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SWFA SS 3-9x42 vs Vortex 2.5-10x44

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Bitterroot Bulls View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bitterroot Bulls Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/22/2012 at 17:18
I think I see what the confusion here is about.  My original post on here was to the OP, and not a response to your post that came right before mine, CT.  Now that I reread it, I can see how it might have been taken as directed at your post.
 
In fact, I don't agree with his opinion on the 3-9 SS.  I think the scope is of reasonable size for a tactical scope of its configuration, and the mag ring looks like it would work fine.
 
Others may see it 6.5's way, and would find value in his opinion, that's all I meant. 
 
-Matt
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote slowr1der Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/22/2012 at 18:30
I have a SS 3-9x42 as well, and I'm not as impressed with many of the people on here are. I do like it, but there are several things about it I wish were better.

Unlike the above poster, I don't mind the mag ring, the size, etc. The windage and elevation ring with the hash marks does tend to come loose, and need to be super glued on. This has happened on the one I have.

My next issue with it is the glass. I don't find the glass great by any means. It's clear in respect to being decent in both daylight and low light, but I find at the upper power range, while clear in the center it's got a blur around the edges. I also see a lot of chromatic aberration with it, which may just be my eyes, as I get a lot of it with the Nikon Monarchs as well, but other scopes such as the Burris FFII, Zeiss Conquest, many cheaper scopes such as the VX-I even though I hate to admit it, etc. don't do it for me. The glass really gives me a headache if I look through it for long periods of time from this. That said, to just shoot at the range, or take hunting where I don't use the scope for glassing for long periods of time, I can handle it.

What I do love about the scope is the solid feel of the adjustments, the mil adjustments to match the reticle, the ability to perform a box test and track well, as well as the durability. I use it on my hunting/long range rig. During hunting season I dropped it several times, once hard on some tile and the scope always stayed zeroed. I was impressed with the durability of it. To me, the tracking and durability make the glass worth putting up with, but I wish the glass was better. The way people talked I expected it to blow the Conquest's away with glass quality, but it really doesn't come any where close to it, or even the FFII's.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RotoReuter_DM Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/22/2012 at 19:59
Can't believe anything on the internet! Haha
Old Mil ftw
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 6.5x47 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/22/2012 at 21:22
On the length issue, I just don't like long scopes on an ar15 or dmr style rifle.  The vx-r and pst mentioned above are almost a full inch shorter than the ss, and so is the nightforce 2.5-10x32.  An inch may not seem like alot, but it is just an observation.  Heck, even Leupold makes a 3-18 that is shorter than this 3-9.
    I didn't notice horrible glass in my scope,  although most scopes would benefit from hd glass.  It's just that the scope wouldn't hold focus.  My Razor has hd glass, and I have no complaints. 
    My wish list for an ss scope of this type would be as such.  3-9 or 2-10x40 or 42, hd glass, redesigned mag adjustment, mil-quad reticle, turrets from the 1-6, and make the whole package 12 inches long or less.  Some sort of zero stop would be nice too, but I could care less about illumination.  I would be willing to pay 1k for a scope like this, no problem as long as it continued to track well.  Which I have never had an issue with from this brand.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/22/2012 at 22:55
What do you mean by the scope not holding focus?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 6.5x47 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/23/2012 at 11:15
It sounds like I received a complete lemon, but here is what was happening on the reticle focus issue.

As with all my scopes,  I start off by setting the reticle focus against a clear sky.  The ss 3-9 has a nice lock ring once the focus is set.  With my other scopes this has always  been a one time procedure.  With the ssI would set the focus and within one range session, I would be eventually have to unload the rifle and reset the focus.  It just wouldn't hold its setting even though the lock ring was tight.  Does that make sense? 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote FireEMT5 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/23/2012 at 11:24
Have you double checked that you tightened the ring the correct way?  Could you possibly have turned it out, instead of in?  Just thinkin' out loud.  Smile
 
If you really think it's defective, give SWFA's customer service another chance.  Yeah, it sucks having to send it in again, but I'm sure they'll do right by you if something is wrong with the scope.
 
You are correct, set it once, lock it down and forget about it.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 6.5x47 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/23/2012 at 11:29
Sorry guys, I should have made that warranty situation more clear.  Swfa, exchanged my scope after seeing that the mag ring was completely locked up.  It was a surprisingly simple process, and they didn't even bat an eye.  I ended up selling the replacement scope without ever taking it out of the box.  
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 6.5x47 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/23/2012 at 11:42
    I would like to say this.  I think SWFA is a very good company to do business with, and will continue to do business with them in the future.  I feel like some people have been offended with my critique of the ss 3-9, and this in no way is meant to be an inditement on SWFA as a company.  The original poster wanted to compare the pst to the ss, and I gave an honest opinion.  I also stated that I had zero experience with either the vxr or pst, both of which are available from SWFA.  It's just that I too read all the hype about this scope, and bought it. Only to be let down because of what I see are design flaws and a probable lemon.  
       I will also say this.  If the mag ring design were the only "flaw" with my scope, I would have kept it with the switchview attached.  As such, it was not the only flaw, and I decided to sell my replacement scope.  It's pretty simple really.  I bought it, tried it for a few years, and the scope wasn't to my liking.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jjrgr21 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/23/2012 at 12:32
i had one that wouldn't track, 9 mils to get to 550 on an ar. the next one was perfect for what it is.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cheaptrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/23/2012 at 13:12
Not offended at all, 6.5. 

I don't make or sell or make my living off of SWFA's SS scopes. I only use them and found them ALL to be to my liking. 
I just pointed out that MY experience and many others, don't reflect your experience. No more, no less. I wasn't attacking you personally, nor did I mean to disparage your opinion.  
If at first you don't secede...try..try again.
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