Squat Squad, welcome to Slav Guns. On this channel we’ve covered a lot of precision rifles built for long and extended-long range, and a lot of scopes built for that job. One thing you’ve probably picked up is that for tactical or long-range shooting you’re looking for a bunch of features beyond a good image and solid build. Those features cost money, and that’s why it isn’t unheard of to spend anywhere from $500 to $5,000 on a scope.
But what if you just want a good scope for blasting steel out to 300 yards, or a scope for your hunting rifle, where you’ll be too busy to use every reticle and turret feature anyway? Do you still need to spend a lot of money? That’s where the Styrka S5 4.5-14×44 comes in, and I think it’s a great hunting scope and a good scope for anyone getting into target shooting or wanting something nice for a plinking gun.
Disclosure: The scope was provided by Styrka for testing and evaluation. Styrka did not see the video before it was published.
Heads-up: I filmed this in summer 2020. Any prices below are what they were at filming, so check current availability and pricing before you buy.
TL;DR
- The S5 is Styrka’s mid-priced line. This one is the 4.5-14×44 on a 1″ tube with the BDC reticle (model ST-93041).
- It’s a second focal plane hunting-style scope with capped turrets. Zero it, cap it, and use the reticle.
- 3.5″ of eye relief, 50 MOA of elevation and windage in 1/4 MOA clicks, and an IPX67 rating.
- No ED glass, but the image quality was on par with most “HD” marketed scopes I’ve used.
- At filming it could be found for under $300, and at that price it’s a really good deal.
What the S5 is
The S5 is a mid-priced offering from Styrka, a solid hunting scope manufacturer. I’d already done a few videos on Styrka optics, including the higher-end S7. This is the S5 4.5-14 with the BDC reticle and a 44mm objective.
The magnification range is very usable for a hunter, and for anyone shooting plates at short to longer distances. You can also focus on targets as close as about 20 yards, which is nice if you’re putting it on a rimfire.
With a 44mm objective and a 1″ tube, it may not be the best scope for very early morning or late evening shooting. Still, it lets plenty of light in throughout the shooting day. When I filmed this it was close to six o’clock in the evening, and the scope was doing a great job.
Why it’s a hunting scope
Like the S7, the S5 is considered a hunting scope mainly because of two features.
1. Capped turrets
The adjustment turrets aren’t exposed. They sit under caps. The idea is that you adjust and zero when you mount the scope to the gun, then use the BDC reticle or the center crosshair for point-blank range. You can still adjust them whenever you want. The clicks are tactile and fairly audible, with little to no slop between adjustments.
2. Second focal plane reticle
All of Styrka’s rifle scopes were second focal plane when I filmed this, so the reticle stays the same size through the whole magnification range. Many tactical and precision scopes are front focal plane, where the reticle scales with magnification so you can range-find with it.
Not being FFP doesn’t mean all you can do is use the center crosshair, though. Like the bigger S7, the S5 comes with a BDC reticle option that has five extra stadia lines. Pair those with the Styrka app and you get five more holds for different distances. That makes the S5 a good scope for someone getting into precision shooting who doesn’t want to be overwhelmed by all the adjustments and calculations that come with a tactical scope.
Specs that matter
- Magnification / objective: 4.5-14x, 44mm
- Tube: 1″
- Focal plane: Second (SFP)
- Eye relief: 3.5″. That’s generous and should keep you from getting scope bite. If you put it on a .22, you’d better not get scope bite.
- Adjustment: 50 MOA of elevation and windage in 1/4 MOA clicks. That’s enough to get a .308 out to about 900 yards on a flat rail, or about 1,200 yards with a 20 MOA rail.
- Close focus: about 20 yards
- Weatherproofing: IPX67 rated, so it’s waterproof and tough enough for most environments.
- Reticles: Plex, Mil-Dot, or BDC
I had it mounted on my Ruger 10/22 build, which I covered in a separate video.
Range time and first impressions
When you don’t need to range-find with the reticle, take the recoil of a .50 BMG, or dial absolute adjustments to hit targets a mile away, you can focus on what you really need. This scope feels really good and in line with its suggested price. Anything below that is just an exceptional deal.
The parallax and magnification adjustments, along with the fast-focus eyepiece, were smooth and consistent throughout the magnification range.
Glass, coatings, and the “HD” thing
The image quality is quite good, and everyone who handled it was impressed. Sorry if you’ve heard this one from me before, but most people haven’t: in optics there’s standard optical glass, and then there’s ED (extra-low dispersion) glass. Image quality comes from the glass plus the coatings.
Lately a lot of companies advertise their scopes as “HD” or high definition. In reality there’s no measurement for that. It’s a marketing term. The S5 doesn’t use ED glass, but between its optical glass and Styrka’s SXL coatings, the image was on par with most HD-marketed scopes I’ve used.
Which reticle to pick
Just like the S7, the S5 comes with three reticles:
- Plex: standard with medium crosshairs
- Mil-Dot: basically the Plex, with mil dots in the middle section
- BDC: the one I tested
Given the scope’s mission, I think the BDC reticle is the one to pick. It gives you more functionality at no extra cost. To get the most out of it, use the Styrka app (or go online) and plug in your gun’s details. That gives you a reticle printout with the distance for each BDC stadia line. I walk through how to do that in more detail in my Styrka S7 video.
Bottom line
When you just need a good magnified optic without a ton of features, you can get a lot of value for your money. At filming the Styrka S5 could be found for under $300, and for that you got great image quality and a solid build. Put it on an AR-15 or a nicer rimfire and you’ve got an optic that will likely last a lifetime.
With the BDC reticle and the Styrka ballistic app, you can squeeze a ton out of this scope and even use it to get into long-range shooting before spending a lot more on a front focal plane scope. When you’re ready for that step, check out my Element Optics Helix FFP 6-24×50 review and the Vortex Venom vs Arken SH4 Gen 2 comparison.
Gear I use: slav.li/amazon. Squat Squad perks: join the channel.
Keep squatting.
Would you put a sub-$300 SFP scope with a BDC on your hunting rifle or rimfire, or save up for FFP?
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