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S&B 3-20x50 or 12.5-50x56 ?


brown dog

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Be interested in any thoughts as to pros and cons of the S&B 3-20x50 vs their 12.5-50x56.

 

Primary use long range plinking. The odd comp that might through up some 'close' stuff. And maybe some stalking.

 

My 3-20x50 thoughts: I like the klein ret (half mil hashes and transparent dots). Can dial down (although X3 is too low; X6 would have been enough) for closer stuff. Has illum ret should I want to use it ( a once every 2 years sort of need!).

 

12.5-50x56: I LOVE the fact that it goes to x50 (!) so no spotting scope reqd. Worried that x12 isn't low enough for close stuff. No illum.

 

Hope that's not too random; I'm sure some of you are also comparing the two; grateful for any views.

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If you are also stalking with them ask about depth of field. A stalker and long range target shot of my acquaintance fitted PM2s but had major issues with focus when stalking, when a quick shot presented itself the scope needed re focusing. He reverted back to NSX,. I have this issue with all my scopes in low light, its my eyes that are failing.

 

A

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Seems that the 5-25x would be a better scope to consider along side the 12.5-50x PMII .

 

Bare in mind that the 50x is not a FFP reticle scope .

 

Also the 3-20x50mm PMII , seems to be designed around a requirement to not dail Elevation or wind and use a Horus reticle aimoffs , thats why it has locking turrets , and if you want to dail , then the locking turret design may not be the best type of turret .

 

You realise that the 50x PMII does not have illum , and the clicks are 0.025 mrad ( ie 2.5mm @100m ) and not the std 0.1mrad , 10mm/1cm clicks , also the Elevation turret has 4 revs , reduced amount total & single rev adjustments

 

Later Chris

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Thanks Chris,

 

I'm actually using a 5-25 at the moment - your answer has made me realise that the only option I'm really looking at is 5-25 vs 12.5-50; the 3-20 would be a step in the wrong direction (although I think the locking turrets feature means that you don't have to use an allen key to slip then when zeroing them rather a la premier scopes).

 

Over here the 12.5-50 is available FFP (yup, I wouldn't be looking at it in SFP!) the lack of illum is a wee negative, but I think, for me, it may be a 'nice to' rather than a 'need to' have.

 

Hadn't thought about 'multi-turn' rather than double turn - that may be a negative - I'll have to find out the S&B stops you from being a turn out - ie yellow 'traffic light for second rotation, then what?

 

What I really do like is the idea of not having to carry a spotting scope for long range plinking / target shooting

 

What concerns me, for the minimum 12.5 mag, is the possible issue of probs with tgt acquisition on close stuff; eg a wall of identical tgts at 20m, and being sure you're firing at the right one and not 'cross lane'; especially when sitting. ( Annoyingly, can't remember what I dial down to on the 5-25 at that sort of stuff!)

 

 

For interest, here are the 12.5-50x56 options available over here:

SB12-50options1.jpg

SB12-50options2.jpg

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BD...

 

Shooting stuff at 20m...........mate you should be sticking it with your knife at that range..........Just stick some tape on the end and get your war face on...............CHHHHHHHAAAARRRGE...

 

 

Ive got the 3 - 12 x 50 and it gets used on 8 mag.

 

 

Did have a look at the PMII the other day................nom nom nom (meaning nice) but was way over what I would use it for stalking wise, and not much point sticking that on top of the 5.56.

 

 

If I was you then I would be deciding what you want your gun to do, it its stalking then 3-20.

 

if its long range then its got to the the 12 to 50............

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The 3-20x50mm turrets re-zero with a allen key , the locking mech is designed around , NOT dialling on either of the knobs for range & wind, and using aimoff marks on the Horus reticle , for both E&W .

 

The 12-5-50x , I have seen was a SFP scope with P4F reticle & 0.25cm adjustments , its 4 turns , and instead of the yellow indicator , has a dot visible in the window , one dot for 1st turn , two dots for 2nd , 3 dots for 3rd etc .

 

I would check to see IF the scope has enough total E & W for your application .

 

Cheers Chris

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Thanks Chris,

 

Yup, I was wrond on my Premier assumption. Beasted my google skills and came up with this - video of S&B locking turrets in use (on the new 5-25):

 

 

Don't look to be a handicap to adjustment with non-horus rets -but can't think when it'd be a useful feature!

 

 

For some reason, I have it in my head that windage is 0.1mRad on the 0.025mRad (elevation) scope. Next Google mission!

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Get the bloody 12-50x56 and don't be tight :):P

 

Mine is in the second focal plane,,,

 

1/8 elevation ccw

1/4 windage

p4fine ret

 

The turrets have got numbers in them so that you do not get lost

60 moa of elevation and then another 14 using the ret

 

The thing is just bloody awesome

 

If you want to have a look then pop up to glens and have a go,,,,,,

 

You would be able to see my 6.5x 47 perform

 

Darrel :)

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Hmmm, CCW ups? Just got used to CW ups on my existing PMII so thats a bit of a pita. The 3-20 mag looks useful. The lockable knobs people seem undecided on. I think I'll let other people test em to death using their dollar first before I get another one.

 

Meantime back to the search for a 4-16x50 pmii in cm clicks with illuminated ret. Anyone know of one going begging?

 

Cheers

 

G

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Hmmm, CCW ups?
Have a look at the table I posted earlier. Available CW or CCW, FFP or SFP; there's choice.

 

 

Meantime back to the search for a 4-16x50 pmii in cm clicks with illuminated ret. Anyone know of one going begging?
If I decide to go for a 12.5-50x56 I'll be letting my 5-25x56 MKII go (but be braced for the fact that MKIIs are about 15% more expensive than PM2s - worth paying if you ever shoot whilst other people are lasing the targets you're looking at!)
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I agree with Lancs Lad

 

If I was you then I would be deciding what you want your gun to do, it its stalking then 3-20.

 

if its long range then its got to the the 12 to 50............

 

I had a good look at the 3-20x50 at the Eurosatory in Paris. its one hell of a good all round scope.

 

did you know they are bringing out a Zenith version also?

 

Pete

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  • 4 weeks later...

Had an interesting blether with a lady from S&B at the gamefair.

 

5-25x56 FOV at x5 = 15mils

12-50x56 FOV at x12 = 11mils

 

so at, say, 25m:

the 5-25 shows a 37.5cm diameter FOV

against the 12-50's 27.5cm FOV

 

Less difference between them for close tgt acquisition than I would have guessed :rolleyes:

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