S&B Polar Vs. Victory HT vs. Others...

[blaser270wbymag]

Hi,

I have the Z6i 5-30x50, Zeiss HT 3-12x56, Victory 6-24x56 and V8 4.8-35x60, I´ll compare them together soon and will advice you. I think the V8 with 35x and 60mm is the best and a beast !

[blaser270wbymag]

Hi,

I have the Z6i 5-30x50, Zeiss HT 3-12x56, Victory 6-24x56 and V8 4.8-35x60, I´ll compare them together soon and will advice you. I think the V8 with 35x and 60mm is the best and a beast !

[JPBlaser]

One new contender joined the race to get on my 308 barrel. These days I had a look through a Kahles Helia 2.4-12x56i with G4B reticle and I liked it a lot actually. - Pros - 30mm tube,will not need to buy a new mount/rings(S&B polar is 34mm or rail) the scope it`s self is ~600 euros cheaper than the Zeiss and Schmidt, the image quality was superb. The only two cons I can think of from the top of my head are that there are no asv type elevation adjustments and maybe it has a tad lower light transmission compared to the Zeiss and Schmidt.According to Kahles marketing material,the scope should be robust and since they advertise the adjustments range I recon it should track nicely.They do offer a cap and a tumbler which is a bolt on add-on and is actually marked with dials and numbers @ ~250 euro extra but it looks ugly as hell...
Any thoughts on that? Has anyone encountered custom turrets for kahles scopes?

Best regards,

[JPBlaser]

Any thoughts on the Kahles Helia 2.4-12x56i with G4B reticle?? No Kahles users around here?
This Helia has really grown on me,I also managed to find one hell of a deal on it. It looks I may be buying one soon.

Best regards,

[Aussiegunnut]

I shot my Zeiss victory out just past 1100 metres on my 300wby at a plate , awesome clarity , worth a look,
VICTORY V8 2.8–20x56
The perfectionist with light reserves
The 2.8–20x56 ZEISS VICTORY V8 opens up every opportunity – from long-distance shots to hunting deep into the twilight. 92% light transmission ensures bright, high-contrast images. This model is compact and easy to use, making it the perfect match for even the highest quality rifles.

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Sav338, could you please let me know who manufactures the awesome rail on your scope?
Cheers
Dan

[sav338]

IMG_0416.JPG[/quote]

Sav338, could you please let me know who manufactures the awesome rail on your scope?
Cheers
Dan[/quote]

If you mean the rail on top of the scope holding the bubble level then it's an innomount rail and rings I bought from Marco a sponsor here, http://www.upgradeyourrifle.com
very good to deal with .
The bubble level was from a Us site I can't remember.

[Gun Barrel Ecologist]

I find the S&B Flashdot has a strange appeal to those with an appreciation for the finest 1980's music

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[bbvideo=560,315]https://youtu.be/KOO5S4vxi0o[/bbvideo]

[JPBlaser]

On Friday I went to a couple of shops to take a look through all of the contenders...By far I'm really impressed with the S&B Polar scope. I'm waiting on a quotation for the price and I'm most probably taking the plunge for one second focal plane ilumination and quick adjustable turrets(bdc lockable turrets).Turrets are a dream,image quality is top notch.
Also took a look through the Kahles helia 5 scopes,some Swaro(z4s and z6s),Zeiss Victory HT,a couple of Leica Magnuses.
If I have to rate the Scopes... Turrets - S&B and Zeiss were on top ,in my opinion actually in a class of their own(s&b turrets were better in feel than some tactical turrets I have turned,zeiss asv+ was not far behind,very nice and tactile...).,Leica and kahles were not crisp enough and didn`t give me a feeling of confidence... Image quality/eyebox - Zeiss,S&B,Leica and Kahles were roughly the same quality wise. I didn`t like the swaro z4 and z6(z4 was actually the worst scope of the bunch),Kahles image quality was superior in my opinion(supperior to the z4 and z6 swaros).
So basically if the price is right... I'm getting the Polar either 2.5-10 or 3-12.
Thank you for all of the opinions and experiences shared so far.

Best regards,

p.s. Before I could finish the post,I got a conformation that the price is right,and I'm getting the polar 3-12 in second focal plane reticle.
Thanks once again.

[SPEEDY]

Well at least my beloved Kahles rated well

I don't mind that the turrets went crisp enough, it's a hunting scope and once I've zeroed I don't need to touch them again so it's not a problem.
What matters to is,

Kahles image quality was superior in my opinion.

That's why I buy them, the best value for money clarity on the market, their might be clearer optics out there but nothing anywhere close to their price range

[stokesrj]

I'm quite sure you will really like the S&B Polar they are great scopes.

[JPBlaser]

It is true that I rarely touch the turrets,but I had the feeling that If I got the Kahles I would have regretted it until the time I would sell it to buy what I really wanted...
The schmidt is super nice. I think I would be happy with it,after all it`s just money...

Best regards,

[SPEEDY]

I don't like S&B purely because of their weight, I used a S&D PMII 3-12x50 years ago and absolutely loved it, but damn it's a heavy beast.
Handled no end of abuse, you could take it off the rifle and bludgeon someone to death, and it would still hold its zero, but the bulk and weight of it.

Still I'd replace the Leupold Mark IV 6.5-20x50 on my 308 LR rig with one tomorrow if I had the spare cash.

[Chamois71]

What rail system did you decide upon?

[JPBlaser]

Unfortunately there were no polars with rail system available on stock at the place where I placed my order(3-12 with bdc turrets for windage and elevation(the price was more than good)) and waiting time was 6 weeks so I decided not to wait so it will be ring mount. I would have gone with the zeiss rail..
Anyway,I think I managed to source out some rings,which should be delivered to me early next week and the week after I'll be able to pick up the scope it`s self... I can`t wait..

Best regards,

[slugslinger]

Not to make your analysis/decision any more complicated, but I'm also a big fan of Leica and Kahles for low-light performance and illuminated (dot) reticle. I recently bought a Kahles 3-12x56 with a modified 4a reticle and a variable-intensity center dot, and it is quite amazing for extreme low-light applications.

I also love my Leica ER i 3-12x50 scope and would have difficulty placing it above or below the Kahles mentioned above.
Since I have not yet taken it afield for the ultimate test, that comparison is tbd.

Lastly, the Swarovski Z6 2-12x50 served me well in Africa, including a very late dusk shot at an Oryx in a darkened valley. I could see quite well enough for a clean shot at 140 yards (when the naked eye would have indicated "not enough light").

Recent optics technology and especially coatings leave a bewildering comparison task. Good luck on your purchase!

Regards,
(just noticed the original date on this - sorry for the late response.)