Rifle Scopes S&B 3-20x50 vs. Hensoldt 3-12x56

[lifebreath]

I recently bought an Schmidt and Bender 3-20X56 with H2CMR reticle and have owned a 3-12X56 Hensoldt ZF with mildot reticle for over a year. I compared the two quite a bit this weekend, but I haven’t shot the S&B yet, so these are just my initial observations.

Hensoldt 3-12X56 FFP
Pros:
Exceptional clarity
Forgiving eye box and extremely easy and comfortable to get behind. Getting behind this scope is really kind of magical.
Great low light visibility - *very* slightly better than S&B (56mm vs. 50mm objective)
Compact
Tracks flawlessly
Turret knobs are easy to operate with smooth, positive, audible clicks
12 mils per turn
30 mils total elevation
Mil dot reticle is a good thickness and heavy outer bars help at low magnification, quick ranging scale.

Cons:
No zero stop (I created a "pseudo zero stop" by using 40 MOA of cant in the mount/rail - it bottoms out a few mils past zero, but I'd rather have it more centered optically)
No elevation turn indicator other than color-coded marks under turret cap
Limited reticle options - Mildot & NH1 (although it looks like the Horus H37 is now available)
Parallax adjustment is too subtle, so it takes some time to dial in exactly.
Illumination control is vague with no indication of status or setting

S&B 3-20X50 FFP
Pros:
Exceptional clarity
Great low light visibility (every so slightly less than the Hensoldt, but still excellent)
Tracks flawlessly (I’ll base this on other’s reports since I haven't shot it yet)
Pop-up indicator on elevation turret easily visible and tactile in low light (probably doesn't matter for my .308 - see next point)
13 mils per turn
26 mils total elevation
Locking turrets
“More Tactile Clilck” feature – I’ll list this as both a pro and a con. It’s nice to quickly feel the 1 mil division without looking or in low light, but hard to come out of the detent and not overshoot the first click. If it loosens up a little with time, it may be more useful. If it stays as hard as it is, it may be irritating.
H2CMR reticle is well laid out and is perfect above 5X. It’s a bit thin at 3-4X. Thick bars along the outside like the Hensoldt would have helped.
Many reticle options
Nice illumination adjustment with visual indication of setting
Parallax adjustment is quick and obvious

Cons:
Somewhat unforgiving eye box.
MTC feature hard to come out of the detent and not overshoot the first click
H2MCR reticle too thin at 3x, especially in certain lighting conditions. Could have made it perfect by adding thick outer bars.

The Hendsolt has by far the best eye box I’ve encountered. The sight picture is easy to acquire quickly and just feels comfortable, and the scope body almost disappears. The resolution of both scopes seems about equal. In some conditions, it seems the Hensoldt has the edge, but in others the S&B seems to take the lead. The S&B has more contrast and depth visually, along with a more natural color. The Hensoldt has a slightly warm cast (yellow-brown) and seems to flatten the image more. The Hensoldt FOV is superior, and it may have a slight edge-to-edge clarity lead.

Both scopes excel optically and are superior to my US Optics 1.8-10X44. The three features that for me give a slight edge to the S&B over the Hensoldt are 1) zero-stop, 2) reticle option, 3) 20x magnification for spotting or observing and 16x for certain shots. I think the Hensoldt is more elegant overall, and looks really good in a Near Alphamount! For now the S&B wins, but give the Hensoldt a zero stop and another reticle option, and it might get the edge.

Sidebar: the Near Alphamount is a work of art. Rock solid over time and perfectly machined. I removed the Hensoldt after a year and absolutely no ring marks, and that was with nothing done to the rings by me.

 

[dbransco]

I have the same S&B and really like it. I would love to look through a Hensoldt some day. I have experienced the same problems with the eye box; however, it seems that there are not many others that share in this (having read of many with this problem). Since changing rifles, I obtain my sight picture more easily, but when going from 3x to 20x it's gets slightly unforgiving again. Not the end of the world for me, but its a little annoying.

Congrats.

 

[One-Eyed Jack]

I think you overlooked the difference in "clicks" themselves. The S&B is pretty stiff, making it more difficult to set it right the first try. I prefer the Hensoldt in this regard. Both have 120 clicks/turn.

Also, I would not have said, "No elevation turn indicator other than color-coded marks under turret cap" about the Hensoldt. How many turn indicators should it have? To be fair, you might have also said about the S&B, "No elevation turn indicator other than a pop-up ring." Unlike other scopes with multiple turn indicator lines on the turret, you can reset the Hensoldt's indication to the first mark at the beginning of the first turn with an adjustment screw so you know which turn you are on. I think few people would use or need the turn indicators on either the S&B or Hensoldt since one turn of the elevation knob provides enough elevation for most shooters (12 mils).

There's no question that Hensoldt does not offer the variety of popular reticles that USO, NF, and S&B have developed over the years. A new model Hensoldt 4-16x with H2CMR and zero stop might be close to nirvana.

Finally, you didn't mention the S&B's locking turrets, which some people find annoying at best. It's one reason I don't own a S&B 3-20x and much prefer the double-turn 5-25x instead. If I wanted a compact scope, I would go for the Hensoldt 4-16x. The newest version of the 4-16x Hensoldt does have locking turrets with a zero stop. I've seen only SHOT show images of it and don't know whether the locking feature is as annoying as the S&B's.

 

[lifebreath]

I think you overlooked the difference in "clicks" themselves. The S&B is pretty stiff, making it more difficult to set it right the first try. I prefer the Hensoldt in this regard. Both have 120 clicks/turn.

I don't find the SB to be stiff except on the MTC detents, and they are difficult to get right coming out of those. SB will disable the MTC for $75, which I may do after having used the scope a bit. I do like the Hensoldt clicks better, but if the SB MTC were eliminated, it would be almost equal to me. The SB actually has 140 clicks per turn. The pop-up indicator starts ramping up between 13 and 14 mrad.

Also, I would not have said, "No elevation turn indicator other than color-coded marks under turret cap" about the Hensoldt. How many turn indicators should it have? To be fair, you might have also said about the S&B, "No elevation turn indicator other than a pop-up ring." Unlike other scopes with multiple turn indicator lines on the turret, you can reset the Hensoldt's indication to the first mark at the beginning of the first turn with an adjustment screw so you know which turn you are on. I think few people would use or need the turn indicators on either the S&B or Hensoldt since one turn of the elevation knob provides enough elevation for most shooters (12 mils).

I was trying to point out that the pop-up is more easily visible at a glance and is tactile in low light. Having said that, as you state, many will never need more than one turn. However, some people will. Also, with my vision prescription, I have a hard time sometimes seeing the lines. I believe the pop-up is a superior control.

I think in today's world, a high-end scope should have a zero-stop. Like I said, I worked around it, but it's not optimal, and my workaround puts most shooting at the extreme of the reticle elevation adjustment rather than in the center of the optics. Yes, the turret knob can be set to the bottom most turn indicator, which is a help.

There's no question that Hensoldt does not offer the variety of popular reticles that USO, NF, and S&B have developed over the years. A new model Hensoldt 4-16x with H2CMR and zero stop might be close to nirvana.

I'd take a 3-12 or 4-16 with a zero stop and H2CMR with heavy outer bars on the reticle. It would be one elegant package.

Finally, you didn't mention the S&B's locking turrets, which some people find annoying at best. It's one reason I don't own a S&B 3-20x and much prefer the double-turn 5-25x instead. If I wanted a compact scope, I would go for the Hensoldt 4-16x. The newest version of the 4-16x Hensoldt does have locking turrets with a zero stop. I've seen only SHOT show images of it and don't know whether the locking feature is as annoying as the S&B's.

I know that some find it annoying, especially the annular raised rib. I don't notice it at all and I doubt I will ever use the locking feature. I'm not sure why it bothers some, but the world is full of diverse likes and dislikes.

I get the impression you think I'm knocking the Hensoldt. I think it's a great scope, and it really boils down to little features and individual preferences at this level. No scope is perfect for everyone, but both of these scopes are truly exceptional.

 

[One-Eyed Jack]

My S&B with non-locking MTC turrets has 120 clicks per turn, while my S&B with standard double-turn turrets has 140 clicks per turn. Guess the locking MTC turrets are different.