S&B T96 or stratos?

[doric_prince]

Talk me out of it- possible in market for a high / mid end scope.

I have both klassic 8x56 and 6x42 on other rifles, but just got a s hand 7mm rem mag for longer range deer on the hill and mountain hunt abroad on rare occasion. Looking at a scope with bdc and zoom. Naturally I like s&b glass, been looking at stratos 2.5-13 x56 (c£1665) and polar t96 4-16x56 (c£1960) both with bcd. Question is; is the polar worth the extra £300?

im off on a trip Sunday for week on the hinds and one of my local dealers has the stratos in stock, which would mean I can use it on my trip OR should I just calm down and wait for a good offer on SD And star using it next years trip? Prices have just gone up and supplies are low / out of stock for some suppliers.

Also what other options should I consider from s&b, would prefer not to pay more than needed, but going lower means no bcd.?

Thanks

​

 

[doric_prince]

Bdc

 

[Overlay]

Whatever Schmidt you go for you’ll have a decent bit of glass but a variable up to 13 or 15 mag would be ideal, my 10 x variable Schmidts are brilliant, i have a 15 x on my 243 and its a slither ahead on the longer ranges purely on mag and the clarity is there. 15 x does seem to have the edge for the longer shots

 

[Sako75Hunter]

Consider the Zenith 3-12x50 with flash dot reticle (I like the FD7), which is available with bdc. I reckon it hits the perfect sweet spot in terms of price, magnification range, and compactness: the 50mm bell is, IMO, much tidier than 56mm, and there's no parallax knob.

 

[User00040]

Talk me out of it- possible in market for a high / mid end scope.

I have both klassic 8x56 and 6x42 on other rifles, but just got a s hand 7mm rem mag for longer range deer on the hill and mountain hunt abroad on rare occasion. Looking at a scope with bdc and zoom. Naturally I like s&b glass, been looking at stratos 2.5-13 x56 (c£1665) and polar t96 4-16x56 (c£1960) both with bcd. Question is; is the polar worth the extra £300?

im off on a trip Sunday for week on the hinds and one of my local dealers has the stratos in stock, which would mean I can use it on my trip OR should I just calm down and wait for a good offer on SD And star using it next years trip? Prices have just gone up and supplies are low / out of stock for some suppliers.

Also what other options should I consider from s&b, would prefer not to pay more than needed, but going lower means no bcd.?

Thanks

​

I'd look at the Leica Magnus which has a locking BDC.

S&B glass is not as good as Leica, illumination is not as good either.

Had a PMII that needed sent back to Germany on day 1 as the turret would not move!

Serviced and returned quickly but would not buy another.

 

[doric_prince]

thanks, main difficulty seems to be stock of s&b, and therefore price / competition as such. Not much out there at the mo.

 

[Ronin]

The polar is worth the extra

 

[Steff]

Talk me out of it- possible in market for a high / mid end scope.

I have both klassic 8x56 and 6x42 on other rifles, but just got a s hand 7mm rem mag for longer range deer on the hill and mountain hunt abroad on rare occasion. Looking at a scope with bdc and zoom. Naturally I like s&b glass, been looking at stratos 2.5-13 x56 (c£1665) and polar t96 4-16x56 (c£1960) both with bcd. Question is; is the polar worth the extra £300?

im off on a trip Sunday for week on the hinds and one of my local dealers has the stratos in stock, which would mean I can use it on my trip OR should I just calm down and wait for a good offer on SD And star using it next years trip? Prices have just gone up and supplies are low / out of stock for some suppliers.

Also what other options should I consider from s&b, would prefer not to pay more than needed, but going lower means no bcd.?

Thanks

​

Having read your description of the intended use of the rifle I wonder why you are leaning towards heavy scopes with large objectives.
I am also a big fan of S&B but they are heavy. The Polar's edge lies in its low light capabilities, not its lang-range suitability. I say horses for courses.
A 42mm, or max. 50mm, would be absolutely sufficient for this sort of application. I'd be looking in the direction of a Zeiss V4 4-16x44 or any other scope with silimar specs. Also illumination is hardly required for day time longer range stalking.

 

[doric_prince]

Having read your description of the intended use of the rifle I wonder why you are leaning towards heavy scopes with large objectives.
I am also a big fan of S&B but they are heavy. The Polar's edge lies in its low light capabilities, not its lang-range suitability. I say horses for courses.
A 42mm, or max. 50mm, would be absolutely sufficient for this sort of application. I'd be looking in the direction of a Zeiss V4 4-16x44 or any other scope with silimar specs. Also illumination is hardly required for day time longer range stalking.

Thanks, I guess I’m used to dealing with low light 8x56 scope on my current deer set up, which is what’s drawing me to 56mm optics. I should have said where I regularly stock hinds / stags it on the edge of vast open hill 200- 250m and also in or around thick established forestry blocks, during first light and till dark.

Guess I’m searching looking for the wholly grail - one scope to rule them all etc / one to do a multitude of tasks. ( Appreciating it’s always going to be a compromise!) I I didn’t considered the weight penalty’s however. Thanks

 

[Malxwal]

Compared Zeiss V4 with my Stratos at very last light, just no doubt the Zeiss lost by a good ten minutes.

 

[doric_prince]

Many thank for all your replies.

Off to shop tomorrow to look at the stratos 2.5-13 x56 and polar t96 4-16x56, both bdc. I,m leaning towards the polar but we also need mounts and rings at £330 on top of the scope outlay- which is getting v expensive. Xmas will have to be a techt yin for both my gf & 8 year old daughter

any final views?? before I dust of my wallet in anticipation I may have to open it. Thanks

 

[norma 308]

Got a stratos this week already have a zenith both 56s not mounted the stratos it’s non Bdc £1295 got it without bdc as I don’t do target long range shooting
The zenith fd7 is easier to work than the stratos buttons for sure they’re going to be fiddly with gloves or cold fingers but I’ll persevere for now
Solid scopes just thought I’d have an early Xmas present u only live once

 

[doric_prince]

Got a stratos this week already have a zenith both 56s not mounted the stratos it’s non Bdc £1295 got it without bdc as I don’t do target long range shooting
The zenith fd7 is easier to work than the stratos buttons for sure they’re going to be fiddly with gloves or cold fingers but I’ll persevere for now
Solid scopes just thought I’d have an early Xmas present u only live once

Where did you buy your stratos from?

 

[norma 308]

Where did you buy your stratos from?

Macloads of tain superb service from Toby

 

[sh1kar]

Macloads of tain superb service from Toby

Buy a second hand Swaro from them

S

 

[Klenchblaize]

Many thank for all your replies.

Off to shop tomorrow to look at the stratos 2.5-13 x56 and polar t96 4-16x56, both bdc. I,m leaning towards the polar but we also need mounts and rings at £330 on top of the scope outlay- which is getting v expensive. Xmas will have to be a techt yin for both my gf & 8 year old daughter

any final views?? before I dust of my wallet in anticipation I may have to open it. Thanks

Don’t forget to treat it to a nice set of new rings.

K

 

[Steff]

Many thank for all your replies.

Off to shop tomorrow to look at the stratos 2.5-13 x56 and polar t96 4-16x56, both bdc. I,m leaning towards the polar but we also need mounts and rings at £330 on top of the scope outlay- which is getting v expensive. Xmas will have to be a techt yin for both my gf & 8 year old daughter

any final views?? before I dust of my wallet in anticipation I may have to open it. Thanks

On the Stratos you might be put off by the push-button operation of the illumination.
But you should know that this is only on the old models. If you order it new it will come with the same turn-wheel adjustment as on other S&B scopes.

 

[Malxwal]

Some of the Stratos were available with the old style illumination dial, mine is.
I had the BDC retro fitted to mine, but wish I hadn't bothered, as it's on my 22-250, never use it. Do however use the older BDC on the Zenith, that gets me as far as I'd want to be ethically.

 

[doric_prince]

Thanks all.

just to update you I made the jump and bought the polar 4-16x56 sfp bdc, and mounts today.

Which means my gf and 8 year old daughter with just have to deal with the budgetary reality of only getting a single can of iron bru in their respective stalkings this Xmas

however, I have now gained an issue regards the mount and moa () see;

 

[doric_prince]

stop go decision needed; 20 Moa based good or bad for hunting.

advice needed please ; for reasons that are trying to be resolved as I type- today I’ve come away from a new scope and mount purchase with 34mm rings, which I understood were std (0 moa)- upon going to set up at home I notice 20 moa stamped on the side of both rings. . I’m being told by...

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