Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Swarovski Z3

Not with me it isn't.....and since no one asked me, I'll answer anyway

That's the issue I ran into,and figure I just must have had bum luck,because others seem to be doing well with them.But my AV, a 3-9, had a sneaky creeping erector and changed POI between power settings....cost me a very large mule deer,and about drove me nuts figuring this out.

A Z6 on a 300 Weatherby that behaved well for a pal (and me, since I shot the outfit to 500 yards a few times)for a couple of years,suddenly went sour.The rifle went back to the maker, who swapped the Z6 out for a Leupold and things were back to normal.Optically wonderful, that Z6 bought the farm after a couple hundred rounds on the 300.

That's it for me....I'm done.Seen enough.

I'm with Scott on the 3.5-10X Leupold..or a fixed 6X.....if I am gonna spend more than that, I'll spend way more and get a Schmidt Bender;and in that power category make it a Summit for me.I'll put up with a few more ounces.No AV hangs with a Schmidt optically..In the price range approaching $1500k-$2k, it ain't gonna be a Swaro at any price.

The bins are great, but they can keep the scopes..JMHO.

This is exactly the info I wanted. I appreciate the input on the scope's guts and experiences. No Swaro scopes for me now.

I'm all about some Swaro binoculars though, love the things, but no scopes.

I'm also with Bob, if I feel the need to drop coin on a Euro it would certainly be a Spit and Bendher.

I would be a pissed off hombre if I spent that kind of coin and had 2 go tits up.

Can't blame you Bob.

Not calling anybody out because reading about others' personal experiences with products is helpful. But if I based my optics choices on what anybody says on the internet, my only option would be open sights. Plenty of pages here with gripes about Leupold. Same with Swaro. I love Leupold and I've never had a major problem with them and I'll keep using them primarily. And I'll also continue to use the Swaros that I currently own.

But if I were going on a once-in-a-lifetime hunt and I knew I might only have one shot.....I'm going with a Leupold 6x42 with a M1 elevation turret. And my backup scope in the duffle will be.......a Leupold 6x42.

Damn! I just realized that I resent resemble that remark!

Seems plausible as there has been several threads on this Forum (and a few others) expressing dissatisfaction with the AV's not holding POI or otherwise puking. I seem to recall djpaintless had an internal lens pop loose.

I've had an AV 3.5-10x42mm that wouldn't hold zero (much like BobinNH describes). Swaro fixed it, and it now resides on my daughters .17HMR

I have found that the ER on the AV/Z3 can be a little critical and obviously their eye box is not as generous as Leupold.

The Swaro PH/PV series were better built. Issue I take with them is their weight/bulk and short ER.

Leup's are longest at low magnification, and it shortens as the power is turned up.

My Swaro AV and Conquests have their longest ER in roughly the middle of the power setting; it's shortest at both extremes. However, it's more constant than the Leup method.

As a practical matter, I really like the very long ER and fat eyebox that say a Leup 2.5-8 has at low powers. However, I really don't like how much it shortens, and how short it gets, at full power.

To take a shot at the Swaro and Conquest method, they don't have their best ER/EB at their lowest powers- which is arguably where it matters most for quick shots and whatnot.

You'll never hear me truly knock the better Leup's; they've worked well for me, mostly. That said, I do really like my AV and it's also worked very well for me. And it kicks sand in the face of the 2.5-8's I've compared it to in low light.

Hmmm, Swaro breaking...not heard any Conquests at half the cost failing.

Bobin, what you need there is a 6x42 S&B Heck, perhaps I do too!

65: Maybe!

Thanks for that info Bob . As I too have a 3-10x42 AV.
I will check this out when I get my 9.3 barrel..........Which should be early next year.

340: Likely yours is fine.I could have been one of the unlucky one's.....others have had good results.

I don't want to be snake bit twice.

Tough to beat the overall design of the AV/Z3 scopes. They are Leupold Compact and have superb optics. That said the single leaf spring design in their erector system vs the new VX-3 double leaf is outdated. Why they use a more positive system with their Z5 series and don't incorporate it into their Z3 is confusing as well. It's like they are saying if you want a more bullet proof scope buy the Z5. WTF I thought Swaro was supposed to stand for superior optics AND reliability.

I've never returned a Swaro back for repair & used AV scopes for many yrs. Like so many on the 'Fire, Leupolds & Burris I have returned.

Swarovski is top shelf, although some can always find a reason to not spend the xtra $$. I've heard Swaro has one repair tech in RI with very few returns.

I'll stick with the best Zeiss,Swaro,S&B, on my CF rifles.

I decided to use the scope brand with NO reported problems on the Internet.

So I sold all my Leupold's, Conquests, and Swaro's and instead now use:

I recentlty puchased a new demo model Z3 3-10-42 from my local shop. I really was not looking for one and this one had the ML recticle which is a little busy for my use, but the shop gave me what I think was a pretty nice deal. Buyers remorse has come and gone several times since the purchase. It usually leaves when I sit on my back poarch and compare side by side with a VX2. The crispness and clarity differences are noticiable, especially at 250 or so yards. Will it help me kill more deer...probably not. Here comes the remorse again.

Do the same test at last legal light; might help with the remorse!

Btw, OP - I'd not have a problem whatsoever running a Z3 fwiw.

Bobin - you DO have a 4x32 S&B correct? Did not have one IIRC at SHOT awhile back but did peer thru the 6x42 as the 1.5-6 flashdot. Both impressed.

Stoney, money aside, no doubt I agree, if you want the best, the 'alpha 3' are the pinnacle.

Jeff, speaking of the best, that is it - a PINNACLE A-BxC mm

My AV had the same symptoms as BobinNH......Swaro fixed it and I sold it.

They do seem to have some duds, no doubt about it.