re: Rifle scope

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you came to the wrong fricking place.

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To be fair, it's just about any online forum.

OP: Hey guys, I'd like a 3-12 with a 40mm objective in the $500 range.

Typical answers in no particular order:
- You need a Nightforce
- Get a Leupold (no particular model suggested, just "Leupold")
- I've killed tons of deer with my $150 Tasco

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would consider them all to have “quality glass.”

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Your definition of quality is different than the average hunter's. From my social circles, it seems like Leupold VX3 is the gold standard for regular folk and Zeiss or Swarvoski is the ultimate standard for the rich kids. I like using the VX3 as a benchmark since that's what most people seem to have experience with for "good" glass. I really like my VX3's for their glass and light weight and general reliability. I just treat those rifles gently. The 2.5-8x32 leupold is easily my favorite scope for a deer rifle that leads an easy life. At today's price points though, I wouldn't buy one. When they could be had on sale for ~ $350 they were a good value. At $500+, nah.

I've got the most time of use with SWFA, 3-15 and fixed 10x. I'd put SWFA glass well below VX3 in terms of light transmission and overall clarity. It is however very usable in legal shooting hours and the reticle is fantastic, especially for a FFP hunting scope. The clarity and color fidelity are a little bit weird in that it doesn't have the pop that alpha glass has, but oddly it works really well for aiming at animals, which is all it needs to do. Of course it is durable and reliable above all else and probably the best budget option on the market for a hard use dialing scope.

Trijicon I would say compares 1:1 with leupold VX3 glass across their product line from what I've seen. I've hunted with a Huron and Accupoint and like both a whole lot. The 3-9 accupoint when it goes on sale for sub $600 is a great buy. The huron can be had around the $400 mark on heavily discounted sales, and that's a steal as well.

Nightforce is what it is. I think they're overpriced across the entire product line, but they are unquestionably durable and reliable. I don't like their reticles and haven't ever hunted with one. General internet opinion seems to be that the glass is ok, very much servicable, and about like the trijicon in optical quality.

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doesn’t make everything below that shite.

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I agree, and clearly my standards of usable are lower than everyone else's when it comes to glass quality. I've hunted with some really cheap scopes in my day, like $40 simmons scopes and stuff. I can honestly say I've never missed a shot opportunity at the extremes of legal shooting time because my scope wasn't good enough.

I like handing people my SWFA scoped stuff and observing their reactions when they look through them. Their first reaction is a very obvious "wow this is weird" look, and it really is weird when you're used to a VX3 SPF with a duplex reticle. The reticle looks funny, the scope is huge, the image has this strange off-color thing going on. It took me a little while to adjust to it but now, I love it. The color fidelity thing is difficult to describe, but it works. It might actually help differentiate the animal from the terrain in some conditions. It might be done on purpose for all I know.

If I could trade every scope I own for some version of an SWFA, I'd do it. That said, if Trijicon were an option, I'd pick a similar trijicon over any SWFA. They are just nicer scopes. Functionally equivalent but with better glass. All things equal (reliability, weight, suitability for the use) glass becomes my criteria. It's very much the last thing I am worried about though. Trijicon really shines in options and availability. You can get a credo 3-9 for sub $500 that's a drop in replacement for your old pawpaw's leupold, or you can get a tenmile with illumination and horus reticles and an expresso machine attachment to out tacticool your buddies at the PRS match, and everything in between.