Swarovski Z3 BT vs Z5 BT

brettpsu

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Sep 21, 2012
Messages
138
I recently won a Browning X bolt 6.5 Creedmoor. Looking to top it for $1,000-1,500. I can shoot groundhogs from my house out to 800 yards so that would probably be my very max yardage. This will primarily be a whitetail/mule deer gun with just a little target/groundhog shooting. I'm looking at the Swaro's mainly for the simplistic ballistic turret they use, light weight and optical performance. I know jack about MOA and MILL scopes whatsoever. I have a VX3 4.5-14x40 on a tikka .300 win mag with the CDSS turret and really like it but the scope is just not clear enough and sucks in low light. I compared it side by side with my buddies Swaro Z3 and was blow away how good the optics are. My 3 choices are: But feel free to add another scope.

Z3 4-12x50 BT Will I be wishing for more power shooting 500-800 yards?

Z5 3.5-18x44 BT Does it gather enough light for first and last minute opportunities

Z5 5-25x52 BT Is this just too much scope for what I'm doing?

I really wish the Z5 18x came in 50mm or 52mm then it would be a no brainer.
 

Wapiti1

WKR
Joined
Sep 18, 2017
Messages
3,569
Location
Indiana
For big game the 4-12 Z3 is a perfect match to your rifle in my opinion.

Adding in the vermin shooting makes the 3.5-18 the better choice. At the dawn and dusk extremes, 18X will be hard to impossible to use. Not because the glass isn't capable, but because the exit pupil is only 2.4mm. Stick to 10-12X max at the extremes and you will be fine. In the daytime, 18X on that scope is sweet. In all cases, with any scope, the exit pupil is the limiting factor to max useful power. Even mid-level scopes have good enough glass to get you to the end of legal shooting light, but you will have to dial it back to get the exit pupil big enough.

The 5-25 is an outstanding optic, but more than you need unless you want to count the eyelashes on a groundhog before you shoot it. 5X on the bottom might be too much in the timber. Might not be, but I like 3-4X in tight quarters.

In the middle of the day shooting woodchucks, mirage will keep you limited to 10X or so anyway.

Jeremy
 

WRO

WKR
Joined
Nov 6, 2013
Messages
2,946
Location
Idaho
I recently won a Browning X bolt 6.5 Creedmoor. Looking to top it for $1,000-1,500. I can shoot groundhogs from my house out to 800 yards so that would probably be my very max yardage. This will primarily be a whitetail/mule deer gun with just a little target/groundhog shooting. I'm looking at the Swaro's mainly for the simplistic ballistic turret they use, light weight and optical performance. I know jack about MOA and MILL scopes whatsoever. I have a VX3 4.5-14x40 on a tikka .300 win mag with the CDSS turret and really like it but the scope is just not clear enough and sucks in low light. I compared it side by side with my buddies Swaro Z3 and was blow away how good the optics are. My 3 choices are: But feel free to add another scope.

Z3 4-12x50 BT Will I be wishing for more power shooting 500-800 yards?

Z5 3.5-18x44 BT Does it gather enough light for first and last minute opportunities

Z5 5-25x52 BT Is this just too much scope for what I'm doing?

I really wish the Z5 18x came in 50mm or 52mm then it would be a no brainer.

You want the 3.5x18, its got 4 coil erector spring and is just killer all the way around. I've shot in low light at 18 power with my old one and had 0 issues.
 

Boreal

WKR
Joined
Nov 11, 2013
Messages
356
Location
Anchorage, AK
I have a Swaro 3-9x36 on my 6.5 CM and it’s perfect for a mountain rifle. Not expecting 800 yard shots with it, though. I’ve also got the 4-12x50BT on a 280AI. New to me, but I’m impressed all the way around. The ballistic turret is simple and effective. The Swaro ballistic app helps a lot. The 6.5 CM is such a light recoil rifle that the 4 springs on the Z5 are not likely to be needed. For my money, the Z3 with the BT will fit your bill.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

hornmtn

FNG
Joined
Oct 21, 2014
Messages
11
I have the 5-25x52 bt, it is an incredible scope. Much clearer than anything else I have, great in low light. Where I hunt you need a 50mm plus scope for low light. You are right that at high power it gets dark. I like the zoom so I can zoom in on a deers rack or make sure it's a doe, before I shoot. A 4-12x50 would be a great scope but I've never looked through one. I don't think you can go wrong with Swarovski.
 

Txrookie

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Oct 10, 2018
Messages
241
What route did you end up going? I’m in the same predicament, not sure if I really need more than 12x or if I want to spend the money, but i also don’t wanna spend the money and wish I had spent just a little more
 
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