My review of the original Schmidt & Bender fixed 6.
This scope was purchased by me used from the forum. The reticle is a #8 heavy duplex with very thick lines. I am shooting on my land off a bench to a target 107 yards away.
The scope was mounted following recommended RS procedure. Everything was degreased with acetone and blue Loctite. No paint pen today.
The rifle is a bone stock Bergara Ridge SP 6.5 Creed, Warne rail and rings. Rail is 380 epoxied to the action. Triggered adjusted to avg 2.2 lbs based on my scale. TBAC 7 for the suppressor. Suppressor stayed on for the entirety of the test. I am shooting off bags on a homemade bench. Weather is hot and humid no wind. 80 degrees and cooler than normal morning due to last night rain for this time of the year in Texas.
The media is costal and prairie grass on a ½” gym mat that is at least 12 years old and been in my garage in front of the bench. Cows didn’t eat enough and the grass did not grow enough since last week’s testing to matter. Drops were conducted from knee and waist high. I am 6’0.
Starting group with this rifle was 2.25”. This is the first time shooting this scope so I have no base line to judge against. Winchester 125 OT Range ammo. The crosshairs are so thick it made it very difficult to see the 2” orange sticker. This reticle is fine for hunting, but not optimal for shooting tiny groups. I’ve used a 1.5x6 Nikon previously and found it very adequate to 400 yards for big game. Shot my elk with that scope on 6X after running 400 yards then dropping prone, landing in tiny cactus and hit the bull in the heart at 326 yards. I believe this model will fill that same niche. I am curious if the reticle or the lower power caused my group to be over 2”? I have previously used this rifle with higher magnification scopes and can consistently shoot a 1.5” 10 shot group. I shoot 10-12x with higher mag scopes when I execute the 10 shot groups. However, I do drop the mag down to 8x once I have an animal and am ready to pull the trigger. This sounds like something to discuss over adult beverages, but I suspect the consensus will be, “you can’t hit what you can’t see”. I have 3, 4, & 5” targets I may work with before removing this scope to see if my group shrinks.
The dead center shot is to confirm the 2 mils left adjustment after the 10-shot cone group (C). First three 18” drops shots (#1,2,3) showed a 1” drop down and to the right, but still in the cone. I notice after the 3rd drop; I did not attach the turret caps after sighting in. Attached caps. The first 36” drop (left side #4) was back to center. Then the 36” (top #5) drop was fine, then the 36” drop (right side# 6) showed a 1.5” movement to the right. I then shot again without a drop and the #7 shot dropped back into the cone. There was a 20-minute break between shots 7&8. I then moved to the 3 36” drops (left side #8) and noticed a large movement to the right. I may have pulled this one as it was the first shot back after a fiasco with my cows. Then 3 36” (top #9) was in the cone. Three more 36” drops on (right side #10) was fine and finally 3 consecutive 36” drops (one per side) for #11. The 11th shot was way out of the cone and caused the group size to increase. Total 18 drops and 12 shots.
The group size increased from 2.25” to 2.85” after the drops. The group size experienced the greatest increase AFTER the 9 consecutive drops. Again, some of the issue could be my inability to clearly see the target and when combined with my limited shooting ability the .60 or ½” increase in size is negligible IMO.
Although the effort does not match the accepted RS testing criteria, I believe it will serve most hunters seeking a fixed power scope well as a set and forget system to a maximum of 400 yards on deer or larger game. I would have no issues recommending the S&B fixed 6.
This scope was purchased by me used from the forum. The reticle is a #8 heavy duplex with very thick lines. I am shooting on my land off a bench to a target 107 yards away.
The scope was mounted following recommended RS procedure. Everything was degreased with acetone and blue Loctite. No paint pen today.
The rifle is a bone stock Bergara Ridge SP 6.5 Creed, Warne rail and rings. Rail is 380 epoxied to the action. Triggered adjusted to avg 2.2 lbs based on my scale. TBAC 7 for the suppressor. Suppressor stayed on for the entirety of the test. I am shooting off bags on a homemade bench. Weather is hot and humid no wind. 80 degrees and cooler than normal morning due to last night rain for this time of the year in Texas.
The media is costal and prairie grass on a ½” gym mat that is at least 12 years old and been in my garage in front of the bench. Cows didn’t eat enough and the grass did not grow enough since last week’s testing to matter. Drops were conducted from knee and waist high. I am 6’0.
Starting group with this rifle was 2.25”. This is the first time shooting this scope so I have no base line to judge against. Winchester 125 OT Range ammo. The crosshairs are so thick it made it very difficult to see the 2” orange sticker. This reticle is fine for hunting, but not optimal for shooting tiny groups. I’ve used a 1.5x6 Nikon previously and found it very adequate to 400 yards for big game. Shot my elk with that scope on 6X after running 400 yards then dropping prone, landing in tiny cactus and hit the bull in the heart at 326 yards. I believe this model will fill that same niche. I am curious if the reticle or the lower power caused my group to be over 2”? I have previously used this rifle with higher magnification scopes and can consistently shoot a 1.5” 10 shot group. I shoot 10-12x with higher mag scopes when I execute the 10 shot groups. However, I do drop the mag down to 8x once I have an animal and am ready to pull the trigger. This sounds like something to discuss over adult beverages, but I suspect the consensus will be, “you can’t hit what you can’t see”. I have 3, 4, & 5” targets I may work with before removing this scope to see if my group shrinks.
The dead center shot is to confirm the 2 mils left adjustment after the 10-shot cone group (C). First three 18” drops shots (#1,2,3) showed a 1” drop down and to the right, but still in the cone. I notice after the 3rd drop; I did not attach the turret caps after sighting in. Attached caps. The first 36” drop (left side #4) was back to center. Then the 36” (top #5) drop was fine, then the 36” drop (right side# 6) showed a 1.5” movement to the right. I then shot again without a drop and the #7 shot dropped back into the cone. There was a 20-minute break between shots 7&8. I then moved to the 3 36” drops (left side #8) and noticed a large movement to the right. I may have pulled this one as it was the first shot back after a fiasco with my cows. Then 3 36” (top #9) was in the cone. Three more 36” drops on (right side #10) was fine and finally 3 consecutive 36” drops (one per side) for #11. The 11th shot was way out of the cone and caused the group size to increase. Total 18 drops and 12 shots.
The group size increased from 2.25” to 2.85” after the drops. The group size experienced the greatest increase AFTER the 9 consecutive drops. Again, some of the issue could be my inability to clearly see the target and when combined with my limited shooting ability the .60 or ½” increase in size is negligible IMO.
Although the effort does not match the accepted RS testing criteria, I believe it will serve most hunters seeking a fixed power scope well as a set and forget system to a maximum of 400 yards on deer or larger game. I would have no issues recommending the S&B fixed 6.
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