M14 Forum banner

Is it True - SWFA 10x42 HD Scope?

4.1K views 23 replies 16 participants last post by  Birchtree77  
#1 ·
Wondering if it is true that the HD in the description for the SWFA 10x42 HD scope actually stands for Heavy Duty rather than for High Definition? I've searched but haven't found a clear answer either way.
 
#2 · (Edited)
I thought "HD" meant High Definition glass, but it doesn't exactly say that anywhere that I've seen.

I have standard 10x42 and 12x42 SWFA SS scopes, and would say they rate as "very good", but below what would be "excellent" compared to top of the line scopes. Good enough for me, especially for $300.

The HD 10x42 SS scope is $800. Some say it's worth it, but for me, the standard model for $300 is more than adequate.

There may be better choices in the $800 range.

SWFAs on my Savage .308 and .22LR -
Image
 
#4 ·
Hello,
Good question. I would think High Def. for the extra $$$.
They did have the SS10x42 on sell and in stock($239), right before the Xmas holiday that I posted an PSA about(which ends today 12/31). Yet, I still have two sitting on the shelve and an HD1-6x24 waiting to be mounted. Yet, I did buy some sun shades and other accessories.. For, winter projects.
 
#5 ·
HD is typically indicative of "High Density", meaning the optical clarity is better. Your bottom of the barrel scopes generally start at 90% light transmission and work their way up from there. Glass in all reality is only produced from a handful of manufacturers. The money you spend on a scope comes from the time and effort that companies use to match the lenses almost like an optometrist. Vortex actually made a good video about it a while back.
 
#6 · (Edited)
High definition and high density are synonymous. The high density glass brings about the high definition. Higher density (i.e. density of crystalline domains) translates to a more consistent, uniform, lower imperfection crystalline glass... which means better clarity and light transmission as stated above.
 
#11 ·
High definition and high density are synonymous. The high density glass brings about the high definition. Higher density translates to a more consistent, uniform, lower imperfection crystalline glass... which means better clarity and light transmission as stated above.
I have no clue as to what HD means in the SWFA product line but would disagree with the above statement. Higher density glass (flints) do refract (bend) light more quickly than does a lower density (crown) glass and renders lenses of the same power that are thinner than a lower density (lower refractive index) option.

Comparatively, though higher density glass has a lower light transmission rate, a lower ABBE value (tendency to create unwanted aberrations), and subject to throwing chromatic aberrations (the unwanted dispersion of light into its primary colors), all characteristics that would IMHO make it a poor choice for optical scopes. If you think about the typical knocks on cheap scopes the most common complaints are poor light gathering ability, peripheral distortion, and poor color rendition; all issues that align directly with the shortcomings noted above.

My uneducated guess as to SWFA's use of the HD is "heavy duty".
 
#7 · (Edited)
Actually I think that HD is more of a marketing gimmick than anything else. No, high density is not a common interpretation when talking about optical lenses, that's more common when talking about electronic sensors used in cameras. When talking about glass lenses, high definition is a more common phrase. But regardless, just saying that something is HD doesn't tell you much other than, relative to other products made by that manufacturer, the HD product has a better image. Which is what SWFA says about their HD products...in a round about way.

Some of the new scopes being offered are higher tier under the” HD” umbrella and our produced in a different factory in Japan than the original line up that we now call, SWFA SS.
Note that they say that the HD scopes are a "higher tier", that's industry speak for a better line of optics.

I sell Vortex products from the store I work at and Vortex has 4 basic tiers;
(Lowest quality at the top)
Crossfire
Diamondback
Viper
Razor
I never recommend anything less than a Viper product for a serious shooter, that tier and the Razor are the only two serious scopes in their line.

Does HD mean that you are getting a better product? Maybe. It all depends on the manufacturer. An HD scope from a low end manufacturer probably isn't even as good as a non-HD scope on the bottom end of a high quality manufacturers series of optical devices. Don't buy an optic just because it says HD on it, look at the specs and look through the scope outside before you buy, if you can. I always take my serious shooters outside and let them look at a distance with the scopes, I especially like to take them outside when the light isn't very good, low light conditions will expose a cheap scope's lack of good optics very quickly.
 
#10 ·
I have a 16x Super Sniper on my Steyr HS 50 .50BMG and it has about 1000 rounds through it and the scope has held up fine, I had a Burris Black Diamond scope that only lasted about 50 rounds on the same rifle before the elevation turret came out of the scope body, Burris has a good warranty they fixed it and it is now on my .243 LR 10.

eQ