|
|
August 24th, 2009
If you’re a bargain hunter, check out the Sample List maintained by SWFA.com. Here you’ll find scores of optics items and accessories at below wholesale prices. Many of these products are new (never been sold) items, that were used in trade shows or as demos.
SWFA has recently revamped its website, making the Sample List easier to navigate. Now with one click you can find the Latest 25 Additions. Here are some of the recent bargain offerings:
Leupold 8.5-25×50 Vari-X III, Stock #10767
Matte finish, target dot reticle, 30mm tube, long range, side focus, light ring marks. $699.95 (Regularly $987.00).
Leupold 25×40 FX-3 Silhouette Scope (Fixed Power), Stock #10413
100% new 2009 demo model, used for current SWFA.com web pictures. Matte finish, Leupold Dot reticle, 1″ tube, adjustable objective (50 yards-infinity), target knobs. $539.95 (Regularly $810.00).
Leica 10×42 Geovid HD (LRF/Binocular), Stock #10611
Black rubber armored, center focus, roof prism, scan mode, built in 1400-yard range finder. Certified Pre-Owned, close to new condition. $1999.95 (Regularly$2,875.00 new.)
Swarovski 8×30 Laser Guide Rangefinder, Stock #s 1368-1371 (multiple units)
Green rubber armored finish, measures yards and meters, great optical quality, close to new condition. $799.95 (Normal ‘street price’ is $999.00).
Zeiss 85mm Diascope T* Flourite Body, Stock #10425
Top-of-the-line Zeiss spotting scope. Green body only (no eyepiece), angled view, Flourite (HD) lenses, LotuTec Coatings, retractable sun shade, standard focus wheel and fine focus wheel, lifetime transferable warranty. $1,499.95 (Regularly $2,185.00).
August 9th, 2009
 A red dot sight can speed up target acquisition dramatically when shooting carbines, shotguns, or pistols at short ranges (where ballistic drop compensation is not an issue). Just put the dot on the target and pull the trigger. For older shooters who may have trouble focusing on both front and rear sights, a red dot makes the aiming process much easier. And for novices, who may have trouble aligning front and rear sights, the red dot gets them on target quicker and more reliably.
Where red dot sights are allowed in action pistol competition, they are almost universally used. If a red dot is compact enough, it can also work on a defensive handgun. However, a red dot is normally worthless when the batteries run down. Trijicon has solved that battery issue with its new Ruggedized Miniature Reflex™ (RMR), the world’s first battery-free mini reflex sight. The RMR uses light-gathering fiber optics and tritium for the display, so no battery is requried. The Tritium phosphor display works even in low-light situations, and is guaranteed to illuminate up to 15 years. The new RMR is extremely compact, measuring a mere 1.78″ L X 1.24″ W X1.03″ H and weighing in at only 1.22 ounces. This makes it small and light enough to mount on most handguns
 Trijicon, Inc.®, has been honored by the Firearms Marketing Group (FMG) for its innovative new Trijicon RMR™ Sight. The patent-pending Trijicon Ruggedized Miniature Reflex™ won the prestigious “Optic of the Year” award, chosen by 500 top industry executives, gun dealers and outdoor writers.
In addition to the fiber optic + Tritium RMR (no battery required), Trijicon markets a more conventional battery-powered version with LED display. Using a single CR2032 battery (with an auto-shut-off circuit), this can provide up to 17,000 hour of battery life. The LED display also adjusts automatically for ambient light levels. Both RMR versions feature a tough, 7075-T6 aluminum alloy housing. Rugged and reliable, the Trijicon RMRs (both versions) come with a lifetime warranty from Trijicon.
May 19th, 2009
Sightron optics, particularly the new SIII 30mm series scopes, have been very popular with our readers. We recently tested the SIII 6-24×50 mildot scope and found that it offered outstanding clarity, sharpness, and tracking. A leader in its price class, the SIII 6-24×50 rivals some scopes costing hundreds of dollars more.
Three 6-24 Sightron Scope Models Now Offered
With the introduction of the SIII 30mm 6-24×50 Sightron, Sightron now offers THREE 6-24 power zoom rifle-scopes. This has created some confusion among buyers. Readers often ask us: “What is the difference between the SII 6-24, the Big Sky 6-24, and the new SIII 6-24?” At the NRA Annual meeting in Phoenix, AZ, we meet with Alan Orr, Sightron Product Manager. In the video below, Alan was kind enough to explain the differences among the three Sightron 6-24s. You’ll note that the three scopes offer different amounts of total windage and elevation travel, plus the amount of elevation per rotation is different. Also, the older SII 6-24 runs about $400.00, while the new SIII 30mm 6-24×56 sells for about $825.00. Watch the Sightron Video to learn more.
April 29th, 2009
 Shooting Sports USA is the NRA’s dedicated journal for competition shooters of all disciplines. Shooting Sports USA offers feature stories, news briefs, and a comprehensive schedule of events, organized by discipline. You can now read the latest May 2009 issue in digital format on the web–at no cost. In fact, online subscriptions are free. You can sign up to receive a reminder in your inbox every time a new issue is available.
This month’s cover story, “Winning Vision: A Guide for the Eye Care Professional,” is a must-read. It’s written by Dr. Norman H. Wong, O.D., a professional eye doctor and competitive shooter.
 The article is written to help shooters and eye doctors find the best solutions for vision problems. We know many shooters, particularly as they hit “middle age” and beyond, experience a variety of vision issues. However, it’s common for shooters to ignore their eye problems, at the same time spending buckets of money on expensive optics. Pay attention to what Dr. Wong writes and you can benefit. Remember that the last element in the sighting system is the human eye — and no scope, no matter how sophisticated, can overcome serious failings in a shooters’ vision that remain uncorrected.
CLICK HERE for an archive of 24 more vision-related articles by Dr. Wong. Forum Member Jim Hardy comments: “[The] 24 articles by Dr. Norman Wong address many of the ocular issues confronting the competitive shooter. I downloaded all 55 pages and consider it mandatory reading for anyone associated with the shooting sports, whether you shoot iron sights or scope — handgun or rifle. The information is absolutely invaluable.
If you are not seeing your best, you cannot shoot your best. If you don’t know the questions to ask your eye professional, you are not likely to get the answers your need — starting with the selection of your eye care professional. The Rx that works for reading, work, and driving may not be close to what you need on the range. These articles will give you the basic education you need to address the vision issues in your shooting game.”
This item is provided courtesy the NRA Blog.
February 15th, 2009
Unfortunately, we still see too many scopes sold to the public with canted reticles. The problem of canted reticles is a serious issue that some manufacturers (both domestic and foreign) have failed to address. (Note: here we are talking about an INTERNAL scope assembly problem that results in reticles being off-axis relative to the turrets. Don’t confuse this with the canting which occurs if you don’t level your rifle. A canted reticle is a scope production defect requiring factory repair.)
One degree of scope reticle cant is noticeable. Three degrees is “slap in the face” obvious and, frankly, pretty unpleasant to work with. Unfortunately, three degrees happens to be one major domestic scope-maker’s production tolerance. And sure enough, you can find this company’s scopes in retail outlets with the reticles located a full three degrees off-axis.
We believe that badly canted reticles are unacceptable in a high-dollar scope, one costing more than $450.00. Optics-makers — it’s high time to improve your quality control.
 
Three degrees may not sound like much–after all it is less than 1% of a 360-degree circle. Nonetheless, as the diagrams show, three degrees of cant is VERY noticeable in a scope. In fact, most people will be bothered by a reticle that is just one degree off-axis. Canted reticles are not just annoying to look at, but off-axis reticles cause a number of problems with sighting and accuracy. For example, if you set up your rifle so the vertical cross-hair is straight up and down, your turrets will be slightly tilted. This means that when you click elevation you will change windage slightly, and vice-versa. If, on the other hand, you cant (or tilt) the whole rifle to make the turrets square, this throws off the bullet trajectory–causing bullet impact that is low and displaced horizontally*.
Now, all manufacturers can have a production flaw now and then. Yet we’ve never heard a complaint about canted reticles in Nightforce, U.S. Optics, or Schmidt & Bender scopes. So, it IS possible for the better manufacturers to get it right. Our point here is that it is time for the major scope-makers to address this problem and improve their quality control. That will happen sooner if consumers pay greater attention to reticle alignment during the purchasing process. If you have a scope with a canted reticle, send it back to the maker and ask for the problem to be fixed. If enough shooters do that, we expect the scope-makers will take notice and improve their products.
*CLICK HERE to read a very thorough technical article that explains the effect of rifle canting on bullet trajectory. CLICK HERE to see targets shot with canted rifles showing bullet displacement. The diagram below shows how this occurs.
Illustration courtesy Long Shot Products, Ltd.
August 28th, 2008
The new-generation Leica Ultravid 10×42 HD Binocular has been named “Best of the Best” by Field & Stream magazine. Field & Stream’s “Best of the Best” award selects winners based on design, dependability, and value. The Ultravid 10×42 is offered in both basic and HD (“high definition”) versions. The premium HD model features Fluorite-Ion Lenses for reduced chromatic aberration and enhanced color rendition plus state-of-the-art lens/prism coatings that transmit 3% more light. External lenses have an “AquaDura” hydrophobic coating that sheds moisture.
The Leica Ultravid HD binocular was introduced in 2007. The new Ultravid HD offers a marked increase in depth of field, contrast, and light gathering while retaining a compact size. Leica Ultravid HD binoculars are offered in a variety of models: 8×32, 10×32, 7×42, 8×42, 10×42, 8×50, 10×50, and 12×50. The Award-winning Ultravid 10×42 HD is available from SWFA.com (item 40294) for $2295.00. The “regular” (non-HD) 10×42 Ultravid (item 40262) is considerably less expensive at $1,479.95.
10000Birds.com Review:
“Optically [the Ultravids] are without doubt the best binoculars I’ve ever used — clear, sharp, and with no fringing at all. Thanks to the use of lightweight materials like magnesium for the housing and titanium for the central hinge shaft I no longer feel like I’m carrying a boulder around my neck after a day in the field, and the neck-strap is as comfortable as expected. I’ve used them on five continents already, at high-altitude, in strong sunlight and at dusk, in light rain and strong winds, and they have performed exceptionally well every time. They don’t fog-up, they don’t let in dust and — as the manufacturers booklet suggests — you can clean them by running them under a tap!”
Birdwatching.com Review:
“Because of its superb optical resolution and contrast, the Ultravid belongs in any list of the top binoculars of the world. Look through a Leica Ultravid, and you’re immediately struck with how bright and clear the image is from the center of the generous field of view to the outer edges, and how true and free from bias are the colors.”
Great Optics but Just Too Expensive?
The Washingon Times had an interesting take on Field & Stream’s “Best of the Best Awards”: “If you just hit the lottery and money is no object, the best top-of-the-line binoculars, say the experts at Field & Stream, are the German Leica Ultravid 10x42mm HD at $2,095. The best mid-priced binocs were Leupold’s Mojave 10x42mm at $480. Okay, so [the Ultravids] are the best, but I’ll never throw away my 20-year-old Bushnell binoculars I paid a little over $100 for. I love ’em. Seriously now [despite what F&S says] … we’re idiots if we buy the most expensive item when another performed just as well.”
August 23rd, 2008
Sinclair International, a leading vendor for precision reloaders and competitive shooters, has added Nightforce Optics to its inventory of products. Nightforce scopes remain the first choice of most top long-range shooters, including F-Class National Champions. The Benchrest and NXS models offer high magnification (up to 42 power), clear, sharp optics, and very reliable and repeatable windage and elevation adjustments. Nightforce also offers a large variety of reticles. How good is the glass? With a 12-42 Nightforce BR or NXS, in ideal conditions, you can see 6mm bullet holes “in the white” at 600 yards (not razor sharp mind you — but enough to see shot placement on a white background). We just confirmed this ourselves this past weekend. Of course, viewing conditions truly have to be absolutely “perfect” (no mirage) to see 6mm holes at 600 and such conditions are normally short-lived, but the resolving capability is there with the high-magnification Nightforces.
Sinclair’s pricing is competitive with other authorized Nightforce vendors. For example, the
12-42x56mm Nightforce BR scope (item 72-1040/45) is $1306.00 while the 8-32×56 Benchrest model (item 72-1030) is $1211.00.
Shown above are some of the most popular reticles, but others are offered. CLICK HERE to view Nightforce’s complete selection of reticles.
July 24th, 2008
Sightron just delivered to Jason Baney an SIII 6-24×50 Mildot, the latest in the new SIII line-up of side-focus, 30mm Sightron scopes. This follows on the hot-selling 8-32×56, which was the subject of our recent Scope Test. Jason will be testing the scope’s optical qualities soon and using it in an upcoming tactical match.
The new 6-24×50 scope is also offered with a fine cross-hair with target dot reticle. Both mildot and FCH versions are 14.96″ overall with a near-constant 3.6-3.8 inches of eye relief. Clicks are 1/4 MOA (15 MOA per revolution), and total elevation (and windage) adjustment is listed as 100 MOA (50 MOA on either side of center). That’s a class-leading amount of elevation which should make the new 6-24×50 popular with long-range shooters.
Shown above and below is the Sightron 6-24×50 Mildot, flanked by a Leupold 8-25×50 LRT and the Sightron 8-32×56. The controls on the 6-24 Sightron are identical to those of its big brother, but it is shorter, with a smaller objective. The shorter length and 50mm front objective allow a 2.8 ounce weight savings over the larger model (21.9 oz. vs. 24.7 oz.).
Below are reticle specs for Fine Cross-Hair + Target Dot Version
May 15th, 2008
Creedmoor Sports has a new promotion for scope buyers. If you purchase a Nightforce NXS or Benchrest Model scope at regular price, Creedmoor will give you a $75.00 gift cerficate that can be applied to other Creedmoor Sports merchandise. (Note: The certificate can NOT be applied to the original scope sale, or the purchase of another Nightforce product.)
May 14th, 2008
Just this week, Sightron sent us one of the new Sightron SIII 8-32×56 LR D rifle scopes for evaluation. This new optic features a 30mm main tube and weighs 24.7 ounces. Clicks are set in 1/4-MOA increments. The reticle is a fine cross hair with 1/4-MOA dot. The scope comes with a 3″ sunshade, turret covers, and rubber-connected, see-thru lens caps. Jason Baney had a chance to test the scope and give his initial impressions of its optical qualities. We will follow this “First Look” report with more extensive testing of the scope’s mechanical tracking and long-range resolution.
Overall, Jason was extremely impressed with the new scope. It was very bright, with excellent color rendition and contrast. The image remained bright and sharp out all the way out to the edges, with no shadowing or distortion. Compared to a Nightforce 12-42×56 BR scope set at 32-power, Jason thought the Sightron had better contrast and more vivid colors. Jason concluded: “At this point, the new Sightron seems like a good value, and compares well with the Nightforce BR model.”
Parallax and Focus
Importantly, the Sightron’s parallax control worked perfectly. There was no lash issue and Jason was able to attain minimal parallax with the target at maximum sharpness. With some other scopes, if you set the scope to have the target in best focus, you’ll still have too much parallax.
Elevation and Windage
This is a scope you can use to 1000 yards. Jason ran the adjustments top to bottom and recorded 75 MOA of both Elevation and Windage, based on the stated 1/4-MOA click Value. (That’s 75 total MOA available from one extreme to the other.) The target knobs have 15 MOA per turn and operate VERY smoothly and positively. Jason said the clicks “feel similar to Nightforce NXS clicks, but the Sightron clicks engage with a slightly softer feel, with less resistance.”
 Resolution Tests
Jason used two resolution charts, the USAF 1951 Optical Chart, and a line-width/text size chart. To judge resolution, Jason did a comparison test of the new Sightron 8-32×56 and a Nightforce 12-42×56 BR, with both scopes set at 32x with their sunshade attached. Jason looked through both scopes at the resolution test targets at 100 yards, and then at target frames, grass, and flowers at 300 yards. Viewing was done late in the day, with some shadows on the range. Keep in mind these were less than ideal conditions for viewing.
The test charts have incrementally smaller focus lines and text. Both scopes were able to resolve down to the same line/text level on the two resolution charts. The new Sightron showed comparable, but VERY slightly less resolution than the NF. Both could identify the same size of text, but the NF saw it just a bit more crisply. Jason reports: “I could go to the same resolution level with both scopes, but the last line was just a touch more crisp with the Nightforce. Still, the Sightron is very close in resolution.”
Contrast and Color Fidelity
The Sightron was the winner in this category. In fading light, the Sightron delivered better contrast. Green, yellow, red, and white colors showed more differentiation and all the colors were more vivid. Weathered target backer boards also showed more contrast through the Sightron. Jason checked this several times nearing dusk, and the Sightron always seemed more vivid and showed more contrast looking at a patch of grass and colored vegetation. In terms of color temp, the Nightforce has a more whitish tone, whereas the Sightron seemed “warmer” with more vivid colors.
Brightness/Light Transmission
Along with its superior color and contrast, the Sightron seemed to be consistently brighter through the fading light. We note, however, that manufacturers’ published light transmission factors are nearly identical for the Sightron 8-32 and the Nightforce 12-42. The greater brightness of the Sightron is Jason’s subjective perception, but he said “the Sightron definitely seemed brighter.”
View to Edge
With many zoom scopes, at high magnification, the center of the “circle of light” is bright and sharp, but the edges are faded or shadowy. The brightness attenuates (fades out) on the edges. In addition, you sometimes see some image distortion or focus loss at the edges. The Sightron showed none of these issues. At SHOT show, this editor looked through a prototype 8-32 Sightron and it was bright and sharp all the way out to the edges. Jason observed the same thing: “The Sightron was noticeably clear edge to edge, where the Nightforce showed some fading or darkening at the edges. This point was quite surprising to me.” Jason also noted that the Sightron had about a 3-4″ wider field of view at 100 yards.
Fringe Effect with Highly Reflective Subjects
With the Sightron, when looking at extremely bright, reflective objects, such as a car’s chrome trim, Jason did observe some minor fringing–what he called a “thin halo”. This also appeared around the edge of a white target paper viewed in bright light. A through-the-lens photo appeared to show edging colors (purple fringe), so this may be Chromatic Aberration*. It wasn’t a major issue and it did not affect the sharpness or contrast of the viewed object itself. This was visible only on the periphery of very bright objects.
Conclusion–Impressive Optics for $825.00
We only were able to comparison-test one sample of each scope, Sightron vs. Nightforce. As noted, the performance was very close, and it is possible that different samples might perform slightly better or worse in each optical category. In this test the Nightforce had a very slight edge in resolution, while the Sightron was brighter. We plan to do more testing, with bullet-hole targets set at long ranges. That should give us a better sense of how the Sightron can resolve bullet holes and target lines out past 300 yards. Jason will also do a box-test to check the tracking and repeatability of the Sightron. Based on what we’ve seen so far, however, the Sightron, with a “street price” of about $825.00, is a very good value. Jason concludes: “Given the 8-32 Sightron’s price point, I’d say most people will feel it is a great scope for the money.”
*Chromatic aberration occurs in a riflescope when white light, bent by the objective lens, separates into different colors (wavelengths), each color bending at a slightly different angle. When that occurs, the colors don’t focus at the same point. This most often appears as a deep blue/purple or yellow edge on the image, particularly straight black and white edges.
|
