Looking to get started

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Jason
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Re: Looking to get started

Post by Jason »

I think their justification for discontinuing that model was that they didn't sell well. It's not uncommon for a product for a niche market like silhouette to have decent sales initially after introduction but drop down after that once market saturation is fairly well achieved. With the silhouette market as small as it is, it probably only took a year or two for Sightron to sell the SIL model scope to those who are "early adopters" who would buy an unproven model at a price point that was not far away from the Leupold silhouette scopes that had the reputation as the standard scope for the sport.

It also looks like they're severely ramping down their SII Big Sky 6-24X scope models in favor of the new 6.5-20X models. There's only one model left, and it has a duplex (i.e. general purpose) reticle. They have a 6.5-20X model with a dot reticle now. It has a 1/4 minute dot at max power, which isn't my preference for silhouette, but for most markets outside the small niche silhouette market this new model will probably fill the same need.

http://info.sightron.com/Riflescopes/SI ... SS652050D/

Companies don't tend to walk away from markets that they're making money in, and I doubt Sightron is any different. I'm glad I got a few of the SIL model scopes and I'm happy to see that they're still making an SII Big Sky 6-24 model so they're likely to have spare parts for at least the near future in case I break something on one of mine. :)
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BrentD
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Re: Looking to get started

Post by BrentD »

Doodaddy wrote:
Del Gue wrote:Diversification is often a good business strategy. Putting all your eggs in one basket and deliberately ignoring markets that you could take advantage of, markets that you've already established loyal customers in, is seldom a good idea. But it's their company, they are free to run it the way they see fit.
Agreed.
Sounds good, but then so does, "Do one thing well, rather than many things poorly".

Buy a used Lyman STS, and never look back. :)
Del Gue
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Re: Looking to get started

Post by Del Gue »

My impression was the Sightron silhouette scope was well thought of in the silhouette community. Are you saying it was a bad scope?
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Jason
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Re: Looking to get started

Post by Jason »

Nope. It's a very good scope, one of the best that can be used for silhouette. I have three of them and may try to get a couple more in the near future. The silhouette market isn't big enough to sustain a lot of sales after the initial sales die down a couple years after product introduction, though.
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Re: Looking to get started

Post by Del Gue »

I might have thought that new shooters would come along as other shooters drift off, sustaining sales.

In any event, they have apparently decided to cede the market to Leupold. What's done is done. Water under the bridge now.
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Re: Looking to get started

Post by Doodaddy »

The only bad thing I've ever seen said about the scopes is that the turret adjustments were "mushy" and I think that was a stretch personally. They kept a 6-24x42 scope in the Big Sky line. I don't think of it being too much to ask to have a reticle and turret adjustment assembly as an option to create the Silhouette line as the silhouette dot and 1/4MOA adjustments are the only things that distinguished the scope from the other 6-24 at the time.
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Re: Looking to get started

Post by teetertotter »

Del Gue wrote:452 is in hand. When I get back from vacation I'll decide on a scope, although I'm leaning heavily towards the Leupy FX-3 25x at this time, since Sightron in their infinite wisdom decided to discontinue their silhouette.
Let us know what you think of your decision[s] and some time at the range..... with your new equipment. :D
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