Sightron vs. Nightforce vs. Leupold

[Pdvdh]

The decision points that will lead me to purchase the Sightron for my next long range rifle will be:

3) Ability to set the power to 18 to make the mils into 2 moa for yote shooting when there is no time to click.

That's how it works with my IOR 3-18X 42mm SFP scope. It doesn't look to be designed this way with Sightron's SIII model. Check out this link: Sightron Riflescopes / Binoculars / Sighting Scopes product pages. SIII Series - SIII SS 6-24x50 LR MD
It shows the mil divisions are a true 3.6" @ 100yds when the scope is set to the maximum power (24X with this model). Changing the power from 24 to 18 will actually increase the spacing between the mil divisions from 3.6" to ~4.8". Not decrease it from 3.6" to 2".

I see some room for improvement to their mild-dot reticle. Would be nice if they come out with an enhanced mil-dot option. Like the IOR or NXS.

 

[Pdvdh]

Something else to consider would be to send your Sightron scope into either T.K. Lee or Bill Ackerman and you could have dots or stadia wires put wherever you wanted. Bill Ackerman is who installs the reticles for Sightron on their 8-32x56 scopes, I know because Sightron gave me his phone number and I gave him a call. Unlike T.K. Lee who will put dots or stadia wires at whatever yardages you want for the load your shooting, Bill Ackerman is set up to put them at MOA. Just something to think about.

We must have been posting at the same time...

Have you obtained a cost estimate from either source for modifying the factory reticles?

So I went back and looked at Sightron's current reticle offerings. If the plan was to customize the reticle aftermarket, it look's like a guy would be better off purchasing their standard dot reticle. Then you could add dots or hash marks whereever you wanted them? That would be pretty nifty if the customizing cost wasn't prohibitive. Perhaps one could even have the hashes spaced such that they were a true 1 mil (3.6 inches at 100 yds) at 10 power. Then the scope could be turned up to 18X and each division would be 2" as Roy desired.

 

[royinidaho]

Thanks,

Again my thinking was exactly backwards.

After my most recent scope experience I'm going to opt for the top of the line, proven suppliers such as Zeiss and possibly Nightforce along with reputable/sturdy no failure bases and rings.

 

[slymule]

I have checked the pricing.

T.K.Lee for 4 dots (at 500,600,700,800yds) would be $130. I sight in at 300yds, hold a little high for 400yds, and use the dots past that for both my 300RUM and my 7mmSTW.

It seems that Bill Ackermans price was right in the same ballpark, but I don't remember exactly what it was. When I found out he could only install at MOA points, and that wasn't what I was looking for, I didn't bother to write it down.

T.K. Lee is set up to install the dots at whatever power you want to shoot at. I had Premier Reticle do one of my scopes and for the dots to be on, it had to be at the highest power. They did my 4.5-14x40 Leupold scope and it worked out just fine for me. I didn't ask Bill Ackerman how he was set up being as I didn't want it set up for MOA. It would be worth a phone call though.

I opted for the LR dot reticle in my Sightron just for the reason I knew I was going to change it - no sense in spending an extra $10.-$25. for the MD reticle and then changing it out.

 

[davewilson]

when i had premier add some dots to my scope, he gave me the option of buying the scope from him with the dots,alterations already done. he had a pile of Lupy's without any crosshairs. this would have been a deffinite savings, but i already had a scope. of course this was more than 20 years ago. do either one of these fellows sell the scopes they alter?

 

[slymule]

Dave, you've got me there. I never asked either one of them. Don't see anything on T.K.Lee's website that says anything about it. I don't know if you could buy a scope from Bill Ackerman or not, all I know is he's the guy that puts the reticles in their 8-32x56 scopes. I wasn't even aware that Premier was selling scopes back then. They did my first scope, a leupy, probably 8 years ago but they never mentioned that I could of bought one from them.