Optics: SWFA SS vs Vortex PST

[BrigandTwoFour]

FWIW, the word on the 'net is that the SWFA 3-9 has very nice glass on it (on part with the HD glass in the fixed 10x and the 5-20). Some of the reviews of the new 3-15 say tat it has better resolution than the 3-9.

That said, I think the 3-9 range is a more usable magnification for 5.56, IMO. Even better would be the new Vortex 2.5-10x32 FFP

[SomeOtherGuy]

FWIW, the word on the 'net is that the SWFA 3-9 has very nice glass on it (on part with the HD glass in the fixed 10x and the 5-20). Some of the reviews of the new 3-15 say tat it has better resolution than the 3-9.

Like I said, I've played with the SS 3-9x42 a lot. I have two of them, FWIW. I've spent way too much time comparing scopes against each other. The SS 3-9x42 glass doesn't have quite the clarity or resolution of my best scopes (like the SIII, NXS, or that impressive 2.5-10x32 FFP PST), but it is plenty good enough for any likely use. And it has an impressively wide field of view, probably among the best in the 3-9x class. At $599 it is a good to very good deal. It also has the nice construction quality of the HD series (though I don't think its glass can really be called HD), which to me really beats the construction of the original series (the $299 fixed power models and the new 3-15x model), which are made in a different factory by a different manufacturer.