Light Weight Scope Help - Dependable Elevation Dialing

[Willoughby]

where can I find a list of scopes that have been tested and deemed dependable ?

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Yessir, they've been in a state of perpetual backorder since +/- late 2019. Either you buy one at full price lightly used, or you place a backorder and wait for it to come in, whenever it does. If memory serves correct, the last time I spoke with Wendy at SWFA, backorder on the 3-9's was over 100 people deep. You could be waiting a long time if you try to buy new.

But that should tell you how good these 3-9's are.

Glad I snagged a few of them back a few months ago when they became available. Now my 6x scopes sit on the shelf.

 

[Balderdash]

The 3-9 is designated with a "SS HD" and the 3-15 with "SS", no "HD". Different glass? Coating? Is the 3-9 that much better, clearer?

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Better glass on the HD's. Both the Classics and the HD are made in Japan, but different manufacturers.

I own multiples of each and other SWFA scopes, and I've been exceedingly pleased with all of them. The glass on an early 3-15 I had was pretty mediocre; however, the glass on the latest 3-15's I've received has been very good and, IME, its good enough that it won't cost you an opportunity. I find the MQ to be a great all around hunting reticle.

On the SWFA's I cap the windage and zero stop the elevation with washer kits from Tim K on ebay. I'd rather the elevation turret be locked, but I cant say as though I've experienced much "ghost" turning and, anyway, I'm in the habit of constantly checking the elevation before a shot, so I can't say as though it has ever cost me an opportunity.

As far as LW dialing scopes for hunting, I haven't found much better options than the SWFA's in reference. I very much like the 3-12 Bushy LRHS/LRTS's I have that come in around 24 ounces IIRC, but they are harder to come by these days. I have a couple of the smaller NF's, which have been fantastic as well, but I generally prefer FFP's.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

where can I find a list of scopes that have been tested and deemed dependable ?

In the long range hunting section, there’s a sun forum about scope evaluations and tests.

 

[Benjblt]

Better glass on the HD's. Both the Classics and the HD are made in Japan, but different manufacturers.

I own multiples of each and other SWFA scopes, and I've been exceedingly pleased with all of them. The glass on an early 3-15 I had was pretty mediocre; however, the glass on the latest 3-15's I've received has been very good and, IME, its good enough that it won't cost you an opportunity. I find the MQ to be a great all around hunting reticle.

On the SWFA's I cap the windage and zero stop the elevation with washer kits from Tim K on ebay. I'd rather the elevation turret by locked, but I cant say as though I've experienced much "ghost" turning and, anyway, I'm in the habit of constantly checking the elevation before a shot, so I can't say as though its ever cost me an opportunity.

As far as LW dialing scopes for hunting, I haven't found much better options than the SWFA's in reference. I very much like the 3-12 Bushy LRHS/LRTS's I have that come in around 24 ouncs IIRC, but they are harder to come by these days. I have a couple of the smaller NF's, which have been fantastic as well, but I generally prefer FFP's.

The SWFA's don't come with a zero stop?

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[DakotaBPNW]

The SWFA's don't come with a zero stop?

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No

 

[Marshfly]

Can't say that I love the looks of that reticle.

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Ehh, it works. And more importantly, is available today and it won’t break WHEN you drop the gun or knock it against a tree in the woods.

You will not get an SWFA for this season if you want it new. You just won’t. I have a 6x that’s been on order for over a month for my sons rifle and I fully expect to have to yank a scope from another rifle for him to use this year.


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[Marshfly]

OP, I was in the exact same place as you a year ago. I wanted light. I wanted a simple windplex or similar reticle.
But then I really did the research and thought long and hard about it I realized that reticles and weight were way, way down the list of requirements from reliability. Reliability in the woods and on a hunting trip is an absolute requirement. Everything else is a far second.

 

[dirtytough]

2.5-10 NXS would be a good bet. Trijicons are pretty nice also. I haven't used an SWFA but they obviously get high praise on here as well.

 

[wind gypsy]

3-9 SWFA and 2.5-10 NXS are the go tos for weight conscious guns. After using a 2.5-10 nxs and a 3-9 swfa a bunch for a season, I didn't like the nxs enough more to replace it with mil version over 2 or 3 SWFAs when i sold it because it was my last MOA scope.

 

[Benjblt]

No

That's a bummer. I've had issues with no zero stop.

 

[Benjblt]

3-9 SWFA and 2.5-10 NXS are the go tos for weight conscious guns. After using a 2.5-10 nxs and a 3-9 swfa a bunch for a season, I didn't like the nxs enough more to replace it with mil version over 2 or 3 SWFAs when i sold it because it was my last MOA scope.

Do you find the lack of zero stop on the SWFA to be a problem?

 

[Benjblt]

2.5-10 NXS would be a good bet. Trijicons are pretty nice also. I haven't used an SWFA but they obviously get high praise on here as well.

How do you feel about the reticle? Is it too small and crowded? I don't like the Trij's but I haven't looked through either in person.

 

[Benjblt]

Ehh, it works. And more importantly, is available today and it won’t break WHEN you drop the gun or knock it against a tree in the woods.

You will not get an SWFA for this season if you want it new. You just won’t. I have a 6x that’s been on order for over a month for my sons rifle and I fully expect to have to yank a scope from another rifle for him to use this year.


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At this point I'm willing to get buy with what I have to wait for the right thing. I like the idea of the SWFA except I wish it had the zero stop. . . but maybe it hasn't been a problem for others. . .

 

[wind gypsy]

Do you find the lack of zero stop on the SWFA to be a problem?

No issues experienced. These are lighter hunting rifles that rarely get a full rev of elevation dialed so I'm not going multiple revs up. I haven't had issues with turrets moving inadvertently. You can use shims to create a redneck zero stop as well. I (and most people on this site) have no business shooting at animals at distances requiring more than 5 Mils elevation.

 

[Weldor]

zeiss conquest 4-16x44 is about 21/22 oz...I have the 50mm version on a hard hunted 7 mag thats been dialed hundreds of times, banged around, dropped, basically been abused and always dialed accurately and returned the zero. The optics are also fantastic. Rumor is Zeiss has these made by LOW in japan which has an tremendous reputation for building quality optics.

Have the same scope and it is reliable for sure.

 

[Marshfly]

At this point I'm willing to get buy with what I have to wait for the right thing. I like the idea of the SWFA except I wish it had the zero stop. . . but maybe it hasn't been a problem for others. . .

There is a guy that makes spacers to make a zero stop for that scope. You’ll have to find him with a google search. The info is on another forum and I can’t remember which.


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[nobody]

At this point I'm willing to get buy with what I have to wait for the right thing. I like the idea of the SWFA except I wish it had the zero stop. . . but maybe it hasn't been a problem for others. . .

It's a non-issue. The turrets are revolution indicated, so I just mark in the center of my turrets which revolution my zero is on. So I just dial back to the "0" on revolution number 5, for example, and I know that's my zero point.

 

[Benjblt]

It's a non-issue. The turrets are revolution indicated, so I just mark in the center of my turrets which revolution my zero is on. So I just dial back to the "0" on revolution number 5, for example, and I know that's my zero point.

They don't get bumped easily?

 

[fwafwow]

There is a guy that makes spacers to make a zero stop for that scope. You’ll have to find him with a google search. The info is on another forum and I can’t remember which.


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Here’s what I came up with for the SWFA 3-15 -
Post in thread 'Swfa 3-15 is legit'
https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/swfa-3-15-is-legit.288036/post-2870851

The guy online who sells the kits is also referenced in that thread.

I also have a 6x and 3-9 and at some point I will get around to figuring out the shims for a homemade zero stop.