Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics My Leupold vs Swaro test results

Yes I know what you mean about the older Conquests as I had one in 2005 or so. I believe it had German glass and parts but was assembled in US, like the newer Z3. I think they both did this to save on import tariffs.The Conquest had a very nice duplex reticle. The new Z4's are made somewhere in Asia and I havent run one through a field test, and wont, but initial impressions looked good.

That larger big conquest is too bulky/heavy for my liking and I cant get a good cheek weld with the added height on my rifle. I had lighted center x hairs on a swaro x5i 3-18. Fantastic scope in every way and not sure why they are not more popular. My prob with lighted x-hairs is it makes me focus on them but when I shoot I focus on the target. Maybe I didnt practice enough to get used to them.

From what I understand, Swaro changed some internals over the years from the A's to Z3 models. I have not tried to dial my two 3-10's which are both late model versions but have read of guys doing so with issues. I dont dial for my deer rifle but I'm putting the other one on a sweet little Sako Vixen 223 and vertical dialing could come in handy for rock chucks etc but probably wont work well.


I have no issues with the modern Leupolds other than the more common than not stiff mag ring adjustment. I ordered a vx5hd 2-10 from them before xmas and the ring was so hard to turn that I sent it right back for a refund. Then I ordered another from OP for testing and the ring was passable but not great. I also got a vx5hd 2.5-8 Leup to check out and it came with a large screw in pin for the mag ring. Like wtf does this dainty little scope need to have a crank handle on it ! Every German scope I have owned had ultra smooth mag adjustments right out of the box and stayed that way. The bonus with the Germans is eye relief has always been constant for all mags so you dont have to change your form on higher power. I would guess that by now some 'Asian' manufacturers have 'duplicated' their engineering!

Thats every last illuminated scope in the books for me. When your eye has to gather and then you turn on a light, you loose your low light vision. Pupils constrict etc....

Lighted ones are ok during the day.

That's simply not true when it comes to the better illuminated models. The illumination in a Docter 8x56 is so dim -- and the dot so fine -- that you can't even see it thirty minutes after sunset until you get to the 4th or 5th setting -- and then it's just the faintest of glows. The illumination in my current Steiner Ranger 4 2.5-10x50 is much the same.

Those will not affect your vision in a negative way.

That's simply not true when it comes to the better illuminated models. The illumination in a Docter 8x56 is so dim -- and the dot so fine -- that you can't even see it thirty minutes after sunset until you get to the 4th or 5th setting -- and then it's just the faintest of glows. The illumination in my current Steiner Ranger 4 2.5-10x50 is much the same.

Those will not affect your vision in a negative way.

Good test and write up. There's a lot more than just brightness when judging a low-light scope. I think you captured all this very well. And you answered a question for me regarding the Leupold illuminated reticle in low light.

It should be noted the OP experience is the oppisite of mine and every other guy I know who has used the Fire Dot illum.

The lowest setting is typically so low it can only be seen in pitch black and a new battery.

The second setting can not be seen in normal daylight and produces a subdued burnt orange reticle in very low light.

It is most likely that I had the setting on the lowest usable level as the one lower than that would not be used as one cant shoot in pitch black. I set the light to the lowest setting visible after sundown with was orangy. The fact is that at a minute or two before my target was obscured by lack of light, I was able to see my cross hairs superposed over the target with the vx5, as easily as the others, so I didn't need a light assist. And when I tried the light it washed out my target. But I have to say my test was done at the extreme end of last light which most probably dont try out. But the firedot featire was not the reason I nixed the vx5. And I can see a higher setting of the firedot being handy under certain applications.