I recently purchased a POF P-308 16" and needed a new scope for it. I saw the new Sightron S-Tac 2.5-17.5 X 56 and looked for reviews but couldn't find much out there. I don't like to be the "guinea pig" on new products but I couldn't wait for a review so I ordered one.
Upon opening the package it was obvious this scope is HUGE! The bell on this thing is gigantic (no wonder it weighs in at 30 oz). I already had a scope on my P308, sitting in Burris XTR medium rings but I was concerned this scope wouldn't fit in the rings. It did fit in the rings but I had to remove a section of my top rail and there is maybe four sheets of paper width between the scope and the top of the rifle.
I looked through the scope in my kitchen and there is definitely a WOW factor with the clarity of this scope. The other part of the wow factor is that this scope has a large field of view. It is such a big field of view I wouldn't feel uncomfortable clearing a house on 2.5 power (although this wouldn't be my first choice for a CQB optic). My POF is a medium range/do it all rifle and this optic seems to be a good fit.
I was well aware this scope is built in the Phillipines…but the rumor is Sightron purchased the factory there so they could have a better control on quality. I trust Sightron from previous experience and from their reputation so this didn't really bother me. Sightron also has a LE/Military purchase program; it means a lot to me that companies support our professional warriors.
The fast focus eye piece is a nice touch. I suppose it isn't necessary as one rarely changes the focus once it is set, but if multiple shooters are going to use your rifle it makes transitioning easier.
I purchased the MOA 3 version with exposed turrets. The turrets have a very positive feel. The turrets are tighter than the ones on my SIII (my only complaint about the SIII), which is a plus. The turrets are easy to grasp and resemble a Nightforce style turret. The magnification ring moves a lot between 2.5 and 8, likely due to the 7X magnification range. This may annoy some but doesn't bother me. The magnification ring is easy to grasp and feels just right in terms of tightness.
This is my first illuminated scope and I now see what I have been missing. On level 1 the illumination wasn't visible in a lighted room; I could only see it when I pointed toward a dark room. The illumination turns off between every power level so you can save the position you like and don't have to start at 1 and work your way up. On level 8 and above I could see a slight red shadow on the bottom right of my scope. This was annoying but it didn't really interfere with sighting. Only the center dot is illuminated which to me seems really nice and not distracting. The illumination ring is tight and I doubt you would bump it into an on position very easily. On level 11 I couldn't see the illumination outside on a sunny Wyoming afternoon with snow on the ground.
The scope came with a battery and with flip up lens covers. These are similar to the ones I got with my SIII but the S-Tac covers actually fit the scope. It feels like they won't fall off but I think the Buttler Creek covers are better as the Sightron covers seem to be too easy to flip up. The scope covers are functional though.
Glass comparison:
I have a Sightron SIII 6-24 X 50 and intended to compare the two side by side. On my first shooting outing a Wyoming blizzard hit so all I could see was huge snow flakes. The S-Tac has good glass; every bit as good as the SIII and could even be better. I shot at a box with an Amazon sticker on it at 103 yards and had no problem reading the sticker. I have no complaints about the glass and it exceeded my expectation.
Tracking:
I didn't get the chance to do a box test due to the snow. I did shoot a round at 100 yards to sight in that was 3.5 MOA high and 2 MOA right. I used the reticle to measure this and adjusted the scope. The movement was spot on and I was sighted in with only a few rounds.
Likes:
The glass is very clear
The 56mm objective gathers a lot of light
Turrets have a positive feel
Illumination goes from barely visible to very bright
Power range is perfect
Dislikes:
The glass is right on the end of the objective; I would definitely get the sun shade
80 MOA (wish it had 100 like the SIII series)
Illumination on 8-11 has a red shadow on the bottom right of the scope
I would prefer 50mm instead of 56
Conclusion:
I feel I got a lot for the money I spent on this scope. I would definitely give it five stars. It may not work for every application but it is a good fit for what I was looking for. I am very happy with the scope and it exceeded my expectations.
Upon opening the package it was obvious this scope is HUGE! The bell on this thing is gigantic (no wonder it weighs in at 30 oz). I already had a scope on my P308, sitting in Burris XTR medium rings but I was concerned this scope wouldn't fit in the rings. It did fit in the rings but I had to remove a section of my top rail and there is maybe four sheets of paper width between the scope and the top of the rifle.
I looked through the scope in my kitchen and there is definitely a WOW factor with the clarity of this scope. The other part of the wow factor is that this scope has a large field of view. It is such a big field of view I wouldn't feel uncomfortable clearing a house on 2.5 power (although this wouldn't be my first choice for a CQB optic). My POF is a medium range/do it all rifle and this optic seems to be a good fit.
I was well aware this scope is built in the Phillipines…but the rumor is Sightron purchased the factory there so they could have a better control on quality. I trust Sightron from previous experience and from their reputation so this didn't really bother me. Sightron also has a LE/Military purchase program; it means a lot to me that companies support our professional warriors.
The fast focus eye piece is a nice touch. I suppose it isn't necessary as one rarely changes the focus once it is set, but if multiple shooters are going to use your rifle it makes transitioning easier.
I purchased the MOA 3 version with exposed turrets. The turrets have a very positive feel. The turrets are tighter than the ones on my SIII (my only complaint about the SIII), which is a plus. The turrets are easy to grasp and resemble a Nightforce style turret. The magnification ring moves a lot between 2.5 and 8, likely due to the 7X magnification range. This may annoy some but doesn't bother me. The magnification ring is easy to grasp and feels just right in terms of tightness.
This is my first illuminated scope and I now see what I have been missing. On level 1 the illumination wasn't visible in a lighted room; I could only see it when I pointed toward a dark room. The illumination turns off between every power level so you can save the position you like and don't have to start at 1 and work your way up. On level 8 and above I could see a slight red shadow on the bottom right of my scope. This was annoying but it didn't really interfere with sighting. Only the center dot is illuminated which to me seems really nice and not distracting. The illumination ring is tight and I doubt you would bump it into an on position very easily. On level 11 I couldn't see the illumination outside on a sunny Wyoming afternoon with snow on the ground.
The scope came with a battery and with flip up lens covers. These are similar to the ones I got with my SIII but the S-Tac covers actually fit the scope. It feels like they won't fall off but I think the Buttler Creek covers are better as the Sightron covers seem to be too easy to flip up. The scope covers are functional though.
Glass comparison:
I have a Sightron SIII 6-24 X 50 and intended to compare the two side by side. On my first shooting outing a Wyoming blizzard hit so all I could see was huge snow flakes. The S-Tac has good glass; every bit as good as the SIII and could even be better. I shot at a box with an Amazon sticker on it at 103 yards and had no problem reading the sticker. I have no complaints about the glass and it exceeded my expectation.
Tracking:
I didn't get the chance to do a box test due to the snow. I did shoot a round at 100 yards to sight in that was 3.5 MOA high and 2 MOA right. I used the reticle to measure this and adjusted the scope. The movement was spot on and I was sighted in with only a few rounds.
Likes:
The glass is very clear
The 56mm objective gathers a lot of light
Turrets have a positive feel
Illumination goes from barely visible to very bright
Power range is perfect
Dislikes:
The glass is right on the end of the objective; I would definitely get the sun shade
80 MOA (wish it had 100 like the SIII series)
Illumination on 8-11 has a red shadow on the bottom right of the scope
I would prefer 50mm instead of 56
Conclusion:
I feel I got a lot for the money I spent on this scope. I would definitely give it five stars. It may not work for every application but it is a good fit for what I was looking for. I am very happy with the scope and it exceeded my expectations.
