Opinions on these? Wanted to know if these punch above their weight like their fixed power non HD scopes.

Also wondering how 'daylight bright'  the circle is at 1x ?

I have a chance to pick one up relatively inexpensively.

Tagged for interest as well

My non-HD 1-4x is definitely NOT daylight bright.  But it retails at $400, so perhaps the ~$1,000 1-6x has brighter illumination.  Curiously, I don't see any reviews on the SWFA website of the 1-6x HD.

The 1-6 is very bright. If not daylight bright it is damn close. It's a nice scope. My only gripe is the FOV is on the lower end for scopes in it's class. Otherwise nice glass and illumination, and very solid.

Thank you for the input

I do not recall the specific thread, but there was a gentleman in one of the threads discussing the LVPO trial USSOCOM is still currently quiet about, which was scheduled to end in Nov/Dec of 2017.

He had mentioned that scopes which received the highest marks in terms of durability and tracking were from NF and the SWFA SS HD 1-6- even scoring higher than the razor. This is was in his own unit's testing- nothing to do with USSOCOM's official procurement trial.

The gentleman was in some position within the military that was privy to some testing data.

I am also very curious how this scope compares to newer offerings from other companies. I've done a lot of research, and was considering a Razor. But now have the opportunity to purchase an The SWFA 1-6 for a steal slightly used. This is my first variable optic purchase. Is this worth buying or should I just spend the extra cash and get something more modern?

Great scope but heavy, definitely not daylight visible. I used one on a 6.8 hunting rifle for a while and enjoyed it while I had it, but I definitely prefer the Sig Tango 6 that I picked up a few years later. While also heavy, that one does have a daylight visible reticle. If you're looking at the SWFA, make sure you look in their sample area, they had a couple 1-6 scopes for just under $600 a couple of days ago.

when you talk about tracking, are you referring to when you zero an optic and move one adjuster and it will change in 2 directions?

say i need to go up 1”. i make the change and i get a windage shift too. i’ve seen some optics do this. was never sure if it was me not being level or what.

If it's mounted plumb, elevation should be vertical, and windage should be lateral movement only.

Good tracking can be evidenced with a ladder test or box test.

Start at a zeroed point......move up a set amount of MOA/Mil.......over a set amount of MOA/Mil........down the same, then over in opposite direction again.

POI should be where you started

Thanks for the input from everyone.

I went ahead and took the plunge.  For 4 Franklin's, I figured I probably shouldn't pass it up

I've had two. Still have one.

Definitely not daylight bright. Does not come close to the Razor or Steiner offerings.

Lighter than Razor

Glass quality not that great. Razor is noticeably better all around and I could resolve more detail with my Steiner M5xi at 5x than the SWFA at 6x.

Surprisingly good reticle for precision shooting.

FoV not great either

If you think you will be using this optic at max magnification more often than 1x, it's a great buy. If you're only going to be using at max occasionally and usually shoot at 1x, I would look elsewhere.

Mostly will be used more at magnification, but wanted the option for some more 'tactical style' close in.  At my normal shooting spot, the 'near' targets are at 167yds. Intermediate steel @ 325 yds or so, and have more steel @ 425, 635, 872, and a 1268yd.

Occasionally I go to my bud's place where he has a 100yd set up with lots of 3-gun type obstacles/barriers set up

For 400 bones, I am not anywhere close to M5Xi or any Razor offerings. That's Strike Eagle territory, and would hope SWFA HD glass outshines a Strike Eagle

Yeah, that's a good buy then.

For that price I like the P4xi if it's going to be used at low magnification more. But for your purposes I think you got a great scope.

What he said.  The glass quality is okay, but the horrible narrow FOV really bugged me.  Coupling that with that busy reticle was the last straw.  And if I remember correctly, it was heavy as heck.  I sold mine.  I'd recommend a used Vortex Razor or Leupold VX-6 HD off EE for the same price.  Even a Bushnell Elite 1-6.5 is far superior in every way to SWFA HD 1-6x.

I have one of the donut-reticle SWFA HD 1-6x. Got it on Black Friday sale a couple years ago. I think, after some experience, I would have preferred the T-reticle version they offered at one point. I don't find the "donut" to be too busy on 6x, mostly because the ring is outside the FOV at full power and it's a handy reference at 1x, though I think it's never going to be as fast as a red-dot, or probably even a SFP illuminated dot on 1x.

That said, I do think the glass is decent--maybe not amazing, but decent. I find myself liking the FFP aspect a lot more than I expected to. The illumination seems like it's really meant more for lower-light conditions than to create a quasi-RDS reticle. It's okay in moderate light but full sun is not its friend; better off just going with the black reticle when it's that kind of bright out. I'd call it "daylight usable" rather than "daylight bright"--some of the reading I've done suggests that's a side effect of the FFP design.

The field of view is a bit limited, and I have to wonder if that's not engineered in to crop out edge distortion or something. I'm nobody's engineer or optician, though. It does kinda feel like that, though, when I'm looking through it.

It's a bit heavy, but looking up the Razor Gen 2 weight, I guess it's not the heaviest 1-6 out there. Then again, the Razor seems like it has better FOV and maybe a bit better glass, plus much more daylight-bright illumination, so maybe it's worth it the weight? But I paid about half what some folks in this thread have said the Razor sells for, so there's that.

All in all, I'm reasonably happy about it, though there are a few things I'd change if I had the chance. I got this scope, though, with the intent of it being a magnified optic that had a 1x (or near enough) capability, rather than the reverse. Maybe it's that outlook that has me OK with the FFP and the mil-crosshair reticle? I do need to spend some more time working on estimation of range and internalizing reticle hold-overs for range and wind.

I have to add the caveat that I didn't spend very much real time hands-on with many other 1-X optics. I have a Leupold non-illuminated 1-4 from their hunting line, and I've looked at a few in stores or on friends' rifles at the range but not serious use time. That kinda sold me on FFP, really. Something about it just seems more intuitive to my brain.

So I guess if I had to sum up: I like the SWFA okay since I so far prefer FFP, but I'd recommend to get it on sale, and it has some notable limitations and caveats compared to others on the market. It's also been out for a bit and I think it's starting to show the age some.

OK so I got it today.

First thing I did at my desk at work was to try to focus the reticle.

OK, so my eye isn't great, like 20-30 or so, and I do wear glasses, but I had to rotate the ocular what seemed to be an exorbitant amount
to get it to focus, exposing quite a few threads when I tightened the lock ring. Maybe it's normal for these scope.

Does this look normal ?  Should this make a trip to SWFA for servicing?

Attached File

OK another problem arose. When the reticle is in focus (as shown above)  a 100 yd target is way blurry.

When I adjust the ocular so that the target is clear, the reticle is incredibly blurry.

I got an RMA, this is going back for replacement or repair

Are you focusing the reticle on a blank wall with glances instead of long stares?

If I do it with a long stare I end up dialing in way too much diopter and then the targets and/or reticle is  blurry at distance.

Quick glances, pointing at the sky today (yesterday was at a blank wall)

I knew by the distance out (as pictured above) something is not right.

I usually have to adjust a bit, but my eye isn't that far out of whack

I'm having the same problem with a used Swfa 1-6 I recently purchased. I had to turn the diopter out very far, exposing a few threads to get the reticle and target to both be in focus. Now the target is blurry at longer ranges. I can get the reticle clear with the diopter turned in farther but then the image is blurry at all magnifications. I wear glasses, but don't have a strong prescription. I'm curious to know what customer service at Swfa says about your scope. I might have to give Swfa a call myself.

No answer yet, just a generic e-mail telling me they have my scope.

Really will be furious if our experiences are the 'norm' for this optic.

My inexpensive PA 1-6x doesn't have this issue.

Got an e-mail today saying they've sent a replacement scope out to me.

I should receive it on Monday, we'll see if it doesn't have the same 'issues'

I'm very curious to know if the new scope fixes the problem. I've often thought there was something not right about my scope. I've never been able to get the both the image and reticle both focused. I've always thought the diopter should not effect image focus. That is awesome they are sending you a new scope. Swfa must really stand by there products.

Yeah, I'll be quite ecstatic if it does.

The first scope was from their 'Sample List'

I traded in my 16X  fixed Milquad/Mil  and got the 1-6x for $399.

I figured a $1000 scope for that price was fair.

We'll see what the replacement is like on Monday (kind of doubt it will be a brand new one, but you never know)

Final Update.

The replacement showed today.

They actually sent me a brand spanking new scope!

Absolutely no problems with focus on this one, and the glass is pretty derned nice too!!!

Two thumbs up to SWFA.