Might want to check out SWFA's website forum, Optics Talk and ask there, friend. My battery is still going strong.
http://opticstalk.com/forums.html
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Might want to check out SWFA's website forum, Optics Talk and ask there, friend. My battery is still going strong.
http://opticstalk.com/forums.html
There seems to be "two camps of thought" on this in regards to 1-4X scopes;
The first camp thinks a 1-4X scope should be used with illumination on all the time, like a RDS; the other camp feels the only time illumination is needed is when the reticle is no longer clearly visible in low-light conditions.
I am firmly in the second camp. I own (or have owned) for quite some time Aimpoints and EOTechs, so I know the advantages of having a long-lasting battery in a device that depends 100% on illumination to be functional.
I see no advantage whatsoever in using an illuminated reticle in day light conditions, so how long the battery lasts is of little value to me. Of much greater value is reticle design that makes it stand out and easy to get on target without the need for illumination. In this regard, I very much like the SS 1-4X.
FWIW, I have not done any testing but from what I've read, on the "Nuclear #11" setting the battery lasts between 24 and 36 hours. On the lowest settings, which could be useful for NV applications, it will obviously last much longer.
If you want 24/7 illumination, stick with Aimpoints.
Last edited by Canonshooter; 04-13-11 at 09:04.
To me that defeats the purpose of a 1-4x in having an Aimpoint and ACOG in one optic. I don't leave the dot on 24/7 just when its set on 1.1X.
Whats the point of having a 1.1X if it doesn't have a dot like feature? Trying to shoot on 1.1X without a dot seems rather pointless to me. It takes 1 second to turn the dot on or off.
I took the advice of asking about SS battery life on Optics Talk forum. No one had much data, and suggested calling SWFA which I did this morning. The only battery life information they had was that a scope which was run on high lasted approximately nine hours before fading out. They had no data on lower power settings. It is not voltage regulated so as the battery drains, it will progressively fade. There is no low battery warning system.
Kevin S. Boland
Manager, Federal Sales
FN America, LLC
Office: 703.288.3500 x181 | Mobile: 407-451-4544 | Fax: 703.288.4505
www.fnhusa.com
I've not used the SS 1-4x but I absolutetly think for a 1-4X to be beneficial you need a FULL daytime lit dot or otherwise CQB capable illumination. I imagine a donut would work decently. I've been using Short-Dots since around early 2008 and love the abilitity to have an Aimpoint like dot at 1.1X which is used both eyes open, and its bright enough it can be used with heavy sunglasses in the brightest of natural light. Flip it up to 4X with illumination off, and its capable of near LR precision due to the fine center reticle portion. I can't think of any other scope (reticle) that offers the same capability. A lot of the new 1-4X's I see coming out have the reticle so thick it would make shooting past a few hundred yards much harder.
The new 1-8X Short-Dot coming out has both dot and reticle illumination (not at the same time).
The S&B 1-8x will be my next scope. Hopefully it will be released sometime in the near future.
I wasn't so much looking for an 8x scope, but the new S&B has every feature I've been looking for in one place. The 8x is just gravy.
Between the locking turrets, 2nd focal true day light visible 2moa dot, 1st focal illuminated reticle, ranging reticle (CC mil-dot), 75gr Hornady cam, diopter adjustment, close range parallax adjustment, et al, it's going to be a bad mother****er.
The true advantage of the S&B is the red dot isn't a reflected reticle, the red dot is, basically, an aimpoint built into a scope. Normal illuminated reticles become illuminated by bouncing light off the special paint applied to a reticle etched on the glass. This accounts for the huge amounts of light lost.
The SS 1-4x has promise, but with the max intensity battery life being that short, it's a non-starter for me.
Last edited by bp7178; 04-14-11 at 19:31.
Just got my Leatherwood CMR today, nicely built and appears to have clearer optics compared to a Millet DMS-1. Have it mounted on my SA-58 DSA Spartan. Will post range result if I get the chance to try it this weekend.
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