Swarovski Scope Buying Consideration Questions

[mountaineer273]

Newbie to the Rokslide forum here. For a while now, I have been considering purchasing a Swarovski optic for my primary hunting rifle which is a Winchester Model 70 Extreme Weather in 30-06. Currently, the rifle has a Leupold VX-5HD 3-15x44 mounted on it and was successfully used on three deer this past November.

There are two Swarovski scopes that I am looking at both of which I believe are on clearance sale. The first is the Z5i 3.5-18x44 with the BRH-I reticle. The second scope I’m looking at is the Z6 2.5-15x44 with a plex reticle and the ballistic turret.

My questions are first, how is the reliability of these scopes and which of the two is more durable? I’ve heard of durability issues with Swarovski optics. Second, is the illuminated reticle on the Z5i a useful upgrade? I’ve never used one and worry about it being one more thing to go wrong in the field. Lastly, how do the ballistic turret and the BRH reticle compare for longer shots?

Thank you for taking time to answer my questions and I am also always open to other scope recommendations.

 

[RS_Non-Res]

The search engine is your friend.
Or go here...https://rokslide.com/forums/forums/rifle-scope-field-evaluations.133/

My personal short answer is
"I pay for super-good glass when I'm going to look through it for a long time. With aiming devices I have other priorities."

 

[mountaineer273]

I have searched. Haven’t really found the answers I’m looking for but will keep trying here and elsewhere.

 

[streamerfish]

Swarovski rifle scopes have a pretty large reputation of being "fragile". They have all but admitted as a company that the scopes are not designed for rugged, hard use. I have no personal data, but its pretty well played out in multiple places including here.

Of course, Leupold has the same reputation of not being reliably functional. Leupold i do have personal data on, as well as the wealth of data online. I would say, if you have one that truly, reliably holds zero then I would hold onto that sucker. Personally I've never seen one that does.

"more durable" is probably a coin flip.

Yeah, I'm not big on illuminated reticles for hunting. Its personal, but not for me.

Although usable to an extent, I'm not a fan of hold over type of reticle systems in general unless its a FFP scope, even then, anything beyond 300-350 yards and I'm dialing.

 

[Axlrod]

I have a z6. After less than 400 rounds out of a braked 28 Nosler, it wouldn't stay zeroed. I sent it back to Swaro. When I got it back I put it on a heavy barreled 204 Ruger. Right now all my big game rifles have Nightforce, Maven, SWFA, and Trijicon scopes.
I love Swarovski, I have their spotting scope, and 2 pairs of bino's. Their rifle scope glass is the best I have seen. But it is useless if you can't hit what you are aiming at.

 

[mountaineer273]

I have a z6. After less than 400 rounds out of a braked 28 Nosler, it wouldn't stay zeroed. I sent it back to Swaro. When I got it back I put it on a heavy barreled 204 Ruger. Right now all my big game rifles have Nightforce, Maven, SWFA, and Trijicon scopes.
I love Swarovski, I have their spotting scope, and 2 pairs of bino's. Their rifle scope glass is the best I have seen. But it is useless if you can't hit what you are aiming at.

I’ve seen the brands you list for your big game rifles as being the most durable. I’ve even looked at the Trijicon Accupoints. I love the ACOG that I have on my AR so I’d be open to getting a Trijicon hunting scope for my Model 70. I’ll look into the other brands listed as well.

 

[1000yards]

I have searched. Haven’t really found the answers I’m looking for but will keep trying here and elsewhere.

Right here:

Z3 eval

Z3 Q&A

Z5 eval

Z5 Q&A

Please read through these carefully. I like my Z3 (the same one that broke in the field eval) but I don't use it for anything serious.

 

[Rich M]

I was looking for a scope this year. Tried 3-9x40 Trijicon Huron and it just didn't do enough in low light. Trijicon has a great reputation for quality. Have to remind myself it is a good scope, just not what I wanted or expected. I want to be able to count antler tines 30 minutes after sundown and this scope wasn't there but listed retail is $600+, I got it for less. It lasted until the shadows converge and it gets darker under the trees, then it was done - could see anything out in a field before & past shooting time but not under trees along the field edge.

Was frustrating to know the bucks is there and not be able to shoot him. My quest was to get a scope that would do this and few places carry the upper lines of scopes, so had to do it "blind".

Check out this guy's video - has some good info about manufacturers:

I place a lot of faith in Ilya's (dark lord of optics - not the dude in the video above) reviews and comments. He's not as big into drop tests or stuff like that but more the scope glass and internals.

Gotta remember that these reviews and such are opinions and oh-so-many are from guys just trying to make content for clicks. Last one I clicked on said Alpha Scope Review and the only Alpha he had was Swaro, the other 10 or so scopes were definitely not Alpha. So, shake yer head and move to the next. The rage these days is the magnification range and first focal plane reticles. A 2-25x scope is useless if you can't see the animal during legal time.

Anyway, long story short, I found what I wanted - I think. If the scope I bought doesn't do what I want, one doesn't exist.

Just do your homework. Good luck.

 

[mountaineer273]

I was looking for a scope this year. Tried 3-9x40 Trijicon Huron and it just didn't do enough in low light. Trijicon has a great reputation for quality. Have to remind myself it is a good scope, just not what I wanted or expected. I want to be able to count antler tines 30 minutes after sundown and this scope wasn't there but listed retail is $600+, I got it for less. It lasted until the shadows converge and it gets darker under the trees, then it was done - could see anything out in a field before & past shooting time but not under trees along the field edge.

Was frustrating to know the bucks is there and not be able to shoot him. My quest was to get a scope that would do this and few places carry the upper lines of scopes, so had to do it "blind".

Check out this guy's video - has some good info about manufacturers:

I place a lot of faith in Ilya's (dark lord of optics - not the dude in the video above) reviews and comments. He's not as big into drop tests or stuff like that but more the scope glass and internals.

Gotta remember that these reviews and such are opinions and oh-so-many are from guys just trying to make content for clicks. Last one I clicked on said Alpha Scope Review and the only Alpha he had was Swaro, the other 10 or so scopes were definitely not Alpha. So, shake yer head and move to the next. The rage these days is the magnification range and first focal plane reticles. A 2-25x scope is useless if you can't see the animal during legal time.

Anyway, long story short, I found what I wanted - I think. If the scope I bought doesn't do what I want, one doesn't exist.

Just do your homework. Good luck.

I watched that video the other day. He makes good points in that and his other videos. The other hunters in my camp are big on Swarovski which is what got me into looking at them, but now I’m starting to consider other brands.

 

[HGL]

I've got 3 scopes that I use a ton: a Swaro Z6i, a Nightforce NX8, and a Bushnell LRHS. I've done tall target tracking tests on them all and they all track true. I've dialed the crap out of the Swaro and it's always been spot on out to distance (600-800 yards on steel) and RTZ; same as the NX8 and LRHS.

Now, my style of hunting here on the east coast isn't too rough on equipment. It rides on the 4-wheeler gun rack and is carried on level terrain to the stand/blind.

If I were to hike up and down a mountain all-day with the likelihood of busting my ass and the rifle taking a tumble, I would definitely use my NX8 or LRHS. They are more "robust" as far as turrets, etc. and obviously the "drop test" data seems to credential that.

Different tools for different styles of hunting, imo. But for low-light hunting at moderate ranges here on the east coast, the Swaro is hard to beat. If I happen to take a spill or drop the Swaro, I have a personal 100 yard range at my house so no big deal to check zero and potential mechanical failure(s).

So the answer is buy them all, lol!

 

[mountaineer273]

Following up in this thread after doing some scope homework over the weekend. After all I have read, I think I have give up on the idea of a Swarovski scope and will instead go with Trijicon. Either a Credo HX or Accupoint.

Another question, what would be a good, reliable, solid, and holds zero mount for my Winchester Model 70? Currently I use Leupold Backcountry ring mounts.

 

[1000yards]

Following up in this thread after doing some scope homework over the weekend. After all I have read, I think I have give up on the idea of a Swarovski scope and will instead go with Trijicon. Either a Credo HX or Accupoint.

Just like all that scope homework lead to you changing your mind from Swarovski to Trijicon, consider the possibility that some reading about the differences between moa and mils might have you making a another switch. My Credo HX is an excellent scope for what it was designed for, but if I had taken the time to learn about quickdrop first then I would have purchased something else.

 

[mountaineer273]

Just like all that scope homework lead to you changing your mind from Swarovski to Trijicon, consider the possibility that some reading about the differences between moa and mils might have you making an another switch. My Credo HX is an excellent scope for what it was designed for, but if I had taken the time to learn about quickdrop first then I would have purchased something else.

I have read a little about this. Did not know of the concept differences at all until recently. While I am not an inexperienced shooter, most of my shooting in the 13+ years I’ve done it is 100-400 yard target shooting with iron sight milsurp rifles. My only scope experiences are the ones I’ve had on several hunting rifles and the ACOG on my AR. It is my understanding that with the Trijicon Credo scopes, the HX model is moa based while the standard Credo is mil. Is that correct?

 

[1000yards]

It is my understanding that with the Trijicon Credo scopes, the HX model is moa based while the standard Credo is mil. Is that correct?

For the most part yes. But trijicon is weird in how they organize everything so there might be exceptions.