Thread: Swarovski Thoughts

Hey Team

About to purchase a Swarovski Z5 3.5-18x44 BT whats everybodies thoughts and should i be looking at another brand ? What are the pros / cons i cant seem to find anything bad about them ?

Cheers

Maybe give us a bit more detail on what type of hunting you do, what calibre of rifle etc

Try and look through one mounted on a rifle as I find the eye relief very touchy and they lack enough elevation adjustment.
Also look at the VX5 I sold my 2 z5 and now have VX5

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Most people compare them and the VX5, I have had several of both and theres nothing in it. The one thing that kimd of annoys me about the Z5 is how its stupidly long, doesnt really have any kind of ill effect but when I start thinking about it and I look at it, it just looks "lanky" to me, like a foal that needs to grow into its legs to be proportioned right

Originally Posted by Ryan_Songhurst

Most people compare them and the VX5, I have had several of both and theres nothing in it. The one thing that kimd of annoys me about the Z5 is how its stupidly long, doesnt really have any kind of ill effect but when I start thinking about it and I look at it, it just looks "lanky" to me, like a foal that needs to grow into its legs to be proportioned right

Which way do you lean?

Good scopes, on most rifles you can dial for about 700yds max as they are a single turn.

Originally Posted by Stocky

Which way do you lean?

Still the Z5. I like its simplicity, the glass is slightly better to my eyes. 4w reticle is excellent. Its 100gr lighter. People get hung up becauss its only a single rev elevation dial (unless you remove zero stop) but 14moa is plenty for most hunting and if you are doing a tonne of hunting that involves more than 14moa then you would probably be better off with something else altogether like an NXS.

Originally Posted by Stocky

Which way do you lean?

Also the z5 sits on a Sako better with more ability to move it forward ot back for eye relief and rifle balance. Look at any sako thats running optilocks or other rings that fit the factory dovetails and the VX5 and VX6, the scopes all basically sit in the exact same position on them, even worse on long actions. The scope sits quite far forward and you cant move it back

Swaro length can be an advantage for scope position.
Optics are excellent and about the same as VX5. Also unless you are going to shoot +600m the BT will work ok in most longer range calibres.

Try one out. Feel the quality and let your eyes decide.

I’ve come full circle from Zeiss and Swaro Alpha to a bunch of NSX, NF Beast, VX6HDs. And back to simple Z6 and Ziess HT. just for the image quality and shoot-ability to 650m, which is a far as I can happily take big game using the BT and 7mm.

Ive got a couple Z5's in 3.5x18x44, as well as one, in the newer 2x12x50, the 12 power is quite a bit shorter, and has better low light gathering, for most normal hunting conditions, I say go with the Z5 12 power, but if your shooting past 500m, the 18 power is likely better,

I used to think Swaro glass was just a marketing gimmick until I got one. I use a Swaro X5i 3.5-18x56 (BT) on my 243 (Tikka action) and its my main deer rifle (mostly Roe) and it is very good in all lighting but comes into its own at dusk and probably extends my time by about 8-10 minutes as opposed to say my Nightforce scopes.
Most mid range scope will give a good account of themselves in day light and I suppose the bottom line is, do you want to pay the extra money for those extra minutes, for me though every time I put that scope up to my eye it give me a little bit of pleasure (sad I know) but thats worth something.
In terms of eye relief, mounts, length of scope etc, I’ve never had an issue with those and having worked in a gun shop and put plenty on customers rifles, that the first time I’ve come across such.
As Jit says try one out and have something to compare it to, after all its a lot of money but its a scope that will stay with you for many years so buy once cry once..................And if you find that after a few years the scope isn’t for you then they tend to hold their money.

Hope this helps
bryn.

If you're shooting long range it's not the ideal scope, that being said its sweet for most nz hunting applications. Other thing to keep in mind is if you're scope rings arent aligned perfectly (have come across it on 2 mod 7s) it's very easy to run out if windage adjustment when zeroing. Beautiful glass but as said vx5 is a very close competitor. I find the reticle a bit thinner and nicer on the swaro however

Excellent hunting scope. Only issue if you consider it an issue would be the single revolution on the turret when the zero stop is installed. You can easily remove it and get more revolutions to shoot further but then you no longer have zero stop (that’s how I use mine). I also have the VX5, it’s much of a muchness, I love them both.

I just went to the z5 from an zeiss hd5 earlier this year. Great move. The z5 is just a good clear, lightweight no fuss scope. It was never a selling point to me initially but I really like the colour coded turret system on top. I set mine to 200,250,300 and then only have to remember 350,400 which is easy. So can range and dial really quick

Own a couple of Swaros as well as VX6 and VX5’s. To my eyes the optical performance of Swaro is superior, crisper and clearer. Not a big difference but an edge to Swaro. Recommend you look at the 4W reticle, the moa hash marks are real handy for windage. And here’s a point of difference with VX5 and 6s where the wind plex reticles are real heavy - big and chunky. At longer range they obscure are fair bit of target. Dial up 14 moa one turn is a limiting factor but only if you want to shoot past 600 or 700 yards. And if you want to dial past 700 then get after mkt two turn turrets from NZ Elements and remove the zero stop. Easy as