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Swarovski scopes?

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13 years 4 months ago #7885 by LebbenB
Replied by LebbenB on topic Re: Swarovski scopes?

JSteinhoff wrote: LebbenB,

I have been also been told their are two types of glass, european, or
austrian/german, and nikon, japanese, or asian.

Then you have the quality control issue, inhouse or outsourced, and the
lens coating process.

If I have that about right, then a firm that produces inhouse, such as
Swarovski, and surely Schmidt and Bender, would have an advantage in producing
a quality product. It would also help explain the respective hike in price,
labor and production costs.

My experience is that most of the time, we get what we pay for, and some of the very best products I have ever owned, are german.

Your help, and sharing your experience, is very much appreciated!

JS

Generally, you're correct about differences in lens quality. European firms like S&B, Steiner, and Swaro are actually pretty small, so they build fewer scopes and binos. This means more care can be taken when building the scope and constructing/coating the lenses.

Japanese glass is very good, but most optical companies there literally crank lenses out hand over fist. As Josef Stalin once said, "Quantity has a quality all it's own."

I take nothing away from firms like Nightforce and USO, though. I would recommend them in a heartbeat. But a Swaro or S&B...It's like the difference bewtween a Corvette and a Ferrari. As far as the expense goes, my Grandad was alweays fond of saying, "Buy once, cry once."

Whatever you decide, get the best scope you can afford for your rifle. Armalites are well built and have a lot of intrinsic accuracy. A good scope (and good ammo) lets you take advantage of that accuracy.

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13 years 4 months ago #7886 by JSteinhoff
Replied by JSteinhoff on topic Re: Swarovski scopes?
Yes, they will have to pry my cold, dead fingers off the steering wheel of my BMW.

I've told my kids the same, buy quality, once. Sometimes, they even listen!

Thanks again..

JS

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13 years 4 months ago #7896 by foxhunter
Replied by foxhunter on topic Re: Swarovski scopes?
I would just point out there is no use putting a Swarovski on a rifle with > 1moa accuracy that is going to be used to shoot animals or targets at less than 250 yds.Also, putting a $3,000 scope on a $700 rifle isn't going to make it shoot like a $3,000 rifle. Putting a $700 scope on a $3,000 rifle is just as wrong as well.
Match the scope to the rifle for the purpose it is intended. Plenty of target matches are being won and plenty of world class game are being taken with lesser quality scopes.I will never shoot at an animal more than 300yd. What I really need is a scope that I can adjust for yardage and windage, then trust it will hold it 's zero when I turn it back. I also expect a click on windage and elevation to be accurate. I want to see the holes in the targets at 200 yd without a spotting scope. Several $700-$1200 scopes will do that.
So it really depends on what you are using your gun for. If I were competing I would have the best scope money could by on the best rifle money could buy, because I would need all the help I could get.

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13 years 4 months ago #7897 by JSteinhoff
Replied by JSteinhoff on topic Re: Swarovski scopes?
I shoot targets, commonly on 200/300 yard range, with access to 600 yd range.

Which scopes would you be so kind to recommend?

Thanks again,

JS

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13 years 4 months ago #7912 by LebbenB
Replied by LebbenB on topic Re: Swarovski scopes?
Shooting form the hip, and not knowing the barrel length or your budget, I'd look for a variable mag scope in the 3-10x range with an objective lens between 40mm and 50mm. A 30mm tube makes for a sturdier scope and provides for more light transmission. My personal preference is for a mil (or MRAD) based reticle in the first focal plane with windage and elevation measured in mils, vice MOA. A mil/mil scope makes adjustments easier since there's no math to do to convert mils to MOA. I also prefer one-piece scope mounts since they do a better job of stabilizing the scope.

As far as particular brands, excluding the already mentioned S&B and Swarovski, I'd look at Nightforce, US Optics, Leupold, Vortex, and SuperSniper (SWFA's "house brand.")

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13 years 4 months ago #7914 by foxhunter
Replied by foxhunter on topic Re: Swarovski scopes?
Ditto what LebbenB said. Although if you are not hunting and just shooting targets, the lower power is not as necessary and you could go with a variable scope that goes to 15x or 20 x.You'll see the holes better at long range, but the cost for that is more dollars for the scope, more wt, and less eye relief at the higher powers. Lebben's list covers the best scopes in a variety of price ranges.

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13 years 4 months ago #7915 by LebbenB
Replied by LebbenB on topic Re: Swarovski scopes?

...Although if you are not hunting and just shooting targets, the lower power is not as necessary and you could go with a variable scope that goes to 15x or 20x.

I respectfully disagree with you on this. Most folks shoot better with less magnification, not more (as a rule). At higher magnifications, heat and wind shimmer become an issue. A larger issue is sight wobble. Higher magnification not only increases perceived target size, it also increases the perceived effects of breathing and pulse. While shouldering the rifle, any movement in the body translates to movement of the scope. The further up the mag scale you go, the more pronounced these movements become and you rapidly reach the point of diminishing returns, ie - the inability to get the reticle to "settle" on the desired POA. When I'm shooting out past 300yds or so, I always bring my 10-30x spotting scope with me so I can see my shot placement.

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13 years 4 months ago #7928 by JSteinhoff
Replied by JSteinhoff on topic Re: Swarovski scopes?
I agree on 30mm tube, 40-50mm objective. I went with A.R.M.S. #35 QD throw lever mount, set with #35 track rings for stability and support.

Low rings set the scope at 1.40" above the rail, same as A2 iron sights.

Thank you!

JS

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13 years 4 months ago #7929 by JSteinhoff
Replied by JSteinhoff on topic Re: Swarovski scopes?
Yes, thanks!

JS

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13 years 4 months ago #7930 by JSteinhoff
Replied by JSteinhoff on topic Re: Swarovski scopes?
All valid points, thks..

JS

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