Sightron? Leupold?

[rbernie]

OK, I'm getting myself a new scope for my 7x57 Mauser sporter as a Christmas present. Hunting conditions are always variable, but most shots occur between 30-200 meters. I tend to buy 3x9's and keep them at 4x or 6x for the most part, but I like the idea of a variable power scope. I've got less than $500 budgeted, and keeping the price around $300 is Really Useful <tm>.

Anyway, I've narrowed my choices down to two - the Sightron SII 3x9-42 or the Leupold VXII 3x9-40. Which would you recommend, and why?

 

[dakotasin]

leupold.

have a dozen or so, and have never been let down.

all this sightron craze got me to purchase two earlier this year (a spotter and a riflescope). the spotter was pretty good for the money, but i sent it packing in favor of nikon.

the scope was ok, but not great. if it were priced where they used to price them, it was a good deal. however, they want to compete head-to-head w/ leupold and the zeiss conquest series, and it ain't workin' for 'em. you won't go wrong w/ a sightron, but there's better available. paralax was the biggest problem, tracking was substandard, and the clicks felt sloppy. the glass was fair for the money, and 2 more big complaints: 1- eye relief sucked. 2- they're too heavy.

anyway, i'd go leupold. enjoy whatever you decide on, and good luck w/ it.

 

[Gunrunner]

rbernie, I'd go with the Leupold. I put a VXII 3-9x40 with wide duplex on my M70 this past summer and love it. Clear as a bell, looks great, and the price is right. Never have had a Leupold go bad on me in the past.

SWFA has them for $299 with free base & ring set and free shipping. www.riflescopes.com

I've never used a Sightron, so no comment on them.

 

[Bob C]

I have one Sightron, and it's OK generally, good for the price ( I bought mine on sale).

I have several Leupolds' and they're great, especially for the price.

 

[Guns_and_Labs]

Leupold.

I tried a Sightron recently, and it was ok, but not stellar. My naive optics test is to birdwatch through a scope (not mounted) and see how long before I get eye fatigue or a headache. The Sightron took about 15 minutes. The Leupold's I have (several) take over 30 minutes. Add to that Leupold's customer service, and I'd take Leupold -- no question.

 

[wally]

What's wrong with the bottom of the line Leupold 3x9 40mm VX-I for ~$200 if you want a good scope for relatively little money?

I've one on my .308 HK-91 and another on my .223 Weatherby Vangaurd. I didn't see $100 difference in the better model for my purposes.

 

[swifter]

I was very disappointed with Sightron.Leupold gives good value .

Tom

 

[Mike Hull]

I like the Sightron's. I have two 4X16X42mil dots, but wouldn't hesitate a minute to get a lower powered one for a hunting rifle.

They have the clarity to equal any loopy, and the repeatability is second to none, they also have a lifetime warranty.

http://www.sightron.com/index.php?action=view_category&cat_id=1044399020

Midway has good prices on them at times.

 

[Jaeger]

I've been very happy with my Sightron SIII 3.5-10. It's been a great scope. Tracking is perfect, the glass is very clear and bright with no noticable distortion. No complaints whatsoever.

The only Leupolds I have are M8 Scout scopes. They get used very hard and have never let me down. My only wish is that they would incorporate something similar to Bushnell's Rainguard. You definitely will be happy with Leupold.

You might want to consider a Bushnell Elite 3200 or 4200 series scope. The Rainguard and the Firefly reticle seem like extremely good ideas for a scope on a hunting rifle.

 

[Warner]

Leupold by far. Six scopes and twentysome years without a single failure tells me all I need to know. Also, their customer service rates an "11".

IMO, Sightrons needs more proving time before I would bet a valued hunt on them. For long term happiness, Sightron may be a gamble, while Leupold should be a sure thing.

Good luck!

 

[Cindog]

I have a Sightron SII 3-9x42 ST mounted on a 17HMR and it has been an excellent scope with bright, clear glass and tracking that is as good as if not better than any other scope I own (including a couple of Leupolds). I liked mine so much that I bought another for a 22, an SII 2.5x for a Shotgun, and I don't hesitate to recommend them to friends. Go to a store where you can see them both side to side and decide which looks best to you.

 

[larryw]

I've had great luck with both and actually prefer the Sightron over the Leupold for high maginfication scopes (varminter/target. Optics and tracking on both were equal, but the Sightron was much brighter.

But all things being equal, go with Leupold. There is something to be said for Leupold's known great reputation when it comes to service should the scope suddenly go stupid. Sightron has the warranty, but I know of nobody who has needed to use it (the argument being no manufacturer is 100% perfect).

 

[porkysan]

I actually did have occasion to take sightron up on their warranty.....bought a used one cheap on ebay......when I got it, it looked like someone had unscrewed the objective lens housing, and didn't put it back on right.....there were scratches and marks on the objective end.....looked like somebody used it for a crowbar. The scope just wouldn't focus right.

Anyway....I called sightron.....they said to ship it to them, and they'd replace it. Maybe a week and a half turnaround, and the new 3x9 arrived.

So far it works as advertised. This is an SI.....the clicks are a little mushy for my taste. I bought a 3.5-10x42 for another rifle.....the clicks were much crisper. Both scopes are repeatable. IMHO leupold is probably the better scope, but not by much. Sightron customer service was also a pleasure to deal with.

You won't go wrong with either one. If you can get a cheap one second hand....grab it. Even if it's beat to hell, sightron warranties the scope, not the buyer.

 

[CB900F]

Rbernie;

The best prices on Sightron that I've found were at: www.bearbasin.com.

900F

 

[larryw]

Porkysan, thanks for the info!

 

[greg531mi]

For the price of a Sightron, buy a Leopold, can't go wrong with one, and it's American made........

 

[rbernie]

Thanks to all for the feedback. All of this has actually made me do a bit more poking around, and raised a new question/comparison.

If I bump the budget up to $400, I can get a VXIII 3.5x10-40 or a Zeiss Conquest 3x9-40. Are these two worth the extra $100 over the VXII/Sightron, and which of these two would cause you plunk down your cash?

 

[dakotasin]

i would take the vx-3. the conquest is a great scope and it is every bit as good as leupold's vx-3 except in two categories: eye relief, and weight.

that said, the vx-2 is probably the best deal going in optics these days (if there is such a thing as a deal).

 

[Derek Zeanah]

There's a third category to worry about as well: resale value.

Loopies seem to hold theirs well. Other brands (except the elite "how in the he!! did I ever justify this to my spouse?!?!?!?!?!? scopes) don't.

I'd also look used -- most decent scopes have a lifetime warranty not attached to a particular owner or requiring proof of purchase.

 

[rbernie]

Thanks, Dakotasin.

i would take the vx-3.

I'm having a hard time determining the difference (other than the optional reticles) betwen the VXII and the VXIII. Leupold's web site (including their 'scope comparison' chart is less than helpful to me on this. Anyone care to edumacate me?

 

[Gewehr98]

I don't buy scopes for the purpose of reselling them.

But, as the owner of several Leupolds and Sightrons, I'm still quite pleased with the value of the Sightrons compared to Leupold. Sightron's prices, however, have ramped up over the last couple years, probably due to the popularity of the brand once the benchrest crowd let their little secret out. That was a pity, I'd planned on buying several more.

Leupold still makes an excellent scope, but I don't necessarily worship blindly at the altar of Leupold, either. Several years ago, my VariX-III 3.5-10 LE scope broke it's reticle after only a few rounds when mounted on an M14NM. The late, great Gale McMillan clued me in on why, and Leupold did repair the scope. That particular scope now rides on a Colt Competition HBAR.

Regarding the comments about the excellent repeatability of the Sightrons, that's a truism if ever there was. The scope makes a perfect addition to a precision rifle. Here's one on my 700PSS (Anti-Reflective Device in objective bell):

 

[Art Eatman]

Personal opinion, but repeatability of adjustments in a scope used for hunting isn't important to me. I sight in for a 200-yard zero and only change if some factor like stock warpage changes the zero. I've gone years at a time without adjusting the scopes on a couple of my most-used pets (fairly constant low humidity and free-floated forearms).

My main experience with the Leupolds has been with the old Vari-X II, and they've done well for over 30 years.

Art

 

[Jaeger]

I've got to give my experience with Sightron's warrenty. The 1st SIII 3.5-10X44 MD I bought had something inside the tube. After the first few shots it looked like a hair was hanging from the reticle. It disappeared shortly thereafter. It bugged me though so I called Sightron. They said "send it to us and we'll fix or replace it". A week later I had a brand new scope on my doorstep and it has been flawless ever since.

I have a set of their SII 8X25 compact, armored binoculars on the way. If anyone is interested I'll post a brief review when they arrive.

 

[308win]

I have a 4X16X42 MILDOT on my BDL. Repeatability is excellent. Mine has adj parallax and I often use it in lieu of binoc's when groundhog hunting and have watched a den through it for long periods of time with no eye strain. You can't go wrong with the Sightron. I gave $348 + tax for mine two years ago.

I have never owned a Leupold but did compare a comparable Leupold with the Sightron at the dealers when I bought the Sightron and I couldn't discern any difference in clarity, sharpness, light transmission, color rendition. For what it's worth, the salesman who helped me is a LEO and SWAT member and he has the same scope on his service rifle.

You can't go wrong with the Sightron MILDOT or any Sightron with parallax adjustment feature IMHO. Just my .02.

Edit: I just wish my Sightron had the parallax adj knob instead of the adjustable objective. Not that it doesn't work but the knob type is closer at hand and you would disturb your position, sight picture, etc. less.

 

[Mike Hull]

Edit: I just wish my Sightron had the parallax adj knob instead of the adjustable objective. Not that it doesn't work but the knob type is closer at hand and you would disturb your position, sight picture, etc. less.

308,
Sightron is adding three side focus variable power models to the SII line. They should be available in January, I believe.