i have a swarovski 3-10x42 1" scope and would like to get a reticle that they will only put in a single magnification scope. i want heavy german #1 reticle. ideally it would be in the plane where the reticle actually stays the same size, but appears to get larger as you increase the power.

which focal plane is that? i never can remember.

anyway, i would take a wire reticle, but would get an etched one if i can. does anyone make custom reticles like premeire reticle used to do. who can help me with this?

Reticles that grow with power increases are said to be in the 'first focal plane' (beneath the turrets). However, your model appears to be the Z3, which usually has it in the 'second focal plane' (behind the the erector tube, beneath the power ring).

While I agree that etched reticles should be more robust than wire ones, the Z3 I've seen had wire. These can occasionally be distorted by extreme recoil but I would be more worried that the Z3 only has a flat erector spring, rather than the four, rear-mounted helical springs of the Z5 and Z6 models. The Z3's spring does have a rounded knob to help it skid across the outer tube but I have heard that broken springs are not unknown.

I love the old #4 reticle, too, but being unsupported diametrically could make it less secure than some other designs.

If you want real reliability, though, buy another German or Austrian scope, but made pre-1975, in which the reticle moves out of centre if the sight is not mounted correctly. Though most had wire reticles, the #1 was the default and rarely fails. The real strength was that only the reticle moved when you twisted the knobs - the erector set and any power scroll was full width and fixed firmly in the outer tube. You can find these scopes at reasonable prices on the internet and if claimed to be in very good condition, they generally are, as sellers become jealous of their reputations on certain websites. The reticles in these scopes are almost always in the first focal plane, though American firms like Unertl and Weaver had placed some in the SFP.