SWFA SS HD 10x42 Scope Review (part 1-3)

[@ChrisWhite.fishing]

This is one of the better SWFA reviews on KZbin and less of a fanboy hype. Anyway: here's my experience. Not complaining here, just stating the facts. The SWFA scopes are... not perfect. I have 3 swfa scopes, HD and nonHD: their glass and reticles leaves to be desired in my subjective opinion. What annoys me most is chromatic aberration you can see, if you have used pro scope before, excessive parallax and blurred edges, along unbalanced thick vs thin lines in their reticle designs. Considering SWFA HD: yes it's "bright and vibrant" and that is exactly the reason I dislike SWFA HD glass: it fatigues eyes by being overly intense. Bright and vibrant is another marketing fad loaded with hot keywords. *Real quality glass looks relaxed* . Something you can appreciate after hours behind a scope. And final note: SWFA is not a "rugged sniper scope" you can use as a hammer. It is just not. The open turrets with 5mrad per revolution, the ultra fine reticle.. SWFAs are a budget target scope. Take a look at Trijicon VCOGs, or ELCANs. Those are a rugged scopes, not the SWFAs. There is way too much online fanboy parroting about how good SWFAs are, without real experience in field ops.

[@rapalaron6348]

Thanks for this very good review. I just bought a non HD 6x42 for on my Anschutz .22lr I think for shorter distance shooting the standard model will be a very good choice.

[@yoonkim2725]

10:20 higher magnification will collect less light. So hd is 10x and standard is 12x. Standard should appear darker.

[@mworley75]

Thank you for the videos you are doing. There are reviews all over you tube, but you are the first I have seen that commented on the o rings under the caps. I enjoy your style, on this and the Hornady ELD review.

[@vaughnprecision]

mworley75 thanks for the feedback, I truly appreciate it. I'm working on the next (part-2) of the test tomorrow and throughout the week. Hope to have it posted next Sunday. I'll try to make the videos the best I can to get out the most information to folks like you who want to know. Thanks again..!

[@engineer6250]

Liked the review. Nicely done. Subscribed. I am now considering buying an SWFA HD off the back of your review. Thank you.

[@vaughnprecision]

Engin Hussein thanks for watching. I'm very happy with them, and you can't beat the price.! No middle man markup

[@uMalice]

I have the 10X HD and, although significantly more costly than the standard SS, it is an amazing scope for the price. The glass is equal to NF & 3k+ Euro glass that I have shot and it is on par, if not more, rugged to boot. Shooting in -20 degree weather is rough on scopes and my SS HD has taken that and more and keeps going and going. I have not seen or heard if it is apochromatically correct but my belief is that it is. I believe it provides a perfect image and I have no shift/fade in image color at extreme ranges. I have also installed zero stop shims which help in fast transitional shooting. I only wish I could get it in 20x.

[@sealsrx7252]

I have two of this SFWA 10x42 scopes standard version and I have a hard time believing that it can be a better image out of them on the HD version. I’m considering trade in one to get a HD. Version.

[@snapshot12002]

You have to test Same Magnification for both in regards to clarity and light gathering. I own 10x 12x and 16x standard SWFA's and each as the MAG goes up looses light gathering capability and clarity. My 10x standard very noticeably clearer than my 16x. Clearer than a 12x too. I enjoyed the video otherwise. Thanks.

[@anchorbait6662]

Great stuff. Well done sir. Im definitely on my way to the 2nd of these videos

[@micfasto8700]

If you have not tried it yet. Their 5-20 HD is an outstanding optic as well. Tracking is perfect and glass is on par with Night Force and not to far behind the Gen 2 razor.

[@nicknack8459]

I have one of these on my PA-10. Good scope. Unfortunately with the price of ammo I have not been able to use it as much as I'd like.

[@KeikoFXDesigns]

I've ordered one for my Howa 1500 .270 rifle.

[@kylevanwinkle2081]

I'm betting the scope company you were talking about not having the markings lining up for zeroing the turrets was a nikon

[@vaughnprecision]

Kyle Vanwinkle close but no. Leupold and Vortex

[@G5Hohn]

I'd agree with that. Why it's so hard to have them line up is beyond me.

[@TheWilferch]

Funny....the turrets on HD remind me of the Bushnell Tactical Elite, 3200 model, 10x scope....offered once by Midway in Mil/Mil style....and everywhere else in MOA. The Bushnell is a good scope but is positioned (market wise) a bit lower than SWFA SS ( normal), yet seems to have the identical turrets to the SWFA HD.....a kind of oddity finding here.

[@ronc4146]

My SWFA SS 10x42 Tactical has been a dud. Each time I put it into a Duha 4 x rifle hard storage case and it rides in the back of my truck on the 8 hr drive up to property in NV (all fwy driving), the vertical adjustment has been knocked off from 1-2 ft. Won't hold vertical zero.

[@lloydsteele9476]

I enjoyed your videos im gonna buy me one of those SWFAs or two or more ? Have a good day thanks for the video .

[@chadrides914]

Thanks for doing such a good review.

[@vaughnprecision]

Thanks for watching and the comment. We do try hard ..!! Always open to feedback, positive or negative, just looking to make it the best we can.

[@Mr683465]

i just ordered the ss version. 🤗

[@vaughnprecision]

someguy you'll like it ..!

[@BryceKimball7.3]

someguy ??? they are all SS.

[@Johnyrocket70]

theres zero stop shim kits for $22 i have the 3x15 , the 3x9 HD, & the 5x20 HD love them all 3 good scopes for the price of 1 yuppie scope.

[@rickvann3489]

You have to compare 10 x against 10x for light transmission

[@abcertweld]

LOL he didn't show the original, because light transmission is determined by the bell and shaft. Did you notice that?

[@teambennett3060]

I have a Tikka T3 CTR 308 and live in Alaska. And am on a tight budget. I want a good scope for hunting and range shooting ?

[@vaughnprecision]

jared bennett this scope will work well for both..!

[@ChrisWhite.fishing]

Range yes, hunting absolutely not

[@rangur1]

what is the stand you have those scopes mounted to , in order to compare them?

[@alanmendezca]

thank you for the video in which Vortex model failed ?

[@vaughnprecision]

alanmendezca I had an issue with the Vortex Viper not returning to zero consistently.

[@alanmendezca]

Vaughn Precision ok cool. Hopefully i don't have any problems with the vortex razor hd 3×18 i order.

[@yohan762]

How do you zoom in with a fixed power scope?

[@ericcartman8354]

John Hanson you dont

[@taylorvos8189]

get closer to your target.

[@keanu-sama8378]

Lol

[@Jsperal]

@@taylorvos8189 🤣🤣

[@Physics072]

Not apples to apples comparing a HD at 10x to a non HD at 12x. A 10x Non HD will be brighter than a 12x Non HD A 10X HD will be brighter than a 12x HD. The higher the power the dimmer the image. It would be interesting if a 10x Non HD would be brighter than a 12x HD. The HD is better glass but it still must overcome the dimming that comes from 2x more magnification. IE. A 16x Fixed SWFA is much sharper than a 15X (5-15x) zoom SWFA because there are more optical surfaces in the zoom model.

[@Johnyrocket70]

they dont make a 5-15x zoom

[@justinhohn9974]

Valid points. The 6x42 in standard model is VERY bright because if the large objective relative to magnification, and the fixed magnification. 16x42 is much darker. Yet it is still brighter than the 3-15, because the variable mag has more elements than the fixed mag.

[@johngarrie2633]

Thinks for a grate video I am considering getting the HD for my savage mod 12 in 308 I won't to make it a sexy shooter . And your videos will get me there 👍🏻. Next will be a laminated Stock 😉

[@SVD762-lp9en]

I wish these optics were imported in the EU

[@abcertweld]

Notice you didn't show the view from the none HD looking at the tree. I'm just saying you should have shown both at the same time of day that's all. That being said light transmission is determined by the size of the bell and shaft primarily, and because both have the same if there is a difference it would be very minimal.

[@MrCarpediempilot]

I have a Savage 308. I mainly use it for target shooting. Would you recommend the 10x or the 12x. Thank you.

[@vaughnprecision]

Carpe Diem Flyer just my preference but I like the 12x scope. I've not looked through the 16x or 20x but I've heard good things. How far out are you shooting ..?

[@MrCarpediempilot]

I am just getting started. I will probably start at 100 and work my way out from there. I would like to get out to 800 or so. I did go ahead and purchase the 10X They had it on sale for $254.00 so I had to do it. Thank you for the review and answering me back. Maybe my next one will be the 12X .

[@vaughnprecision]

The 10x will easily get you out to 800 yards. I think you will be very happy with it. I continue to run them on all my rifles. The new Savage I'm building now will also have an SWFA scope on it, haven't picked the power yet. SWFA sent me 3 new scopes to test, so I'll be making that decision very soon.

[@report41]

Carpe Diem Flyer be

[@thomasburrows6266]

@@vaughnprecision 10X will get you to 1,000 and beyond.

[@subdawg1331]

thank you cheers

[@derekthegreatgonzo]

how many M.O.A. of elevation do these scopes have built into them? I have seen them, but never used one.

[@vaughnprecision]

derekthegreatgonzo 140 or 150 total travel

[@derekthegreatgonzo]

thank you. that is a lot of elevation adjustment for sure. shouldn't have any problems with elevation at 1000+ yards with that much elevation. if a man put a 40 M.O.A. base on a rifle just for long range you could work it out to the trans sonic point easily. the limitation would be the shooter at long range.

[@Gtown1981]

Having to say 4 letter company name is lame (S-W-F-A👎). Just rather call them Swa-fa. Sorry for the rant. Great 3 part review keep up thread strong work.

[@blindboyjonny]

Holy cow, Batman this is a comparison of does an apple or an orange taste more like an apple. You cannot compare 10 X with 12 X is forest light gathering even if the objective lens is the same size one has a 4.2 diameter exit pupil and the other one is less than that. Apples and oranges my friend

[@WillowWind-ss8ej]

Is there a reason none of you scopes have the side focus?

[@jeffbadger462]

They only make the 10x standard with side focus.

[@chickenfriedrice4098]

Paint: Satin vs Matt

[@teambennett3060]

Is this scope good for hunting?

[@vaughnprecision]

Yes, I hunt with these all the time and they work very well.

[@ChrisWhite.fishing]

Depends. Small critters and varmint: may be. Anything else: no. Exposed target turrets and lack of illumination is a dealbreaker for hunter-stalker.

[@joerico9461]

Seems to me you're comparing apples be happy with one and send me the other.

[@deepsnapper51]

Like....a LOT!