sightron SIII glare problem?

Elkwonder

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Nov 28, 2010
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I am trying to decide between the sightron SIII and the nightforce. I keep reading about the sightron having great glass for the money, except for the bad glare resistance. I seem to have read several comments here as well as over at the hide and other places that the sightron has a glare problem that makes it a poor choice for a primary hunting scope. Since hunting is the primary purpose of the scope, can anyone shed light on this situation? Is it a real issue or not?
 
I have a SIII and the glare is noticeable. It's the first scope I've ever owned where glare was so easily detected. If you'll use a sunshade and keep the power down around 16 it's not a big deal. Also, while it's something I've experienced while testing the scope, I've never noticed it in the field.
 
A scope with poor glare performance will also tend to have generally low contrast on bright days, especially when the sun is in front of the shooter. That's one reason target shooters don't notice glare and contrast problems. Most firing ranges face North and have covered firing lines. Typical paper targets have good contrast and get direct sunlight.

Many big game animals, on the other hand, tend to avoid direct sunlight and have natural camouflage. That means they usually have low contrast.

When you look through some scopes and the image seems to pop out at you, that's effect of high contrast. High contrast does not come easy or by luck. Zeiss, Swarovski and Kahles are examples of scopes that have been specifically engineered to have high contrast. Those manufactures have a culture that places a high priority on optical performance. They have the proper glare measurement equipment and know how to use it. They specify high surface figure lenses, low reflectivity internal finishes, glare stops, etc., to minimize glare.

Companies that focus on marketing and rely on other manufactures to design and build their scopes lack this expertise. Their scopes have good features, but lack high contrast. Vortex, Sightron and Weaver are examples.

Leupold, Bushnell and Burris fall in between. They started out building their own scopes and generally produce scopes of better than average contrast. They are at risk of loosing the secret sauce because more of their products are being made offshore. Nightforce is still producing scopes with above average contrast.
 
I would really like to know how many of the guys having glare issues have the optic mounted to a rifle and are looking at game animals in the field or are they sitting in a building looking at lights!!
Having laid in the grass looking at animals through Nightforce, SIII and Vortex optics I have not seen what they are talking about, we used the SIII and Vortex a lot this year and didn't not get a shot on an animal due to glare or contrast. My buddy shot an antelope at 925 while she was standing up hill from us in a patch of light grass and sage, pointed right into the sun on a clear MT morning and he had no issue picking out small details on the goat as we decided shot placement and then watch the bullet land.
Same thing with contrast, we laid in a ridge watching elk mingle in some dark timber and we had no issue with the SIII picking which bull was best at 1200 yards then taking them when they were at 800, you don't access the horn difference on bulls in the dark timber with a poor optic and we had no problem!!!

IMO the difference in the Nightforce and SIII are zero stop, windage turret layout and over all ruggedness and glass is the least difference in the ones I've used of the two.
 
I would really like to know how many of the guys having glare issues have the optic mounted to a rifle and are looking at game animals in the field or are they sitting in a building looking at lights!!

I noticed glare while watching my neighbors horses where I was facing north west as the sun was going down. All I could see was orange in the scope! If I was hunting I would not have been able to make the shot. That's the only time I've ever experienced glare, and I promise all I could see was an orange light. I've used the scope a bunch since then and have never had issues like that again, but it is in the back of my mind when the sun starts to set.
 
Like I said before trying to decide between the sightron and the vortex and the nightforce, Im as confused as an infant in a boobie bar. I like that ths sightron is half price, but I really hate to buy one and feel as if I skimped later. I feel like I would be happy with everything about the nightforce, other than the price!
 
I noticed glare while watching my neighbors horses where I was facing north west as the sun was going down. All I could see was orange in the scope! If I was hunting I would not have been able to make the shot. That's the only time I've ever experienced glare, and I promise all I could see was an orange light. I've used the scope a bunch since then and have never had issues like that again, but it is in the back of my mind when the sun starts to set.

Were you using a sunshade while aiming towards the sun when it was going down? I have found that the suns rays will reflect off the inside of the sunshade when pointed towards the sun into the lens and cause a lot of glare.

I tried using a kill flash an a sunshield and found that they both cause glare in the scope. Now for hunting situations I do not use either. I only use a sunshade when I target shoot unless I am shooting into the sun.

I have many different kinds of scopes and for long range hunting I love my Vortex PST 6-24x50mm FFP MOA scope. The only time I have had any noticeable glare was shooting into the sun using a sunshade and the kill flash made it imposable to shoot. gun) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=576736&highlight=

gt40
 
Like I said before trying to decide between the sightron and the vortex and the nightforce, Im as confused as an infant in a boobie bar. I like that ths sightron is half price, but I really hate to buy one and feel as if I skimped later. I feel like I would be happy with everything about the nightforce, other than the price!

Nothing beats getting behind a rifle and checking optics out, I would try to find a forum member near to you that would help you out.
 
Were you using a sunshade while aiming towards the sun when it was going down? I have found that the suns rays will reflect off the inside of the sunshade when pointed towards the sun into the lens and cause a lot of glare.

gt40

I actually did not have the sunshade on when I saw the glare. I put the sunshade on and reduced the power and the glare went away.

Nothing beats getting behind a rifle and checking optics out, I would try to find a forum member near to you that would help you out.

Ditto. For the price I have loved my Sightron, and I had a Viper HS that was an excellent scope for the $400 I paid for it. They both have things I don't like about them, but the pros more than make up for the cons in my mind, which is why I've owned both.
 
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