SWFA Black Friday sale

[sbhooper]

SWFA has their yearly BF sale going on. The prices are the cheapest ever. Fixed 6 and 10x mil scopes are only $199.95 (100 bucks off). Other packages also cheaper than last year's sale. These scopes are probably the best bang for the buck on today's market and have become my go-to scopes for any rifle. The fixed scopes are a great deal at the normal $300 and this sale makes them even better. Their reliability, return to zero and tracking blow most scopes out of the water.

 

[Schaaf]

incredible

 

[brockel]

Wish they made a hunting model with a zero stop and no exposed windage turret

 

[sbhooper]

Wish they made a hunting model with a zero stop and no exposed windage turret

I have never found the turrets to be an issue, but the windage turret can be removed and replaced by a commonly-available rubber cap, if it bothers you. They actually have a light-weight variable that is more like what you are talking about. You can add a zero stop using a hose washer, if it is that important and I think that there are a couple other commercial options available, now. I don't shoot (especially when hunting) over 500 yards, so the zero stop is not a real big deal to me, but the washer trick works. I have used it, just to test it. I don't particularly like the big windage turret, either, but I will take the quality, over worrying about things that really don't make a big difference. They are quality scopes-especially for the money..

 

[brockel]

I have never found the turrets to be an issue, but the windage turret can be removed and replaced by a commonly-available rubber cap, if it bothers you. They actually have a light-weight variable that is more like what you are talking about. You can add a zero stop using a hose washer, if it is that important and I think that there are a couple other commercial options available, now. I don't shoot (especially when hunting) over 500 yards, so the zero stop is not a real big deal to me, but the washer trick works. I have used it, just to test it. I don't particularly like the big windage turret, either, but I will take the quality, over worrying about things that really don't make a big difference. They are quality scopes-especially for the money..

I like to have the hard zero stop on the elevation too. I had a vortex on my gun this fall and more than a couple times I found the turret spun. Arm hits it every once in a while and spun out when it’s in my kifaru gunbearer. One time it was 14moa off. Ended up selling and getting a leupold vx5hd with locking turret

 

[Deleted member 16014]

Agreed...for zero stop these shim kits are cheap to buy or replicate:
Only for the fixed 6x/10x non HD and the 3-15 though. I'd like a capped windage turret and I bet more than half of their fixed power buyers these days would as well.

 

[MThuntr]

Anyone had a chance to compare the SWFA 3-15 to the Athlon Ares 2.5-15 Gen 1?
The Ares has a great zero stop and illumination (I see a major advantage to this on the lower power when hunting in lower light) but the windage isn't capped. The SWFA has reputation of good return to zero and a pile of elevation adjustment. Curious how the glass compares. Both are heavy but almost exactly the same price.

 

[sbhooper]

Anyone had a chance to compare the SWFA 3-15 to the Athlon Ares 2.5-15 Gen 1?
The Ares has a great zero stop and illumination (I see a major advantage to this on the lower power when hunting in lower light) but the windage isn't capped. The SWFA has reputation of good return to zero and a pile of elevation adjustment. Curious how the glass compares. Both are heavy but almost exactly the same price.

I don't know about the Ares, or the 3-15 SWFA, but I have a Midas Tac 6.5-24 and it is a great scope-so far. It has been spot on with the tracking to this point, but I don't do a lot of dialing. I think the glass is pretty good, but I am not a hair-splitter on scopes. Both the SWFA and the Athon have great glass, as far as I am concerned. I really do like the zero stop that they use on the Athlons. The Athlon also has a very positive click on the turrets. Some people really like the 3-15 SWFA and some don't, but you will find that with any scope. One thing that both brands have in common, is that they are fairly heavy. That is why they are tough and dependable. If one is bothered by a few ounces more weight in a scope, then probably neither is a good choice. I will take the rugged reliability, over light weight any day.

One plus for both scopes is excellent customer service. The Athlon has an in-house lab in Kansas, that will test all scopes that are returned for malfunction. They recoil test them to 338 levels right in house, so there is no guessing. I returned the first one that I bought and they confirmed that it was not holding zero. The replacement that they sent arrived quickly and has been a great scope. SWFA has always been very responsive to issues, also.

 

[N2TRKYS]

Unfortunately, SWFA won't swap out reticles. Everytime they have their scopes on sale, I think about buying one. However, I can never talk myself into buying one.

 

[tzone]

SWFA has their yearly BF sale going on. The prices are the cheapest ever. Fixed 6 and 10x mil scopes are only $199.95 (100 bucks off). Other packages also cheaper than last year's sale. These scopes are probably the best bang for the buck on today's market and have become my go-to scopes for any rifle. The fixed scopes are a great deal at the normal $300 and this sale makes them even better. Their reliability, return to zero and tracking blow most scopes out of the water.

Great deal! I can't get my eyes to focus with everything going on with that MQ reticle.

 

[sbhooper]

Great deal! I can't get my eyes to focus with everything going on with that MQ reticle.

I dont have a problem, as my eyes really only see a crosshair. Lol. There are way worse reticles.

 

[BAKPAKR]

My ultralight just arrived. Wow, it is light and compact. It almost looks funny next to a 3-9 HD.

Now I need to figure out what to put it on. I have read about the eye relief issues but I might swap it out with the Leupold 2.5-8 I have on a 270 and see if it will work.

 

[Grundy53]

I picked up a 3-15 on Friday for $399 ($300 off). Still waiting for it to arrive. This will be my first SWFA been wanting to try one for awhile but just hadn't pulled the trigger. $300 off was enough motivation. Lol

 

[Cheese Curd]

I bought a 10x. I have 2 of the 3x9s on my 7 mms and I like them.

 

[sbhooper]

I picked up a 3-15 on Friday for $399 ($300 off). Still waiting for it to arrive. This will be my first SWFA been wanting to try one for awhile but just hadn't pulled the trigger. $300 off was enough motivation. Lol

I did not really need it, but I bought another 10x, just because the price was too good to pass up. If I don't get the rifle sold, it may end up on my .270 Model 70.

I bought a 10x. I have 2 of the 3x9s on my 7 mms and I like them.

I use the 6x and 10x on my rifles. I got tired of trying to decide which power I wanted to be on! Because of my eyes, I really like my 10x and have used it up close and at a distance. I killed an elk using a 6x on my 7 mag and it was just fine for the job at 346 yards.

 

[BuzzH]

If either had uncluttered reticles...I would try them in a heartbeat.

I just don't like any of the reticles in either scope.

 

[sbhooper]

If either had uncluttered reticles...I would try them in a heartbeat.

I just don't like any of the reticles in either scope.

I don't really think they are cluttered, compared to lots of other tacticals, but it is irrelevant, as I rarely can see the hash marks, anyway! lol. I would prefer a standard duplex, personally, but I can overlook that for the price. They are an unbelievable deal.

 

[noharleyyet]

I had one briefly but ended up moving it to a friend who wanted it. It was a crisp clear pic...but I'm slow to switch from the creature comforts and ret-simplicity of my Leupolds. I may have to look into the ultralight for an AR tho.

 

[Woodrow F Call]

They are really good scopes. The mil-quad reticle is actually pretty easy to deal with. It's fairly small as well.

Edit: the reticle is small, not the scope.

 

[30338]

After years of using another brand, it was so great to measure the group distance for windage and elevation correction, dial in that correction and have the center of the next group actually be where it should be. For those just jumping in to the SWFA scopes, I imagine you will find the same to be true.