Trijicon Credo 3-9x40 SFP w/ Green Standard Duplex
Reference threads;
https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....ensive-Carbine
https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....he-Civilian-AR
My carbine has recently undergone a bit of tweaking to enhance its long(er) range precision. It started with a barrel change and now includes a scope change - some background on that in the above linked threads. The purpose of this thread is to share my impressions of the Trijicon scope over multiple posts.
The scope has transitioned from a Leupold FX-II Ultralight 2.5x20mm to a Trijicon Credo 3-9x40. Here are two photos of the new BCM SS 410 16-inch barrel and Trijicon scope;
https://i.ibb.co/ph9JDpd/ss410-1.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/9t2Wx7s/credo-1.jpg
Initial impressions vs. the Leupold 2.5x20mm it replaced;
- The Trijicon on 3x is brighter (expected with the 40mm objective) and shockingly sharper with greater resolution and contrast
- Set to 3x, the eye box is at least as forgiving as the 2.5x20mm (but becomes more constrained at higher magnifications)
- While the 2.5x20mm always has a bit of shadow at the edges even with perfect alignment, the Trijicon is sharply defined
- The reticle is finer (especially the inner sections), which is preferable for the precision work but the outer posts still draw the eye into the center
- The reticle illumination IMO is excellent, though those who want "daylight bright" at high noon on snow-covered ground will probably be disappointed
- It's a lot bigger and heavier
I will be sighting-in the scope this weekend and evaluating it at the 9x setting. I will update this thread as I get more time behind the new glass.
Trijicon Credo 3-9 @ 9x vs. SWFA SS HD 10x42
I have the SWFA SS HD 10x42 mounted on my precision bolt gun. This scope has top-tier construction and glass universally considered equal to scopes costing twice as much. I thought it might be interesting to do a quick, informal comparison of the two scopes by simply shouldering the rifles and looking for any differences in optical performance.
There are indeed some differences;
- The Trijicon is definitely brighter. Every scene I looked at was noticeably brighter than the SWFA.
- The resolution (ability to see detail) was at least as good as the SWFA, perhaps a touch better
- The SWFA has better contrast and flare control
- The SWFA has less distortion at the edge of view
In terms of optical quality for the intended use, the Trijicon's brighter view at 9x gives it the edge for PID purposes in low-light conditions. With its better contrast and less distortion at the edges, the view through the SWFA conveys a feeling of higher quality, but those attributes are more important for a camera lens than a scope intended for identifying and targeting.
Another informal test I conducted with the Trijicon was to observe optical quality through the zoom range. Working down from 9x it's obvious that contrast and resolution improve, as is the case with just about every variable magnification optic. But what jumped out to me was than from about 5x and down, the Trijicon is quite impressive. I've never owned any really high-end firearm optics, but I will say that this Trijicon at the lower magnifications is by the best I have I have owned in terms brightness, resolution, contrast, color fidelity and overall optical quality.
Since the scope remains set to 3x by default, this works out very well for me. If circumstances require higher magnification, it's nice to know the optical quality will remain high through the entire range of magnification.