Wes, like most members of this site, I respect your opinions on weapons & related gear, so I was hoping you could answer a few scattershot questions...  

- Do you have any info on the 3.5X Aimpoint scope that is in development?  I have sent Aimpoint three E-mails over the same number of weeks, and they have not had the courtesy to respond.

- What are your thoughts & feelings about U.S. Optics scopes? They have a great reputation, but you see surprisingly few of them in use, compared to brands like Trijicon, Leupold, etc...  I imagine this is because they are so expensive, but do they really live up to all the hype?  Specifically, do you have any observations about the SN-4 & the SN-12?

- Do ARMS #40 BUIS come in differing heights (one height for use with Colt M4s' & one shorter one for all other AR15/M16s' that use the standard height front sight?)

- Does ARMS have any plans to release a rifle length SIR?


Thanks for letting me pick your brain!!!  

I'm not Wes, so forgive me.

I won't comment on the Aimpoint or ARMS questions as I don't know much about them, but I am more familiar with USO.
I own a ST-10 and I wrote a small "review" which you can read here: [url]http://216.219.200.59/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=5&t=000368[/url]

Another USO discussion: [url]http://216.219.200.59/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=5&t=000569[/url]

Lowlight posted: "JW, we (I) and others have spoke to USO about the prices and at this time a SN-3 3.2-17X w/ 44mm Ergo, lit mil dot reticle and USMC look alike turrets will be available for $1850. That is less than $200 over a S&B."

For an extra $100 you get USO's 90 click knob with 1/2 MOA adjustments.

Mike Miller's review on sh.com: [url]http://www.snipershide.com/optics/millerreview.html[/url]

Thank you much Wes!!!

NYP

Right .

I got 4 USOs in the past years ,1 SN-3 + 1 SN-6 + 2 SN-4 , nowday only one SN-4 MKIII A/N-R/R 1-4X lit circle dot reticle scope is mounted on my rifles , but without its "doubler" because this does not fit the scope muzzle.

My story with USO is a long one but in few words :

Pro:
----
Amazing quality lens
rugged construction,rock solid
cool design


Cons:
-----
Poor components quality & craftmanship
Poor attention to the customer's requested specs
Non existent customers service
Too heavy & bulky hardware
Too pricey
Too long wait for getting one and too often you get a wrong one.

It is true that dr. J.William is a lovely person but, unfortunately , this is not enough to forget my bad experience with his goods .

Probably his company give more attention to the govnmnt contracts than to the orders from civvies , who knows ?

I wish them , anyway , the best , even if I'll never buy another USOs again.

PP out

Wes, I belive the SN-12 is only made in larger batches, and therefore it takes longer to get one.

PP, how long ago is it since you ordered your scopes?
I don't doubt you, but all those who I have had problems with USO were from a few years ago. I havn't heard anyone who recently bought a scope and had problems with USO customer service.


I know there has been a few scopes who broke, but USO has promptly fixed it. One customer's scope had a ONE day turnaround.

As to price...
One problem has been that USO has had too many options on their scopes. This means they will cost more, take time, and people might specify features which doesn't really fit toghter.
Also with regards to cost, in my experience USO might to cost more than others because USO makes some "neat" or "nice-to-have" options which will push up the price.

Some things are changing. You can still get a full custom scope but it will take longer and cost more. But USO has started making some "standard" packages. This means lower cost and shorter delivery.

The SN-3 3.2-17x44 Ergo with ill. Mildot is about $150 more than a S&B PM II with EITHER a paralax adj OR ill. reticle (not both). The New S&B with both paralax and lit ret. will probably cost MORE than the SN-3...
Availablity on this is supposed to be less than 14 days.
Is the SN3 too pricy? If it is, so is the S&B!

IIRC there is also a package SN-4 as well. I belive the price was around $1250 which is less than a comparable Zeiss/Swarovski 1-4x...

Edit: The Zeiss vari-point 1-4x is $1600 at SWFA. The Swarovski/S&B is about the same as the SN-4 (with lit reticles).

Cardinal,
I ordeded my first one , SN-6 10X58 mil-dot , in Jan.20,1999 , price $. 2.682,95 .

Ordered the second one , SN-3 about a year later , price close to $. 2.000,00

Ordered the SN-4 A/N-R/R 1-4X in Jan.01,2000 , price $. 1.589,00

Ordered the last SN-4 A/N-R/R 1-4X with doubler about one year later , $. 1.582,00 plus the doubler.

The price was - not - a problem for me.

Probably the things are changed at USO since then , and I'm happy for them and also for all the other customers arrived at USO after me , but my question is :

How could I trust them again after spending more than $.  8.000,00 in their products , all defective ?

I have all the contracts , all the corrispondence , all the faxes on file , if you like to read them I can just fax them all to you .

I - strongly - hope their products are far better nowday , and also hope their customer service is improved since then.

When I placed my orders I was more than excited to be able to get the best of the best , thnik about my disappoint when I saw what they delivered to me.

Enjoy yr USOs ,ciao

PP out

PP; I belive your story and I do NOT blame you for not trusting them! I'm sure I wouldn't either.

I only asked because as I said, I havn't heard any recent problems. Again no offense meant.

Btw how do you like the Circle Dot reticle on your SN-4? You see, I have a friend who's considereing a SN4 for a KAC SR15 Match he wants for IPSC competition. One problem is deciding on whether to get the C.D. or something like a D.O.E. MkII...
Does it work as advertised at close range? Have you tried teh Zeiss 1-4 varipoint? If so how does it compare in terms of speed?

Cardinal,

no offense taken,you bet.

I do not know the Zeiss 1.1-4x24T* varipoint so I cannot compare it with the SN-4 , even if it seems to me the Zeiss scope is much more a sport/hunting scope than a military hardware.

The SN-4 mounted on my rifle now is a good piece of gear , but heavy/bulky & pricey , I consider it more a patrol scope than a CQB one.

The circle dot reticle is a good one and  , in my opinion , far better than the DOE MKIII for a close combat.

ciao,
PP out

for whats it worth even though i'm not wes , i chose the circle dot and it being about 2.65 moa at 100yds as told to me by Dr Wiliimans, its never been to big for smaller targets out far during match play.The 1x is nice to have for close stages but you still have a eye relief unlike that of a aimpoint/EOTech type    dot so you will loose a lot of peripheral vision which i still miss but the upside is i also have magnification which makes up for it at far out targest.Any way lately at the 10 to 25 yd stages i have been setting it to 1.75x anyway so for my next match rifle thats  on its way i have been playing with the idea of a 11/2 to 5x something with a doc dot sight mounted on top unless the acog rumor of a 1 to 4x with chevron  really happens so I'm holding off.