Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Swarovski Z3 Scope Failures?

How many of you have had failures on a Swarovski Z3 scope? I've seen a few reports (more so with the AV predecessor) on various forums and it's got me a bit concerned about their "ruggedness" as a scope. I usually try to have backup scope available in the event of a fall that knock or breaks a scope, but the reports seem more related to recoil than anything; that they're a bit recoil sensitive.

I like the scope from a weight and clarity perspective, but reliability has me a bit nervous.

I've had the erectors take a sheit on both a 3-9x36mm and 3-10x42mm Z3

A couple friends had the 4-12x50mm Z3 with same malady.

None of the scopes were used for dialing. Simply "set and forget" for hunting. My Z3's were mounted on Kimber Montana/Classic with biggest being a .308 shooting 150gr. Nos AB

One of my friends was using a semi-custom Rem Sendero 7STW with his 4-12 Z3. That one crapped out while attempting to zero! lol

I just invested in a Z5 ... sure hope it doesn’t have these issues

Got an AV 4-12x50 on my Sako Model 75 Hunter Stainless, .270. Doubt I have had to adjust more than a couple of clicks in 12 years. Zero problems

Hope in one hand, and chit in the other. See which one fills up first......

Between my kids and I we own a bunch of them and as set and forget scopes we've been pretty happy with them, great clarity and love the 4A reticle.

Ha! You’re killing me!

Over The Years I've Had or Have 50+. AV's ,PH, Z-3-5-6;s. Only Two Have Been Sent Back. One a AV 4-12 With Parallax Issue. Quickly Fixed And Returned Free Of Charge..The Other Was Strapped To a Four Wheeler That Went 1200 Yds Off a Side of The Mountain.. The AV 3-10 42 Took A Beating,{Broken Into 3 Pc} Swarovski Replaced It With Another For $300 Cant Ask For Better Service, The Couple Of Times I've Used Them, They've Done Me Right.. All I Use Now Days..

Me too. I bought a 3-9x36 and ordered the 4A reticle to try it and really like it. I just bought another over the internet and was dithering and when the seller said it had the 4A I bought it.

Do you dither often?

The Z5 is a better scope. Swarovski uses "coil springs" for the erector on Z5 and up models vs "leaf springs" for the Z3.

I have been running Z3's on all my deer rifles for several years now with zero issues, But I am no turret twister, mine have been set and forget scopes mounted mostly on lightweight .300 Win's and Short Magnums ( Tikka T3x superlites and Kimber Montana's and Subalpine models).....I really like the optics on these scopes 👍.....Good luck...Hb

The only 1" tube Swaro I've ever owned took a dump, while attempting to kill a big mule deer. Swaro fixed it, I sold it.

I used my z5 for dialing. In a couple years it went back twice. Both times the note told me they replaced the erector. I sure liked the lightness, but don't use it anymore.

Friend sent his 4-12x50 Z3 to Mr. Forbes to be mounted on his new NULA. It crapped out while Mr. Forbes was test-firing. The scope had been mounted on a 700 BDL wood/blued 270Win previously for ~2-3 seasons.

No I don't. Which is a bit of a problem as I tend to buy on impulse and then pay the credit card off later.

I have been using Swarovski rifle scopes since the mid 90's and no issues with the older A Series fixed 4x, 1.25 - 4.5x and 3-9x36 (Austrian mfg.), AV 3-9x36; and so far several Z3 3-9x36 and 3-10x42 have been trouble free on rifles ranging from a 222 Rem. up to a 375 H&H. I use these as "set and forget" on hunting rifles.
I do know of one issue first hand with an AV 3-9x36 that was on the top of friend's Weatherby Mark V in 340 Weatherby that did not fare well at all; that scope was returned to RI several times for repair. That 340 Weatherby is now downloaded a bit and it sports a Burris FFII 3-9x40 that's had no issues. The repaired AV 3-9x36 lives on a Mauser sporter in 7x64 now.

Obviously YMMV.

StarchedCover

I thought it was only Leupolds that went belly up????

These may be worst...I'll bet they sell 1/100 the amount of scopes

Have purchased several AV's & a couple of Z3's from the Campfire. I have one AV & one Z5 I purchased new.

Total, I own 8 Swarovski's & have sent one AV in for service in the last 20 years.