I don't doubt you, sir.

I've become spoiled to my SS HD glass. I've viewed my range through the non-HD glass, setting the magnification to be equal to that of the HD scope. I can see a definite difference, especially when significant mirage is present.

OP, is getting this scope as a starter to shoot long range. Glass clarity is paramount for that. I try to help folks spend wisely, and buying close enough, looking through something better, selling the close enough, and buying the better one is not exactly spending wisely.

Just to be clear, you are correct with your assessment of me being a starter to this LR game, but only with a mil/mil setup and a SS scope. I've been fiddling around with VX3's and VX6's for years with the CDS setup. I mentioned before that I get to see Todd Hodnett's guys shoot some up in the TX Panhandle, and they obviously all use mil/mil, so I want to learn that and get better at it, even if it's only paper punching, rock shooting, or LR hog and 'yote targets. I'm not going to spend NF money doing it, and the SS scopes have been highly recommended by those in the know for a long time now, many of which I know personally know what they're doing. If I have no issues with a VX3's clarity, as Skylar pointed out, I don't think I'll have any trouble with the non HD SS. I may wind up with HD anyway...we'll see when Black Friday rolls around.

I do appreciate all of the help.