easy to use the 300 yard setting on the ballistic turret that matches my load.




And here's another shot at 325 yards. Great 'scope that gets a lot f use.

last couple times I tried to go to their web site it would not come up.....thought they went out of business.

You will be sorry you missed out then. Nah, its still there.

NZSika,

Are those DNZ Hunt Master mounts and if so how do you like them?

Great pictures thanks for sharing them.

NZsika- I totally dig your hunting partner! Ugly dogs rule!

I have never used nor seen a Tract scope yet so in my best interest of not looking like a complete idiot with zero experience I won't give a dumbass opinion 😁😁😁

I will say this however....EVERYONE who has "actual use" of the Tract Toric seem to have very positive remarks!

Imagine that!



Trystan

NXsika,

Great photos. You live in a wonderful part of the world! Very much enjoyed my one hunt in NZ, both the hunting and the scenery.

Yes they are. I really like them. Rugged and reliable and they seem to align very well. I didn't need to lap them.

She's a 9 year old German Wire Hair Pointer. Name is Tilly. We have shot 112 deer together. 17 so far this year (that's been good field testing for the 'scope - I've likely shot 25 deer with it in all sorts of conditions).

I love her to bits And she seems to think I'm ok - especially when she sees me getting ready to go for a hunt.

Just got an email from Tract. They have discounted some of the Japanese-made Tekoas by 30%, the same deal I got on mine last year. Far as I can tell, the difference between these and the Torics is the zoom ratio (4-1), the lack of ED glass (still Schott HD), and the color. Still have the etched reticle, which I've come to prefer. They come in at less than $400.

Some of the cheaper ones, including the much-feared Response are on sale too. No experience, so can't recommend them.

I agree with Dakotadeer's assessment of NZsika being a shill for Tract. The company has just taken a slightly different approach with this stooge than the previous two, bhoges and Trevor.

wow...just. frickin. wow.

It's a plot!🤦‍♂️

Friggin' Russians.

Check out his post history.

A little bird once told me that companies also pay shills to disparage the products of their competitors online. Someone with no experience, but that chases down posts about a company to throw stones at every opportunity could be just such an animal.

Yep that's me. Leupold pays me 6 figures a year to go after Tract.

If you hadn't noticed, I actually tried a Toric and didn't hate it. It's more the company's business practices I have a problem with. Have a guy come on the forum and pimp the product, then as soon as product is found lacking, guy disappears. Send in new guy, who poo poos the testing methods the failed product, instead of simply owning up to the malfunction. Change tactics and have a guy send in pictures of product posed in front of dead animals, because for some reason guys on this site like to look at pictures of dead animals shot by someone else.

I'm really not surprised that a bunch of the posters on this site would fall for the shill routine. They let Safariman get away with his shenanigans for years; in fact there are still posters defending the guy to this day.

Tract's techniques to sell their products are annoying, but whatever, its all just marketing in the age of the internet.

NZSika,
In order to prove you're not a shill, and that I'm not paid to badmouth Tract, how about a deal? Neither of us will post anything Tract related on this site for a period of time. Say 6 months. If we can both go that long, while continuing to post as usual on the Fire otherwise, I'd say that would prove we are both good to go. Deal?

LOL!!!!!!! I don't think you can do it Billy! ...big grin...

Didn't say you were; didn't even think it. Also didn't know about your Toric, which takes you out of the "no experience" category.

Under the terms of your proposed deal with NZSika, can he still post dead animal pics with his Tract in them, or does he have to black out the scope like naughty bits in a news photo?😛

Its a SWFA 3-15. Your move.

Dead animals go along with hunting. Hunting is the very essence of why I am interested in decent optics.

I agree with you about Tract's marketing. Their constant bombarding of me with new face book pics, offers and exaggerated claims is annoying. Maybe it goes hand in hand with direct marketing. It does not though diminish the performance of the one Tract 'scope that I have.

FACEBOOK😱! Dude, didn't you get the memo?

That deer in your last pic should be entered in ingwe's Dink-a-thon. No chance of course, with all that bone, but a little international interplay might be welcome.

Suggest you research Blanton's first.

The majority of guys who post dead animal pictures to social media, which includes this site, do so because they are:
A: seeking validation from strangers (basically the guy version of Instagirls).
B: trying to sell something directly (i.e. company shills).
C: trying to leverage their success in the field into fame/money (essentially the dude version of the Kardashians, except instead of making sex tapes with rappers, they film themselves high-fiving their entourages after the kill). These fellows are easily identified by their flat-brimmed caps and $300 designer camouflage pants, and even have their own vernacular, using terms like "crush it".

Are we on for the six month challenge? Call it done the first of February.

You seem a little slow on the uptake? The post of the SWFA scope was NZSika's way of saying you got a deal. I'm kinda wondering though? Anyone who encourages someone to stop promoting a product obviously is working for the competition! Good move on your part and should qualify for a bonus


Trystan

You are over thinking this. Relax.

The pics are simply validation that my particular 'scope gets outside with me away from the keyboard, and that it can stand the rigours of consistent hunting.

As an aside, could you please advise me of the make of your computer key board? I like products that can take a hammering.

As an aside, could you please advise me of the make of your computer key board? I like products that can take a hammering.
😜

SWFA Hunt-n-Pecker?

I have several Tracts and like them. They track well, have consistent eye relief, have good glass and are so far holding up well. I am not a turret twister and like the BDC reticle for ranges I shoot. The only problem I have had is a focus knob that appears frozen on one, which I heed to send back for repair. I will buy more.

I did...you may be onto to something. It is certainly suggestive.

Don't be so stupid. Why the hell would someone from New Zealand be interested in being involved in such stupidity with a company that has almost zero presence here. Honestly, some of you people need to get a life and stop talking [bleep].

Or stop pimping Tract and get a life.....

Are you getting a check from Leopold? Can you prove that your not!!!

It's pretty easy to see right through this entire fiasco. Leopold has been losing ground fast and have resorted to paying less than desirables to bad mouth the competition. Id be both ashamed and embarrassed

We live in the USA of Campfire where you are guilty until proven innocent.

Imagine that!














Trystan

Your the one here following NZsika around like a little weasley troll! No? Do you understand the irony of someone like yourself telling NZ to get a life?


Imagine that









Trystan

For the record, my Tract 3-15 hasn't missed a beat. And no I didn't put it through the local rock crusher.

All those who have never recommended a product here on the fire, talked at length about how well a certain bullet performed, carried on about a propellent, primer and brass when used with a certain loading die in a special press and especially when used with a certain brand of rifle in a special caliber, carry on with your bashing of the Kiwi.

Otherwise, STFU.

I guess it’s OK to bash the Tract Optics even when they’ve never used one.

Why the hell would someone from New Zealand come on a forum frequented primarily by Americans, then proceed to post almost entirely about a specific brand, other than to increase brand presence?

I notice you haven't actually denied the accusation, or answered my question.

Must be a shidt ton of members here on the SWFA and NF payroll.

By the standards the accusers use, I’d agree

Ziiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!!!!!!!!

You usually make a lot of great posts but I think you are grasping at straws in this assessment. He's not denying it because it's a pretty dumb assessment from my view.

It's a dude using a scope and talking about it, even if myself and yourself choose to use other ones. It's ok for him to do this.

It's what's done on the 'fire.

I love seeing the pics personally. I don't care if he's bashing them with a rock.

You could buy up Wally World's entire stock of Tasco blister pack scopes, stencil "Nightforce" on the side and put 'em on the Classifieds. Sell them for $500 a piece and you'd sell out in under an hour.

How do you answer a question that ignorant? Someone needs to either stick your nose in a corner or bend you over and paddle your a ss so you'll stop with the temper tantrum.



Trystan

Torics are a little pricey for me but i was wondering how a Tekoa might compare to a VX3. Been a few years since I bought me a new scope but last one I went VX3 over another Meopta or others and was completely satisfied with the VX3 in terms of brightness, color and flare suppression. I like its light weight and eye relief as well. Its only fault might be that the clicks are a bit mushy- but they have been accurate and its held zero.

BTW I believe I was the first person to ever mention Tract on this forum and while I have yet to purchase a product from them am glad those who have seem to really appreciate their value.

I hope they'll be introducing a 30mm hunting scope with illumination soon.

The Toric has ED glass and the Tekoa doesn't. You can see the difference between the two optics. Tomorrow I hope the weather is good and I can do a few companions myself.

Says the dude who’s thrown some of the biggest tantrums in the history of 24hcf.....

Remarkable, isn’t it?

I'm a kiwi and do a reasonable amount of hunting here in NZ. Even though I don't know NZSika I don't believe for a second that he is shill for any brand of anything. He regularly posts on NZ's Hunting and Shooting forum (under a different handle) and always posts good advice if asked and interesting topics. He obviously does a lot of hunting and good on him for that. There are no restrictions on deer hunting here re. permits or seasons as our Department of Conservation considers deer a pest. You can hunt year round and shoot as many as like.

I personally enjoy the many excellent topics that come up for discussion here on 24 Campfire and I would think so do many other International hunters and shooters. I've been a deer hunter and shooter since 1968 and find I'm still learning and I personally enjoy dead deer hunting pictures. I have learnt many things from members such Mule Deer and many, many others here. I've travelled extensive all around the world and all over the U.S. several times on business and you have some great looking hunting country in places - one day I'll go for Pronghorn or Mule deer trip over there.

Crazy! No bag limit on deer...If it wasn’t such a PITA to get a rifle into the country; I could see the wife an I might like a trip down under. 😎

Not hard to get a rifle in for a hunting trip. You'd be made welcome, I'm sure. Plenty of great public land hunting areas but like any new area it takes time to get to know your way around. A hunting guide is the best idea.

I think some folks on here are suffering from Tract Anxiety Disorder.

Lol........ya! To the point they accuse and treat folks who have a lot to offer with utter disdain 😒

If it weren't for thick skinned hunters there'd be nothing but pricks who have nothing to offer around here and they would all self appoint one another as Heroes and Leaders in there rather "Small Circle" 😁

I'm somewhat of a prick myself but I truly try to direct it toward the inconsiderate pricks that continually troll a good many campfire members.

Maybe I should change my ways?






Trystan

I asked a question on the long range forum! You and several other "Assumed" that meant I had zero clue about shooting long range. You and a few other self appointed heroes tried to call me out......I offered to come shoot with you fellas......the phuuucking COWARD CROWD tucked tail, crawfished, continued to accuse while not once simply stepping up and saying Would love to come shoot with you bud. I know your type and I know the type you hang with well. I used to take lying sniveling big mouth bullshitters like you and your bully buddies and knock teeth out just for fun. Your the type who walks into a bar....gets into a brawl and gets the schit stomped outta ya! Then goes back the next day for more of the same. Kinda scary just how well I can summarize your miserable life just from reading one of your COWARD , crawfishing, backpedaling answers isn't it.

Your not my friend and I don't hang with cowards. A real man would have accepted an invitation to shoot with a fellow campfire member. Every once in a while you run into a man who is willing to back it up and that's when a true big mouth COWARD shows his colors in less than a heartbeat. You've got zero heartbeat dude!

Now go home and cry, make up more songs about me while looking in the mirror repeating I am brave as you wipe the COWARD tears from your eyes.






Trystan

Tell me where I can sign up.

Cool story bro.... fiction.... but cool...

Trystan,

I offered to have you come shoot with me and didn't receive a response. Instead, you've decided you'd rather go around bad-mouthing me too now, for some strange reason. Maybe lay off the drama a bit and stick to talking guns/hunting/shooting.

jwp,

Eager to hear about any mechanical testing/durability info that you may gather.

Oh yeah, there’s a good chance I’m wrong. Oh well, I’ve been wrong before.

But you’ve gotta admit, his actions are suspicious when taken in context.

If a guy comes out of nowhere and starts posting incessantly on a specific product, it might not be suspicious in and of itself. If this were a tractor forum, with a new guy claiming the greatness of Chinese made Kama tractors...it would be fine. But, if on that very forum Kama had recently been a sponsor, then dropped their sponsorship after their product was found lacking, the new guy pimping the product might be met with some suspicion. Then, if Kama’s attempts at placing salesmen on the site either resulted in the salesman disappearing or freaking out and blaming poor testing for the product’s failures? By then it would make sense to be suspicious of any and all who showed up out of nowhere claiming the greatness of a Kama tractor.

By the way, all those issues have happened on this forum, not with a tractor, but with Tract Optics.

I know nothing about the back-history. Nor do I care. I just happened to find a new brand 'scope that I was impressed with and wanted to share my enthusiasm with others. That's not a crime in most parts of the world, but it seems it is here.

Any reponse and you will be talking to your hand. I'm out of here.

Amazing.

N2Sika please don't leave permanently.

Why do people get so excited about optics? I can only guess that it is very subjective and unfortunately subject to opinion more than hard facts. That and some people are just A**holes.

It seems it's universal on optics sights. I went to another sight dedicated to optics a few years ago. I posted some finding for my first posts and apparently mentioned something wrong about one of their favorites.
I finally left because of the constant childishness.

Well done the campfire, I've know nz sika for many years and enjoyed many hunts with him, he' s a good bloke and has 50 years of hunting experience to share with others, he likes to try new products whether it's scopes, powders, rifles or projectiles and likes to share his results. He's also a successful professional person in his business life and doesn't need any assistance from product manufacturers. To the guys who have driven him from the forum maybe have a good look in the mirror and see if you like what you see. You have done a disservice to the other guys and gals on the forum who would have profited from his knowledge.

I have come to the conclusion that there are no bullet-proof optics. I have not coughed up the money for NF, yet, but I just sent the second SWFA back to the company. I also have a brand new Athlon Tactical that has been returned for evaluation. If someone likes a scope, that is great, and I like seeing the reports, but it seems that any optics can have issues-even when they have great reputations. I sent a Leupold back twice and then got rid of it, after I got it back.

I applaud anyone that will post their opinions and evaluations of scopes on this sight. It is inevitable, that someone will bash you for your opinion. Over the years, I have had a real dose of reality with scopes. If I get a good one, I feel blessed and keep on going. If not, I try to correct the problem. I keep trying to think outside the box on scopes, as the normal names-Bushnell, Burris, Leupold etc.-don't seem to be as trustworthy as before. I went to Hawke and had to send a scope back. I seem to have a good one, now, and it is a good, clear scope. I started off with a questionable scope, after I went with Athlon, and the jury is still out on them. The customer service from both of these companies has been fantastic. I have become a real fan of SWFA, but I have now sent two of them back.

I hope some of the newer companies prove to be good, as the others obviously need to be forced into upping their game a bit. It is just frustrating to be the guinea pig some times. I think that the Tract may be on my "to try" list at some point, if I have another scope failure. Thank you, NZsika, for your evaluation.

sbhooper,

Excellent point.

I get to test a lot of scopes, and over the years have encountered 19 BRANDS (not individual scopes) that were either defective from the box, or went bonkers after anywhere from a dozen to a few hundred rounds after being mounted on rifles. Also, the rifles weren't always chambered in hard-recoiling rifles. One broke (a brand formerly known for being very recoil-proof) broke after maybe 100 rounds on a .257 Roberts, the only rifle it had ever been mounted on. More recently, a dialing scope designed for centerfires went tits-up on a .17 HMR.

The 19 brands have included three expensive European makes, along with SWFA and Nightforce. The truth is that scopes are far less durable than almost any of the rifles we put them on, so the only thing we can do is play the odds, using scopes with reputations for durability, and test them quite a bit before we trust them in the field.

Which is exactly why I typically first test ANY scope on a rifle that recoils with 30+ foot-pounds of energy, meaning at least a typical .300 magnum, or a light .30-06 or 7mm magnum. Have also tested quite a few on a light .338 Winchester Magnum, or on my .375 H&H and .416 Rigby. Exactly which rifles get used as "test platforms" depends on the manufacturer's intended use for the scope.

All of this is why I also try to obtain results from other shooters after testing a new brand of scope for the first time. Have only tested one Tract, a 3-15x42 Toric, and it has worked very well during a lot of shooting on rifles from a 6XC to a very light .30-06 to a .300 Winchester Magnum. But that's an example of one, the reason I've also been in contact with several other shooters who own Toric scopes.

More scope information is always desirable, because as noted earlier, all we can do it play the odds.

This particular forum has a few ODD QUIRKS, there seems to be a small cadre of piranha that lurks off on the edges of sunlight than it emerges in a school like rush to tear limb from limb, tissue from tissue of any poster that doesnt conform to their style and concepts, name need not be cited. There are a few who stand at the edges and offer observations of ideas or products and risk disabling wounds from the predatory school. There are also a couple of older well respected posters that try to be objective and very lightfooted without triggering the bloodlust but hopefully tempering the issue. A few like myself that try to be objective or insightful, but are either ignored or attacked.
This forum has a tremendous amount of good documentation and GOOD opinions on many products. But at times its like watching a MMA free for all in S Chicago. It seems to bring out the worst in some people, some have the my way or highway, no prisoners position. And some like , gotta name him<, Tristan who has gone well over the top on his last post, probably as a result of frustration and exasperation. NZsika is probably leaving due to this prevailing attitude. I dont think its in the forums best interest to loose both of these participants due to a few ruling the forum like a fiefdom. Both of them do provide reasonably objective personal opinions of the matters Iv observred.

At any rate, I have a Response on a "junk" Remi 783. Not much recoil but its clicks are clicks and they seem to hold true to any futsing I do with them. The glass seems more than satisfactory, and windage and elevation reticles corresponds to the bullet holes at the described ranges. So far from what I can gather thats 2 good ones and one "bad" one discussed so far. I bought a pair of binos and they seem more than adequate to me, things are so far up the ladder of diminishing returns I not sure what to conclude. It does seem that one of my 50mm Meopta scopes is a tad better in the marginal light of the last minutes of shooting time in season.

I wound up buying a Howa barreled action due to some stupidity on my part, and I needed a bolt. This is a heavy barrel 300 Win mag, so after reading the glow and after glow regarding SWFA scopes I bought a 10X40(42?) mildot, MOA adjust scope( mixed marble cake aint it). Using the turrets to zero the bugger in it all works except the cliocks. Twirl the knobs and you can hear a buzz, try for one click and it takes a better person than me. A little dissapointing but its far from the end of the world. I dont think Ill fry them over that. The biggest hassle is that the windage knob has made this nifty artillery piece a single shot. Im going to run it over to my son's and turn off most of the knurled section or at least taper it.

Now Ill go see if Amazon sells chain mail.

I sense a lithium shortage.....

If you don’t mind sharing, I’d be interested to know what failed on your two SWFA scopes and your Athlon, as well as which models they were. Thanks!

Good post, John. We have a large sample size of known info for scopes like NF, SWFA, Leup, etc, so we know what odds we’re playing with said scopes, but Tract owners are still few in number and the odds of scope failure are not well known. That’s why I’m interested to learn of mechanical and durability testing on these scopes – so that we have a decent sample size to base our decisions on, with regards to the odds of failure.

It's not very difficult at all. I took my family down there eight years ago. It's a great place, full of down to earth, wonderful folks.

Beaver10,

You must be thinking of Australia.

My wife and hunted in NZ in 2007, and it took about five minutes at the airport in Auckland to do everything necessary to bring in our rifles.

Thanks MD for getting this back on track. Look forward to a Toric review if one is in the future. I wouldn't make it as a gun writer as I am not confident in a piece of equipment especially something as fragile as glass until I have used it ten years or more.

The Athlon is a Midas Tac 6x24. I am not passing judgement yet, as I never totally take myself out of the equation as being the problem. Of the two SWFA scopes, the first was a 6x that would not hold zero, or track right, right out of the box. The second, and current one, is a 10x that has ridden on a .260 for a year or so. I had doubts about it, but it would hold for a bit and I kept shooting it. It finally quit holding zero and the adjustments were way off. I have another 6x that is pending, as we cannot get it to hold on two different rifles. Before sending it back, I am going to try a different scope mount and see what happens. I have really been on a roll lately. I hate scopes, but they are necessary evil. I just get tired of burning lots of good hand loads and finding out that it was the scope the whole time.

Is that 4 failed SWFAs on the last two pages, with a possible #5?

What rings were the scopes mounted in?

Needed a minor spelling correction.

1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6, ...................

Copy...Thought NZ would be the same drama as Australia that I’ve been told of. MD and Pat, appreciate the correction...NZ I will look into. Outfitter would be my solution. 😎

What Nightforce’s failed and what was wrong with them?









Scopes suck, that’s not in question. But if you actually do have three fixed power SWFA’s that have failed, you have more failures then I have seen in dozens with well over half a million rounds fired.

SWFA tactical rings. They have been great for me, so far.

Form,

It was just one Nightforce, an 8-32x56 NXS. It belonged to a local gunsmith friend, John McLaughlin, who loaned me a 6.5 GAP 4S he'd built for an article I was working on. He'd already dialed-in the scope with great results, and it started off fine for me as well.

But after maybe 20 rounds the groups started growing, from sub-half-inch to 2-3". I checked all the usual stuff, but eventually concluded the scope had to be the problem, so replaced it with one of my own Nightforces. The groups shrank to tiny again, and John sent the 8-32x to Nightforce. They replaced it within a week (we live within easy shipping distance of northern Idaho). I can't remember for sure what they said was wrong, but suspect an erector problem!

Possibly the best post on this thread. Wow are there some internet d-bags around here.

NZ is actually useing a Track scope and posted hunting picture demonstrating said use and he is attacked by posters that have never used the scope and accused of being on their payroll. Totally ridiculous.

Yep.

I dont have a dog in this fight but find the keyboard bravado a bit ridiculous.

I bit on the new 30mm Toric. My initial impressions are meh. The pop up turrets have some slop in them when locked down and the windage turret doesn’t have a confidence inspiring feel when moving from locked to unlocked.....there’s not much resistance there and it doesn’t lock down with what I would call authority. Glass seems ok. Pulled a used DMR2 Bushie out of the bubble wrap and compared them side by side at 20x. Both Crystal clear to my eye.....and my eyes suck.....but definitely notice the image getting darker in the Tract as I ran the power from4-20. Not XTRii dark but dark. The sunshade they provide did help.

I’m not one to get all horned up over glass so I’ll just leave It at that.

I honestly don’t know if I’m going to keep it long enough to test it. I just don’t see these pop-ups getting any tighter with use.