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Sightron .... why such controversy ?

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JAG980 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JAG980 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Sightron .... why such controversy ?
    Posted: April/03/2012 at 16:25
I don't think there is another scope I have read about on this forum that gets more different opinions than the SII scopes. In the $350 to $400 price range, there is some really good competition, and I am just surprised the SII isn't more unanimously agreed to be VERY good at that price. Sopes like Weaver's V16 and Grand Slam, and Burris' Fullfield II and Timberline should be the SIIs competition. But I have read a lot of posts with people stating the SII is not as good as the Weavers.
 
And what is with the Big Sky scopes ?   They are priced as straight up competition with Minox and Elite 6500 ... and I still am reading where quite a few just don't like them all that much.
 
Can someone please help to educate me on this ?   Thanks
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote brodeur272 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/04/2012 at 05:53

Don't know why either.  Have a couple of SIIs and really like them.  Although I have moved on to Kahles, Swaro, etc.  But my SIIs will always be around.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 300S&W Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/04/2012 at 06:45
 
  I've got two also.  A I and a II.  LIKE them both.
 
  I can remember back when Sightron was the up and coming scope company to watch.  It seemed that within a short period of time they'd be at the top with the rest of them.  Didn't happen and I don't know why.  I can never remember back then or since of them having any issues that would have held them down.   Loco
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote oldguy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/04/2012 at 07:26
Usually price availability quality & advertising drives the market, could be combination of all.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bugsNbows Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/04/2012 at 07:55
I have an SII and a BS. Neither has ever given me any problems. My company dealings have also been fine...good CS. I'm not sure why any issues persist. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lucytuma Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/04/2012 at 08:02
Have a SI and an SII, both are decent and all have held zero.  Sightron actually gets alot a praise on this forum. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 300S&W Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/04/2012 at 08:04
Originally posted by oldguy oldguy wrote:

Usually price availability quality & advertising drives the market, could be combination of all.
 
 
 Been a while but it seemed they had it all.  In fact their warrenty was if ANYTHING happened to it you could take it to any store that sold them and get a new one.  No questions asked.
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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/04/2012 at 08:25
I see Sightron recommended a lot here on the OT. I had a 3-12X42 S2 and thought it was a good scope. Tracking was exceptional. Glass was good, not great. I

The S2 BS series is a real upgrade to the S2, but they already used the S3 name on the tactical line, so they came up with the BS moniker ... so to speak.

It is my undertanding the BS scopes are nice optically and mechanically.

The 3-10 S3 particularly interests me, though. It looks like a very nice scope, although the plastic turrets worry me a little.
-Matt
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SD Dog Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/04/2012 at 08:56
My 3-9x42 Big Sky has performed well.   You don't see them advertised as much or at all.  
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 3_tens Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/04/2012 at 12:31
The problem that Sightron has is their distribution system. Many areas of the country do not have or have never seen them. Until getting on this forum I had never heard of Sightron scopes. I do not know of any place in Oklahoma that sells them. If Sightron is not marketing in a way to get retailers to put ther scopes on the shelf, they will remain a heard of but never seen scope. If they only market the low end scopes they will kill themselves off like Tasco has done. Tasco made some very good scopes in the past, but only marketed the low end crap. Now they are known as crap scopes. Zeiss Conquest is headed in the same direction that Leupold did. Marketing a price point rather than the best product they could be selling. Conquest made a high quality product that has gone unchanged. Still using 3X erector for over 10 years. (Except for the greedy 30% price increases) Most everyone else has upgraded to 5X or 6X erectors and or improved coatings and lens to step up to the challenge that Zeiss made years ago. Sightron is a well built reliable scope, at a fair price, that few have been able to experience. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Shenko Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/04/2012 at 13:18
I have no experience with Sightron scopes. I have bought a few scopes in the last few years, and I did consider Sightron.

Some people on the internet say that Sightron scopes are great. The one or two that they own are better than their buddy's more expensive big-name scope.
Some people say that Sightrons break. They bought one, it broke, Sightron sent them another one, it broke. Or they worked in a store that sold Sightrons, and half of them came back broke.
It could be that Sightron was selling scopes with good specs, but inconsistent quality control.

The name Sightron does not sound like a serious company to a lot of people who are not familiar with the name.

The SII 4X looked interesting, until someone pointed out the short mounting length and the long eye relief. It would have required a new mounting system on my rifle. Now, it looks like they have discontinued that model.

Sightron seems to have settled into a niche of mostly high-magnification scopes equipped with thin reticles. Nothing wrong with that, and they are apparently doing very well at it. Still, that does eliminate some potential customers who are looking for something else in a hunting scope.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rustic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/04/2012 at 13:33
The marketing, distribution and customer service/warranty/follow up is every bit as important as "building the best possible product" and is much harder to do.
I don't like to buy most brands of scopes online but, have no problem buying Leupold online/used because in my experience Leupold has always been a no worry purchase because of the above.
I don't know anything about Sightron and would not buy without a "hands on" look at.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JAG980 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/04/2012 at 16:38
So here is what i am getting from reading the replies, as well as between the lines.
 
The SII is definitely a good scope, but it is probably slightly over priced based on optical quality alone. While certainly not high end, scopes like Weaver Classic and Grand Slam, along with the Diamonback from Vortex are probably better optically. To really complicate matters, I personally think the Burris Timberline 4.5-14x32 AO may be as good or better optically, and runs with an average internet price of $225
 
As far as my thoughts on the Big Sky Series .... While those are most likely very nice scopes, priced as they are, they are directly in the crosshairs of KNOWN really good scops like the Elite 6500 and Minox ZA5 at the same price points.
 
So please do correct me if I have it wrong, but my summary impressions are that Sightron MAY just be a bit over priced for it's competition.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sparky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/04/2012 at 16:49
I generally read good things about Sightron scopes. I think the SII is on the same level as the Diamonback, but a step up from the Burris Timberline and a step down from the Weaver Grand Slam. The SII Big Sky and the SIII are a step above the Weaver to me though.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 300S&W Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/04/2012 at 16:55
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ernie Bishop Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/04/2012 at 17:13
I consider the SIII a good buy for what you get
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mil169 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/04/2012 at 20:51
It's kinda of funny how marketing works. In my area (northeast NE) we have very few places to look at scopes. However, my local gun shop sells primarily Sightron. He will also sell Nikon, Leupold and can get most but it will have to be ordered. If you want a scope that day, it will most likely be Sighton. Consequently I have bought two Sightrons, an SI and a SII. The SI is adequate at best, outside of the lifetime warranty I'm not sure I would own it or recommend it. I did hunt with it on a T/C Omega for 2 years and killed deer at dusk with it both years. But then it broke. I took it off the rifle, found that I had dented the 1" tube with the rings and sent it in. They replaced it with a brand new one.
 
The SII (now on my Omega) is a big step up from the SI, and along the lines of a VX2 in my opinion. My dealer and I had a conversation once on Sightron prices (he really likes selling them mind  you) and he told me that the Sightron claimed that if they spent as much on advertising as Nikon then they would have to charge twice as much. Don't know if that's true or not, but would explain why some have not heard of them. They do offer some rebates, generally making them a good deal. Would probably have bought one for the 7mag, but I really liked the side focus over the AO.
 
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Shenko Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/04/2012 at 20:52
I don't see where anybody said they were overpriced. But I went and looked.
3-9X42 Big Sky for $320. 6X42 SII for $190.
Those sound like pretty good deals to me.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Txhillbilly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/05/2012 at 21:07
I have 1 SII scope,a 4-16x42,and 4 SIII 6-24x50's - 3/LRMD's and 1/MOA-2 reticles.
Sightrons scopes IMO,are very good scopes in almost all catagories,and are priced in ranges to run with the competition.
There are plenty of scopes out on the market that will beat Sightrons features,but most have a price tag that is a lot higher.
I also have a Weaver Super Slam 3-15x50,and 2 Classic Extreme 6-24x50 scopes.IMO,they are a far better scopes than the Sightron SII's,but aren't close to the SIII's optically.
 
Sightron really does need to advertise their products more,and have a bigger dealer network.As long as they remain like they are,they will never be in the limelight like other brands that do.And that is a great loss to Sightron.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 3_tens Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/06/2012 at 09:09
One point in being small is it is a lot easier to control quality. If Sightron is making enough money with the production facilities they have then it can be good for a longer life overall. Greed in growth has been the death of many company ventures. Quality leads to longer life.
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