Ryan Avery on recent Podcast ..SWFA scopes

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Nov 19, 2022
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Just listened to Ryan Avery on the RokSlide podcast. Trying to get into long range hunting. Using a 308.

Looking into the SWFA scopes he talked about. Having trouble finding any dealers. Are they only available online? Specifically only Amazon?

Also the reticle they have with that big Christmas tree seems to busy for me. Do they have a variable SS with a regular duplex?

The super thin reticle will disappear with my 46 year old eyes at dusk.

The illuminates reticle scopes seem to be very heavy.
 

ETtikka

WKR
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Oct 28, 2020
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Their is a crapload of info on rokslide if you simply search swfa, in general for 300$ or less the fixed X SS scopes are by far the cheapest reliable dialing scope on the planet, best place to buy is directly from SWFAs website, incredible deals on 10x, 12, etc
 
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Only available directly from SWFA. Thier standard reticle is the MQ. It's not a "tree style". For big game hunting I like the 6x or 3-9 HD.

FWIW, I don't have any trouble with the reticle on low X with the 3-9 or 3-15's I have, and I've used them in thick, second or third growth brushy timber that doesn't allow much light.
 
OP
B
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Think I could use the fixed 10x for hunting out west? Would the lack of variable magnification be a deal breaker?


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It largely depends on how far you're planning to shoot, and, to an extent, how big the animals are that you're aiming at. If you're going to shoot antelope and rock chucks over 600 regularly and you spend most of your time in very open country, then maybe the 10 would be a better fit. I find a 6X to be a better all around scope and not limiting on the distances that I commonly encounter while big game hunting. Everyone's eyes are different, ymmv, etc, etc.

I say buy both. They're cheap enough. If you don't like the 6x and it's got an MQ, I'll buy it from you.

I don't think the fact that it's fixed is a deal breaker at all. But, if it is to you and/or you think you'll need more X, pick up the 3-15 that's on a good deal right now. Mine rarely get turned past 6 or 8 X anyway, but with 15 on the top end you have more X if the targets are small or you're going to practice at really, really far off objects.
 
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LightFoot

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It really depends on where you hunt. I agree with the above that 6x is best all around and can get you out to 600. The 10x will get you out to 1K.

(1x per 100 yards is my general rule of thumb)

I wouldn’t hesitate to take the 6x out west, though you will want the 10x on deer-sized game at distance. The 10x will severely limit your ability to make those closer shots when haste is required.

The 3-9x SWFA HD has a solid reputation and following here. It’s probably one of the best all-around optics. I don’t have one, but I’ve had the 10x and the 6x… I still have the 6x.


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Windigo

Lil-Rokslider
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Think I could use the fixed 10x for hunting out west? Would the lack of variable magnification be a deal breaker?


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I killed a lot of stuff with the fixed 6 on a .308. The way I rationalized it was that 6x made an object at 600yds look like it was at 100yds, and that’s probably further than you should be shooting a .308 at game. Pounded steel with it out to 600 and didn’t feel like I was straining my eyes.
 
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Do they make any with zero stop and capped windage?
Nope.

However, zero stops for elevation are easy and cheap to make. Tons of threads on it already so won't go in depth.

You can cap windage with a tight fitting pipe cap or chair foot, etc. Whatever you can get to fit tight enough to stay on and seal around the o ring.

Like many, l'd like for them to offer a capped windage and low profile elevation model. But once you get used to the work arounds, they do just fine.
 

Rooggvc

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Only available directly from SWFA. Thier standard reticle is the MQ. It's not a "tree style". For big game hunting I like the 6x or 3-9 HD.

FWIW, I don't have any trouble with the reticle on low X with the 3-9 or 3-15's I have, and I've used them in thick, second or third growth brushy timber that doesn't allow much light.
Have you found the 3-15 to be just as reliable as the 3-9? I haven't heard much about it?
 

Dioni A

Basque Assassin
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I don't think there's a better general purpose rifle scope on the market than the SWFA 3-9 for any price. I wish it had capped windage and a zero stop but electrical tape fixes the windage and as others have said elevation is an easy fix too. It holds zero, has the most usable reticle I've ever seen, doesn't weigh too much and has very good glass. I Have also grown to like the fixed parallax.
 
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Have you found the 3-15 to be just as reliable as the 3-9? I haven't heard much about it?
Yes. But I will further qualify the statement by adding that I have much more use and abuse on the 3-9.

The 3-15 does have PA, so there's more componentry, but they seem pretty solid. Quite a few years back I had a SFP 3-15 that didn't see much use. Then I hadn't used that model much until just this past year through which it was tough to come by 6X and 3-9's, so I picked up a couple 3-15's. (One came from Dioni on this website) The glass is better than I remember, and I will likely be buying more in the future for varmint rigs, etc.
 
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I hunted with the fixed 6X for the previous two years, and this year with the fixed 10X. No problems at close range with either. However I run the same scope on my 10-22 for small game, so my brain and eyes know how to use the scope at close range with short windows of opportunity. 6X is great to 600 yards. 10X to 800 I would guess, but I never even practice that far out.

I bang around in rough terrain and have no need for caps. Inexpensive aftermarket zero stop was definitely a good upgrade. It's just a stack of washers I bought on Ebay, made custom for these scopes. Stable plastic material with various thickness, so you can mix and match to a perfect zero stop. $20 I believe.
 
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