The Elite 3200 has finger adjustable turrets (but not target type turrets) and rainguard coating which works pretty well based on the 4200 Elite that I've used.
The Prostaff has coin adjustable only turrets. Glass is probably a wash between them, with some slight edge to the 3200.
To throw another into the mix, compare the Vortex Diamondback rimfire 2-7x 35mm. It's the same price as the Elite 3200 at SWFA ($180), and usually earns better reviews for glass quality and adjustments. It uses similar turrets to those on the Nikon Buckmaster series (which are nice). You can zero them,and then reset your zero adjustments to be able to dial in elevation at 50,75,100yds,etc, and come right back to your original zero.

If you're not averse to a 100yd parallax setting, they also have Vortex Viper 2-7x 32mms on clearance at SWFA with a variety of reticles. The Viper glass is closer to Nikon Monarch/Bushnell 4200 Elite levels,and the turrets are outstanding low profile target turrets that are even better than the Diamondback's. I've used my larger Viper for adjusting between 100 and 300yds with no changes in point of impact. Both Viper and Diamondbacks are made in the Philippines (as are almost everything Nikon makes up to the regular Monarchs).

I considered the Sightron S1 rimfire myself,but eventually went with the Clearridge RM model since the lack of AO was bugging me and I've gotten spoiled by using target turrets on my centerfire scopes.

If it were me, I'd go Sightron first if you want to stick around $120. If you go higher, I'd go with the Vortex models. I really can't say if it's worth it per-say. Nikon,Bushnell, Vortex...all good companies with lifetime warranties. I've used products from all of them and been happy.
Good luck!

 

I really can't say if it's worth it per-say. Nikon,Bushnell, Vortex...all good companies with lifetime warranties. I've used products from all of them and been happy.
Good luck!

The Vortex VIP warranty is different from Bushnell or Nikon. While many vendors offer the traditional lifetime workmanship/materials warranty, Vortex is one of the few that offers a NO FAULT warranty, in that Vortex will replace even if it is your fault.

 

Hello, my first post. I have a CZ 452 American 22LR on order with 16" bbl and know that I would like to use one of these two scopes. It will be for informal paper punching mostly around 50 yds, and small game hunting. I currently have an Elite 3200 3-9x40 on my Tikka .308 and love it.

The Nikon can be had at Wal-Mart for $129.00. I looked at one tonight and was very impressed. The Elite will be more like $179.00. I noticed the Nikon is made in the Phillipines where the Elite is made in Japan. Is there $50.00 worth of difference between the two scopes? What about parallax settings? Thanks for your comments.

Can we throw another into the mix? What about Sightron 3-9x32rf? It too looks to be worthy of consideration made in Japan and comparable in price to the Nikon.

You be the judge.....See this review Inexpensive Scope Review

Vortex Diamond first place
Burris Elite 3200 3rd palce
Nikon Prostaff took last place

3rd Place: Bushnell Elite 3200 3-9x40
While I was pretty sure of where this scope fits in this comparison, I was not entirely sure of how to summarize my impressions on it. For example, Burris that ranked above it was pretty good in everything, but I can't say there is one feature that stands out. It is just a good allround scope. Elite 3200 is a different story altogether. Mechanically, it is the most solid-feeling scope here. Also, it has Rainguard outer coatings which are helpful in wet weather. On the other hand, it has a little bit of tunnel vision (not much) and it needs better coatings since there were some fairly strong internal reflections off of the glass. Another positive is that Elite 3200 line up is very extensive and offers several reticle choices including the FireFly reticle that works very well in low light. Like the Fullfield II, Elite 3200 3-9x40 has been around for some time now. Perhaps, I would have been better served by one of the more recently designed Elite 3200 scopes, but 3-9x40 was the configuration I wanted.

5th Place: Nikon ProStaff 3-9x40
I might get some flak for what I am about to say, but here it is anyway: I do not get the reason behind this scope. I just can't figure out who I would recommend it to. That is my litmus test: "will this scope be my recommendation for any sort of situation?" With the ProStaff, the answer is an emphatic "no". Optically, is pretty close to Elite 3200, except it does not have Rainguard, knobs are not finger adjustable and available reticles do not work well in low light. Redfield is cheaper and sleeker styled. Plus it has the support of Leupold customer service behind it. Now, here is the kicker: ProStaf is most certainly not a bad scope; however, the competition is awfully good and numerous.

The Sightron SI 3-9X32 scope is a decent scope. It is reported that all Hawke Frontier comes from the same Asian supplier as the Sightron SI scopes, reportedly Asia Optical Japan, which is part of the larger Asia Optical Taiwan. Hawke Frontier owners report that their scopes look identical to the Sightron SI scopes. The Hawke Frontiers offer the mil-dot reticle, as well as the 7 layer coating that only Sightrons upper scopes offer.

Another scope to consider is 4th place Leupold/Redfield Revolution 2-7x33 at $129. Designed, assembled, and tested in USA at the Beaverton Oregon plant, available parallax changes for $15. Leupold makes riflescope, Bushenll and Sightron do not.

The parallax setting for the Elite 3200 and Prostaff are 100 yards. The SI 3-9x32 is 50 yards.

 

You be the judge.....See this review Inexpensive Scope Review

Vortex Diamond first place
Burris Elite 3200 3rd palce
Nikon Prostaff took last place

The Sightron SI 3-9X32 scope is a decent scope. It is reported that all Hawke Frontier comes from the same Asian supplier as the Sightron SI scopes, reportedly Asia Optical Japan, which is part of the larger Asia Optical Taiwan. Hawke Frontier owners report that their scopes look identical to the Sightron SI scopes. The Hawke Frontiers offer the mil-dot reticle, as well as the 7 layer coating that only Sightrons upper scopes offer.

Another scope to consider is 4th place Leupold/Redfield Revolution 2-7x33 at $129. Designed, assembled, and tested in USA at the Beaverton Oregon plant, available parallax changes for $15. Leupold makes riflescope, Bushenll and Sightron do not.

The parallax setting for the Elite 3200 and Prostaff are 100 yards. The SI 3-9x32 is 50 yards.

when you say the "Hawke Frontier" what is it? I cannot find this line for sale and the Hawke website doesn't have "buy" option for these models. Dead link?

 

Thank you gentlemen for the excellent replies. I have since read some of the reviews menitioned here. It sounds like it will come down to the Sighton or the Vortex.

I need to get over the made in Philipines thing, and was thinking the better quality came from Japan as far as medium to lower priced scopes go.

Now becomes the question of whether the Vortex is worth the added dollars over the Sightron. Is the glass that much more superior? Is 50 yd parallax a defining reason? Neither one really has bad reviews that I'm able to find........

 

Key differences in the Vortex Diamondback rimfire vs the Sightron S1 rimfire. (aren't you glad I just spent a bunch of time researching this for my own purchase!):

-The Vortex has a slightly larger objective,yielding a larger exit pupil atfull magnification: 5mm vs 3.5mm for the Sightron

-The Vortex is fully multicoated. It will likely have slightly superior glass to the Sightron,despite being made in the Phillipines. Don't forget, Monarchs and my Vortex Viper are also made there, and my Viper is about level with my dad's Elite 4200.

-The Sightron is fully coated (at least single coatings on all surfaces, but not all surfaces have more than one coating.

-The Sightron has the edge in top magnification at 9x.

-The Vortex has a wider field of view and shorter eye relief (these generally vary inversely.

-The Sightron has longer eye relief,but a narrower field of view (sort of odd on a rimfire scope)

-The Sightron has finger adjustable turrets only

-The Vortex has finger adjustable, zero resettable turrets with numbered clicks.

Both have excellent warranties. Vortex's is admittedly no-fault (though you can screw it up by altering the scope-no adding premier reticles!). Sightron's lifetime warranty isn't as explicitly broad in coverage,but then they have been around longer than Vortex.

Sightron is $116 at Midway.
SWFA has the Vortex for $179.


I'll admit to being a bit of a Vortex fan, but the Sightron is still pretty good at its price point.

 

Great comparison, thank you. I have to admit I'm leaning toward the Sightron for the price and features. One other consideration to add to the mix is the Weaver 2-7x28. It appears to be one piece tube, fully multi coated lens. The price is also comparable. My understanding is that it's made by LOW of Japan.

I am hearing that some folks are unhappy with the width of the cross hairs on the Sightron. Not real sure that would be an issue for me. They all seem to have their pros and cons.

 

I think people buy them thinking they're fine crosshairs. They're not. They're basically the thin part of a duplex only,without the thicker lines.
Check the subtensions online to make your final decision.

 

I'd classify those Sightron crosshairs a medium...

Here's a look through my RV7 as well for comparison...

I like both scopes, but I have to say that my RV7 was just a tad brighter with both scopes set to 7x when I was comparing them at the range years ago (just to clarify, the pics were not taken on the same day). Thinking objective size, the S1R1 having a larger 32mm, one would think that it would naturally be brighter... could be the coatings... but still not enough difference to be a deal breaker if you like plain crosshairs.

 

3200

Hello, my first post. I have a CZ 452 American 22LR on order with 16" bbl and know that I would like to use one of these two scopes. It will be for informal paper punching mostly around 50 yds, and small game hunting. I currently have an Elite 3200 3-9x40 on my Tikka .308 and love it.

The Nikon can be had at Wal-Mart for $129.00. I looked at one tonight and was very impressed. The Elite will be more like $179.00. I noticed the Nikon is made in the Phillipines where the Elite is made in Japan. Is there $50.00 worth of difference between the two scopes? What about parallax settings? Thanks for your comments.

Can we throw another into the mix? What about Sightron 3-9x32rf? It too looks to be worthy of consideration made in Japan and comparable in price to the Nikon.

I'm partial to the 3200 simply because of the rainguard. The stuff flat works. MGT's word on scopes is gospel. You can count on spot on analysis and technical info and explanation from him. He is a wealth of knowledge and a resource for us all.

 

Wow.

Yes, I could call them on Monday. I was wondering if I missed something that's all. I see no products listed at online retailers SWFA, Eabco, Amazon, etc that are called "Frontier". The Frontier page has no link from the homepage. My thought was that maybe this is a discontinued product line.

 

Hawke primarily sells Asian scopes in Europe. Hawke in the last few years has built a supply warehouse in my home state of Indiana. I would buy from them if you want access to one of the mil-dot reticle options that Sightron does not sell in their SI line, or if the full multicoating is desirable for the lower priced Frontiers, otherwise I would go with one of the Sightron scopes for reputation for excellent tech support/warranty.

Hawke is owned by Deben Group. Here is the Deben web site.... they sell a lot of stuff, just like Bushnell. Maybe they should be called the Bushnell of the UK. The first time I had seen the Hawke name, was from RFC folks in Europe asking about this scope.

Hawke

Hawke Optics is a new name for most customers in North and South America. Hawke made entrance into the US in 2007 and has been growing ever since. While the US division is relatively young by optical brand standards, Hawke Optics has been one of the major players in Europe for the last 30 years. In EU, Hawke is a division of Deben Group Industries, a conglomerate of outdoor product companies that range from Airguns to Dog Training. When the company decided to make an entrance in the highly competitive US market, it did so by targeting value conscious consumer that typically favors brands like Bushnell or Simmons. That does not mean that Hawke Optics does not have some high end products in its lineup. To the contrary, the experience of working with the airgun industry allowed Hawke to develop some very interesting rifle scopes that are capturing attention of the hunters and competitive shooters on this side of the pond.

For example, Sightron is US based, but is not USA owned. I have been told that Sigtron is owned by the big Japanese photo company of Kenko-Tokina.