There is an optic brand that outdoes itself with every single piece they manufacture. Each product is made from high-quality materials and designed to last a lifetime while ensuring you get the very best visionary experience to make high-precision, ethical, and long-range shots.
The optic company is Swarovski Optik. Wasn’t much of a surprise, was it?
Just the word “Swarovski” screams sophistication, clarity, and style. And that’s what this family-owned company tries to portray in each and every optic they produce. Even with their slightly higher price tags, the Swarovski optics are worth every penny.
Today, the hunting and sports shooting industry has tremendously upped its game when it comes to scope technology. While the first generation rifle scope was made of stainless steel, today’s scopes are drawn from light, aircraft-grade aluminum. Therefore, in terms of convenience and strength, there is no comparison.
And when it comes to innovation and new technology, Swarovski is always at the forefront. But even with a chockfull of awesome optics, there are still some scopes that perform better than others. So which are the best Swarovski scopes to use?
What to Consider When Buying a Swarovski Scope
Before you answer that answer, you need to consider some important factors of the scope that will affect your shooting skills. They include:
Optical Power
First things first, you need to know how much magnification power you’ll need. The magnification level will establish the limits of the scope’s applications.
A 1,500-yard bench shooter would be significantly underequipped with a 6x scope, while an amateur hunter would find it very difficult to shoot with a 32x scope.
Objective Lens Size
Once you know the magnification power you need, you’ll have to settle on a good lens size. The larger the lens, the more the light is transmitted to your eyes. This means you get a clearer and brighter image. In most cases, large objective lenses have higher magnification ranges.
Reticle
Reticle patterns come in different patterns and size, from complex grids to simple center dots. But the most common types offered by Swarovski scopes include:
- Duplex reticle: By far, this is the most common reticle available today. It has a thin center crosshair with thicker outer bars. The design helps to focus the eye toward the center of the scope. The thick bars come in handy when shooting in low light conditions where the center crosshair is not easily visible. This type of reticle is usually used for target shooting and hunting.
- Mildot reticle: This reticle is a modified version of the duplex reticle design. Instead of a center crosshair, it has small dotted lines at the center. The spacing and size of the dots correspond to very specific angles measured in milliradians. With a mildot reticle, you get quick and intuitive adjustments for elevation and are able to determine the range of a target as long as its size is known.
- BDC reticle: The Bullet Drop Compensator (BDC) reticle is now more popular than ever before. It allows the shooter to take more accurate shots over different distances without making the adjustments on the elevation. This is made possible by having aiming points corresponding to different distances incorporated into the reticle pattern. Unlike the duplex reticle, the BDC offers a lot of utility, however, it is only compatible with certain cartridges and moderately accurate for distances beyond 500 yards.
Durability
In most cases, optics are fragile. Therefore, you wouldn’t want to buy something that will break easily. Spend some extra bucks to get a scope that is strong, waterproof, fogproof, and shockproof. Other considerations are warranties and battery life.
Coatings
Today, there are many optic coatings available. Go for a multi-coated or fully coated scope. With these lens coatings, your eyes will strain less when using the scope.
Now, without further ado, let’s look at best Swarovski scopes available on the market right now:
Top Swarovski Scopes to Buy
[amazon link=”B00UCI31YC” title=”1. Swarovski X5i Scope, 3.5-18x50mm ” /]
[amazon box=”B00HYRGSCQ”]
If you don’t mind getting on the knob to dial the reticle to the bullet’s impact point, this high-end Swarovski might just be the scope for you. It does not come with a holder reference on its duplex reticle, but this is compensated for with sleek and precise turret controls.
The large and hand-filling elevation turret can dial up to 116 MOA of adjustment and features a window that counts the up-and-down turns you make. This helps to avoid revolution confusion during long-range shooting.
Provided you have the time to dial in a specific condition, this scope is the solution to all your dynamic shooting situations. It is, however, one of the more expensive optics in the list.
[amazon link=”B01J2AMMZE” title=”2. Swarovski Z8i Scope, 2.3-18x56mm ” /]
[amazon box=”B01J2AMMZE”]
From the resolution to the image quality, the view through this scope is nothing but spectacular!
The Z8i comes with Swarovski’s exclusive orange-glowing, non-flaring, illuminated reticle which can be set for bright and low light conditions using a vertically positioned switch. The reticle view is right of a high-graphic video game.
The scope is also versatile – it has a dependable snap-off, snap-on ballistic turret that allows you to set for a dead-on hold at different distances simultaneously.
Without a doubt, this is a reliable scope that can be used for a wide range of shooting activities. However, compared to other Swarovski scopes, the Z8i is not the best scope for low light conditions, but it performs brilliantly in every other aspect.
[amazon link=”B002S9SJBS” title=”3. Swarovski Z3 BT L Scope, 4-12x50mm ” /]
[amazon box=”B002S9SJBS”]
With an elegant design, crystal-clear lenses, and well-rated by users, its only right to consider the Z3 BT L one of the best rifle scopes available on the market.
With its 50mm objective lenses, the scope has a wide field of view and superlative optical performance. Even better, it offers a magnification power of between 4x to 12x, making it a suitable scope for both long range and short range shooting.
The multicoated objective lens enhances visibility in poor light conditions and the sleek, slim design makes it easily compatible with a wide range of rifles. The scope is also waterproof, anti-fog, and has a functional temperature of between 4-130ᵒF.
So that both professional and amateur shooters could use this model, Swarovski manufactured it with two different reticle types – the 4W reticle and the Plex reticle.
[amazon link=”B002S9TRSC” title=”4. Swarovski Z5 BT Scope, 5-25x52mm” /]
[amazon box=”B002S9TRSC”]
The Z5 BT is one of the most popular Swarovski long-range rifle scopes. As with any other Swarovski optic, this model is characterized by top-of-the-line clarity and precision.
Being a long-range scope, it comes with a 52mm wide lens, 25x magnification, and 5x zoom to give you the very best optical performance on the market. The lens is made from high-quality glass that ensures you have bright and clear images regardless of the light conditions.
When it comes to the reticle, there three different types you can choose from – the BRX, the Heavy BRX, and the PLEX. Also, its ballistic turret allows you to adjust the lateral parallax for faultless images.
Swarovski was pretty constant with the design of the Z5 BT – nothing new was incorporated. It is, however, lightweight and easy to mount and remove on different types of rifles.
[amazon link=”B0038MUVFG” title=”5. Swarovski Z3 BRH Scope, 4-12x50mm” /]
[amazon box=”B0038MUVFG”]
Equipped with a heavy BRH reticle, this Z3 model is praised for its excellent telescopic sight.
With its 50mm wide lens, the scopes optical performance is pretty much similar to that of a modern terrestrial telescope. The eye relief is excellent, the field of view is wide, and images are clear and bright. With a magnification power of up to 12x, this model can be used for a number of activities.
Even though the heavy BRH reticle is specially designed for hunting and short-range shooting in low lighting conditions, it does a decent job when there’s a lot of light.
The scope is brilliantly finished, lightweight, easy to mount and remove, and compatible with a wide range of firearms. The only drawback is that the scope doesn’t have an adjustable parallax – it is permanently set at 200m by the manufacturer.
[amazon link=”B008AVVO56″ title=”6. Swarovski Z6i EE L Scope, 1-6x24mm” /]
[amazon box=”B008AVVO56″]
If you are specifically looking for a short-range Swarovski scope, this Z6i EE model is your best bet.
The high-quality objective lens provides crystal-clear images with remarkable brightness even in poor light conditions. Moreover, it has an impressive eye relief of 120mm and a magnification power of up to 6x.
The Z6i EE L is easy to use and easily portable thanks to its lightweight and slim design. It is also waterproof, anti-fog, and can function perfectly over a wide range of outdoor conditions. One of the most outstanding characteristics of this scope is the Extended Eye (EE) feature. It allows you position the scope further from the eye.
Even better, this model comes with a state-of-of-the-art illuminated 4-I reticle that is exclusively designed for accurate, short-range targeting. You can easily adjust the target’s position using the incorporated ballistic turret.
[amazon link=”B0038N4LU6″ title=”7. Swarovski Z3 BRH Scope, 3-10x42mm” /]
[amazon box=”B0038N4LU6″]
If you are looking for a budget-friendly Swarovski scope, the Z3 BRH could just be it!
Its optic quality is just exceptional. The lens’ glass is made from the very best crystal to provide you with accurate and clear images even in low light conditions. What’s more, it has a magnification power of up to 10x. This makes it suitable for a number of shooting applications.
The scope is equipped with a fixed parallax and a heavy BRX reticle. With these features, you don’t need to use a ballistic turret to adjust the position of the target.
The Z3 BRH is also lightweight, compact, waterproof, and fogproof. However, the design is similar to the Z3 4-12x50mm BRH. Additionally, compared to many other similar models, it is less versatile.
[amazon link=”B00654G0F4″ title=”8. Swarovski Z5 P BT L Scope, 3.5-18x44mm” /]
[amazon box=”B00654G0F4″]
The Z5 P BT L boasts of a number of impressive features.
First, it has a solid construction that can withstand even the toughest of terrains. It is impressively accurate and provides clear images even from long ranges in poor light conditions. Thanks to its 44mm lens, the eyepiece offers ample eye relief with a reliable magnification power of between 3.5x and 18x.
It comes in two types of reticle – a PLEX and a 4W model – making it adaptable to a wide range of shooting activities. In addition, the ballistic and lateral parallax turret allow you to set the sight of the target to your specific requirements.
Like many other Swarovski scopes, this Z5 model is sleek, lightweight, and slim. Thanks to its compact design, it is also waterproof and anti-fog.
The Swarovski Difference – You Only Buy Once!
Of course, there are other good scopes available on the market. But none beats the ruggedness and optic performance of a Swarovski scope.
However, spending cash on a Swarovski scope is not for the faint-hearted. Some of the scopes come with a hefty price tag. That’s why it’s mostly used by the “big boys” – experienced, skillful hunters and target shooters who are serious about what they do.
But even if Swarovski is one of the more expensive brands, one thing is for sure – after your first purchase, you will never have to buy another optic. These scopes are downright durable!
If you have identified a Swarovski scope that has everything you want, it’s recommended that you test it several times before making the purchase.
Certainly, you will come across a crowd that will tell you that a knock-off model is just as good as a genuine scope for half the price. Well, they might be cheaper, but they’ll not have the clarity and optic performance that Swarovski scopes deliver. Moreover, they can be a safety hazard.
So, are these scopes affordable?
Yes and no!
Yes, because you will have to spend more when making the purchase. And no, because you won’t have to buy another one for years to come. Unlike most brands, they don’t break easily.
All in all, keep in mind that “the better the scope, the better your shooting skills”.