Wow that's very impressive but if I'm going 1300 for SWFA I might as well go a cheaper ffp nightforce at that point wouldn't you think?
The cheaper FFP Nightforce is around $2400 for an NXS F1... not really in the same territory.
I think you just need to figure out what you really need or are willing to spend. Here's a simple breakdown, which mixes facts and personal opinion:
Viper PST 6-24x: very good quality, great warranty
has illumination and a fairly nice reticle design
to me, the quality feel is not quite equal to the SIII
65 MOA of adjustment
made in Philippines (I've read it has Japanese glass, I don't know)
SIII 6-24x:
basic scope without illumination, simple mildot reticle
to me, the quality feel is slightly better than the PST, though not quite at premium levels
warranty is lifetime and service reputation is good, but Vortex is probably ahead
100 MOA of adjustment, which is a huge difference if you need lots of elevation
made in Japan
SWFA SS 5-20x50 HD: $1300 without illumination / $1500 with, may find better deals on this forum for lightly used examples
glass quality (based on one I looked through) is at least as good as SIII and probably a tiny bit better
10 Mil turrets, if you care
100 MOA (or slightly more) of travel
to me, the construction quality feel is ahead of the PST and SIII
reticle comparable to PST
parallax adjustment is very stiff, sometimes almost unusable, to me this is a big issue
Lifetime warranty, very good service reputation
made in Japan
this scope is right on the edge of being a premium grade scope, or maybe it is one
I would expect the SS HD (and pricier models below) to be more durable than the PST or SIII if you are really hard on your scope
Vortex Razor HD 5-20x50: $2000 (you may be able to find a discount)
5 or 10 mil turrets
130 MOA of adjustment
reticle options, with EBR-2B having windage dots
I haven't seen one in person, but have a 1-6x Razor and its quality is solid
requires 35mm rings
physically huge
made in Japan, Vortex warranty, etc.
premium grade scope
Nightforce NXS F1 3-15x50: $2400
less magnification than others you're looking at
premium grade scope
probably more than you need unless people are shooting back at you on a regular basis
That's my 2 cents.