Rifle Scopes Current SWFA Production

[Bakwa]

Just some thoughts that I have from going on a hunt and staring through one of these LPVO scopes for a few days.

I've owned a number of SWFA scopes over the years and have been very pleased with them [especially for the price].
Recently, I bought one of their 1-4 LPVO's [first LPVO I've bought from them] and I was surprised to see it was made in a Philippines OEM and not the Japanese one they are known for using. No big deal, Vortex and PA are pumping out decent optics from OEM's in the Philippines.

Well this scope is hot garbage. The eye relief sucks at 4x, the eyebox is worse than NX8 on 8x, and the reticle is not very usable in person. It fisheye's like crazy, and there's so much CA around the edges it's downright distracting.
Now I know what you are going to say... "Well what do you expect out of a scope in that price range?" And normally I'd agree with you, but I've grown accustom to expecting extreme quality for your dollar out of the SWFA scope lines over the years.

My questions for those that have experienced are, do all of the current production SWFA's disappoint like this? Is it just because it is their most modest LPVO in their lineup? Is it because it's made in the Philippines and not the Japanese OEM that I'm used to getting their scopes from? Is their 1-6 HD that much better, and are their other scopes still made in Japan?

I just want to know why this one isn't that great.

Cheers

 

[redneckbmxer24]

The 1-4 I had didn’t suffer any of those issues, it was decent for the $$.

The only recent production experience I have is with a 3-15 FFP. It was still made in Japan and far better than the one I had shortly after they came out, that scope kinda sucked but this one was excellent

 

[S_R]

Just some thoughts that I have from going on a hunt and staring through one of these LPVO scopes for a few days.

I've owned a number of SWFA scopes over the years and have been very pleased with them [especially for the price].
Recently, I bought one of their 1-4 LPVO's [first LPVO I've bought from them] and I was surprised to see it was made in a Philippines OEM and not the Japanese one they are known for using. No big deal, Vortex and PA are pumping out decent optics from OEM's in the Philippines.

Well this scope is hot garbage. The eye relief sucks at 4x, the eyebox is worse than NX8 on 8x, and the reticle is not very usable in person. It fisheye's like crazy, and there's so much CA around the edges it's downright distracting.
Now I know what you are going to say... "Well what do you expect out of a scope in that price range?" And normally I'd agree with you, but I've grown accustom to expecting extreme quality for your dollar out of the SWFA scope lines over the years.

My questions for those that have experienced are, do all of the current production SWFA's disappoint like this? Is it just because it is their most modest LPVO in their lineup? Is it because it's made in the Philippines and not the Japanese OEM that I'm used to getting their scopes from? Is their 1-6 HD that much better, and are their other scopes still made in Japan?

I just want to know why this one isn't that great.

Cheers

Ok… let’s put that way… you just bought 15 years old technology. Yes, that’s old and expecting for NEW futures for fraction of the price… hmmm… it doesn’t work that way. Scope is cheap you sacrificed a little to gain durability and reliability vs funky new crap on market for same cost.

 

[CaptArab]

The hd line (old 1-4, 1-6, 10x hd, 3-9, 5-20) are all outstanding.

Also the fixed 6 milquad is a legend- it's only second to it's 3-9 brother as the hunting optic goat, IMO.

The 1-4 and 3-15s are kinda meh.
Fixed 10 is good, fixed 12, 16, 20 are useless.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Ok… let’s put that way… you just bought 15 years old technology. Yes, that’s old and expecting for NEW futures for fraction of the price… hmmm… it doesn’t work that way. Scope is cheap you sacrificed a little to gain durability and reliability vs funky new crap on market for same cost.

I guess you missed the part that the optic is made in Phillipines now and obviously some shit has changed…

 

[Bakwa]

Ok… let’s put that way… you just bought 15 years old technology. Yes, that’s old and expecting for NEW futures for fraction of the price… hmmm… it doesn’t work that way. Scope is cheap you sacrificed a little to gain durability and reliability vs funky new crap on market for same cost.

I'm merely expecting the same quality and features that have been the norm from this line. No one is comparing these scopes to new updated feature filled scopes on the market but you my friend.

Now then, do you have anything erudite to contribute to this thread?