Sightron SIII 1-7X24 LRIRMOA and IR4A

Black Rifles are a huge part of the Shooting landscape and have grown even larger in the last decade with the massive growth in toys for the AR15.

Interest in games like CQB, 3 GUN, even Service Rifle has created some interesting optics needs. These games can demand shooting on the move and at varied distance. The usual standard has been the red dot with or without a magnifier. The other is a higher mag fixed scope like the ACOG or Elcan

In general, these worked well but excel at different needs. Scopes like the very good S&B 1-4 and 1-8 short Dot bridged this gap allowing for “in your face” engagement with clarity and a dot and the ability to dial up higher mag to make those longer shots more precise. Downside… very expensive.

Many companies have offered mid priced low variable mag tactical friendly scopes but they all seem to have the same problem. At low mag, there is a fair amount of optical distortion. Panning these scopes makes you feel “drunk” cause the image is curved and the edges distorted. Also, all have to go over 1X to actually function/focus.

At CQB distances, the shooter simply has to adapt to this if they want to benefit of more mag all in one optic. If they are equipped with a dot, these must be adjusted for intensity depending on varying light. A pain when on the clock and moving over a range of light conditions.

Now enters Sightron and they have a very good solution indeed.

As many know, I am a huge fan of the sightron scope and use them on all my LR and competition rifles. For the money, these scopes offer superb optics, tracking and features challenging products costing a whole lot more.

When the 1-7×24 scopes were released in 2012, I was all them and was very surprised at how well they worked.

At 1X, it IS a true 1X. You can pan around and see like you would with the unaided eye. Close range focus is sharp and I can aim at my FEET when holding the scope. How’s that for ” in your face” engagement distances?

This is the image at 1X while typing at my computer screen a few feet away. The camera cannot focus on the reticle but it is clear to the user. Yes, there is a hint of edge distortion but so much lower then most anything under the S&B quality

At 7X, the image is typical super sharp clear Sightron glass. There is no problem engaging a Fig 11 at 600m. All with very long eye relief and a very easy to use eye box.

These features also make it ideal for a Hunter in the thick stuff.

There is a very nice red dot and you can adjust intensity and colour (red or green). At 1X, you can use it like an Aimpoint/EOTech for quick engagement. At higher mag in low light, a great fast aiming point.

Now here is a wonderful quirk of these scopes. The intensity of the dot is self diming. In low light, the dot can be set to be as bright as desired but reduces in intensity with increasing ambient light. In normal, bright light, the lit dot dissappears and you see a nice black reticle. Move to low light and the lit dot becomes visible again.

There is not the normal blinding halo and frantic knob adjusting typical of normal lit dot scopes as you go from bright to dark. Nor the loss of aiming point when going from low light to the outdoors.

PICTURE OF LIGHT ADJUSTMENT BUTTONS

No where does Sightron indicate that the dot is self adjusting and there doesn’t look to be any such sensor but all the scopes I have had so far show this feature. I sure hope it doesn’t change cause it is a fantastic feature not found in most any other competing product.

Low profile finger adjustable turrets have been a hit or miss with some customers. For crawling through thick and thin, having covered turrets is a good thing as they can not be bumped BUT for quick dialing, not so easy.

Some are running these with the covers off and reporting no real issue and really appreciating that the knobs don’t catch or bump into stuff. I know some will prefer the big tall “tactical” knobs. Taller/larger knobs are not available at this time.

To zero the knobs, you just pull up to disengage the cover, zero and push back down. This a very common option on hunting scopes now. I have heard concerns that could pop up in use and then the zero could be lost. These shooters would prefer a bolt on knob. I have not heard of any ACTUAL problems and certainly with the number of hunting scopes out there, we would. So I consider this more a personal dislike then an actual product flaw.

Now there is a new reticle option for 2013. My favorite LRIRMOA reticle. Now you can make quick windage and/or elevation adjustments without touching the knobs at all. These are SFP scopes so you will need to confirm subtension at the mag levels you prefer to use.

The standard Euro 4A style is better suited to hunting and those that don’t want a cluttered reticle. Bold, simple, center and shoot.

For those looking for a short to mid range optics, I think these Sightrons stand out in a very busy crowd by offering far more performance for the money spent.

SPEC IR4A

SPECS LRIRMOA