Rifle Scope Recommendations

[FEENIX]

You absolutely will not do better (for a new scope) than the SWFA SS 3- 15 x 42 with MOA/MOA or mil/mil turrets and reticle, FFP and side focus, or any other SWFA scope for that matter.

SWFA has NO advertising and NO dealers so the savings are passed on to us.
I got the above scope on a $100. off sale. That sale came around again in Dec. but the price is now back to $600. which for FFP and the good glass of that scope is unheard of in the industry.

When some folks on the "6.5 Creedmoor" site told me about SWFA scopes my reaction was, "What the hell is SWFA? Never heard of it." But then other SWFA owners chimed in about the good quality and I watched some Youtube reviews and was sold - and I still am.

OK, the turrets have no locking feature but you can buy aftermarket shim kits from a guy on Snipers Hide so that a combo of the different thicknesses under the turret cap gives you a zero when cranking down on the elevation turret or in on windage, meaning you can always crank back to your zero. With all the other features of that scope I can forgive SWFA for no locking turrets. I love their reticle for hunting with a laser range finder programmed to your cartridge hold over.

Eric B.

Eric,

If you like the 3-15x42, you'd love their HD scopes. I have the 5-20 FFP and its simply awesome. It does not have zero stop but it's not a deal breaker. Clarity and tracking is amazing.

Ed

 

[FEENIX]

I haven't bought box ammo since I was 13. Just can't see why anyone would feed their rilfe factory ammo.

I know exactly what you mean. However, I normally buy factory ammo for barrel break in. For my 6.5 CM, I grabbed a couple of boxes of the cheapest off the shelf factory ammo at $21/box IIRC.

After barrel break-in (a couple of boxes), here's a 3-shot group at 200 yards.

Its first harvest was a WT doe at 200 yards DRT.

 

[Tidus56]

That will work, I guess factory ammo can do fine.

 

[Weatherby Fan]

That will work, I guess factory ammo can do fine.

Check out post #35 as I posted some factory ammo targets up for you

 

[Tidus56]

Check out post #35 as posted some factory ammo targets up for you

Nice! I have helped a lot of people sight in their rifles that were shooting factory ammo and it's nothing like that. The best I usually see is 1-1.25 moa. They must have been using cheap factory ammo. I am 32, I taught myself to reload at 13 when my grandpa gave me a rockchucker press. So I haven't had a need to buy any factory ammo. Anyway nice shooting and that high end factory stuff looks good!

 

[Weatherby Fan]

Nice! I have helped a lot of people sight in their rifles that were shooting factory ammo and it's nothing like that. The best I usually see is 1-1.25 moa. They must have been using cheap factory ammo. I am 32, I taught myself to reload at 13 when my grandpa gave me a rockchucker press. So I haven't had a need to buy any factory ammo. Anyway nice shooting and that high end factory stuff looks good!

Most everyone of those rifles were custom built using Benchmark barrels but the one I posted above was a factory Kimber Montana with a bedding and trigger job,

by the way Im jealous of you as I only wish my Grampa was alive to teach me to reload when I was a young fella
Cheers
WF

 

[MudRunner2005]

That will work, I guess factory ammo can do fine.

It can, it's just a a matter of finding the perfect stuff your rifle likes. Sometimes you luck up, just like sometimes you do with reloading when you toss a random load together and instantly find a load that your rifle likes without having to do any testing.

 

[Weatherby Fan]

It can, it's just a a matter of finding the perfect stuff your rifle likes. Sometimes you luck up, just like sometimes you do with reloading when you toss a random load together and instantly find a load that your rifle likes without having to do any testing.

You are exactly right Muddy, I built two identical rifles (7mm-08) one for my son and one as a donation rifle, most every rifle we build love the Nosler 140gr AB but my sons rifle would shoot the Hornady 139gr GMX into one hole but everything else was 1" or larger, the other rifle loved the 140gr Accubonds so every barrel has its liking.

 

[FEENIX]

Jeff May (GTG, deal with confidence) has a new Burris 4-20 XTR II illum for $750 >>> https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/high-end-scope-sale.211457/#post-1528236

Lots of scope for the money.

 

[barleydog]

You are exactly right Muddy, I built two identical rifles (7mm-08) one for my son and one as a donation rifle, most every rifle we build love the Nosler 140gr AB but my sons rifle would shoot the Hornady 139gr GMX into one hole but everything else was 1" or larger, the other rifle loved the 140gr Accubonds so every barrel has its liking.

my 08 likes those accubonds too....but im force feeding it 162 eldx bullets....seems to like them as well.

 

[Eagle eyes 17]

I am new to rifle shooting and would like any advise. I have shot rifle barrel shot guns my entire life and am getting into long range shooting. I am looking for something that is easy to learn to use.
I am looking for BDC reticles.
Illuminated would be a plus but not a must.
With Tactical type knobs.

Both Vortex and Night force offer some good rifle scopes in that price range.

 

[George Dean]

What would you compare swfa scope to in quality? I have never heard of them except a mention here and there on this site.

A bit delayed responding here, just noticed it today. I'll chime in as I own several of their scopes. I'm pasting data from SWFA. The original scope contracted by the Navy cost them about $700. It is sold by SWFA for $300 sans side focus or $400 with. The SS went to war with the Navy SEALs.

*************
The SWFA SS, or Super Sniper, is actually an old scope believe it or not. The original scope was introduced by Tasco way back then, and it was a really good scope. This was back when Tasco was known for high quality scopes before they became the budget scope maker they are today. As Tasco went through some financial hard times their scope quality declined, taking the original Super Sniper down with the sinking ship. While Tasco may have recovered, their Super Sniper series seemed to have gone the way of the dinosaurs.

Only until SWFA bought rights for super sniper rifle scope it leads us to where we are today. The new super sniper is not really new, it's just a clone of the original Tasco super sniper but that's okay, overall an excellent and simple design.

But what SWFA did is that they applied a new finish and smaller outer work but kept the original intent of the scope preserved. The Super Sniper is still tough as nails, simple as sin, fixed power rifle scope. The fixed power nature of the scope keeps it affordable, but also extremely high quality.

Fixed power scopes may be going out of popularity but it's still a respected platform. The Marine Corps Scout Snipers used a fixed power optic up to this decade. Fixed power optics have no issues with focal plane, are lighter, smaller and simpler. Simple optics are more durable optics. The simpler an optic is, the less failure point it has.

The Super Sniper is a ten power optic, with a 42mm objective lens. If the Super Sniper had a variable magnification it could easily cost twice as much.