Swfa scope question?

[N2TRKYS]

I’ve never had an issue with my Leupold scopes either but this was a new rifle so wanted to try something new. I don’t like the idea of shooting really close on a straight 10x so I ordered the 3-9 yesterday.

Shooting close with a 10x has been a non issue for me. Congrats on your purchase. You’re gonna like it.

 

[Weldor]

Who makes zero stop shims for them?

pods8, look for his post in optics classified.

 

[Dinglebottoms]

When you get the scope, update us on a side by side of the glass on the swfa 3-9 and the vx3 if you would please!

Will do, I also have a zeiss conquest v4 to compare it to. Im excited to see how it stacks up against them.

 

[ElPollo]

Have the 3-15, 3-9, and 6x. The 6x gets used 20x more than the others. Turret rotation has not been an issue for me in the 6 years since I switched over to SWFAs exclusively. That is close to 10k rounds, 80k miles in a vehicle and who knows how many miles strapped to a pack or carried. The reason for the switch was wandering zeros with my other scopes (Leupold and Nikon). The SWFAs are pretty close to bombproof in that regard. The glass is more than adequate for shooting in any legal situation. Put your concerns for glass quality into your other optics that you use to FIND game. It’s really not that important for your rifle scope. It’s an aiming device, so the key thing is repeatability and consistently. The SWFAs have that in spades.

I think the 6x is the best scope out there for 0-600 yard shooting. The 3-9 is a step up in glass, but with added complexity you don’t need. Mine stays on 6x. The 3-15 is a step down from both. The reticle is slightly less visible because the diamond-shaped hash marks are open (not solid black), the extra magnification is frankly not useful for anything short of shooting paper, and the reduced eye relief at the top end makes it even more of a PITA to get on target quickly. People always think they need more magnification based on bench shooting. But on the clock or in actual field shooting and hunting situations neither high magnification nor super low magnification are very beneficial. If you want something now, I would say buy the 3-9. If you are willing to look for a used one or wait for the tariff thing to sort out, get the 6x.

 

[Ajsomp]

I own three 3-9s at this point. I have also owned two 6x and a 3-15. No experience with the gen2 3-15.

I’ll echo the above, the 6x is unmatched by any manufacturer. The 3-9 is a better scope optically. And it’s really a 4-9 scope IMO. But, it’s solid and you won’t NEED anything else for hunting. I shot animals with both - the 6x is just range, dial, shoot. It’s what I will set all my kids guns up with when it’s time. It also makes a great home on a 223 gun.

Why did I go three 3-9? Because I wanted everything set up the same way across my 223, 22 creed and 6.5 PRC (same stock, rings, scope etc).

But I could have easily done three 6x scopes instead.

 

[Dinglebottoms]

Have the 3-15, 3-9, and 6x. The 6x gets used 20x more than the others. Turret rotation has not been an issue for me in the 6 years since I switched over to SWFAs exclusively. That is close to 10k rounds, 80k miles in a vehicle and who knows how many miles strapped to a pack or carried. The reason for the switch was wandering zeros with my other scopes (Leupold and Nikon). The SWFAs are pretty close to bombproof in that regard. The glass is more than adequate for shooting in any legal situation. Put your concerns for glass quality into your other optics that you use to FIND game. It’s really not that important for your rifle scope. It’s an aiming device, so the key thing is repeatability and consistently. The SWFAs have that in spades.

I think the 6x is the best scope out there for 0-600 yard shooting. The 3-9 is a step up in glass, but with added complexity you don’t need. Mine stays on 6x. The 3-15 is a step down from both. The reticle is slightly less visible because the diamond-shaped hash marks are open (not solid black), the extra magnification is frankly not useful for anything short of shooting paper, and the reduced eye relief at the top end makes it even more of a PITA to get on target quickly. People always think they need more magnification based on bench shooting. But on the clock or in actual field shooting and hunting situations neither high magnification nor super low magnification are very beneficial. If you want something now, I would say buy the 3-9. If you are willing to look for a used one or wait for the tariff thing to sort out, get the 6x.

I bought the 3-9, I wanted a 6x but am impatient. I’m glad I didn’t do the 3-15 for the reasons you stated, the 3-9 should be plenty and I may replace the Leupold that I have with a 10x

 

[Dinglebottoms]

I own three 3-9s at this point. I have also owned two 6x and a 3-15. No experience with the gen2 3-15.

I’ll echo the above, the 6x is unmatched by any manufacturer. The 3-9 is a better scope optically. And it’s really a 4-9 scope IMO. But, it’s solid and you won’t NEED anything else for hunting. I shot animals with both - the 6x is just range, dial, shoot. It’s what I will set all my kids guns up with when it’s time. It also makes a great home on a 223 gun.

Why did I go three 3-9? Because I wanted everything set up the same way across my 223, 22 creed and 6.5 PRC (same stock, rings, scope etc).

But I could have easily done three 6x scopes instead.

I might add another depending on how I like it. A 10x would be great on one of my rifles

 

[Quandary]

I have the 3-15 Gen 2. I like the functionality and the glass is fine. It isn’t as good as my Zeiss V6s, Zeiss LRP or Leica but the optics are shockingly good when taking in the cost. In fact I just ordered a 10x Gen 2 for my 22LR.

 

[Steve300xcw]

Have 4 or 5 6x's and I think 3, 3-9's.

VERY fond of the 6x's. Actually did not care for the 3-9's to start.

They have grown on me though. Dunno if they have passed the 6's but its pretty close right now.

 

[Dinglebottoms]

Have 4 or 5 6x's and I think 3, 3-9's.

VERY fond of the 6x's. Actually did not care for the 3-9's to start.

They have grown on me though. Dunno if they have passed the 6's but its pretty close right now.

I’m more than likely going to purchase another to replace a vx3 I have on my 243 after I get my 3-9 tomorrow and check it out. I might just go with a 10x for the 243 tho

 

[Dinglebottoms]

I have the 3-15 Gen 2. I like the functionality and the glass is fine. It isn’t as good as my Zeiss V6s, Zeiss LRP or Leica but the optics are shockingly good when taking in the cost. In fact I just ordered a 10x Gen 2 for my 22LR.

That’s good to know, my 3-9 will be here tomorrow. I have a feeling I’ll be in the market for a 2nd SWFA pretty soon.

 

[Steve300xcw]

I’m more than likely going to purchase another to replace a vx3 I have on my 243 after I get my 3-9 tomorrow and check it out. I might just go with a 10x for the 243 tho

I like a 10x for a range toy/plinker. Gimme a 6 or 3-9 for hunting. I do tend to prefer lower magnification scopes though.

 

[blackwood]

Usually SWFA scopes are great quality, ive got a 10x42 on my R700 5R, there are better scopes put there but those are a great deal for what they are.

 

[Dinglebottoms]

I don’t know why I’ve never owned a SWFA before. They’re optically as good as I need and on par with zeiss conquest v4 and leupold vx3hd. I’ll definitely be buying more when I’m in the market for a new scope.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

I love the SWFA scopes.

I have the 12x on my FN .22-250 and that is the one I have used the most. It tracks beautifully and has been great on groundhogs as far out as I can find them. I’ve never had a problem with the turrets moving on their own and I have carried it many, many miles. I still hunt for groundhogs on my farm with a 14.8-pound rifle. When I am down there, I average about 6 miles a day. It’s part of my training regimen during the summer months. I carry a rifle that weighs almost twice what my hunting rifle weighs and I take whatever safe shot presents itself. Sometimes that’s a prone bipod shot. Other times it’s sitting and resting on my knees to see over the grass. Other times it’s offhand. I have had to stalk a groundhog to avoid shooting into the cow herd or towards a neighbor’s house. But the rifle-scope combination has never let me down. If I make the wind call right, the scope always does its part.

I have the 10x on my new Tikka 6.5CM. I wanted to get a 6x for it, but I don’t like how marked up they usually are secondhand. I’ve been impatiently waiting for the Gen2 6x. While I haven’t hunted with my 10x yet, I’ve never had a problem finding my target in a scope at 8x or 9x, so I figure it should be fine. In fact, in 31 years of hunting with a scoped rifle, I have rarely felt the need to set a scope to anything other than max power (I have never used anything more than a 2.5-8x or 3-9x for big game hunting). When I was younger, I used to fiddle with it all the time, but after killing a few running deer at 25-50 yards with it on 8x, I just leave it there all the time. With often fleeting opportunities in the woods, I would rather be able to see antlers and make sure there are no branches between me and the deer than anything else. And I can place shots more accurately with a higher magnification.

I have a 6x as well and I love it. That’s the minimum scope magnification I will use these days.

If SWFA made a fixed 8x scope, I would probably sell all my other scopes and put one on everything.


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