Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Swarovski Z6 durability??

For those who use a Swarovski Z6 scope....how's the durability??

Wanted another Schmidt & Bender Polar but they are a 6 month & have a price increase coming....😳

Wonderful glass. Fragile as fine China. The tube is eggshell thin, and the turret assembly is actually made of plastic, not kidding. Utter garbage in the reliability department. Probably the most fragile scope I have owned out of many dozen over the years. I am embarrassed now that I actually used to defend them.

Thanks for info.....a tad surprising but good to know!!

I was surprised too. Then a turret sheared clean off the scope tube. It’s how they make that POS so light.

That sucks!! What scope do you run now??

Mostly Nightforce on my serious rifles. Some Trijicon and a March mixed in too. I don’t like it, but I’ll begrudgingly take a weight penalty for reliability. Pretty much have to, until some manufacturer actually gets innovative and makes something light and durable.

I run some Nightforce NXS scopes.....love them but they are heavy.....they are durable though!!

Look at the Trijicon Credo HX. Not quite as heavy. Still work well and hold up.

I had one that disappointed as well. Its glass was not as good as my Z5s and even an older AV. Also, tracking was a let down. Not Leupold bad, but absolutely not confidence inspiring. It went down the road…

SDHNTR,

How did the Turret Shear Off the Scope Tube?
I have lots of experience with SB and Leupold for decades worldwide with no failures on demanding hunts. Set and forget. Recently purchased a few new Swarovski Z6 1.7-10x42’s and a new old stock 1.1-6X24 EE from the advice from several worldwide hunters using large bores and top tier gun builders. Wanting to hear about these bad experiences with Swarovski Z6’s.
NWT

First shot, both my Z6 lens fell out, coating started to peel, and then the turret flew off & hit me in the freagin eye.


j/k, lol. Jeff I had the same 1.7x10-42 Z6 go to Canada few times and Africa. It even caught my fall on ice before my face did. Never had an issue w/ Swaro stuff.

Glad your ok Stoney…….

Ya reckon you'll have to "circle back" to Beaverton...?

Ha!

DF

Jeff look at the mark5 3x18 perfect for you!

Torque whatever ring to Swarovski Z6 specs not ring specs as there is a good chance ring specs will dent the tube.

I don’t know exactly. The damn thing actually sheared off during shipping after I bought it. It was mounted on a rifle and packed in a Plano plastic hard case with foam lining, inside a cardboard box padded with styrofoam peanuts. I think somehow the turret got hung up in the handle section of the case and then the rifle moved forward inside the case. When it arrived and I opened the box, the turret was laying there broken off. When I sent it back to Swaro, the CS guy on the phone said it’s pretty common but usually happens when guys fall on it. Nonetheless, the guts of the turret assembly were revealed and I was quite shocked to see cheap, thin plastic where brass or steel is usually used, even on scopes of much lesser cost and “quality”. It got fixed and immediately sold.

And yes, the tubes are incredibly thin. Put more than 15-17ish inch lbs (which isn’t enough on mags imo, torque on your ring caps and you will bend the tube and bind the erector.

Sure is a great scope on paper and pleasing to the eye though!

Yeah but you used it on your blow up
doll Stoney....it was screwed before it fell apart!!

LOL!!! 🤣

Circle back....LOL!!

I have 2 Z6's, both 1x6's, one is illuminated, one is an extended eye relief. Zero issues with either and I could not ask for more from them. For this market niche of scope, I consider it one of the best. Zero issues with either and one is used on an M1A a lot and one is used on a .375. I am surprised at the above mentioned problems but any scope can break, even alpha scopes.

I used a 2-12 Z6i on my 7stw for 2 elk seasons. GREAT optically and I had no issues with it at all.