As an indication of how much I like the SAI 6 scope, I acquired another to use with the Wilson Combat upper in 300 Blackout I got to use on the Protector S lower. The second scope has the 7.62 bullet drop reticle and although I’m still not a fan of BDC reticles, I figured it would be a little closer to the calibration necessary for the 300 BLK than my earlier 5.56 sight.

One thing I must mention: Earlier I posted that the 1× setting provides a true no-magnification image, and that’s what I believed to be true after initial use of the original scope. Recently, though, I saw a presentation by a Leupold company representative who discussed the effect of changing the diopter setting for reticle focus. He said that changing the setting can result in a magnified image, and that if a true no-magnification view was necessary, the setting should not be changed.

Because of my deteriorating eyesight I did change the diopter setting to sharpen the reticle, and after seeing the discussion about how that could increase the image magnification I went back and conducted a careful test. The result? Sure enough, at the current diopter setting there is slight magnification of the viewing image at the 1× power setting. Based on the Leupold guy’s comments I believe that will be true of all low power scopes having a 1× magnification setting, but it’s something to be aware of.

Bringing this back. Because it’s always nice to find other people who agree with our decisions, the below article by Outdoor Life was gratifying: “The Best LPVO Scopes of 2024, Tested and Reviewed.”

The SAI-6 was listed as the “Editor’s Choice,” which usually means something like “best all-round selection.” I believe the article also does a good job of reviewing 11 other scopes, so it might be something to look at for different selections.

https://www.outdoorlife.com/ge...OmYxvHQ8-hQ10.XJmKie

Since my last previous post there have been some other developments in my experiences with the SAI-6, most notably the two cataract corrections I’ve had that improved certain aspects of my vision.

I also allowed myself to get scared away from using the lightweight Aero Precision mount and therefore switched to similar Warne mounts. But anyone who manages to break or strip out the screws of the AP must be making a dedicated effort as well as ignoring the factory screw torque specifications. The AP mounts may not be best if your combat resupply involves dropping weapons and their optics from aircraft and no parachutes, but I’m pretty sure they are fine for most of us ordinary mortals.

About apparent optical magnification when adjusting the reticle focus: As I noted earlier, I learned that changing the reticle focus setting can affect the so-called 1× magnification of optics, and I found that to be true with the SAI-6. When I had my dominant eye vision corrected to 20/20 I thought that that would eliminate the phenomenon because there wouldn’t be any correction of reticle focus from the factory setting—right? Well, no.

Even now with the magnification set as low as possible (“1×”) and the reticle focus to be sharp with my good vision, there is a bit of actual magnification. It’s not much, and not something I notice even at room-clearing distances without making a concerted effort to see if it’s there, but I estimate it’s actually about 1.2×, not 1× (or zero magnification). After all that I believe that the true explanation for the slight magnification is simply the design of the optic, not something due to the reticle focus. But your mileage may vary.

The last new development is the available scope reticles. As I mentioned before, I am no fan of “bullet drop compensating” (BDC) reticles for a variety of reasons. Because I liked the features of the SAI-6, including its “rapid aiming feature” reticles, though, I decided to hold my nose and ignore the BDC elements of the available reticles when I bought my first two scopes. Ignoring isn’t really that hard, and as I explained, it is possible to sort of use the BDC reticles for ammunition other than what they’re supposedly calibrated for if one will really use one of the scopes to engage targets 600 to 800 meters away.

But what did the company do after I’d bought scopes with BDC reticles for 5.56 and 7.62? Well, of course, they now offer a reticle with conventional milliradian marks on the elevation stadia. And that of course ( ) meant that I had to get a third scope even though I’d probably never use that reticle’s features either. So now one scope sits in dejected isolation hoping to be mounted on something. (Since it’s the one with the 7.62×51mm BDC reticle, it will probably end up on the M1A and everyone will be happy again. Note to self: Do that before summer’s over here in three weeks.)

Before ending this, another comment about the rapid aiming feature (RAF) reticle with its four large pointers that direct one’s eye to the center crosshair, and how it relates to this comment from the Outdoor Life article:
“First, an unilluminated reticle on a 1-to-something-power scope is worthless. You need the aid of a bright, adjustable illuminated aiming point both in low-light conditions and in full sunlight.”

That may be and is probably true of most reticles. If the center aiming aid is just a segmented circle or crosshairs and it’s a first focal plane scope (as I prefer), then if the aid won’t become too large at high magnifications, it requires something to make it visible at low magnifications, and that’s usually daylight-bright illumination. The problem is I don’t like an indistinct glowing dot at the center of the reticle when I’m trying for precise shooting results. I once owned a Leupold scope with “FireDot” reticle that I got rid of in short order for that reason. Yes, most segmented circle reticles have a small center dot that can be seen at high magnifications, but they still rely on illumination to be usable at low magnifications to be seen at all.

I find that the RAF of the SAI-6 makes illumination under normal lighting conditions unnecessary even at the lowest magnification. The pointers are (obviously) small then, but still clearly visible. Under low light conditions or when aiming against a dark background, then admittedly the illumination becomes necessary—just as it is with most scope sights.

Nevertheless, and although I’m not one to obsess over the coming inevitable apocalypse, I still like having a sight or two that will be usable during the End Times troubles when batteries become absolutely unavailable, or when they’re banned because they can be used for evil purposes like in gun sights. In any event, if one requires full daylight bright illumination at all magnifications, then I’ll point out that my three SAI scopes don’t have that. The reticle illumination is visible under low light, such as indoors or against a dark background, but at low magnifications I can’t see it in full sun against our typical light tan backgrounds.

In summary, then: I’m still very happy with the SAI-6 scopes, and I believe I would continue to be even if I owned other types of LPVO sights.

I am finally updating my “go-to” rifle from an OLD Aimpoint Comp M-4 and have an opportunity to pick up a Nightforce NX8 1-8 LNIB for a few hundred more than this SAI. This is my first real dive into serious LPVO so what say the much more knowledgeable of the SF brain trust on this dilemma?

quote:

Originally posted by rkentm:
Nightforce NX8 1-8

Perhaps you saw it already, but if not, the Outdoor Life article does a brief review of that scope as well.

I had seen it, but tend to listen to SF 1st hand opinions more than reviews.

I actually assumed that you had, and I agree about sources of information.

There are limits to how candidly articles like that can or are willing to discuss certain things, and first hand accounts by users who don’t have any conflicting incentives are the best.

quote:

Originally posted by rkentm:
...have an opportunity to pick up a Nightforce NX8 1-8 LNIB for a few hundred more than this SAI.

The NX8 is an outstanding scope, and I have it on a 300blk SBR. Optic quality is very good. The reticle is one of the more usable FFP reticles, working all the way from 1x to 8x. There's no distortion throughout the magnification range -- which often occurs with cheaper scopes. Optic quality is same from center to edge -- something that isn't always there with other brands of scopes.

Of course, optic quality can be improved even more by upgrading to NF's ATACR 1-8x model.

IMO the only downside to the NX8 is that the eyebox is not as forgiving as some scopes. The shooter needs to have his eye roughly in the right place on the the stock. The reticle is useful at 1x, but it isn't like a good RDS -- where as long as your eye is somewhere near the proper head position, the sighting system works.

I don't place much weight on the review by Outdoor Life. The "best for" articles are traditionally bad, regardless of source. Outdoor Life says the NF is best for competition use, but IMO that isn't correct. The NF likely is way better than many of the other scopes for competition, which also means it works very well in other uses. As for their discussion of focusing at less than 100 yards -- I don't have that issue. Note that most of these scopes have fixed parallax, likely at a distance of 100-150 yards. The NF is fixed at 125 yards. So...none of them will be optimal at say 50 yards, but the NF does very well up close.

Fritz, appreciate the feedback greatly!

Warning: Revival of an older thread.

Hello, sigfreund. I happened to stumble across two videos on YouTube related to this thread. The first one contains a 1.5-year-long review of the SAI 1-6x optic, and overall it was quite impressive. (BTW this YT channel contains some of the best shooting-related content I have seen. Very well done.) The second video contains information about the soon-to-be-released SAI 1-10x FFP optic. This one looks great as well, with even better reticles. I hope you find these useful and informative.

Thanks. I had seen the longer video, but not the other. I was also aware of the 1-10 SAI, but already having one 1-6 that I'm not using ....

I have been running my SAI for almost a full year now and remain quite impressed with it overall!

FYI... All of the SAI6 scopes are on sale now at EuroOptic for $850. That's 44% off. I just snagged one of the black MRAD/RAF optics. I like that it's MRAD rather than BDC, and the MRAD version of the reticle has thicker lines (1.5 MRAD) vs the BDC version (1 MRAD) which should make this version a better shooter at 1x without illumination.

https://www.eurooptic.com/sai-optics

Thank you. That's pretty amazing, but I've noticed that many different scopes have recently been offered at significant discounts by various vendors. Is something going on?

Now if I only needed another SAI6.

Hello. I thought I’d share my own thoughts on the SAI 6 1-6x LPVO. I purchased this optic a few months ago once it went on sale. Overall, I think it’s an excellent optic and an excellent value at the current price.

• The specific optic I purchased is the SAI 6 - 1-6x24 FFP Rapid Aiming Reticle – Black, Part Number RNG16-BK22-MA1. This is my first FFP LPVO. I prefer FFP variable optics in general since they make sense to my eyes and brain. I had some concerns about the reticle at 1x, but I’m happy to report that I have no more concerns.
  
  
• The FOV and image quality at 1x is excellent. The FOV is rather huge, actually. I can naturally and easily transition between targets when shooting at 1x, and the ocular bezel kind of fades out when focused on the target. So to me it’s a natural shooter at 1x.
  
  
• The RAF (Rapid Aiming Feature) of the reticle is a big plus. I call it the “X-Wing Fighter Reticle”. At 0-100 yard distances I basically just think of centering the target in the big X and press the trigger. It’s a high visibility, rapid aiming reticle that I have come to appreciate. Note that the “X” in this MRAD model optic is actually thicker than the FDE version (1.5 mils vs 1mil I think). This makes the RAF more visible in all lighting conditions.
  
  
• I do note, though, that at 100 yards it does become a bit more challenging to know exactly where the reticle is aimed when on 1x. The “open” portion of the X reticle is about 4 mils (about 14” at 100 yards). It’s fine on steel targets, but more precision requires more magnification.
  
  
• I do notice a bit of fisheye effect at 1x. But I think that’s to be expected on a FFP LPVO at this price point. In actual shooting, you don’t even notice it and makes no difference.
  
  
• The image quality at 3x through 6x is also excellent. The FFP reticle of course grows in size with the increase in magnification, which opens up the reticle and allows you to use the MRAD hash marks and windage holds easily. I’d say that 4x and above is where these hash marks become usable to me. Others may have different experiences. I like how simple and straightforward the reticle is. It’s easy for my brain to understand what’s going on and how to use it. The reticle is open and “breathes”. And the cross in the very center allows you to focus on the target and get precise aiming. I like it a lot.
  
  
• I have noticed, however, that the image quality seems to degrade noticeably in the 1.5x-2x range. I don’t know why. The image just seems “off” to me and has additional fisheye effect. To me that’s ok because I really don’t use that magnification range. I am either at 1x, or somewhere between 3x and 6x. Just something I noticed.
  
  
• The magnification adjustment ring is nice and smooth, with the perfect amount of resistance. I currently do not use any type of throw lever. Maybe in the future but I am happy how it is.
  
  
• I do not like heavy scopes, and this one is 18oz, which I think is decent. You can definitely feel it, but it’s not overly heavy, which is nice.
  
  
• I have the optic mounted in an ADM Recon M which provides a 1.64" height over the rail. I think this is a good all-around height for an LPVO which is shot at 1x quite a bit.
  
  
• I am not real happy with the illumination on this scope. It illuminates the entire cross hair and is not very bright. Also, at higher brightness levels there is a good amount of light spillage to other areas of the reticle. That’s ok, though, because I do not use the illumination at all. I do not feel it’s necessary with this RAF reticle. The illumination control dial is excellent.
  
  
• The eye box (forgiveness of movement forward/aft and side-to-side) is not as good as a SFP LPVO, such as a Trijicon Credo. I feel that I need to be a bit more precise in my eye placement and need to work harder for repeatability. This is true throughout the full magnification range.
  
  
• The windage and elevation turrets are excellent. They are easy to adjust and have great feedback. I set them and leave them set.
  
  
• I would love to see a new version of illumination which only illuminates the very small center cross using the latest diffraction grating technology. That would be an excellent improvement in my opinion.
  
  
• So far, I have only taken this optic to 200 yards, and I look forward to getting out to 300-500 yards when I can to make use of the reticle’s features.
  
  
• Overall build quality seems excellent. I see this optic as a good balance between 1x shootability and useful at mid-range distance.
  
  
• You can see pictures of the optic and the rifle on page 3 of this thread.
  

I hope this review is informative and provides one more data point for anyone considering this optic.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Chris17404,

^^ Personally, I'd like to see SAI should change the illumination of their 'Rapid Aiming Reticle' where just the center 'cross hair' were illuminated, AND add illumination to the 'X-Wing' RAF (Rapid Aiming Feature). I believe this would make a lot more sense for an FFP Reticle, and would bring them in line with the way numerous other Scope mfrs have designed the FFP Reticles in their LVPO Scopes. I believe such a design is ideal in this type of application as it draws your 'focus' towards the center crosshair for CQB engagement distances when center mass hits, rather than precision shot placement are the objective. I might be inclined to buy one if they did that!

I'd like to see them ditch the 'Christmas Tree' features of the reticle as well as I hate those things, but that's just the way my brain works. Honestly, if they made all of those changes...Take My Money!

Even better, revise the reticle to a BDC design (which I believe is FAR superior in an LVPO Scope) w/ the 'X-Wing' RAF feature, AND make the illumination changes. In that case I 'might' consider it instead of the Trijicon Credo 1-6x24 LVPO w/ the BDC Segmented Circle Reticle I've got on my wish list!

quote:

Originally posted by nhracecraft:
Even better, revise the reticle to a BDC design

This FDE SAI6 (the one in the OP's review) does have a BDC reticle w/ the 'X-Wing' RAF feature.

^^ Welp, I forgot they had that reticle. Regardless though (at least for my brain!), the 'Christmas Tree' makes that Reticle too busy, and the BDC gets lost in the noise. I like simple...Just sayin'

ETA - Perusing the SAI Optics offering on the Armament Technology website, it seems the new (Announced last January and still NOT YET available!) SAI 10 1-10x24 LVPO has the illumination changes I described in my previous post to all of the available Reticles (Both BDC variations and the MRAD Reticle). Still, that 'Christmas Tree' thing though...

This message has been edited. Last edited by: nhracecraft,

What I find interesting about the SAI 6 and now 10 line is all the variations that are being offered for the scopes.

The fact that the company decided to offer a straight MRAD reticle, and now one without the “Rapid Aiming Feature” (aka “X-wing”), demonstrated an unusual willingness to respond to apparent consumer requests and review comments, in my opinion at least. In that vein there’s the 6.8×51mm BDC reticle, and that really has me wondering: Was it due to some sort of military contract? Do other manufacturers of LPVOs offer such an array of different reticle designs?

Although I’ve found homes for the first two scopes I bought with the 5.56 and then 7.62 BDC reticles, I much prefer a straight MRAD design, and of course had to buy that one when it was offered. I can do anything I could possibly want with such a scope and a straight MRAD reticle, whereas that is not true with a BDC reticle—at least not nearly as easily.

Ideal reticles and illumination are of course very much personal preference these days, and the SAI 6’s are fine for me. The “RAF” is perfectly usable all the way down to the 1× setting under most conditions, and when it gets a little dark, as I found during a recent low light qualification session, the available illumination levels are more than satisfactory.

I do agree that the image is not perfectly flat at low magnification settings; I perceive a bit of “barrel” distortion at the edges, but only when I look for it at close distances. It’s not enough to be a handicap in normal use.

Not that I have any intention of acquiring one, but I am curious about the 10× version that was announced, but not yet available and can only wonder why that is.