Swarovski z6i 1-6x24 on 375 H&H

[bruce moulds]

rookhawk, your experience with leupold differs from mine.
I will say I have not used the 1.5-5, so cannot comment on that specifically.
bruce.

 

[Adrian]

I received a new scope for my .375 yesterday.
I chose a Steiner Ranger 2-8x42 illuminated. Long eye relief and a compact design.

While I acknowledge that Swarovski make a good scope I will never own one because I believe that there are many equally good makers out there who produce a scope that is just as good as a Swarovski for less than half the price.

I have also talked to the rep in the UK who deals with Blaser, Sauer, Swarovski and the high end makes.

He was telling me about the advertising, the glossy magazine spreads and pamphlets and posters, and all the things that catch your eye when you see a Swarovski display etc.

Now call me cynical but I wonder how much of the cost of a scope is set aside for all of this advertising?

I would rather spend half the money on an equally good scope than blow thousands on a Swarovski and fund a glossy poster campaign.

I have a Meopta on one of my rifles and my Swarovski mad friend looked through it and said it was actually better than his all singing, all dancing Swarovski.....

Yes, Swarovski make a damn good shooting aid but so do many other manufacturers for a lot less money.
Look around and if you have the money and absolutely have to have the name on your kit then you get the Swarovski.
If it's not that important to you and you just want a quality scope that you can mount on your rifle and get out there shooting, you will find just what you are looking for and still have cash to spend on a kudu hunt.

 

[EfRed]

Alright I'm finally getting ready to order my 375 and I am trying to decide on the scope. I am leaning towards the swarovski. I will be getting the winchester safari express. Other options that I am looking at are the leica visus 1-4 and the leupold 1.5-5 vx3i. Any experience with any of these scopes would be greatly appreciated.

I have the Swarovski Z8i 1-8 on .375 Wby/H&H and .35 Whelen. For DG, I think the 1 power end is necessary for max FOV - you'll see your charging buffalo clearly right up to cornada distance, you can watch as he hooks you. The 8 power top end will bring 400 yds in to 50 yds. That's all I'll ever need even on my 300 Dakota. The illuminated reticle, which affords the choice of illuminated dot or illuminated circle with dot, is a real asset in dark or fast-use conditions. The only possible complaint, I think, is for very poor light conditions, where you might want something with a bigger objective lens. But it's likely that if you go Leupold, the excellent Swarovski glass quality might offset some amount of objective lens diameter increase. Need to test that for yourself. The Z8i is more expensive, but worth it.

 

[rookhawk]

I have the Swarovski Z8i 1-8 on .375 Wby/H&H and .35 Whelen. For DG, I think the 1 power end is necessary for max FOV - you'll see your charging buffalo clearly right up to cornada distance, you can watch as he hooks you. The 8 power top end will bring 400 yds in to 50 yds. That's all I'll ever need even on my 300 Dakota. The illuminated reticle, which affords the choice of illuminated dot or illuminated circle with dot, is a real asset in dark or fast-use conditions. The only possible complaint, I think, is for very poor light conditions, where you might want something with a bigger objective lens. But it's likely that if you go Leupold, the excellent Swarovski glass quality might offset some amount of objective lens diameter increase. Need to test that for yourself. The Z8i is more expensive, but worth it.

Average male over 30 can dilate their pupil to around 6mm, the maximum amount of light gathering a typical male's eye can absorb.

1-8x24mm optic would let it maximum light at 4x magnification in twilight. Lowering it to 3x, or 2x, or 1x will not allow any further light be absorbed.

So for the contrarian minded that demand more light gathering for this mythical night-time daliance with chupacabras and sniping bats, whats that look like? Well if you buy 2-10x40mm optic, yes, you'd actually be able to get max light absorption at 5.75x and below. But at a consequence of taller rings, slower target acquisition, and more perceived recoil as your face comes off the comb more. But why stop there in our hypothetical? Lets go fall-on monster trucking loving redneck mode and get ourselves a 3-15x52mm chunk of glass? Yes, you could theoretically have your optic set at 8.66x and get full light transmission at night.

Who are these night hunters that are so rich they are buying gigantic glass, but so poor they can't buy a night vision or thermal instead? How is it that they require this light gathering ability, yet their game of preference is willing to sit around for them to fidget with their scope extensively while the shooter attempts to find proper eye adjustment in pitch black to look through their scope? And who is this entourage of assistants with the world's most powerful highbeam flashlights that are able to project enough lumens at great distances to shine an animal that needs to be seen at 5.75x to 8.66x magnification hundreds of yards away?


Light gathering is a myth for people that want huge scopes, even though huge scopes are slow to acquire game and result in more recoil and more lost game due to failure to rapidly acquire target.

 

[EfRed]

Average male over 30 can dilate their pupil to around 6mm, the maximum amount of light gathering a typical male's eye can absorb.

1-8x24mm optic would let it maximum light at 4x magnification in twilight. Lowering it to 3x, or 2x, or 1x will not allow any further light be absorbed.

So for the contrarian minded that demand more light gathering for this mythical night-time daliance with chupacabras and sniping bats, whats that look like? Well if you buy 2-10x40mm optic, yes, you'd actually be able to get max light absorption at 5.75x and below. But at a consequence of taller rings, slower target acquisition, and more perceived recoil as your face comes off the comb more. But why stop there in our hypothetical? Lets go fall-on monster trucking loving redneck mode and get ourselves a 3-15x52mm chunk of glass? Yes, you could theoretically have your optic set at 8.66x and get full light transmission at night.

Who are these night hunters that are so rich they are buying gigantic glass, but so poor they can't buy a night vision or thermal instead? How is it that they require this light gathering ability, yet their game of preference is willing to sit around for them to fidget with their scope extensively while the shooter attempts to find proper eye adjustment in pitch black to look through their scope? And who is this entourage of assistants with the world's most powerful highbeam flashlights that are able to project enough lumens at great distances to shine an animal that needs to be seen at 5.75x to 8.66x magnification hundreds of yards away?


Light gathering is a myth for people that want huge scopes, even though huge scopes are slow to acquire game and result in more recoil and more lost game due to failure to rapidly acquire target.

I've never had to complain about what the Z8i 1-8 does for me ! It's perfect, and I don't think a Z10i 1-10 would be any better, if they made it. I do have to say that with my 2 lb Olight 3500 lumen mounted on the end of my 375, I can illuminate a vole at 500 yards, and I can see him with my Z8i, but, unfortunately, I don't think I can hit him.... need to move up to my turret-mounted 400 Cheytac for that...