S&B 6x42 Hungarian VS German

Leica Geovid Pro - Green
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mattyts

Active Member
Hi all,

I'm in the market for a nice low-ish mag scope and the 6x42 S&B Klassiks keep popping up, they don't seem to last long when offered at a fair price so I'm inferring they're a good buy.

I'm noticing the Hungarian 30mm tubed versions are more within my budget, I'd like to hear from people who've had both - if I bought the Hungarian model and one day got to try the German one, am I going to regret getting the Hungarian one and not holding out for the German one?

I've been told the lenses & bodies are identical, they're just assembled in a different country & the badge reflects that - is there any truth in this?

Are the differences in lense quality drastic & readily apparent or minor and more nuanced to notice?

Thanks.
 
Last edited:
Absolutely exactly the same scope made with the same components to the same quality on the same machines.

That’s what I was told while I was working in the Gun trade when I asked the same direct question to S&B.

I was told that the Hungarian workers would work for less money and so the production costs and obviously the retail price would be lower.

There are some models that are only made in the German factory (which is in fact 2 x town houses knocked together, I was shocked when I visited as I was expecting a huge factory) like the PM series of scopes for example.

You will no doubt get other answers that will differ from mine but the quality of German and Hungarian S&B is EXACTLY the same.
I have visited the factory as part of my work and received the information from the Horses mouth.

Kind regards,
Bob.
 
bobthenailer said:
Absolutely exactly the same scope made with the same components to the same quality on the same machines.

That’s what I was told while I was working in the Gun trade when I asked the same direct question to S&B.

I was told that the Hungarian workers would work for less money and so the production costs and obviously the retail price would be lower.

There are some models that are only made in the German factory (which is in fact 2 x town houses knocked together, I was shocked when I visited as I was expecting a huge factory) like the PM series of scopes for example.

You will no doubt get other answers that will differ from mine but the quality of German and Hungarian S&B is EXACTLY the same.
I have visited the factory as part of my work and received the information from the Horses mouth.

Kind regards,
Bob.
Click to expand...

Brilliant & reassuring, thanks Bob.
 
One of the worst marketing examples in history. They could have sold the Hungarias for the same price, or introduce a lower level product line made in Hungary. Instead they chose to unsettle their customers. Stupid.
 
Steff said:
One of the worst marketing examples in history. They could have sold the Hungarias for the same price, or introduce a lower level product line made in Hungary. Instead they chose to unsettle their customers. Stupid.
Click to expand...

Does beg the question why the German models go for a premium if there is literally no difference between them besides a piece of text? Badge tax in the truest form.
 
I visited the S&B “factory “ in Budapest some years ago. Like Bob the Nailer we were somewhat taken aback ! Squeezed into a corner of a very rundown industrial estate. But there they told us the same story. German parts assembled in Hungary with lower running costs. No factory seconds ! One of us tried. A withering look shrank him into the wall paint.
 
JTO said:
A bit like Ziess at Oberkochen and Jena?
Click to expand...
No. Zeiss Jena was the original Zeiss before WWII. After that Oberkochen and Jena had nothing in common apart from the name. One in West Germany the other in the GDR. After 1990 Zeiss Jena became part of Docter Optics.
 
Steff said:
No. Zeiss Jena was the original Zeiss before WWII. After that Oberkochen and Jena had nothing in common apart from the name. One in West Germany the other in the GDR. After 1990 Zeiss Jena became part of Docter Optics.
Click to expand...
Ah! I was shown the Oberkochen centre in 1968, my German relations seemed very proud of it.
Is Docter Optics superior?
I seem to remember that Jena products were cheaper!
Jenoptem is a name that I remember seeing in adverts.
 
mattyts said:
Hi all,

I'm in the market for a nice low-ish mag scope and the 6x42 S&B Klassiks keep popping up, they don't seem to last long when offered at a fair price so I'm inferring they're a good buy.

I'm noticing the Hungarian 30mm tubed versions are more within my budget, I'd like to hear from people who've had both - if I bought the Hungarian model and one day got to try the German one, am I going to regret getting the Hungarian one and not holding out for the German one?

I've been told the lenses & bodies are identical, they're just assembled in a different country & the badge reflects that - is there any truth in this?

Are the differences in lense quality drastic & readily apparent or minor and more nuanced to notice?

Thanks.
Click to expand...
Absolutely, no difference apart from price!
 
JTO said:
I seem to remember that Jena products were cheaper!
Jenoptem is a name that I remember seeing in adverts.
Click to expand...

I have a few sets of DDR made Jenoptem binos & for the money they were secondhand, they're excellent. Being Porro prisms, they're a bit bulky & heavy for the field but they're great for other stuff. £39.95 new, in 1979.
 
south-nofolk-stalker said:
You’ve got a Hungarian, it’s a keeper, don’t think about reselling it because it’s not worth it unless you get it for a really dirt cheap price in the first place
Click to expand...

Just purchased, haven't taken receipt of it yet but I'm looking forward to seeing how good it is - should be a decent step up from what I currently own.
 
I have used a Hungarian 6x42 for donkeys years it is fine.
If l do my bit.
Never let me down.
 
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