Sightron S-TAC FFP 3-16X42 Optic

[Crow Hunter]

Hi Guys

Anyone have one of these? Do you like it? Do you have pictures of the reticle at low and high power, particularly with a mottled back ground? I have read some reviews on the Sightron site that said that the reticle was way too thin on the MOE-3 reticle on the SFP scope, but I haven't seen much on the FFP Mil-hash version.

https://cameralandny.com/shop/brand...2471-013a-2db6-00163e90e196?variation=3114718

Thanks guys!

 

[Hickswr]

That scope checks a lot of boxes for what I want in a hunting scope. Interested also.

 

[Crow Hunter]

That is precisely what I was wanting it for across 3 different rifles. A .22, a .223 and a .308 bolt action. I really like it on paper, my problem is that I can't find anything local to look at (only Vortex/Leupold) and no one seems to have put any reticle pictures online anywhere that I can find.

 

[Millron]

I have one. For a budget option it's a great scope. Zs stop is very simple, seems to track well and glass is great for the $$. Reticle is the only place im going to knock it. The simple hash design works well for my uses but very thin on 3-4x and hard to pick up. It's a shame they didn't design it with a thicker outer stadia lines to draw your eyes to the center. I'll try to get some pictures when I get back in town.

 

[Hickswr]

I have one. For a budget option it's a great scope. Zs stop is very simple, seems to track well and glass is great for the $$. Reticle is the only place im going to knock it. The simple hash design works well for my uses but very thin on 3-4x and hard to pick up. It's a shame they didn't design it with a thicker outer stadia lines to draw your eyes to the center. I'll try to get some pictures when I get back in town.

Is the illumination daylight bright?

 

[Crow Hunter]

I have one. For a budget option it's a great scope. Zs stop is very simple, seems to track well and glass is great for the $$. Reticle is the only place im going to knock it. The simple hash design works well for my uses but very thin on 3-4x and hard to pick up. It's a shame they didn't design it with a thicker outer stadia lines to draw your eyes to the center. I'll try to get some pictures when I get back in town.

I would greatly appreciate it. I was hoping that it had really thick lines leading up to the reticle that would bracket something at low magnification.

I have only ever really owned/used SFP optics.

 

[fdkay]

I have a 2.5-17.5 SFP mil-hash scope.
The reticle in it is pretty fine, but it has a floating dot and that dot is illuminated.
I was very happy with the scope, but I don't have much use for a SFP scope that doesn't have have locking or capped turrets. They did come out with that model with capped turrets but it was after I had already purchased this one.
If you were to reach out to Doug, he might let you take a look at it with an option to return it, probably as long as you don't mount it in rings.

 

[lash]

I have one. For a budget option it's a great scope. Zs stop is very simple, seems to track well and glass is great for the $$. Reticle is the only place im going to knock it. The simple hash design works well for my uses but very thin on 3-4x and hard to pick up. It's a shame they didn't design it with a thicker outer stadia lines to draw your eyes to the center. I'll try to get some pictures when I get back in town.

Interesting, for the price. I’ve found in the past that Sightron optics tend to have good glass for the price, when compared to similarly priced competitors. Here’s what the MH2 reticle is supposed to look like:

Do the three heavy stadia shown in the picture not exist on the reticle? Or do they not really show at low power?

It would seem to me that they would show at 3-5 power if they are actually on the reticle.

 

[Millron]

I would greatly appreciate it. I was hoping that it had really thick lines leading up to the reticle that would bracket something at low magnification.

I have only ever really owned/used SFP optics.

It would not bracket well at lower magnifications. I have it on a 22 so I really don't need it to work below 5 or 6. If your going to use it for hunting or in situations where the reticle needs to be usable at 5x or less I'd look to another FFP reticle design personally. Maybe something with very bright illumination or a center donut and thick outside lines.

 

[Millron]

Interesting, for the price. I’ve found in the past that Sightron optics tend to have good glass for the price, when compared to similarly priced competitors. Here’s what the reticle is supposed to look like:

View attachment 7798658


Do the three heavy stadia shown in the picture not exist on the reticle? Or do they not really show at low power?

It would seem to me that they would show at 3-5 power if they are actually on the reticle.

They do not show like in the reticle picture, not nearly that defined in the sample I have.

 

[Crow Hunter]

It would not bracket well at lower magnifications. I have it on a 22 so I really don't need it to work below 5 or 6. If your going to use it for hunting or in situations where the reticle needs to be usable at 5x or less I'd look to another FFP reticle design personally. Maybe something with very bright illumination or a center donut and thick outside lines.

Thanks for that.

I also have the Athlon Helos BTR 2-12X42 on my list, as recommended by Doug, as an alternative. I have seen quite a few pictures online of it, and I am not opposed to it, but I would rather not have a doughnut reticle on top of the ickies purchasing something coming from the PRC (having lost several co-workers to C-19) if I have alternatives that are equivalent.

 

[lash]

Fwiw, a properly executed donut reticle is very handy on a hunting reticle in my opinion. A great example is the now unavailable Bushnell LRHS 3-15x. And yes, that scope cost at least double this one, but the reticle is ideal for my use.

 

[Millron]

Thanks for that.

I also have the Athlon Helos BTR 2-12X42 on my list, as recommended by Doug, as an alternative. I have seen quite a few pictures online of it, and I am not opposed to it, but I would rather not have a doughnut reticle on top of the ickies purchasing something coming from the PRC (having lost several co-workers to C-19) if I have alternatives that are equivalent.

Personally, I've not seen a lower power variable FFP optic that had a usable reticle for ME on dark backgrounds or moving targets that didn't have a donut. I'm not a big fan of them on high magnification because it blocks some of the sight picture, but the donut definitely draws your eye to the target.

 

[Mbaysinger89]

For the money they are pretty good scopes. I have one on a 22. The reticle is a bit thin on low power, but still usable, IMO. The only thing I can really knock it on for the money is FOV. The FOV is quite narrow. For a varmint or plinking rifle not a big deal though.

 

[Crow Hunter]

Personally, I've not seen a lower power variable FFP optic that had a usable reticle for ME on dark backgrounds or moving targets that didn't have a donut. I'm not a big fan of them on high magnification because it blocks some of the sight picture, but the donut definitely draws your eye to the target.

The only experience that I have had with doughnuts was on a TA33 that I had for a little while on a AR. My problem with it was that my eye kept getting drawn to the outside doughnut instead of the center dot. I didn't keep it for a long time though, I could probably adapt. I did like the fact that it was very easy to see.

I think I would prefer a useable reticle at lower power and deal with the doughnut on higher power than to have an optic that was nearly unusable at lower power. If I were going to do that, I might as well go SFP. Which is something I have considered but I do like the idea of being able to use holdovers on lower power as I don't tend to run a variable optic on max mag except when sighting in or when trying to shoot something really small, like a muskrat head at long range.

Since most of my life I have used scopes in the 2-7 or 3-9 range, I will probably run one of the new scopes in the 6-9 range most of the time and I would prefer my hashes to be useable then.

 

[Hickswr]

Is the illumination daylight bright in the scope this post was created for?

 

[gr8fuldoug]

Is the illumination daylight bright in the scope this post was created for?

Standard daylight, yes
Bright day, yes
With the sun behind the target, no

 

[Hickswr]

Standard daylight, yes
Bright day, yes
With the sun behind the target, no

Thanks Doug!

 

[Mbaysinger89]

 

[Mbaysinger89]

 

[Cr1775]

I think i like that. I know the glass isn't the same as the SIII but does anybody know if the exac track or whatever they call it is the same as in the SIII.

 

[Crow Hunter]

Awesome pictures, thank you!!!
Only ones on the net that I have ever seen. I would I be correct in assuming that was on 3x and 16x?

 

[Mbaysinger89]

Yes those are 3x and 16x. Illumination turned all the way up.

 

[chevy_man]

I think i like that. I know the glass isn't the same as the SIII but does anybody know if the exac track or whatever they call it is the same as in the SIII.

They don't build anything without it. It's their claim to fame.

 

[Cr1775]

Good to know my SIII been solid for a long time think ill get a S- TAC for a spare

 

[Peahi2]

I was just reading about this scope today and found this post....I might get one shortly for a 22. Previously I was looking at a Helos BTR GEN2 2-12×42.

 

[Crow Hunter]

I was just reading about this scope today and found this post....I might get one shortly for a 22. Previously I was looking at a Helos BTR GEN2 2-12×42.

For reference, I wound up going with the Helos BTR from Doug, who is awesome by the way.

I really like it. Why have you changed your mind?

 

[Peahi2]

While I really liked the specs and features on this sightron I ended up ordering a viper PST 3-15x44 at an amazing price from Europtic. I opted out of the Helos due to the reticles...just personal preference really. I'm looking to do an appleseed 200y KD, and so I'm mainly shopping for a scope for that. The MOA helps was more a BDC reticle, and the Mil reticle had too big of a center dot. Doug hooked me up with a Helos BTR 1-4.5 last summer.

Back to our sightron! I need to look into their scopes more, I do have a couple of rifles needing a scope lol.

 

[chevy_man]

For reference, I wound up going with the Helos BTR from Doug, who is awesome by the way.

I really like it. Why have you changed your mind?

I'd take a sightron every day over any athlon. Just being able to see though the glass is worth it!

 

[Coopsdaddy]

Looking at all these options for a 22 hunting rifle.How would they compair to a sfp bdc reticle.Any real advantage in the woods?

 

[Millron]

Me personally I don't like a "BDC" style reticle in anything over a 6x, or maybe 9x power max. You need to be on the max power typically for the subtensions to be accurate or you need to do some math. If set on 2nd FP go for straight mil or moa hashes that way they aren't unique to a particular caliber. Sure with something like Strelok you can figure out that 22 LR BDC reticle for something other than a 22LR but thats just one more thing you have to get comfortable with.

The ONLY advantage to the 2nd focal is its going to be easier to pick up in dark woods on lower power. The FFP Sightron is illuminated though and at anything above min power its not going to be that hard to pick up with illumination on, 3x-4x yes its pretty thin. I"m slowly migrating all my rimfires that I shoot further than 50 yds to FFP for the simple fact that I can use the reticle at any power and the subtensions are accurate.

 

[Stoogey]

I have the 4x20 on my 455 and really enjoy the optic. I had a bit of a hard time getting the eye relief where I needed it but once that was done, the scope really shined. I spent a couple of hours cutting weeds in half at about 40 yards. It had me giggling to be quite honest lol. To me, your review was spot on!

 

[Mbaysinger89]

Removed

 

[Hickswr]

Any updates on how this scope is performing? Especially low light hunting conditions?

 

[MarshallDodge]

Any updates on how this scope is performing? Especially low light hunting conditions?

Late to the party but I have shot black steel targets with mine out to 600, well past dusk. Background was literally flat dark earth.

 

[chevy_man]

Any updates on how this scope is performing? Especially low light hunting conditions?

They might be new to the tactical market but they're not new to scopes.

I used an SII 3-12 I think I bought around 1998 last year to take a whitetail doe on a cloudy night 2 minutes before the end of season.
Couldn't see it with my eyes, clear as day through the scope.

Try one for yourself. I have several for the niches they fit in. Actually have an s-tac they sent me to replace a broken sii 4-16. Just doesn't get used much. And that sii was 15+ years old when it gave up a windage turret.

 

[beetroot]

I've only breifly used one but the thing that stood out to me the most was the FOV, it was horribly narrow definitely narrow enough to be a distraction.

The rest of the scope looks pretty good actually, that reticle looks well suited for hunting.

 

[marsgoose]

I own multiple S-tacs 4-20. I use them on .22's and one of my hunting rifles. I have had zero issues with them.