When you are going to look for your idle rifle scope, you should ask yourself what is it that you are going to be shooting at. This is the largest objective lens ever offered in the premium scope market. Perfect for your next stalk, its a handy companion for every type of weapon. I think I have settled on a swarovski z5 3.5-18x44 with plex reticle. Pay for what you get!if you pay for a good good one, then it is good good. This X System is definitely "buy it once, buy it right, and never have to buy it again" approach that will cover every base imaginable. The Austrian manufacturer, Swarovski is considered by some critics as the worlds best when it comes to scopes. Customer Service. Nearly all bowhunters who have hunted long enough have experienced the horrors [], What is the worst possible outcome of a bow hunt? This is generally more important with variable scopes, because the difference in magnification can change the field of view drastically. When he saw that he said, "I always thought that was not a good scope." This category was a hard choice to make. Being able to see game in lowlight is a necessity. Sightmark was founded back in 2007, and they have steadily been growing in the modern shooting market thanks to their products and rifle scopes. At 500 yards or less the 3 X 18. When using a rifle scope, one thing should come to mind: simplicity. Reticle? The big scopes were mounted atop Bergara Premier HMR Pro rifles in 6.5 Creedmoor (apologies to Creedmoor haters.) The MOA hash reticle in the second focal plane is serviceable on its own, but to milk all the capability out of the basic reticle, either order a free custom turret or use Nikons excellent SpotOn online ballistics calculator to establish holdover at any magnification for your specific load. Good glass that is crystal clear and is a joy to look through. The Z5s dial-a-distance turret system is well-known to hunters who use it to make fast, precise shots out to practical ranges. It is very important to actually use these covers and keep the connections clean. There is a lot of incredible information informative there, but it might take you a while to digest, depending on your knowledge and experience. We recommend capping the turrets (our sample featured exposed target-style turrets), but the glass is good, the lines are elegant, and the mounting dimensions on the 30mm tube are excellent. For shooters who would rather dial shooting solutions, the low-profile elevation turret delivers adjustments that are crisp and positive. Years later on a cool autumn day in a scenery complete with gorgeous countryside, I took another shot. The 6-24x50mm offers big zoom, an illuminate reticle, a 30mm tube, and is First Focal Plane. It might push your ceilings on price and weight just a little, but the Kahles K318i scope should be amazing. If you want a scope that holds zero and is durable, you need to look in the stickies in the long range forum and look at Forms (not the full user name) testing and results of scopes in relation to holding zero and retaining zero when dropped. After some headaches I figured out it was the scope. With the 65mm scope, the power runs from 25x-60x; on the 95mm, it goes from 30x up to a whopping 70x. You are using an out of date browser. Are Zeiss 10x56 HD worth the cost? - Page 3 - Cloudy Nights ive just brought a little vixen 3=12x40 good clear scope under a pound and under 12 inches long,,on six power i can see a pinecone clear enough to shoot it at 451 yrds. Compact, sturdy and lightweight, Swarovskis Z3 and Z5 seem to be the top rated scopes of choice. This priced-right entry from a relative newcomer to the optics world purports to be a crossover scope, with attributes for both hunting and long-distance target shooting. This is enhanced in this 2nd generation Z6i in part due to the High Definition (HD) element. Thanks everyone for the replies. However the UTG 3-932 BugBuster Scope is one of, if not the best in this price range. This scope generally runs anywhere from $2,250 to $2,500. The scope is waterproof and nitrogen purged. And their name packs a ton of weight not just nationally but internationally too. In that application, it is obvious to me that the glass is simply superior to anything else, bar none, and was well worth the money. Andrew McKean Currently, four inches is the largest eye relief available for any standard rifle scope. When adjusting the magnification of your scope, your field of view will be adjusted. You are using an out of date browser. This classy second-plane scope bucks a significant trend in sports optics. I have the 3.5-18x44 z5 on my 25-06. I frequent that site and some of the people there have tens of thousands of dollars in optics. Redfield was purchased by Leupold & Stevens, Inc. back in April of 2008, but they did not acquire any of Redfields capability of repairing their products that were made prior to them buying the company. A question I have relates to the eye piece and why do they charge more for the 25x50 then the 20x60. You are using an out of date browser. But the scope didnt charm anyone. High-End Spotting Scopes - Lessons learnt 13 months later - Rifle Talks The compact dimensionsits only 12 inches longmake it a great choice for a carbine. Most people swallow hard when they look at the price tag on a pair of Swarovski, Zeiss or Vortex Binoculars. Reviews & Ratings for Swarovski Z3 4-12x50 Rifle Scopes - OpticsPlanet But the optics are crisp, and the price is competitive. We thank you for supporting our business! Its a one-inch highly precise scope with a five times zoom and weighs in just under a pound. With the Z5, one crisp, clean, shot is all youll need. While the glass is only average and field of view seemed narrow, testers noted that the Nitro splits its capabilities evenly between hunting and target shooting, the very essence of a versatile riflescope. It may not display this or other websites correctly. With a long action, youll want to mount it to a rail to get the best out of this otherwise very versatile riflescope. To this day this scope is regarded by some as the first sensible optical rifle sight. Best Swarovski Spotting Scopes For The Money - 2017 Reviews Finally, each Swarovski scope boasts a rubber armoring that protects against shock and noise. The better the coating, the less eyestrain youll endure. We never sell our emails and value your trust. For me, it depends on what type of hunt I am going on and the duration". The simple and the modest are on life support, replaced by scopes with gee-whiz reticles and uber-turrets, and binoculars with integrated laser rangefinders and Bluetooth. Straight hunting scope with holdovers I think its a fantastic piece of glass. I have scopes from both series. Burris considers themselves specialists when it comes to making rifle scopes. I have been looking through this forum and read many reviews and am just lost. Realizability is number 1. The BTX eyepiece module is compatible with all objective lenses in the Swarovski Optic ATX/STX range. A first-plane system would make better use of the reticle design and the controls, said tester Jeron Wesen, who also worried that the tinny turrets feel prone to stripping. Rifle scopes can range from $40 up to thousands of dollars depending on how much one is willing to spend. However, having the 95mm objective module at high magnification is worth the extra moneyperiod. We also liked the weight. What youre not going to get for that price are extremely positive controls; we thought the Athlons were too sharp and sticky. And it scored well on our versatility evaluation, since the Mod 5s attributes can be applied almost equally between hunting and shooting. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. Shockproof? Swarovski Spotting Scopes ATX & STX Review - Western Hunter Happily, the clicks are tighter than on last years V4. A few decades ago, when a Remington 700 went for $200 and a Weaver scope was $60, it would have been difficult to spend more money on the optic than the rifle, despite advice to the contrary. The X scope is truly modular in that you can purchase an angled eyepiece or straight eyepiece assembly, either of them for a 65mm, 85mm or 95mm objective lens assembly. Any weight limits? Mark Ripley finds himself 'far from DS-appointed' when testing the long-range capabilities of the Swarovski DS scope. Well I am thinking of going all out on a new spotting scope. It was the scopenot the riflethat really made the difference on this shot. On most medium variable scopes, the standard object lens size is anywhere from 40 to 44 millimeters. March F Tactical 3-24x42 FML-TR1H Illuminated 0.1 MIL FFP Riflescope D24V42FIML-FML-TR1H, https://www.bushnell.com/riflescopexrs-ii-4.5-30x50-riflescope-black/P01560.html. The Prostaff 5 features capped turrets with a total of 40 MOA of internal adjustment. Some versions of this scope will also be available with Meoptas slick new dichroic reticle technology, which can best be described as battery-free illumination. Do yourself a favor by buying the best optics you can afford. High quality glass can help a person be more successful in the field. Before you can properly choose a rifle scope, you need to know what the numbers on your scope actually mean. My atlas tactical action had a 20MOA built in. Once the MRAD clicks are engaged, theyre spongy and less tactile than weve come to expect from the brand. This will get you top the right place with the information I think you are looking for: The price you pay does NOT mean the scope is reliable. The compact, light and reliable Z5 3.5-1844 BT profile also has a clean unassuming look about it. Nelson says the beautiful thing about good glass is people rarely need to use the warranty. I have a pile of VX3's that I like but they aren't in the same league as the VX6's I've been replacing the others with. This photo shows 1) the major difference in sizes (65mm vs. 95mm) and 2) the digiscoping setup all ready to go. Great glass though. These larger lens also can cause your rifle to be a little less comfortable to shoot due to the fact they can make the rifle feel unbalanced, clumsier, and heavier. We loved the weight26 ouncesand the 12-inch length for mounting on a variety of platforms. Were featuring the Konus not for its image clarity (disappointing) or its design (clunky), but rather for its ingenious reticle system. Just $1 per month , While long-distance shooting continues to dominate riflescope design, we welcome the renaissance of the versatile optic, By Swarovski Spotting Scopes ATX & STX Review, Swarovski dS 5-25x52 Smart Riflescope Review, How To Glass Without Using The Grid Technique. What makes these scopes different is the fact that they are used for shooting at night or at times of day when there is a small amount of light to naturally see the target. Testers also wanted a little more magnification at the high end. This scope comes with a 50 millimeter objective lens, and it comes with 5-25 magnification ability. It might be useful to provide some additional information. What about the Schmidt & Benders? Is the HD model worth the extra money over the standard glass. Scope advice NF ATACR or Swarovski X5i. The better the scope, the better your shooting skill. In a test full of multi-thousand-dollar riflescopes, it would be easy to dismiss the $90 Simmons (its likely to retail for closer to $70) as dim, cheap, and flimsy. The small circle of light that appears in the scopes eyepiece when doing this is the exit pupil. They vow that they only employ the most passionate and knowledgeable engineers to manufacture their products. A friend brought it over to do some low light testing. The result is an everyday use pack focused on comfort, accessibility, and organization. Went ahead and put on a bushnell xrs 2. This has a lot to deal with having the proper magnification on the scope that you choose in order to be able to perform the hunting that you wish to do. But this new configuration improves on the platform. You cannot adjust the magnification on fixed scopes like you can on variables. The CSA presented the test team with an interesting dilemma. Dustproof, waterproof, and submersible to 13 feet, the ATS 80 HD spotting scope carries a lifetime warranty. 12 Best Scout Scopes Actually Worth the Money (2023) By Chris January 18, 2021 December 28, 2022. The best way to answer this question is this. Swarovski ATS HD 20-60x80mm spotting scope (angled) - our pick. The image is decent, but finished in the bottom half of the Precision Riflescope field. Rifle scopes vary widely in their intended application, so its hard to pick just one. They have over 40 countries that they distribute their products too outside of the United States. generally require high rings. The heart of the 30mm KonusPro is a second-plane reticle that has 10 iterations, ranging from duplex to milling reticles to variations on the center dot that you select by toggling through a menu. Digiscoping with the TSN-99 and TE-80XW Who makes Swarovski scopes? You should also consider looking at Schmidt & Bender and Swarovski. We were skeptical of the merits of this extravagantly expensive rangefinding riflescope. Since 2001, we have provided the latest in gun rights news, tech reviews and product information. The sample submitted for our test scored plenty of hits: excellent image quality and good low-light performance, tactile exposed turrets, and an assist lever on the magnification ring that can be screwed into any of three receivers. The connection is absolutely solid and locks into place with an audible click. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. And I personally like the vx5 the most out of the scopes I have. While long-distance shooting continues to dominate riflescope design, we welcome. It was a Swaro, was the problem. Lots of good high-end glass, I'm sure all of it good. Honestly I have zero experience with the Z6. Scope weight is the least of my concern now. Replies 15 Views 3K. Additional site navigation. Not only is it easier to line up the gun to your target, but it also magnifies your target, making it easier to tell which part of the target you will actually hit. The perfect "deer/varmint" gun for American shooters. It is not the customer's job to regularly wipe things off the binoculars that come out of the rubber . Whereas the original tubes were made of steel, todays rifle scope tubes are now drawn from aircraft-grade aluminum. This exceptional scope is a statement for Nightforce, one of the early leaders in the precision-riflescope market. It comes with 3-9x magnification, and the objective lens is 32 millimeters. Swarovski z5 or z6 | Long Range Hunting Forum If it is a full moon and clear skies I can see better with my Swar binos than a PVS14. Have a look at the meopta meostar first focal plane scopes also, I have the Leupold vx3, vx6, and vx5. All three objective units are HD lenses with field flattener lens technology, but with the extreme magnification generated from the 95mm, the resulting edge-to-edge clarity is especially astounding. People who are older will experience smaller dilation than someone of a younger age. Ergonomics Each piece is sealed against the elements and is completely waterproof. Athlon is a company whose glass Im always impressed with, and this scope is no exception. Swarovski Spotting Scopes - The Optics Talk Forums Thats adequate, but not on par with scopes built on a 30mm or 34mm tube. You arent going to use this reticle for ranging or bracketing moving targets, but its quick, precise, and covers a wide range of shooting situations. You need the best whether youre in the mountains or shooting a target on the plains. Whether a hunter is looking for the tips of antlers on a 350-inch bull elk or looking for a bedded Coues buck, having glass that is razor sharp and crystal clear is necessary. If you're also curious to know why a Swarovski glass costs so much and whether or not it's worth saving for, keep reading, and I'll try to clarify your doubts! As a result, when using a good pair of binoculars while scouting or hunting, hunters will probably take more time to try to locate game. Ive already had a few sportsmen mention that it would be a pain to constantly have to put your scope together each time you needed to use it. The optics on this rifle scope are obsolete even at the lowest light. Some have created special features that make their scopes better in certain aspects, and some brands have an all around aspect to their products that put them on top. We also deducted points for stingy eye relief, and optical quality that placed the Ares near the bottom of the category. Swarovski Optik STS-65 HD Spotting Scope with 2060 Eyepiece. JavaScript is disabled. While there are literally hundreds of competitive, durable water bottles on the market, Nalgene was there first. The glass is good, it has a lifetime guarantee, and the price should appeal to Production Class PRS shooters. Cheap glass often doesnt have good eye relief and hunters often end up with a headache. While it wont compare to the Zeiss and Nightforce scopes at the end of this list in terms of optical clarity and quality, this budget scope is perfect for getting the job done with a minimal financial burden. There are many scopes on the market from many different reputable manufacturers, so choosing the best one is a daunting task. . Its optics are disappointingly dark. The X scope is truly modular in that you can purchase an angled eyepiece or straight eyepiece assembly, either of them for a 65mm, 85mm or 95mm objective lens assembly. Coming to the one we were talking about, how do the below three compare? But it didnt stun us, either. If you see a number like this, these scopes are classified as variable scopes. Its been hard to keep track of Nikons updates to the capable Prostaff line the last few years, but the Prostaff 5 checks nearly all the boxes wed expect for a crossover hunting and target scope. The industry has been racing to extend the magnification range of riflescopes, ramping up from the traditional 3X (3X-9X) to 4X and now 6X (2X-12X), and even 8X (1X-8X or 3X-24X). The answer from Zeiss is unacceptable, you paid a lot of money for the binoculars and then the glass must be in order, after all Zeiss boasts of good service. Whether youre shooting cans, practicing at a rifle range or big game hunting, Swarovski optics are top notch with unsurpassed quality and craftsmanship like no other. Our sample contained the versatile MRAD milling reticle, with .1 MRAD hashes in a staggered-value progression. It has fully multicoated glass for excellent image quality. Swarovski EL 1250 is genuinely a game-changer in every manner, and its amazing feature makes the binocular worth buying. When speaking about rifles, field of view is generally measure at every 100 yards. Leupold. Today, the shooting and hunting industry has drastically upped their game in terms of rifle scope technology. Its not intended to. The heart of the scope is the first-plane MIL-C milling reticle thats built for Precision Rifle Series shooters. Until you shoot it, that is. FREE SHIPPING on March F Tactical 3-24x42mm FML-TR1H Reticle 0.1 MIL FFP Riflescope D24V42FIML-FML-TR1H, I ran a Swarovski Z5 for about a year. This is a good question to ask. Included with the scope are a 2 sun shade, quick release rings, and flip cap covers. You should always pay attention to the amount of eye relief and exit pupil that a scope offers before purchasing it. This is because the wider the range the more versatile that scope will be. 5 product ratings About this product. There are a lot of different rifle scopes that you can get for under $100, many of which you probably want to avoid. Swarovski tackled the problems by finding a balance. Below are a list of the top six brands that make rifle scopes, and they all got on this list for a variety of reasons. Waterproof? The CSA has a very good 80 MOA of internal adjustment on both the elevation and windage turrets, and we milked nearly 3-1/2 rotations from the elevation turret, which turns with pleasing positivity. Also Leupold moved to a dual erector doing setup to help eliminate the problem they were having on the vx-5 and vx-6 series scope. They are very expensive and bulky, so before choosing a night vision scope, make sure that you actually need to shoot during low light hours of the day. The first-plane mil-dot reticle in our sample is just too basic to serve the needs of a sophisticated long-distance shooter, and the rubberized turning surfaces are a tad too aggressive. But they do make good optics. The windage turret is capped. There is actually no reason to take the scope apart, unless you are changing objective lenses or you need to break it down into smaller components for packing. The Tango6 doesnt fail on any basis. This time my weapon of choice was a .22 caliber rifle. The turret adjustments are very good, and the zero stop, anti-cant indicator, and impressive 72 MOA of elevation adjustment inside the 30mm tube are features borrowed from the precision riflescope market. TIP: When it comes time to purchasing a scope, aim (no pun intended) for the best! Therefore, these scopes are only recommended in certain occasions and for certain types of firearms. Most Nightforce scopes cost way more than the average person would even think about paying for a sports scope for their rifle. I recently bought a Christensen Arms Mesa 6.5 PRC and want to find a high quality scope to go on it. Companies making these products are meeting a demand for specialization, to help customers shoot farther and better, to move more nimbly, and to pay less for good-quality glass. High quality binoculars perform great under these conditions, Nelson said. From specifications to practical tips: everything you've always wanted to know about long-range optics. Burris is best known for their scopes having lenses with larger diameters than most of their competitors. Similar in design to the Z3, the Z5 rifle scopes possess the unsurpassed distinction of durability, dependability and precision. Call the Outdoorsmans team and have them help you choose a pair of optics that are right for you. There is also a side knob parallax adjustment for versatility. Editor's Pick: Swarovski ds Gen II 5-12X52. Click to see the price. They have been in business for over 65 years, and they pride themselves on providing only the best quality to their customers. Andrew McKean is Outdoor Lifes hunting and conservation editor, drilling into issues that affect wildlife, wildlands, and the people who care about them. The oddball objective diameter (52mm) has a purpose. Those are the average scope sizes for anyone wanting to go hunting, because they offer what is needed for the majority of rifle users. The illuminated MOA turret is useful for hunting or target shooting, the 4X16X magnification range covers most uses, and the glass is bright and crisp. Super clear. In looking at the spotting scope market, it seems that the Swarovski ATX is at or near the top of the heap. The industry has been racing to extend the magnification range of riflescopes, ramping up from the traditional 3X (3X-9X) to 4X and now 6X (2X-12X), and even 8X (1X-8X or 3X-24X). It is a functional, capable confluence of optical and electronic engineering. The Austrian manufacturer, Swarovski is considered by some critics as the world's best when it comes to scopes. One can argue that these earlier scopes lacked the remarkable optical quality and durability of todays models. Most people swallow hard when they look at the price tag on a pair of Swarovski, Zeiss or Vortex Binoculars. One question that often gets asked at the Outdoorsmans headquarters is, Are high end optics worth the investment? The answer of course is yes, but I interviewed Cody Nelson from the Outdoorsmans so everyone would understand why high end optics are worth the money. If you had only one shot to secure your target, what scope would you choose? What power range? The Swarovski Austrian producer is probably best known for their superior crystal products such as watches and various types of jewelry. The second-plane hash reticle (called the Riton Hunting Reticle) tuned to MOA references is also useful for either hunting or shooting. This guide will help you figure out what the best scope is to suit your (and your rifles) needs.