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S&B Klassik field use

Bakwa

Bakwa

Prophetic Marksman
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Minuteman
    • Mar 22, 2017
    1,648
    1,114
    FL
    I have a Tikka CTR 20" 6.5 that I've been using as a crossover target shooting and hunting rifle. It's worn everything from Steiner 3-15 & 1-4 to a NXS 2.5-10 depending on what I was using it for.

    It's now time to rebarrel so I'm planning on making it a more field/hunting dedicated setup. It's probably going to get a 18" 3b in 6.5.

    So I'm looking into good versatile optic options to dedicate to this old rifle, newly barreled into a dedicated hunting rifle.
    Namely, the Klassik 3-12x42 L3 since it's on sale.
    www.eurooptic.com

    Schmidt Bender Klassik 3-12x42 30mm Reticle P3 .1mRad CW Riflescope 645-811-882-05-05A02

    Schmidt Bender Hunting 3-12x42 30mm 645-811-882-05-05A02 | Only at EuroOptic.com!
    www.eurooptic.com www.eurooptic.com

    I'm looking for a lower magnification range, light weight, great glass, and usable reticle for hold out to 400yds.
    This seems to be it.

    How does it hold up?
    Is it pretty durable?
    Is the glass appropriate for its price range or is it more like the Razor LHT?
    Are there other good options I'm overlooking?
    I'm trying to make an educated decision.
     
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    Not sure if this helps but I recently picked up the 4-16 model with the same reticle. The glass is great but it has a bit of what I think is called spherical aberration and CA. I have the 3-21 exos and a Pmii, the klassik is very similar to the exos, minus the exos doesn’t have the spherical aberration. The CA is minor and less than the Kahles k6-24 I had, I think you would only notice any CA in non-hunting situations. Overall I’d say the clarity and brightness punches above its a 1300 price point but it does suffer a little from being an older optical design, hence the spherical aberration. On a side note, the 4-16 is only 100 more and has a very forging eyebox, I bet you will get more use out of the additional mag, than the extra FOV with the three power.
     
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    A.Redd said:
    Not sure if this helps but I recently picked up the 4-16 model with the same reticle. The glass is great but it has a bit of what I think is called spherical aberration and CA. I have the 3-21 exos and a Pmii, the klassik is very similar to the exos, minus the exos doesn’t have the spherical aberration. The CA is minor and less than the Kahles k6-24 I had, I think you would only notice any CA in non-hunting situations. Overall I’d say the clarity and brightness punches above its a 1300 price point but it does suffer a little from being an older optical design, hence the spherical aberration. On a side note, the 4-16 is only 100 more and has a very forging eyebox, I bet you will get more use out of the additional mag, than the extra FOV with the three power.
    Click to expand...
    I was looking at that one too.

    www.eurooptic.com

    Schmidt Bender 4-16x50mm Klassik LM P3 0.5 cm Riflescope 847-811-862-08-08A02

    FREE SHIPPING on Schmidt Bender 4-16x50mm Klassik LM P3 0.5 cm Riflescope 847-811-862-08-08A02
    www.eurooptic.com www.eurooptic.com

    The biggest downsides to that option are the 5oz more of weight, larger objective [more general bulk], and less field of view.
    The pros are bigger objective [more light] and more mag for spotting/observing.

    Hunting mostly in the SE, I really don't need a lot of mag and FOV can be important in the tight areas.
    Though the difference isn't that great between those two options.

    I guess I posted this thread just to make sure I wasn't missing another comparable option. I'd love a Swaro, but can't stand any of their reticles for holds.
     
    Why not get one of the older Bushy LRTS or LRHS models used here in the PX?
     
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    TheBigCountry said:
    Why not get one of the older Bushy LRTS or LRHS models used here in the PX?
    Click to expand...
    I probably should, but I think I'm just too much of an elitist to buy anything with the Bushnell name on it. I'm a poor elitist, but I've been disatisfied enough with cheaper gear so that I tend to buy high end just to ensure that the product with satisfy my wants.
     
    I went thru a similar decision process a few months ago and almost went Klassik but wound up getting a Leupold VX6 HD 2-12x42 and I am pleased. Not quite as crisp as my S&B Polar and not quite the low light transmission, but good glass and zoom ratio for an all around close to mid range hunting scope. Hunted with it this evening on a field with a max 200 yard shot and no issues making out details clearly up until legal shooting time ended 30 minutes after sunset.
     
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    Man, that S&B ticks a lot of boxes.
    It wasn't on my radar at all, but illum, FFP, mil reticle ~20oz is pretty hard to beat.

    I'm still running the swfa 3-9 and am pretty happy with it, but would mind a hair more mag for paper and illum for woods, and a true 3x w/o tunnelling on the bottom.

    I've debated the nxs compact as well but the price and sfp kill the deal.

    $1200 really ain't bad for that package. Exposed locking elevation turret would seal the deal.

    Curious about durability, etc as my field rifles get knocked around pretty hard.
     
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    CaptArab said:
    Man, that S&B ticks a lot of boxes.
    It wasn't on my radar at all, but illum, FFP, mil reticle ~20oz is pretty hard to beat.

    I'm still running the swfa 3-9 and am pretty happy with it, but would mind a hair more mag for paper and illum for woods, and a true 3x w/o tunnelling on the bottom.

    I've debated the nxs compact as well but the price and sfp kill the deal.

    $1200 really ain't bad for that package. Exposed locking elevation turret would seal the deal.

    Curious about durability, etc as my field rifles get knocked around pretty hard.
    Click to expand...

    That's my main concern too. Durability.
    I know the PMII's are pretty gtg, but I'm curious about the Klassik series.
    Otherwise, it really does check a lot of boxes.
     
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    The "crossover" scope is such a neglected hole in the market.

    I flop between my 4-16x42 atacrs and swfa 3-9s.

    Something in the middle would be perfect- I would pay crazy money if could have my 4-16 atacr shrunk down to a 30mm tube with decent killing reticle and 3-12 mag range.

    Athlon of all people seems to be the only one making one- their 2-12 is tempting but I still feel like a whore buying Chinese optics and never really trust them to hold zero.

    On further inspection I think the fixed parallax and capped elevation kills the S&B for me.
     
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    I’ve got 2 of the 3-12x42 Klassiks in the precision hunter model. Love them. Brighter and better sight picture than the compact NXS 2.5-10x42, for my eyes. Durability is very good, I dragged this one all over and it just works. I’m also finding that the P3 reticle is a great hunting reticle for me.

    F3D18836-6C57-4A21-8914-0B4C12A46CA5.jpeg
     
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    CaptArab said:
    The "crossover" scope is such a neglected hole in the market.

    I flop between my 4-16x42 atacrs and swfa 3-9s.

    Something in the middle would be perfect- I would pay crazy money if could have my 4-16 atacr shrunk down to a 30mm tube with decent killing reticle and 3-12 mag range.

    Athlon of all people seems to be the only one making one- their 2-12 is tempting but I still feel like a whore buying Chinese optics and never really trust them to hold zero.

    On further inspection I think the fixed parallax and capped elevation kills the S&B for me.
    Click to expand...
    This^^^

    I'm hoping that ZCO does this.
    Basically a LW Klassik with adjustable parallax built for a beating with a forgiving eye box and great FOV. I'd pay ATACR & ZCO $ for that if it checks all the boxes.
    I just want to have my cake and eat it too... and I'm willing to pay for it. lol
     
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    I absolutely love my German made Klassik 3-12x42

    - FFP
    - Lightweight
    - p3 mildot reticle
    - 3.3 mil of travel on low profile exposed turret with zero set/stop
    - nice illum

    By far my nicest hunting scope. Replaced a LHT HD 3-15 and couldn’t be happier.

    Sits on a 300BLK 12.5” most of the time then goes a anTI 2B 7mm-08 for deer hunting season.
     
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    XTREM HTR16 said:
    I’ve often said if S&B built a 3-12x42 PMII at about the same weight as the Klassik or the 10x42PMII, I’d buy them for almost every hunting rifle I own (that’s not already wearing a TT315H)….
    Click to expand...
    I think this is fictional land, the Klassik is the light weight pmii. It takes material to make the Pmii as robust as it is, once you start taking away material then it simply doesn’t have the same features and durability.
     
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    I came really close to getting the TT315H but went with the nxs 2.5-10x42 instead. I like the looks of that Klassik other then no exposed turret. For a hunting rifle I don't want to hold into the air. If I couldn't dial I would want a tree reticle.
     
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    Criver600 said:
    Mine is 30 years old, looks right at home on my custom pre-64 Mod-70 .308. Can't beat it for early and late lowlight conditions
    Click to expand...
    I know this is a necro response.

    and subjectively, no you cant beat good glass like that.

    Objectively, I did numerous tests on high end optics a number of years ago. Using side-by-side benched rifles and optics and eye charts at 100 yards in post-sunset fading light conditions, I found that the Zeiss Victory V8 was the brightest glass, lasting longer into darkness than the S&B T96 Polar, although I found that the image on the T96 was weird and washed out. Next was the earlier generation Zeiss Diavari T*, then the S&B Klassik 8x fixed power, then some Kahles Helia scopes and the variable Klassik S&B. all of these scopes lasted far beyond posted hunting hours on the days they were tested.
     
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