SWFA Ultralight w/ BDC

[ianpadron]

Ordered one of these bad boys for a Kimber MA I scooped recently here on the forum, scope just arrived...frickin' sweet!

Not a ton of information on these lil guys out there on the forums given how badass they are, so I'm going to do my best to get a no-frills review slapped together.

I'll continue to add to this thread once I get it mounted and head to the range, but right off the bat, I'm really impressed.

First off, it is indeed tiny. Even compared to an old Leupold VX 3-9...tiny.

I had some reservations after reading about the supposed lack of eye relief but that has not been my experience so far while playing around with the magnification throughout the range. Pretty dang forgiving eye box for such a small diameter and ultralight set-up.

More to come!

 

[menhaden_man]

Rokslide made me buy one of the plex reticle models last winter... thinking of getting one of these next so interested in hearing what you find!

 

[BAKPAKR]

I have one with the plex reticle, too, and I really like it. I have my fingers crossed that SWFA will come out with a version that has MIL or MOA hashmarks (with matching turrets).

 

[badkneesbro]

I'll be gettin one maself perty soon.

 

[Megalodon]

I have one with the plex reticle, too, and I really like it. I have my fingers crossed that SWFA will come out with a version that has MIL or MOA hashmarks (with matching turrets).

Don’t hold your breath. I’m convinced they’re not making one even though they said it’s in the works. Every time I ask about it I’m disappointed.

 

[ianpadron]

Rings just showed up today. Should have a preliminary range report by Friday or Saturday.

Going to get some MOA measurements between hash marks on the 5.56 BDC reticle and post those as well, should be helpful for guys mounting this scope on a .308/7mm08/6.5 CM etc instead of an AR15 platform.

 

[Formidilosus]

 

[Mtslackcountry]

View attachment 180834

Form,

what are your thoughts on this scope?

 

[Formidilosus]

Form,

what are your thoughts on this scope?

SFP, MOA, BDC scopes are not something I, or anyone I’m around are interested in. I’ve used them and they have worked fine, but I do not have enough use to state definitively. Alaska Lanche has the most use of anyone that I’m aware of- I would get his thoughts.

In a mil/mil version they become a lot more interesting.

 

[ianpadron]

Good stuff for sure. I've seen that image floating around the web from your other posts I believe. Good starting point for some load verification and getting my dope chart put together.

Form, what were the rifles you have mounted the UL on chambered in?

 

[Formidilosus]

Form, what were the rifles you have mounted the UL on chambered in?

223, 6.5cm, 308. Probably a couple others. Eye relief wasn’t an issue.

Like I said it’s more a novelty than anything used seriously for me. Any use where a duplex or BDC reticle would be suitable for me, a couple ounces for another scope with a larger eyebox is a better trade off. Any use where weight would really matter (mountain animals) I expect the rifle system to be optimized for use all the way through medium range- 0-600+ yards. A duplex or BDC reticle isn’t that.
If weight was a MASSIVE priority (really can’t come up with a scenario where it is in a scope), and shots are always going to be under 400 yards, it can work of course. AK has done it and farther. But, using and measuring hits and times between SFP scopes with duplex and BDC reticle side by side in field conditions/positions with FFP mil/mil scopes, the accuracy, speed, and ease of the latter negates any weight savings of the former... for me.

 

[Juan_ID]

How is the light gathering on that 32mm?

 

[Myronman3]

i’d like to see them make a pistol scope with the milquad reticle. it’d be what the dr. ordered for a 7-30 waters or a 6.5 jdj

 

[ianpadron]

How is the light gathering on that 32mm?

Pretty dang good tbh, especially for a $350 scope with such a small objective. Appears plenty bright enough to use right up til legal shooting light.

I ran into some potential issues while testing it this past weekend that I want to confirm before posting in-depth.

 

[Mtslackcountry]

Pretty dang good tbh, especially for a $350 scope with such a small objective. Appears plenty bright enough to use right up til legal shooting light.

I ran into some potential issues while testing it this past weekend that I want to confirm before posting in-depth.

Any updates on this scope bud?

 

[Loper]

How light is it? What is the magnification?

 

[HighUintas]

Pretty dang good tbh, especially for a $350 scope with such a small objective. Appears plenty bright enough to use right up til legal shooting light.

I ran into some potential issues while testing it this past weekend that I want to confirm before posting in-depth.

Any update?

 

[ianpadron]

Any updates on this scope bud?

Ended up having to send the scope back on warranty to SWFA. It was not tracking accurately or holding zero. First range day yielded 8" groups at 100, with a rifle/load combo known to stack them.

SWFA was great and sent out another no questions asked.

In the meantime, I mounted a different scope to the rifle the UL was originally intended to go on.

I now have a Kimber Montana in .243 on order that will get the UL slapped on it as soon as it arrives, and I'll pick this thread up where I left off. Scope is too cool (and light) for me to abandon it.

Apologies for the lack of responses, didn't want to blame the scope or SWFA before confirming that it was indeed the culprit.

 

[ianpadron]

How light is it? What is the magnification?

The scope weighs 9.5 ounces. 2.5-10x magnification range.

 

[ianpadron]

Any update?

See above and stay tuned.