Okay lads, here is the (nice) dilemma.

Following the wild boar discussion, I have decided I need a new scope. It is down to a 3-12x50 in either a Swarovski PH or a S&B Zenith.

Price is not a factor. They are so close in price it is irrelevant. Application is everything my 270 might be asked to do, from driven boar, through high seat at night and all normal UK and Irish stalking uses.

Simple question, based on experience, which is best??

Regards
Brian.

Both are top scopes ... Schmidt & Bender probably the best IMHO, due to overall conditions taken in account ... just try to compare both of them side by side through your own eyes ... optically speaking both are very good choices, so perhaps personal feelings would make you decide which one you ´ll choose

Schmidt and Bender is a touch brighter, and will be quite a bit heavier.

Swarovski is way lighter, and more attractive.

I like Schmidt and Bender but I would carry an anvil if it helped me kill big animals.

Claret_Dabbler,

I have both Swaro and S&B scopes and I don't think you will be dissappointed with either. Personally I think the Swaro's are a touch better scope.

The S&B seem to have a longer ocular assembly and less space on the tubes for the mounts.

I bought a used 1.5-6x42mm S&B last year and I just could not get it far enough forward in the rings to get the right eye relief; it was mounted on a CZ so the rings were fixed.

The new generation S&B are even shorter so warrent checking before you lay down your cash especially if its going on a long action..

I actually have the Swaro 3-12x50 you mention and have been using it for several years. I have been very pleased with it and the only slight problem is that the illuminated reticle seems to run down the battery even when switched off..In fairness I am still investigating this and it might very well be my fault...

As much as I like the 3-12x50mm, I think if I were doing it again, I would go for the 2.5-10x42mm...With the Swaro optics, it really is bright enough for most deer stalking situations...the smaller scope might also balance better on the rifle for driven boar too?

Regards,

Pete

get the Zenith with the flashdot. The best available. a 1.5-6x42 zenith with flashdot would be sweet

Well

I would pick the Swarovski. I have 3-12X40 and 4-12X50, in my opinion both are better than the S&B.

Swarovski also have very generous warranty and good service.

Cheers
/JOHAN

i think the new zenith is a step up as well as flash dot technology over anything swarovski offers. johan you must be talking about the klassik series?

I knew that would happen, it's kind of like picking between two playboy playmates, either way you will win!

I am pleased with my (3) Swaros and my (2) S&S and my (2)Zeiss.

I prefer Swaro for the look is great, the velvet coat really not shiny, they are light and bright.
And the best : the collapsible eyepiece. This shock-absorber is great in 3 circumstances :
1) when creeping on the utt or too short a butt
2) when sloppily or too fast snapshooting
3) when shooting lying down
4) when shooting uphill or downhill

For all these reasons, Swaro is slightly over the rest.

CD

I have Schmidts on all my rifles apart from my 22-250 and one thing i can testify to is the excellent build quality of the Schmidts

I once had a rifle fall from a wall mounted rack and it fell scope down from about 5/6ft onto a solid concrete floor. Not only was the scope in perfect working order, it was also still zero'd. What you would expect for something made by the Germans really i suppose.

I still have the scope now.

I've got the Swarovski 3-12x50PH, a couple of Hungarian fixed S&Bs and an old German fixed S&B. I much prefer the Swaro to all the S&Bs but to be fair the S&Bs I have got aren't their best ones and my Swaro cost 2-3 times as much as them.
I love the light weight of the Swaro and the light gathering is trully excellent. I also have the Swaro 8.5x42 binos and together they give me more extra minutes of twilight when its needed than anything else I have tried. Although I would like to try the S&B Zenith and would be very interested in the comparison.

A reputable dealer that knows you should allow you to take both away to compare for a day and a night. Choose a night similar to the ones you will be shooting in and set up a target in a field to check their utility in real conditions.

I am a lifelong fan of Swaro.

i own 3 swarvo's and i can not fault them. the truth is both are excellent and i would probably bring the weight of the scope as being the deciding factor.

I use 2 x Swarovski scopes, 3 x Zeiss scopes, 4 x Schmidt&Bender scopes and used to use Leopold scopes.
My vote goes to SCHMIDT&BENDER...

...pick any you like they are both OK, check the reticles available tho - maybe you should consider magnification - imho - 3 x is a bit too much for driven boar unless you have a QD mount and you are good with iron sights...

I've got the Same swaro with the IR. Can't fault it at all. Great scope day and night. Light weight and good looking.

I also am in the Life Swaro Fanclub though!!

FB

A year ago I would have recommended S&B as I have had a 1.5-6x42 on my Ferlacher drilling (8x57IRS, 12/70) and a 3-12x50 on my .300 Win Mag (Weatherby Mark V) for the last couple of years and I really like them (and would not replace them). Now I got a 3-12x50 PV-N Swarovski on my 7x64 Classic Mannlicher and a very nice (and light) AV 3-10x42 on a Merkel K1, .270 Win.

The Swarovski scopes are lighter and in bad light conditions, they just transmit a bit better over the whole spectrum. Also, the image seems a bit clearer in general.

The problem with the illuminated reticle of the Swarovski running down the batteries even when switched off, I cannot confirm. Hasn't happened to me nor to my uncle who has been using the same scope on his .300 Win Mag for wild boar hunting for a couple of years now. You just have to make sure that the light is really turned off.

In terms of mechanical stability I would not recommend one over the other. They are all exceptionally sturdy.

Cheers, M.

Thanks guys, I am tending towards the Swaro, mainly due to the weight issue, its about 250gm lighter than the S&B. In every other aspect, they seem comparable.

MF, I love your sign off on the bottom of the page.

Regards
Brian.