Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Seeking ‘Opinions’ Swarovski 3.5-10 x 42 ‘Reticle Options’

I’m looking to purchase the Swarovski 3.5 - 10 x 42 with a one inch tube. There are leaf springs as opposed to the newer ‘coil springs’. The reticle is wire and not etched unless one opts for the BRX or the BRH. And, unless one decides to get the 50mm objective, there is no parallax adjustment. However, I’m looking for simplicity in this scope. What reticle would you guys prefer on a hunt> I’m simply not interested in the Z5, Z6, or Z8. I can get a really good price on one.

* The crosshairs on the PLEX are: .18 Crosshairs and .77 Post.
On the 4a: .24 Crosshairs and 1.84 Post. Here are some pictures. I was opting or looking at the 4A to purchase. All replies are appreciated. Happy New Year.

My last two Swaros have the 4A reticle, but I would be fine with the Plex as well. For simplicity, either of those will work great....

Plex works fine in my 3-10x42’s for hunting purposes. I would be hard pressed to find anything better in the same price or even higher. Can’t go wrong with Swarovski.

The Plex crosshairs and posts are quite a bit less thick than the 4A, yet I like the PLEX better. So, I'm uncertain as to the reticle. I do not have one to look at, only going by the specs provided by Swarovski. The 4A posts are over twice the thickness. Unless I'm going long distance, I'm not sure the PLEX would suffice. And the crosshairs on the 4A are .24 as opposed to .18 on the PLEX. In close in (brush) it may be difficult to pick up the .18 crosshairs; especially nearing twilight. I've experienced this issue before with the Leupold Vari X II. However, that Leupold held zero.

For starters, there is no 50mm option in the 3-10 model. There is a 4-12x50, however. And no scopes in the Z3 line offer parallax correction.

If I had to choose between. the 4-a and the plex, I would take the 4-a. But neither reticle is the best in low light and against a dark target like a hog. On lighter-colored targets like deer, though, they work just fine. I used a 3-10x42/4-a for a long while on a 7-30 Waters and had no issues with it whatsoever. I even took a nice buck about 20 minutes after sundown on a cloudy day.




This hog was taken with a 3-10x42/4-a atop my 7mm Bullberry at the crack of dawn. Worked fine...again, it wasn't the very best reticle for that application but certainly did the job.

It's too bad Swarovski never offered the #4 reticle for the Z3 as they did in their wonderful but long-discontinued PH series.

Thanks very much. I misconstrued the Z3 as opposed to the Z5 in having a Parallax adjustment. Would you then opt for the BRX OR BRH for 'low light'?Thanks very much.

No. Out of the available options in the Z3, the 4-a seems to work best -- at least for my eyes. I wouldn't even consider the BRX. I've used the BRH but was not fond of it at all.

Thanks very much. I did not think the BRH was too bad but I may take your advice and stay with the 4A.


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Ever Hunting Rig I Own, Runs a 3-10-42 With a 4A. I Sent a Z5 Back and Had The 4 Put in It.. Just To Fine For My Taste.. I've Found Nothing To My Eyes That Beats a 4A From 15 Minutes Before Or After Sunset.. I Have a Spare New In The Box Z-3 3-10-42 With a 4A If You Go That Rout. I'll Take $750 For It..

*Are there one or two letters at the beginning of the serial number?

I have the plex and prefer it. It seems to center/focus my eye easier/quicker than the 4A.

I have both the Z3 3x9x36 and the 3x10x42mm both with the 4A reticle. The plex is quite thin to my eyes so I preferred the heavier 4A.

As a few others have stated - for a "simple" choice of just mounting and zero and forget about it, they are a great option.

* Isn't the 4A the same as a German #4 reticle?

No. But unfortunately, some seem to use the terms as if they'd interchange. I even bought a scope advertised as "#4" only to find out if wasn't.

Below is what a true #4 typically looks like (pardon the poor phone pictures).



A 4-A, shown below, typically isn't as bold and has wider spacing between the heavy horizontal sections.



Some confusion also likely stems from the fact that Schmidt Bender prefaces each of their reticles with "A" for Absehen. Below is their #4.

* Thanks very much for the detailed information. I truly appreciate the courtesy. I was unaware of such facts.

Bobby, always like to read your opinions thanks. Gentleman I own 3 Z3 well 2 Z3's and an AV. 2 have plex the other 4A. The 4A is much better to me.

Good luck and shoot straight y'all

I hate to be the Debbie Downer on this thread but I just don't get it..........


I would never part with either of my Swarovski binoculars or spotting scopes but the rifle scope you are looking at is just not worth the money and much better options are available from several manufacturers

Swarovski makes excellent Binoculars and spotting scopes, perhaps the best.......but their rifle scopes SUCK and are over priced

I bought a 3-10 a year ago with the BRH, mounted on a Kimber Mtn Ascent in 6.5cm and pretty happy with it myself. The reticles are about the same thickness (both on thinner and thicker portions), but the spacing of the thick bars is much wider on the BRH. For my eyes, it works well past legal shooting light - the 4a would be a bit better at first and last light, but obviously has no windage/elevation in the reticle.

Maybe because I grew up using Leupold Duplex reticles, I've always favored the Plex four sided heavier crosshairs. The 4A looks incomplete and open ended, but a lot of the forum guys do like that one. I'm not sure if your 3.5-10x42 will be a first or second plane reticle and that might influence your decision. My 2.5-10x42 30 mm Swarovski is a 1st plane Plex style reticle and those outside sections of the reticle appear to get very large up in the higher power ranges. I know that they cover the same amount as the lower power settings, but they do look large. I do like the #8 plex style first plane reticle in my 1.5-6x42 Zeiss. Here in the Midwest we don't shoot that far, so any hold over multi grid reticle is pretty worthless because we don't hold high on anything.

I have two z3 3-10x42, with the plex reticle. the glass on these are as good as my Schmidt and bender , but the sb reticle in the first plane is far superior. The German #4 reticle is about as good as they get for low light.