Did I buy the wrong scope

[Matt5266]

I think I will try to get a swfa to compare side by side and just return whichever I like least. I don’t need it mounted until about two weeks then I’m headed to a friends to do some shooting and load dev, he’s gonna reload for me.

I think both would work fine. I do like the idea of quick drop, wind brackets, and base ten. But I need the reticle to be usable on 3x in timber.

He likes a 16x top end for his scopes but I don’t think 9x will be an issue on kill zone sized targets out to 800yds. (I like to practice twice as far as I hunt, I shoot my bow to 120 so 60 and under feels easy)

I literally just finished shooting 800 on 8X and had no issues.

 

[Macintosh]

if you are actually practicing and shooting at 400-800 yards thats a totally different situation than what I understood. In that case you need those turrets to dial. the trijicon is definitely the wrong scope, you really would be much better off with the swfa in that case. Yes, you “can” dial the trijicon by removing the caps, but they are very easy to accidentally spin and lose your zero as they are made to be capped during use.

 

[SDHNTR]

That’s a fine choice in scope for your needs!

 

[Kurts86]

For what it’s worth TN has a good number of long range facilities like Strategic Edge and K&M. Even the public range in Clarksville goes out to 400 yards.

 

[Zking]

if you are actually practicing and shooting at 400-800 yards thats a totally different situation than what I understood. In that case you need those turrets to dial. the trijicon is definitely the wrong scope, you really would be much better off with the swfa in that case. Yes, you “can” dial the trijicon by removing the caps, but they are very easy to accidentally spin and lose your zero as they are made to be capped during use.

All of my hunting would be sub-400, most of it sub-250. Which I think is part of my hangup, because I know for most of my hunting any scope that holds zero will work just fine, and I'll never have to touch a turret. The closest range to me goes out to 800; I would like to practice out that far when I do go. I'm not sure what a realistic practice volume looks like for me at this point in life.

I'm going to relate it to archery because that's what I've done for years. I shoot thousands of arrows a year. I work on my own bows, build my own arrows, fine-tune like a crazy person. I am not in a place financially to go all in on reloading; I am also at least an hour away from a place to shoot, so that's very different from being able to shoot in my driveway and be 25 min from a place to shoot out further than my sight housing will clear.

I shoot a 3-pin slider bow sight; 75-95% of my hunting, I never move it, but I like to practice with it. I know I could get away with a 5-pin fixed sight and be totally fine for hunting. I don't shoot a single pin slider because I miss opportunities with it sub 40 even tho it's a better sight picture at long range for practice. I don't want to end up with a single pin, but I would enjoy more than a fixed pin, I guess that's what I'm saying

 

[43.6N]

All of my hunting would be sub-400, most of it sub-250. Which I think is part of my hangup, because I know for most of my hunting any scope that holds zero will work just fine, and I'll never have to touch a turret. The closest range to me goes out to 800; I would like to practice out that far when I do go. I'm not sure what a realistic practice volume looks like for me at this point in life.

I'm going to relate it to archery because that's what I've done for years. I shoot thousands of arrows a year. I work on my own bows, build my own arrows, fine-tune like a crazy person. I am not in a place financially to go all in on reloading; I am also at least an hour away from a place to shoot, so that's very different from being able to shoot in my driveway and be 25 min from a place to shoot out further than my sight housing will clear.

I shoot a 3-pin slider bow sight; 75-95% of my hunting, I never move it, but I like to practice with it. I know I could get away with a 5-pin fixed sight and be totally fine for hunting. I don't shoot a single pin slider because I miss opportunities with it sub 40 even tho it's a better sight picture at long range for practice. I don't want to end up with a single pin, but I would enjoy more than a fixed pin, I guess that's what I'm saying

with what you just posted helping to flesh out how your going to use your scope, let me just say you did not buy the wrong scope.

You’ve got the Trijicon in hand now right? How do you like it?

I think you should mount it up, and go forward without a second thought about “what could have been.”

 

[Kurts86]

You will not outgrow an SWFA 3-9, you may outgrown the Trijicon.

You really want to be able to dial and shoot to 400 yards if Pronghorn is on the table.

You can realistically get to proficiency to hunt to 400 yards on 500 rounds per year practice.

Driving 1-2 hours to shoot long range is the nature of it outside of the western US. The ranges I’ve belong to have never been closer than 1 hour away and a few were 2+ hours drive. They just aren’t that common in much of the country.

 

[ColPenguin]

OP, ya already bought the thing. I'd run it and see wtf. I bet it'll be fine. Cant go wrong with that 3-9 though. Tough choice

Agree with this. Just use it.

You're allowed to buy more than one scope. Someone on here, or eBay, will probably buy your scope if you change your mind about it later. I have never had a problem selling a used scope.

I'm starting to love the SWFA 3-15 reticle more than the SWFA 3-9. I didn't buy that one scope for life. My preference just changed, over time, as I shot more often.

 

[Zking]

Okay, I have both scopes now. Was able to take them out in a break in the thunderstorms. I was able to look in the woods and in the open from 50-850 yards. The swfa is better to my eye.

I didn’t realize the swfa was non locking turrets, I had been looking at the gen 2 3-15 earlier since that was what they had in stock.

Is there a way to get a locking turret on the 3-9? That is my only concern with this scope over the Trijicon.

 

[Hnthrdr]

Both are solid, have swiffy 3-9, ascents, Hurons and credos of all flavors, the 2.5-15 credo is my favorite but I am really coming around on the swiffy 3-9, ffp wind holds are fantastic. Wish the 2-10 credo had a 40mm obj, would be one of the best options out there but it doesn’t. SFP and ffp have their place, imo ffp is pretty great for wind holds, I dial for elevation with most of my SFP scopes, but wind holds are difficult unless you are at max magnification

 

[Nine Banger]

Okay, I have both scopes now. Was able to take them out in a break in the thunderstorms. I was able to look in the woods and in the open from 50-850 yards. The swfa is better to my eye.

I didn’t realize the swfa was non locking turrets, I had been looking at the gen 2 3-15 earlier since that was what they had in stock.

Is there a way to get a locking turret on the 3-9? That is my only concern with this scope over the Trijicon.

Just put a little square of masking tape on the windage turret after you slip turrets on the swfa. The elevation turret doesn't spin on its own.

 

[43.6N]

Okay, I have both scopes now. Was able to take them out in a break in the thunderstorms. I was able to look in the woods and in the open from 50-850 yards. The swfa is better to my eye.

I didn’t realize the swfa was non locking turrets, I had been looking at the gen 2 3-15 earlier since that was what they had in stock.

Is there a way to get a locking turret on the 3-9? That is my only concern with this scope over the Trijicon.

@pods8 (Rugged Stitching) sells a shim kit that gives you a zero stop for the elevation. 10/10, highly recommend.

The windage knob is the one weak point for the scope. Not that it will break, but that there is no mechanical protection from rotation.
It’s never rotated on me, and feels relatively stiff compared to other scopes. Some people choose to accept that it could rotate, and part of their shot process is to visually double check it before the shot. Others choose to wrap it in electrical tape to keep it from moving.