Dear all

Just contemplating buying this scope but need to know if it can be used for driven game? I have got a feeling at the back of my head that it was in fact designed for this purpose.

Any one out there use one for this purpose?

Any info greatly appreciated before I dive in and buy it.

Thanks

I had one on a .375 I took to Africa and it also had the circle-dot reticle. The fact that it was a 1st focal-plane design made, to my eye, a strange illusion when turned down to 1.5X..almost a tunnel effect for someone used to 2nd focal-place scopes.

Having said that -- it worked!!! I made a snap shot late the first afternoon of a warthog that literally exploded out of some cover like a rabbit -- a very large rabbit and I rolled him over on his nose at about 20 yards.

I shot a zebra stallion galloping broadside at a bit more than a 100 yards and he went down like a cowpony, jumped up and ran about 30 yards and fell dead.

Made a loooong 2nd shot on a sable that got up and took off after a solid shoulder hit --- knocked him down unitl I could walk up and finish him.

The "best" shot of the trip followed the poorest one. My 1st shot on my leopard hit a bit high as he ducked a bit to eat just as I fired. He came off the branch like a load of bricks but twisted to land on his feet and run off into the short grass....bad news. About 30 minutes later I made the best shot of the trip into his chest at less than 20 yards and closing quickly....2 steps and I could touch him with my muzzle.

The circle dot is a superb reticle for quick shooting.

One other thing. The dot in the middle will cover the chest of an impala at 200 yards so it really isn't made for distance shooting at small "targets".

I'm in the process of buying a new scope for a driven hunt and it will be one of the new Swarovski Z6's --- either the 1-6x24mm or the 1.7-10x42mm as they both have the 2nd focal-plane design that is most common in American scopes.

Thanks Bill

Just the sort of info I was looking for.

With regards to your following comment

One other thing. The dot in the middle will cover the chest of an impala at 200 yards so it really isn't made for distance shooting at small "targets".

It sounds like this scope is not the kind of scope you would use for dual purpose i.e. primarily for driven game but also use out to 200 - 300 yards? If that is so perhaps I should get the 1.25 - 4 x 24 equivalent as I will be using it primarily for driven game. What do you think? Just one other question - what was the field of view like on the 1.5 setting?

Thanks again

Jon

The field-of-view, according to the Swarovski specification sheet is 66 feet at 1.5X and 21 feet at 6X.

If I were buying a scope for driven-style hunting I think it would be the new Swarovski Z6 1-6x24mm - it's 2nd focal plane rather than 1st like the 1.5-6x42mm you were asking about.
It has an exceptional FOV --- in the standard version at 1X the FOV is 127 feet and 20 feet at 6X... eye-relief is 3.75". They also make what they call an"extended eye-relief" version
with an eye-relief of 4.72" but you lose a little FOV --- at 1X it's 100 feet and at 6X it's 16 feet. It's a bit more expensive than the older 1-4x24mm you mentioned but it does go to 6X rather than just to 4X.

The other, more versatile choice, would be the 1.7-10x42mm Z6. The FOV at 1.7X is 76 feet and 16 feet at 10X --- this is what I'm probably going to put on my rifle when I come to Croatia for driven boar in Novemnber.

They do cost a bit more, at least here in the US, than the PV (or PH) Swarovski models but I like them because they are a bit more versatile and, of course, because of the 2nd focal-plane perspective. They are both also offered in an illuminated version called the Z6i but they do get pricey.

I can't see any reason why it would not work.

Some European nations have a less than 2x restriction on drive hunts. Either the Z6 or the PH/Habicht line would work.

So would a Zeiss, Schmidt and Bender or a lot of other scopes.

If you want to see a really neat one. Take a look at the Trijicon, 1-5 30mm job. It's really special.

Thanks Bill/D99

Bil

After reading your last post, I have gone for the 1.25-4 x 24 Swaro PVI.

I was thinking the 6 x version could double up for a conventional scope out to say 300 but if it covers the chest of an impala at 200 this is not really going to be a good compromise.

I have gone for the one that is designed specifically for the job in hand so thanks for the info.