So I've never had the pleasure of looking through one and I am getting ready to make a scope purchase and wondering this from people that acutally have had experience dealing with their customer service. Is it really as bad as its made out to be? And if it really is, are they still worth it in the long run?
Rifle Scopes Hensoldt Scopes
- Thread starter RCS1278
- Start date
Hi,
I don't want to tread on any toes here, as I'm in Europe but, I've got both S&B and Hensoldt on different rifles. The glass & tracking on the Hensoldt is better than the two S&B's I have. (my opinion only…)
As for customer service….well I've bought them from UK and in Germany before, haven't yet had any problems, though when I did write to S&B in Germnay, including my serial number etc…….no one bothered to reply…….
My next scope…prob be another Hensoldt, if funds allow, simply because the glass & tracking appear to be spot on.
I'm sure plenty of others here can chime in with more exp. than me.
I don't want to tread on any toes here, as I'm in Europe but, I've got both S&B and Hensoldt on different rifles. The glass & tracking on the Hensoldt is better than the two S&B's I have. (my opinion only…)
As for customer service….well I've bought them from UK and in Germany before, haven't yet had any problems, though when I did write to S&B in Germnay, including my serial number etc…….no one bothered to reply…….
My next scope…prob be another Hensoldt, if funds allow, simply because the glass & tracking appear to be spot on.
I'm sure plenty of others here can chime in with more exp. than me.
I had an exceedingly bad experience with Hudisco (that all seemed to center on one person, low on the totum pole, making a very bad mistake, then that person trying to cover the mistake repeatedly and in several bad ways.) All that said, they finally made it right.
And now I hear they don't handle service any longer (not verified.)
All that said, Hensoldt is still my favorite scope to get behind, the image is amazing, good sight picture is almost automatic (almost), and my Hennys have been good to go (once the 3-12 had the illumination system replaced.) I have run the 3-12 and the 4-16 and been exceedingly pleased. (The 4-16 was a little short on elevation for my needs, so it is gone.)
I've run Henny next to most of the best stuff out there, and the glass is better than most and not inferior to any I have seen. As glass ain't everything, my scopes have tracked dead nuts and been quite durable.
Verify if Hudisco still handles service for Hensoldt, and if they do, ONLY deal with the boss and you should be fine.
And now I hear they don't handle service any longer (not verified.)
All that said, Hensoldt is still my favorite scope to get behind, the image is amazing, good sight picture is almost automatic (almost), and my Hennys have been good to go (once the 3-12 had the illumination system replaced.) I have run the 3-12 and the 4-16 and been exceedingly pleased. (The 4-16 was a little short on elevation for my needs, so it is gone.)
I've run Henny next to most of the best stuff out there, and the glass is better than most and not inferior to any I have seen. As glass ain't everything, my scopes have tracked dead nuts and been quite durable.
Verify if Hudisco still handles service for Hensoldt, and if they do, ONLY deal with the boss and you should be fine.
Anyone from Hudisco here on the 'hide? I know Jerry R from Schmidt and Bender is around on the forum and helps take care of the members here, which to me is very reassuring.
Hudisco does not deal with Hennies anymore. It was Zeiss US, and now its Cardian(sp?). I had to have my Henny serviced by Zeiss.....worst experience of my life to the point I suggest people stay away from Hennies now. Plenty of other good optics out there to not have to deal with possible service problems.
Here's my take on the Hennies and I've owned a couple, including an old fixed 10x that was one of my favorites.
For glass quality and clarity very few can match. Mechanically, they have had some issues here although I've never experienced a problem with mine. One of the main issues is the reticles suck. The bigger issue is not that they have issues, as everything does, but that there's no one here to take care of it. Poison's experience is really the norm rather than the exception so you can get a Henny and may be very happy with it but the most important question is why? There are just as good if not better scopes out there (Kahles and S&B) with better service and better reticles. So if you want a Hensoldt to say you have a Hensoldt, fire away. But if you're looking for top quality, there are better choices.
Hudisco is no more. BTW.
For glass quality and clarity very few can match. Mechanically, they have had some issues here although I've never experienced a problem with mine. One of the main issues is the reticles suck. The bigger issue is not that they have issues, as everything does, but that there's no one here to take care of it. Poison's experience is really the norm rather than the exception so you can get a Henny and may be very happy with it but the most important question is why? There are just as good if not better scopes out there (Kahles and S&B) with better service and better reticles. So if you want a Hensoldt to say you have a Hensoldt, fire away. But if you're looking for top quality, there are better choices.
Hudisco is no more. BTW.
Hudisco needed to be gone!
With all the bad press Hensoldt is getting:
1. I probably won't buy another (lots more great options than there were when I got my first.)
2. I will not sell my 3-12, it is balls-out great and has been hiccup-free since it came back from service.
With all the bad press Hensoldt is getting:
1. I probably won't buy another (lots more great options than there were when I got my first.)
2. I will not sell my 3-12, it is balls-out great and has been hiccup-free since it came back from service.
Talked to a vendor that participates here on this forum briefly about Hensoldts today. Perhaps in the future I might look at a Henny again, but for now time to skip them!
So the OP asked about Henny CS, not to start another thread about glass quality vs S&B, USO, Nightforce, etc.
I have three Henny scopes plus a Spotter 60, all bought when Nathan Hunt imported them into the U.S.through his Company, HuDisCo, which is now defunct. The glass is terriffic, but again, not what the OP asked about.
The CS when Nate was the guy was tip top in my experience.
BTW Nate's current gig is: [FONT=.HelveticaNeueUI]http://homewreckershotguns.com/[/FONT]currently an SH sonsor.
Now, Henny's are imported into NA by a Canadian-based company called Cassidian Optronics.
http://www.cassidian.com/documents/...f;jsessionid=0270BCDFB082783456F2F567E9D0E75D
These people - if they even exist - have not responded to a number if emails I have sent over the last six months, inquiring about reticle changes.
So the CS sucks, because it doesn't fucking exist.......
I have three Henny scopes plus a Spotter 60, all bought when Nathan Hunt imported them into the U.S.through his Company, HuDisCo, which is now defunct. The glass is terriffic, but again, not what the OP asked about.
The CS when Nate was the guy was tip top in my experience.
BTW Nate's current gig is: [FONT=.HelveticaNeueUI]http://homewreckershotguns.com/[/FONT]currently an SH sonsor.
Now, Henny's are imported into NA by a Canadian-based company called Cassidian Optronics.
http://www.cassidian.com/documents/...f;jsessionid=0270BCDFB082783456F2F567E9D0E75D
These people - if they even exist - have not responded to a number if emails I have sent over the last six months, inquiring about reticle changes.
So the CS sucks, because it doesn't fucking exist.......
Last edited:
Here the customer service from Zeiss is just as good as any but can't speak for the US.
Cassidian Hensoldt, is Hensoldt now as Cassidian bought a large part of Zeiss.
And naturally they're the american importer, wether they are communication friendly or how customer service is i have no clue to. But from the company profile it does not seem like they are really into selling one and one scope to civilians.
So if i lived in the US i'd might look at other brands.
My next expensive scope will never the less be a 3,5-26x56 Hensoldt.
But here in Europe i can buy them with confidence, and no issues with customer support.
Best source for Henny's in my experience is directly from Germany through IEA ( http://www.mil-optics.de/)
Finnaccuracy is supposed to be good too.
Cassidian Hensoldt, is Hensoldt now as Cassidian bought a large part of Zeiss.
And naturally they're the american importer, wether they are communication friendly or how customer service is i have no clue to. But from the company profile it does not seem like they are really into selling one and one scope to civilians.
So if i lived in the US i'd might look at other brands.
My next expensive scope will never the less be a 3,5-26x56 Hensoldt.
But here in Europe i can buy them with confidence, and no issues with customer support.
Best source for Henny's in my experience is directly from Germany through IEA ( http://www.mil-optics.de/)
Finnaccuracy is supposed to be good too.
Last edited:
Well as much as i was interested in a hensoldt, i went with my original choice.... a Schmidt & Bender 3-20.
Rancid,
What was your problem and when did this occur?
Likewise when I worked out there, there were only 2 of us there.
What was your problem and when did this occur?
Likewise when I worked out there, there were only 2 of us there.
I have two Hensoldts, 3-15 and 4-16, and an S&B 3-20. The 3-15 has a standard mil-dot reticle, the 4-16 has the NH-1, and the S&B has the H2CMR. I've waffled back and forth about which I like best, but have finally come firmly down on the S&B over the Hensoldts. Having said that, the Henny is the easiest scope to get behind of anything I've looked through. Also, I've come to the conclusion that unless I had a compelling need for a larger objective, 50mm is as big as I want.
Here's an earlier comparison between the 3-15 and S&B 3-20 before I had really used the S&B. http://www.snipershide.com/shooting...s/189791-s-b-3-20x50-vs-hensoldt-3-12x56.html
Since then, I have put the S&B and the 4-16 Henny through their paces. Here's some recent thoughts on both in response to a PM query:
I have determined if I were to choose one, it would be the SB. But, I was recently talking to my friend who just retired from the mil and was a 3rd Group special forces guy and sniper instructor at Ft. Bragg, and his preference would be for the Henny for a competition rifle. So I think it really comes down to personal preference. The difficulty is in getting to play with both prior to buying!
Comparing the two examples I have, and remembering that one of anything does not constitute a valid statistical sample ... The SB edges out the Henny for clarity and resolution. It might be reversed in two other units. The Henny is definitely brighter in low light, but the SB is plenty bright. Roughly equivalent glass at 56mm vs 50mm, makes sense. I like the compact size of the Henny, and the eye box is the most forgiving I've been behind. It's amazing how easy it is to get behind and get a good sight picture. The scope body essentially melts away and gives a very expansive visual impression. No zero stop, but not a big deal for me, since the scope bottoms out less than half a turn past 0. SB has zero stop with two clicks available negative of zero and locking turrets. Some have complained of the ridges on the locking turrets, but I don't know why. Parallax on the SB goes down to 25m vs 50m on the Henny, which I think is useful. I find the parallax easier to adjust quickly and accurately on the SB than the Henny. The Hensoldt adjustment is more subtle and less obvious. Tracking and calibration on both are dead on.
Reticles: I like the overall look of the Henny NH-1, especially when dialed down with the fat bars on the outside. It makes bracketing your target easy and fast. I like the open center with the bottom vertical stadia coming up to the POI. It's easy to aim at very small targets. On the other hand, the mil-bases hash marks are a little unusual in that the size changes indicating .5, 1, 2 and 4 mils. I find it a little easy to get lost in it. But overall, I like it and it has plenty of capability for fine milling.
The SB h2cmr reticle is awesome, especially if you like to dial elevation and hold for wind. The only downside to it is that it becomes too thin at 3x and is hard to pick up. It would be the perfect reticle if it had thick outer lines like the Hensoldt or the P4 reticles. I really like the subtensions. The line is fine enough for sub-moa targets, but not quite as easy for such small targets as the NH-1. The h2cmr is able to have a fine main cross-hair and still have a decent thickness at lower powers because of the increased number of subtensions (.2mil), which look like a thicker line when the power is dialed down.
In the end, I would choose the SB mainly because 1) I like the h2cmr reticle better, 2) the additional magnification is nice to have, and 3-20 is just about the perfect range for a tactical scope. However, to your question, the Henny does not give up much at the long end. At equal magnification settings, the Henny gives the impression visually of higher magnification. Both scopes rock, and I think either will serve you well. Also, the SB USA customer service is great. I had an issue with lash in the erector assembly, and they took care of it painlessly. I just had to wait a little longer than usual because they had a harder time getting the h2cmr erector assembly from Germany than other reticles.
Here are pictures I took this weekend through both scopes set at 16X.
Hensoldt 4-16 @ 16X
S&B 3-20 @16X
Here's an earlier comparison between the 3-15 and S&B 3-20 before I had really used the S&B. http://www.snipershide.com/shooting...s/189791-s-b-3-20x50-vs-hensoldt-3-12x56.html
Since then, I have put the S&B and the 4-16 Henny through their paces. Here's some recent thoughts on both in response to a PM query:
I have determined if I were to choose one, it would be the SB. But, I was recently talking to my friend who just retired from the mil and was a 3rd Group special forces guy and sniper instructor at Ft. Bragg, and his preference would be for the Henny for a competition rifle. So I think it really comes down to personal preference. The difficulty is in getting to play with both prior to buying!
Comparing the two examples I have, and remembering that one of anything does not constitute a valid statistical sample ... The SB edges out the Henny for clarity and resolution. It might be reversed in two other units. The Henny is definitely brighter in low light, but the SB is plenty bright. Roughly equivalent glass at 56mm vs 50mm, makes sense. I like the compact size of the Henny, and the eye box is the most forgiving I've been behind. It's amazing how easy it is to get behind and get a good sight picture. The scope body essentially melts away and gives a very expansive visual impression. No zero stop, but not a big deal for me, since the scope bottoms out less than half a turn past 0. SB has zero stop with two clicks available negative of zero and locking turrets. Some have complained of the ridges on the locking turrets, but I don't know why. Parallax on the SB goes down to 25m vs 50m on the Henny, which I think is useful. I find the parallax easier to adjust quickly and accurately on the SB than the Henny. The Hensoldt adjustment is more subtle and less obvious. Tracking and calibration on both are dead on.
Reticles: I like the overall look of the Henny NH-1, especially when dialed down with the fat bars on the outside. It makes bracketing your target easy and fast. I like the open center with the bottom vertical stadia coming up to the POI. It's easy to aim at very small targets. On the other hand, the mil-bases hash marks are a little unusual in that the size changes indicating .5, 1, 2 and 4 mils. I find it a little easy to get lost in it. But overall, I like it and it has plenty of capability for fine milling.
The SB h2cmr reticle is awesome, especially if you like to dial elevation and hold for wind. The only downside to it is that it becomes too thin at 3x and is hard to pick up. It would be the perfect reticle if it had thick outer lines like the Hensoldt or the P4 reticles. I really like the subtensions. The line is fine enough for sub-moa targets, but not quite as easy for such small targets as the NH-1. The h2cmr is able to have a fine main cross-hair and still have a decent thickness at lower powers because of the increased number of subtensions (.2mil), which look like a thicker line when the power is dialed down.
In the end, I would choose the SB mainly because 1) I like the h2cmr reticle better, 2) the additional magnification is nice to have, and 3-20 is just about the perfect range for a tactical scope. However, to your question, the Henny does not give up much at the long end. At equal magnification settings, the Henny gives the impression visually of higher magnification. Both scopes rock, and I think either will serve you well. Also, the SB USA customer service is great. I had an issue with lash in the erector assembly, and they took care of it painlessly. I just had to wait a little longer than usual because they had a harder time getting the h2cmr erector assembly from Germany than other reticles.
Here are pictures I took this weekend through both scopes set at 16X.
Hensoldt 4-16 @ 16X
S&B 3-20 @16X
From talking to my Zeiss rep it does not look like Henny will be here anytime soon.
Last edited:
Please ... don't judge the quality of the Hensoldt glass based on my pictures! The difference you see is mostly the result of focusing issues of the camera through the scope.
Those were taken with my Leica camera, and the following were taken with my iPhone. You can see the variation from picture to picture. The Hensoldt glass is better than most high-end scopes and is a joy to look through!
Iphone pics:
Henny
S&B
Henny
Those were taken with my Leica camera, and the following were taken with my iPhone. You can see the variation from picture to picture. The Hensoldt glass is better than most high-end scopes and is a joy to look through!
Iphone pics:
Henny
S&B
Henny
Similar threads
