I have a 3.5-10x40 VX-III, but looked at a Swarovski Habicht 3-9x36 today in the store. I liked the Swarovski alot. Has anyone compared these 2 scopes side by side?

Yes, I've owned both. Keep what you have. If you want to step up to a Z6 that's a different story.

Terry

wes7x57,

Here I go answering a question you didn't ask.

I compared the Swarovski Habicht side by side with my 6500. This particular Habicht maxed at 10X. I set both the Bushnell 6500 and the Swarovski on 10X.

I could barely make out the 1" grid lines at 300 yards with the Habicht set on 10X. They sorta faded in and out of view. On the other hand, they were solid and clear with the Bushnell set on 10X.

By the way those lines measured twenty-one thousands (.0021") of an inch thick. Either scope would allow you to see the eye of a squirrel at that range. The fun thought for me is the Hibicht was maxed out and the 6500 still had 20X more to go. The 6500 would allow you to see an eyelash. I just love value.

Ringman,

Sure there aren't some extra zeroes in that .0021 inches?
Seeing that, at 300 yards, with 10x is frankly, beyond belief.

I can see a .338 hole in a black piece of paper at 70 yards with a 9x Habicht and not at all with a Leupold. Furthermore, when the light begins to fail, I can't see a thing through the Leupold.

Here's the deal. I like Swarovski optics but that model (3-9X36) sucks eggs!

Terry

esldude,

Sorry for the mistake. I will let the editor know.

I would like to have an extra zero on the left side of the decimal on my paycheck. Instead of getting smaller, like the line on the target, it would get bigger.

Lord, once again please bless my decrepit old M8 6x42 with miraculous powers for my hunt this evening as you must have been doing all along since I've been able to see with it long after it was supposed to be useless. Amen.

I've got an M8 4x and it does the job credibly.

I don't want anything to do with any 1" Swaro scopes.

I am always astounded to hear of Leupolds that go blank the instant the sun hits the horizon. Especially since I have tested a bunch of scopes using optical charts after dark with the only light a 100-watt bulb 25 yards from the target. My tests with 3-9x Swarovskis AV's and Leupold VX-III's (among others) have never shown this amazing characteristic.

Of course a lot of people who say Leupolds go black don't specify the model number, or whether it was was Uncle Harold's 4x28 from 1969 that was repeatedly cleaned with his shirt-tail for several decades. But here we are discussing a new VX-III.

MD- THe VX-III's are bright, the duplex will quit before the glass will IMO.

Mule Deer,

Why are you bringing facts to an emotional arguement?

The idea that one would reinforce his arguement instead of raising his voice never works when folks are predjudice.

You know I am never guilty of ignorant predjudice, but I know my daddy can whip your daddy.

I re-read the post and didn't see were anyone said Leupolds go blank the instant the sun hits the horizon. What gives?

While I have zero problems hunting with a Leupold, my dedicated whitetail gun has a VXIII 3.5x10, it's a good scope. I also have a 3x9x36 Swaro and to my eyes it's better optically than a 2.5x8x36 Leupold, so I'm not sure what "sucks eggs" about it. To each is own, but for the money the Leupold represents a better value.

I had one and hunted it for one full season. To my eye's the scope wasn't in the same league as my 2.5-8X36 VXIII. Mine didn't resolve well, eye placement was critical and I always had trouble making out deer in the early morning with that scope. To my eye's not only was the Leupold a better value, it's a better scope. I like Swarovski optics. The PH 2.5-10X42 is one of my all time favorites. I don't have a favorite scope brand though. I just use what works best for me.

Terry

I used a 3.5-10 Leup VX III in Alberta for a couple of weeks; standard regimen was hunting from blinds in the late afternoon on huge fields. I saw and aimed at a ton of deer in 12 days, and with a full year of Campfire optics talk rattling in my brain, I made a point of watching when the scope, "crapped out",ie, I could no longer see a deer,identify it, and still shoot against dark bush.It was generally about at the end of legal shooting light.I suspect a dedicated Euro would take me beyond that time frame,but you don't want to shoot past legal light in Alberta,or anywhere else for that matter.

BTW,call me a Neanderthal, but this is the largest scope I have ever taken on a hunt, anywhere,ever... It didn't help...I missed!

Bob, pray tell did your miss involve gymnastics with the B&C reticle?

When I killed my elks this year, in both cases my mind just made the B&C into a duplex- which was a good thing.

I took my 2.5x8 Loopy on my Kimber and the Zeiss 3.5x10 on my .338 well into the darkness several times and either one got me past legal light. That said, the blue-white tint of the Zeiss is slightly "better" than the yellower tint of the Loopys in very low light- to my eye.

BobinNH,



Yea but, if you had a 4 1/2-14X you would have hit. Just anyone.

Jeff: No gymnastics involoved;straight Duplex.I think I encountered the old down-hill overshoot thing.I went to the range back home here to check the rifle and it is perfectly in zero;so it was the boob behind the rifle.

Downhill, through an opening in the tree tops at about 300 yards,on the slant.Did not consider the horizontal distance. I rolled a couple coyotes earlier in the week at about the same distance. It was not the gun or gear.I take full responsibility.

Western Oregon under dark timber and an overcast sky gets dark pretty fast. I haven't had issues with making out a head to the end of legal light with my vx3's. However the bushnell 4200's are a great scope too, maybe a little clearer. Also heavier and larger with less eye relief but built like a tank. I'm sure there are much better scopes. For those with deeper pockets, you should purchase whatever makes you the happiest. At what point diminishing returns factor in is for you to decide. For anyone that thinks I'm a moron; that's cool, wish you the best in life.

Facts vs. fiction, how interesting. Thanks for the usual informative post.

He's right. Keep what you have. The 1-inch Swaros are nothing to crow about, especially at $1,000. You can get a significantly better scope for half that.

I have both Swarovski and Leupold scopes on my rifles. I also have 1 Schmidt and Bender. I believe the S&B to be the best. The S&B is also the heaviest by a wide margin.

The emotional rants about which is best is like arguing politics/religion.

The reason I don't have more Swarovski scopes is basically due to their cost. Leupold makes an absolutely great scope, and even if their scope wasn't any good, you couldn't find better customer service or warranty/repair on any product!

I am not saying that I would own only Swarovski scopes either, there are many applications that a Leupold suits better. When I take my varmint rifles out, and I have 5 of them, 3 of the 5 have Leupolds and one is Swarovski, one is Zeiss.

I believe the glass is better in the Swarovski and Zeiss. It takes quite a bit more money to accomplish a very slight improvement in optics. That is the difference I see in the 3 scopes. Seeing small things clearly, contrast, definition, etc. will all require alot from the optic ability of any scope.

When I bought my first scope for a varmint rifle, years ago, I bought a Bushnell 3-9 wide angle scope. It worked for awhile. I chose it over a Leupold 3-9 for 2 reasons...I couldn't see any difference in the optics in the store, and it was cheaper. Years later, I can see a difference in a Bushnell scope or Leupold, or Weaver...etc., I believe that is true today, and that is why I have varied scopes for economic reasons as well as function.

All manufacturers have different goals, some want to look sexy, some want tracking and more durable internals , some want better coating and glass,some just want a wide profit margin..They set their specs and then manufacture accordingly.You can't argue the quality of a scope simply by any one criteria.Sometimes if you cannot afford or are not willing to spend the extra for the more expensive whatever it is , then most likely you will not be able to percieve the difference in qualities.I have excercised this practice many times over the years . And conversely if you blow you money and buy something expensive , you will be able to come up with all kinds of support that purchase over the cheaper .Just human nature.

If someone wants a Swaro 3-9x36 Habicht I have a take off from a safe queen that for which I have no immediate use.

The one I was referring to was $345. I'll pay you that!!

Oh good. I was worried that after we finally talked you into trying the B&C, it'd cost you a nice deer! :-)

Wes,
If you can get a Swaro 3-9x36 for $345.00, you had better do it.
MSRP on them now is close to $1,000.00 and going up again in 2009.