Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Illuminated Reticle Scopes

I just bought a Leupold VX 5HD 1x5 with a fire dot reticle. The glass appears to be as good as my Swarovski Z3 and it definitely seems like a quality piece of gear. Does anyone know through experience how the VX 5 series compares to the Swarovski Z6 illuminated series?

Its close. I haven't compared the VX5 to the Z6i but I have compared the VX6 which has the same glass. It takes having them side by side and peeping in various conditions to see a difference. Overall the Swaro is brighter and sharper. Illumination favors the Swaro if you need something super bright. Ive never found the VX6 lacking but I typically use the reticle in brighter light. I also prefer the illumination control of the Z6i and the spare battery compartment in the turret cap is nice. The Leupold is shorter and lighter by 3oz. VX6 has the CDS which Ive come to like. Wasnt a big enough difference to me to keep the Z6i. that being said, if you want the best.....Z6i.


Really comes down to what you prefer in an optic and your budget. If you have the money for a Z6i, you should really look through the Kahles 1-6.

Possibly the erector is different. Swaro makes a big deal about their Z5 and Z6 using a beefier system than the Z3. I think the Leupold is like the Z3. Neither is as strong as a SWFA or Nightforce but may be fine for a set and forget scope.

Not meaning to hijack this, but I have a question for you guys who actually use these. Why illuminate a reticle? Does it help at early light? I don't shoot at dusk, as a cripple will get away where I hunt.

Please educate me a bit, and thanks in advance.

I can’t speak for everybody, but I have a hunting blind back in the thick woods, where the hogs show up right at dusk. So, I find myself at 135 yards, in very dim light, very black hog, and black scope crosshairs. I’ve missed a few due to that. Can’t find the crosshairs on the hog. The Vortex reticle was too bright, even at lowest level, so the problem wasn’t solved. This firedot, though untested in that dim situation, looks to be perfect.

It makes the reticle more visible when it is otherwise hard to see. My buck this year, I identified, ranged and had a good bead on him, but could not see the reticle. I had to wait it out, until the reticle caught up to the available light. A red dot center would have been great!

Thank you. I looked through one several years back (don't remember what it was), and the dot was so bright it was all I could see. It's understandable that a dot in the dark would be very useful hog hunting. We don't have any, so I didn't think that direction.

We don't have shooting/hunting hours here except for waterfowl.

I've had occasion to talk to a bull moose all during a warm day and when the sun goes behind the mountain and the air cools, he trots up to me.
This is not the time for a black reticle on a black hide.