AllOutdoor Review – Sightron SIII 6-24x50mm Riflescope
Travis Olander 10.25.23
I had the pleasure, for a time, of sighting popping green silhouettes downrange with an M110 crowned by some of the finest glass US Optics has ever produced. My standards for good rifle scopes has, ever since, been biased with top-shelf tastes, but I remain stuck on a beer budget. In other words, I’ve found that getting your hands on a truly high-quality rifle scope that doesn’t cost as much as a used Honda isn’t easy. That is, unless, you stick with a few little-known brands. One of them is a small Japanese maker called Sightron. So, we went out and tested their Sightron SIII 6-24x50mm riflescope to see if it is worth the money.
Sightron Coverage on AllOutdoor
- AllOutdoor Review: Sightron S30-5 Red Dot Optic – Versatile & Tough
- The Best Long Range Scope under $1,000 (for the Money $$$) in 2023
- New Sightron S-Tac 1-6×24 LPVO
- Introducing the SIGHTRON S-TAC 1-4.5×24 SR1 LPVO Riflescope
The SIII Long Range Series
Sightron makes a few versions of their Sightron SIII scopes. I stuck with the 6-24x50mm option, coupled with an MOA subtension reticle (model # 25127). Variants can be had with first focal plane or second focal plane reticles, with variable zoom also available at 8-32 with a larger 56mm lens. The typical 24x option will run around $900 at retailers; 32x options tend to fetch about $1,050 at checkout.
Features – Sightron SIII 6-24x50mm
- Tactical Turrets
- Zact-7 Revcoat® Multicoating for excellent light transmission
- Exclusive ExacTrack Windage and Elevation adjustment system
- 30mm one-piece tube design for maximum durability
- Rated IPX7 waterproof (submersible)
- Fog-proofed with nitrogen purging
Reticle – Sightron SIII 6-24x50mm
I’ve found many subtended reticles to look cluttered. The MOA-2 reticle nicely balances clarity with its subtensions. Total distance across the horizontal plane at 6x measures 80 MOA and 20 MOA at full power (24x). The center dot measures exactly 1 MOA at 6x and 0.25 MOA at 24x. If you hadn’t noticed by now, accounting for subtension measurements across various powers is easy with the MOA-2 — just know the measurements at 6x, then divide by 4 from when working at full power. This is primarily why I stuck with a second focal plane reticle on this optic, even though I mostly use it for long-distance shooting and bench work. After all, the only real benefit of an FFP reticle is the subtension measurements remaining constant across powers. But a little math doesn’t hurt, here.
Specs – Sightron SIII 6-24x50mm
- Relief: 3.6″ – 3.8″
- FOV: 16.1 ft – 3.9 ft @ 100 yards
- Tube dia: 30mm
- Adjustments: 1/4 MOA
- Max elevation: 100 MOA
- Max windage: 100 MOA
- Length: 15.1″
- Weight: 24.3 oz
I installed the Sightron SIII on a typical, mid-range, bench-top bolt gun: A custom 7.62 with a 24″ barrel, 1.5-lb. trigger, MDT chassis, and LSS stock, fed by AICS magazines. With patience and careful hand loading, it’s a relatively affordable gun that’s still capable of touching steel at a kilometer without succumbing to the 6.5mm craze. That’s the theme of the SIII: It’s a traditional scope, free of bells and whistles, focused merely on providing quality glass that yields some impressive capability without demanding $2,000 (or more) from your wallet. In fact, it requires less than half that.
Glass Quality – Sightron SIII 6-24x50mm
It’s difficult to quantify or objectify (pun intended) the quality of any scope’s glass, but comparisons can be made to inform you: I can confidently declare the SIII has clearer glass than any Vortex I’ve spotted through. It’s on par with Zeiss’s Conquest V6 – a $2,200 scope at publication – and noticeably brighter at max power, in low light, than U.S. Optics’ TS-25X. No fisheye lens to speak of, zero chromatic aberration, no halos or distortions at full power, and light transmission is impressive dialing through the magnification at dawn or dusk. Optics Trade’s quick video illustrates the reticle and glass clarity through all magnifications. Overall, contrast, color, and clarity are adequate for proper F-class competition.
Subtensions, Adjustments, and Turrets – Sightron SIII 6-24x50mm
The holdovers on the MOA-2 reticle are perfectly accurate. They’re true to size as measured against a silhouette target of known height and distance, and windage and elevation remain perfectly accurate after walking the 100-MOA box. No drift has ever been observed upon returning to zero. The turrets feel tactile and solid, with no wobble or slop. The detents are noticeably stronger than the typical Vortex. Audible clicks are easy to count and make short work of on-the-fly adjustments when you’re not relying on holdovers.
The mag ring is smooth, if at first a bit stubborn. Don’t try to adjust it; the flathead screw is a farce that’ll leave you with a ring that simply stops working. Working in the ring grease on a few hot days on the bench will have the magnifier feeling buttery enough for your liking.
The side-mounted parallax focusing ring is another story. I have a feeling early adopters complained to Sightron about losing focus from recoil; engineers made this thing tight. It’s never gotten loose for me. I simply deal with how stiff it is. Some might find this obnoxious, especially on cold days. But it’ll certainly hold up to the recoil impulse from magnum loads, if that’s what you’re chambering.
Long-Term Reliability – Sightron SIII 6-24x50mm
The SIII has handled flawlessly atop my 7.62 rifle. I’ve been caught out in a few showers and spent a few days on a snowy range, and have not had any issues with fog, condensation, nor failed seals. Temperature alone has had no visible affect on zero nor adjustments, either. Never mind my garage paintjob – you’ll have to trust that the factory anodized finish atop the aluminum was applied well, with no stains nor inconsistencies. The machine work on the SIII is excellent, too. In all, the SIII represents a series of long range scopes I highly recommend for any shooter, hunter, F-Class goer, backyard tack driver, or otherwise. For the price, you’re getting a unit comparable to optics that typically run $1,500 or more. It pays to avoid the brand tax and invest in some quality Japanese manufacturing. If you’re looking for something smaller – for those shotguns and ARs you’ve got stowed away – check out out review of Sightron’s S30-5.
