Schmidt & Bender Klassik 3-12x50

I purchased this optic with the intent to hunt deer and bear at shooting distances up to 300 yards. My out of the box impression was that it was a well manufactured, quality optic with the fantastic fit and finish everyone expects from a Schmidt Bender product. It is quite robust and although I did not put it through any type of “torture test”, I’m confident it would accommodate some reasonable abnormal abuse… certainly more abuse than I expect to inflict on it in my hunting endeavors. This optic is precise in adjustments and has held zero for me. The image quality is exceptional at all magnifications with clear glass and presents no eye box issues for me. This optic offers outstanding target images in low light… not having ever owned an optic as nice as this one, I was actually taken back at how bright it was at low light the first time I used it. Moreover, while I was hunting with a partner, I compared it to his similarly priced Swarovski at low light and it was, to my eye, a fraction better. The windage and elevation knobs offer the positive clicks I expected at this price point and the illumination adjustment knob stops positively at each setting up to 11. The illuminated dot is extremely crisp with no “fuzzy” distortion and is the perfect size in my opinion. With all of the positive accolades I can give this optic, there are two things I wish were a little better. First, I wish the magnification adjustment knob was just a little less stiff… it’s not bad by any means, but as a personal preference, I wish it was a little less stiff. Secondly, the illuminated dot is difficult to see until you reach setting 6 or 7 near the end of legal hunting where I am, which is 30 minutes after sunset. I would have rated this optic a 4.8 out of 5, but since that was not an option, I rated it a 5 out of 5. My being picky regarding the magnification stiffness and illuminated setting did not warrant dropping my score an entire point to a 4. This optic was a fantastic choice for me for my intended purposes and has performed admirably. I have no hesitation or reservations about recommending this optic to anyone using it for hunting in low light at reasonable distances.