Posted: 8/1/2015 9:26:53 PM EDT
| Was looking at a higher powered scope for shooting out to 600 yards and was considering the swfa 16x42 or 20x42 fixed power and was wondering if anyone had any experience with them and was also considering the vortex viper 6-20x42 |
| The fixed power SWFA scopes are an outstanding value for the money spent. Glass ain't anywhere near the best, but they are solid, reliable and repeatable. They also suffer a bit from a lack of tactical reticle choices, but offering more reticles would run the price up. |
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As others have mentioned they are good for the money. However, for out to 600 I would consider the 10x. While the 16 and 20 will be nice at 600 you might find them difficult to use at closer ranges due to the small field of view. My eyes are only 21 years old so take that with a grain of salt  |
| I went with the 16X. I got one to use as a dedicated range scope / load development scope for rifles that have low powered optics. The glass quality is decent, very good for the money, and overall feel is pretty good. They are supposed to hold up well also, we will see. For $300 they seem like an excellent value. |
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As others have said, they are heavy and durable. I have a couple. I really prefer something like a 6.5-20X but the trade off is they tend to lack the adjustability in the sub-$500 range. Then again, whats the point of having a scope with 100MOA of elevation that can't make out targets at ranges that would need the adjustment. When I am working up loads, I really like having it on 18-20X
I wish Nikon or Bushnell would put some effort into more elevation range. They make great glass for the $$$ |
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As said earlier, for up to 600 yards, 20x is way too much. Every bit of mag will increase the visible SShhAAkkE and is not your friend. I use 10-12x out to 800 yards. A 10x is ideal for up to 600, and work well at the lesser ranges. The less magnification, the brighter and clearer, usually. I do like the Bushnell Elite 3200 for that for a fixed 10x40 with mil-dot reticle though the turrets are MOA. For $200, you can't beat it. You can range with the Mils and adjust with the MOA that you are probably used to. The Vortex is a nice scope, I have two of that series. The 6-20x42 is a good scope, and you are only going to use the low end anyway. Would go to fixed magnification if budget is an issue. |