Scope buying help?

[bobhunts]

Same price basically for both. #1 is the SWFA SS 10X42 with a really nice reticle at $299.99 or the Vortex Viper 6.5-20X44 Mill dot reticle. The Vortex is on sale right now at Cabelas for the same price. Maybe someone can sway me one direction before I buy one. I am leaning towards the SWFA based on it being Mil-spec but I know the Vortex has the warranty and probably better glass. Gonna use one of the two on my .300 Weatherby when I get it back with a new Bell and Carlson stock piller bedded.

 

[dotman]

I've never owned an SWFA but I would go with that over the Vortex, im not that impressed with my viper.

 

[CLICKBANGBANG]

What will it be used for? Bench shooting, backpack hunting, or something else? What's the range you'll be shooting at? Other that the price, those are very different scopes to be comparing.

I don't like fixed power for hunting. Fine for getting hits on steel with a gun from the bench. But in thick woods, 10x is too much magnification. And when shooting further (for me) 10x isn't enough. Mil spec isn't end all. There are other scopes not mill spec that are much better suited for hunting and ELR shooting. I don't like only 10x for shooting over 400 yards.

VS the 6.5-20x, I'd be looking at a 4-20x. More FOV. And VS the fixed 10x, I'd look for a 3-12x or 2-10x for the same reason.

 

[GKPrice]

Same price basically for both. #1 is the SWFA SS 10X42 with a really nice reticle at $299.99 or the Vortex Viper 6.5-20X44 Mill dot reticle. The Vortex is on sale right now at Cabelas for the same price. Maybe someone can sway me one direction before I buy one. I am leaning towards the SWFA based on it being Mil-spec but I know the Vortex has the warranty and probably better glass. Gonna use one of the two on my .300 Weatherby when I get it back with a new Bell and Carlson stock piller bedded.

IF you want a scope you'll NEVER need the warranty for buy the SWFA .......

 

[GKPrice]

What will it be used for? Bench shooting, backpack hunting, or something else? What's the range you'll be shooting at? Other that the price, those are very different scopes to be comparing.

I don't like fixed power for hunting. Fine for getting hits on steel with a gun from the bench. But in thick woods, 10x is too much magnification. And when shooting further (for me) 10x isn't enough. Mil spec isn't end all. There are other scopes not mill spec that are much better suited for hunting and ELR shooting. I don't like only 10x for shooting over 400 yards.

VS the 6.5-20x, I'd be looking at a 4-20x. More FOV. And VS the fixed 10x, I'd look for a 3-12x or 2-10x for the same reason.

there are a lot of hunters, myself included, who would vehemently argue that statement - "MAYBE" a 10x is a bit extreme for most general hunting but a 6x (or the Leupold M8 8x) are stellar, rugged, simple and effective HUNTING scopes - I've used all of the old M8's with absolute satisfaction out to 500+ yards

 

[bobhunts]

Not gonna be a bench shooter or a backpack gun. Just a rifle I have had in the safe and upgrading it. Personally I have never had a problem with a fixed 6 power scope hunting. In fact I really like it. My question I guess may be for this caliber and not doing bench shooting or backpacking as you mentioned what would be the better choice for the Caliber? Maybe a rifle I would take out on a late rifle season hunt for elk or others. Maybe one day I will draw a tag where this rifle will be my go to. Nothing wrong with the caliber or either scope. Just wondering why one would choose one over the other?? Thanks Clinckbangbang. Kinda was wanting to know where and why one scope outweighed the other if anyone has experience using both? Just looking and asking before I order.

 

[GKPrice]

Same price basically for both. #1 is the SWFA SS 10X42 with a really nice reticle at $299.99 or the Vortex Viper 6.5-20X44 Mill dot reticle. The Vortex is on sale right now at Cabelas for the same price. Maybe someone can sway me one direction before I buy one. I am leaning towards the SWFA based on it being Mil-spec but I know the Vortex has the warranty and probably better glass. Gonna use one of the two on my .300 Weatherby when I get it back with a new Bell and Carlson stock piller bedded.

the SWFA 3 x 9 SS is a very nice "compromise" but it you need more than 9x-10x for your "long range" shooting SWFA also has higher X variables - everyone is different or thinks their needs are - other than the new SWFA SS 3x9 I recently bought but haven't really had much chance to truly test it out (due to the WET spring we're having), I use Leupold VX3's (not VX3i) 3.5 x 10 x 40mm, these scopes are either on 3.5 or 10x as 3.5 gives me more FOV in close cover or just plain close than I'll ever need and 10X allows me to easily "aim small" out to mid 500's and I choose not to shoot farther (for me "hunting" is about other things too) - I now understand and IF I were dialing I'd not use either of the VX3's but would readily rely on the SWFA for that practice - there are folks who love "their" favorite brand and I get that, I like Leupold because I'm a "homeboy" at heart, even though they are the lightest weight scopes across the board and have as good or better CS as the rest

 

[bobhunts]

I too am a Leupold guy. Just saw these two scopes at the same price and have never put my paws on a SWFA . I have several Vortex scopes and I have heard they can have tracking problems? I don't know.They sure do have a good warranty. The SWFA scopes just seem to never need a warranty. Weight is not a consideration as I am just going through the gun safes and upgrading what I have vs doing another build.

 

[KurtR]

Swfa will break to just like all mechanical things can and do break. I have seen every scope manufacturer go down except a tangent theata I have never personally seen one of those go down.