S&B Klassik 3-12 vs SHV 3-10

[Zhdrix]

I currently have an SHV on my hunting rig right now but want to upgrade. The SHV would go to my dad. Is the S&B an upgrade or more of a side-grade? Does the S&B compare well to the Maven rs1.2?

 

[Macintosh]

How far do you need to shoot? The S&B Klassik turret is limited to 4.8 mils of travel, and an elevated rail wont help with that, 4.8 is all you can get. That gets most cartridges well past 600 yards. If thats plenty then imo its a very good scope. But if you need more travel it wont work.

 

[Zhdrix]

theoretical max would be 300. Realistically shots would be 50-150. I’d run out of elevation at 700 so the SB wouldn’t be overworked lol

 

[RWT]

I have all 3 scopes you mentioned.
Size/form factor goes to the S&B. It is a slimmer profile than the SHV and Maven
Reticle - Maven wins hand down for me. Then the S&B then SHV. S&B is cleaner but doesn’t have the best wind holds.
Illumination. S&B and a tie between the maven and SHV
Dialing. maven wins with zero stop and exposed turrets. SHV had decent turrets but no stop and S&B is last Not exposed and tiny dial handle.
Glass S&B then Maven then SHV. S&B color POPs compared to the others.

IMO S&B is an upgrade for a general purpose scope over the SHV. If you dial more. Go with the Maven as for me it is an upgrade on features over the SHV.

When I want tough and ugly the SHV wins. It doesn’t do anything spectacular, but does everything well enough to be a good scope.

 

[Zhdrix]

I have all 3 scopes you mentioned.
Size/form factor goes to the S&B. It is a slimmer profile than the SHV and Maven
Reticle - Maven wins hand down for me. Then the S&B then SHV. S&B is cleaner but doesn’t have the best wind holds.
Illumination. S&B and a tie between the maven and SHV
Dialing. maven wins with zero stop and exposed turrets. SHV had decent turrets but no stop and S&B is last Not exposed and tiny dial handle.
Glass S&B then Maven then SHV. S&B color POPs compared to the others.

IMO S&B is an upgrade for a general purpose scope over the SHV. If you dial more. Go with the Maven as for me it is an upgrade on features over the SHV.

When I want tough and ugly the SHV wins. It doesn’t do anything spectacular, but does everything well enough to be a good scope.

Any experience with the Polar line? That’s the only other high end option I was looking at

 

[Macintosh]

…a tie between the maven and SHV
Dialing. maven wins with zero stop and exposed turrets. SHV had decent turrets but no stop and S&B is last Not exposed and tiny dial handle.

I may have misunderstood this, but worth clarifying. The S&B is available both with capped turrets (which it sounds like you had?) AND with an exposed turret. The exposed version is a unique turret, but I’ve found it very useable, with an extremely easy to use zero stop. Given the relatively short range requirement, if you end up wanting an exposed turret its absolutely worth at least a look.

 

[Zhdrix]

I may have misunderstood this, but worth clarifying. The S&B is available both with capped turrets (which it sounds like you had?) AND with an exposed turret. The exposed version is a unique turret, but I’ve found it very useable, with an extremely easy to use zero stop. Given the relatively short range requirement, if you end up wanting an exposed turret its absolutely worth at least a look. View attachment 1009938

the model I’m looking at has the exposed turret. What makes them unique?

 

[Macintosh]

The Klassik turret is unique because it’s impossible to turn more than 4.8mils. So putting it on an elevated rail does not provide more elevation travel, at best it would allow using all 4.8mils. Ie it is limited by the turret itself, not only by the internal adjustment of the scope. Its simply a different design than other exposed turrets Ive used. If you search this forum there are numerous threads focused on this scope. Other s&b turrets are more similar to the designs other companies use.

 

[Zhdrix]

The Klassik turret is unique because it’s impossible to turn more than 4.8mils. So putting it on an elevated rail does not provide more elevation travel, at best it would allow using all 4.8mils. Its simply a different design than other exposed turrets Ive used. If you search this forum there are numerous threads focused on this scope. Other s&b turrets are more similar to the designs other companies use.

Oh duh that’s what you meant. I thought by unique you meant a unique way they operate not how you can’t use canted rail

 

[JCMCUBIC]

Macintosh made note of it, in my experience with standard short action chamberings, the 3-12 Klassic with the 4.8 dial MUST be used with a 20 MOA rail and a 200 yard zero to make use of the 4.8 mil elevation travel. 25 MOA rings were to much to zero at 200. 0 MOA rail was to little to use the upper limits of the dial. It's a good, simple implementation of an elevation turret for hunting that a user can't dial below zero or get lost on revolutions. As long as a 20 MOA rail, 200 yard zero, and limit of 4.8 mil is adequate, it's a good hunting scope.

...
Size/form factor goes to the S&B. It is a slimmer profile than the SHV and Maven
...

This one is a toss up to me.

The S&B is a noticeably longer scope than the short/compact SHV 3-10 even though the tube length is approximately the same. S&B's generally have more length from the tube to objective and tube to eye piece than a lot of scopes.

The S&B elevation and windage dials are slimmer and lower profile than the SHV's capped dials.

The SHV's illumination adjustment is lower profile than the S&B's which is rather large.

The length makes the S&B seem bigger to me.

 

[eamyrick]

I use a S&B 3-12 on my 30-06 that is pretty slow at 2650. Mine has the 3.2 mil turret and I get out to 525 with a 100 yard zero. Just picked up one with 4.8 mils but tbh shot my bull at 430 this year and don’t plan on shooting anything past 500.

I’ve taken mine on horseback hunts and carried them all season on side by side, backpacking trips etc and never had a zero shift and they dial perfectly. Only downside I’ve ever noticed is they do seem a bit more susceptible to glare but i can usually resolve by backing down to 8-9x.

 

[RWT]

I may have misunderstood this, but worth clarifying. The S&B is available both with capped turrets (which it sounds like you had?) AND with an exposed turret. The exposed version is a unique turret, but I’ve found it very useable, with an extremely easy to use zero stop. Given the relatively short range requirement, if you end up wanting an exposed turret its absolutely worth at least a look. View attachment 1009938

Good to know. Thank you. I’ll search for the replacement turret