Anyone have any experience with the Swaro Z3's? Looking to scope a 6.5 creedmoor.

The Z3 is an excellent scope both optically as well as mechanically.
What would you like to know?
Always feel free to call us to discuss optics.

I have a couple of them. Excellent scopes and light weight.
I have heard not to put them on a heavy recoiling rifle. Mine are on 270's and the like.
No issues,bright and light.

EZ

Mine is on a 1909. needed extended front mount to fit the rings.

The flat-spring design is probably strong enough to last a while in that rifle. However, by introducing and explaining the multiple helical springs in their Z5 and Z6 lines, Swarovski admit recoil can be a problem in scopes with constantly centred reticles, which may be all of them now, unless Valdada is still holding the line in their tactical scopes.

I put one on my M-77 MKII 300 Win Mag last year.
It's got a lot of use (some hard) since then. Got a hard drop on rocks ,rode in saddle scabbard ,banged against timber. Still held zero, never fogged , or given any problems in temps from -5 to 90 + degrees. Has the BRH reticle. I like it so far.

Just put a 3-9x36 on a CZ550 .308 that I'm hoping to get sighted in and start load developement for as the weather gets better.

So far so good with a 3-9-36 on a NULA 308 win. Light weight, very clear and tracks well. These were on sale with Doug at Cameraland. I think I may order another!

Always our pleasure to "meet" and work with the members here

Mounted a 3-9x36 on my .275 Rigby. Excellent size and weight for the Ruger Hawkeye African. Holds zero well and I've taken two deer with this setup so far. I'm very pleased with the scope.

I would like to try a Z3 out, but don't understand why Swarovski says to go to a Z5 or larger scope if it is going on a rifle with a lot of recoil. I like how lightweight the 3-9x36 is.

I used to swap out my VXI and VXII Leupolds between my new rifles...everything from .223 to my Ruger #1 in .458 Lott. Most brutal for recoil was probably a Pre accutrigger Savage 110 in 300RUM...and still sighted it in and shot a hog with it the same day

quote:

Originally posted by Buglemintoday:
I would like to try a Z3 out, but don't understand why Swarovski says to go to a Z5 or larger scope if it is going on a rifle with a lot of recoil. I like how lightweight the 3-9x36 is...

I think I see what you mean. In simple terms there seems no reason why a larger, heavier scope should handle recoil better than a lighter one.

Swaro's original reason for changing the spring type was probably because larger-and-larger zoom multiples need erector lenses extending farther forward (like a camera's telephoto lengthening as the zoom increases). This is likely to add more forward weight in the erector tube, to be slammed down and up under recoil.

Maybe as a side benefit, they decided that having coil springs behind the erector tube would also resist the secondary recoil impulse as the shooter's shoulder arrests the outer scope's rearward inertia. This, they reason, makes the scopes with helical springs more suited to heavy recoil.


At least they admit the problem exists. Before the 'constantly centred' delusion infected the scope world, makers like Unertl, Bausch & Lomb, Zeiss and Nickel knew about these problems. Those American makers believed the only real answer was to have the reticle rock solid with no movement inside the scope. The Europeans countenanced some movement of the reticle alone (not the erector set) but preferred to do all windage adjustments in the mounts.

I see cameralandny has some excellent prices on Z3s at the moment.
I am jealous,this side of the pond there is no way we can get this good value.
To my mind the Z3s are excellent hunting scopes,under 400grms,1” tube,great choice of reticle.

I had one on my Tikka 695 7mag several years ago. The erector system gave up the ghost while I was shooting at a big 190" mule deer buck.....shot the poor thing to pieces. I sent it to Swarovski to take advantage of their stellar customer support and they fixed it. I sold it. A couple of my buddies had the same thing happen.

What worries me is that flat springs suspending the erector tube are common to about 95 per cent of scopes today. If the quality obsessives at Swaro can't get that technology right, who can?

There are several makes that get it right. Sadly they are tactical models like the. Hshnell Elite tactical, SWFA, Night force, etc

quote:

Originally posted by JGRaider:
I had one on my Tikka 695 7mag several years ago. The erector system gave up the ghost while I was shooting at a big 190" mule deer buck.....shot the poor thing to pieces. I sent it to Swarovski to take advantage of their stellar customer support and they fixed it. I sold it. A couple of my buddies had the same thing happen.

Looking at Swarovski's erector tubes in the Z3 and Z5 and Z6 lines, I am reminded of another problem with now-conventional, image-movement scopes.

When a flat spring is attached to the erector tube and the user applies adjustment, the unsecured spring end has to be dragged across the main scope tube, creating a certain amount of friction. With extreme adjustments in some directions, this friction will increase as the engagement becomes tighter and the spring is forced to move along a steeper, more difficult path around the outer wall. It could account for a scope failing to track consistently and perhaps for spring breakages.

It is probably why the Z3 spring has a little roundy bit on the end (to cut friction) and another reason they changed to rear-mounted helical springs on the Z5 and Z6. It may also explain why Nightforce feel the need to tumble their springs for two weeks to remove burrs.

This could also be a reason the German makers initially preferred to only have elevation turrets in their old reticle-movement scopes, though their springs were possibly not fixed to the reticle 'washer' - it meant the spring had only to flex in and out, not be strained and rubbed laterally as well.

In thinking about the post above I believe I've come up with the ultimate answer to the spring problem and in fact the whole fragility of image-movement scopes.

I could explain it here but have a book to sell. I'll endeavor to see that anyone who buys Light at the Start of the Tunnel receives an updated 'Epilogue' including a page called 'New shit has come to light'.

Look for the main title in the Classified forum.