Highseater
Well-Known Member
Can anyone share some info about their experience with Swarovski DS scopes? I’m keen to get one but I’m not so sure about their relatively poor light transmission. Any advice is welcome…
Swarovski DS
- Thread starter Highseater
- Start date
I think @caberslash uses/used one for work!
And it (Gen1 DS) now resides in a cupboard... need I say more?
SussexSteve
Well-Known Member
Great longer range hunting scope. Not bad at low light
Highseater
Well-Known Member
Why is that? Not satisfied with its performance?
only set one up for an older gentleman on Wednesday....
Take the turret covers off indoors and use the T handle for dialling in....then put them back inside as the key is very small. We never set up the blue tooth system as he had not loaded the App, but very clear super sharp.
The red dot was easy to switch on etc.
I had a gen 1 and then bought the gen 2 for contract work, hey they do a job for fast shooting on re stocks or night shooting ( it just takes the guess work out of it or saves you time picking up your rangefinder bins) I am a full time gamekeeper and honestly I never take it out for my fox/crow work as I use my r/f bins and my kestrel 5700 elite ballistics thingy and just dial (which I find great fun and I like twiddling turrets
) . I don’t think I will contract anymore due to time constraints and I would rather go stalking for fun rather than desperately seeking the next deer, So i think iwill sell mine and get another nightforce I think and that will do me.
) . I don’t think I will contract anymore due to time constraints and I would rather go stalking for fun rather than desperately seeking the next deer, So i think iwill sell mine and get another nightforce I think and that will do me.Without that, the whole scope is pointless!
1. Heavy, being just over 1 kg it unbalances the rifle and the requirement of large diameter (40mm!) scope mounts only add to this issue.
2. The wee turrets around the objective housing mentioned by @Tim.243 ... give one a sharp tap by accident and check your zero... send back to Swaroski for a service and zero again once it's back, then repeat!
3. Light transmission is truly terrible, have a Nikko Sterling that does better!
4. Price! Over £3.5k for the new Gen2 and people are asking £2.5k for a used Gen1, nah!
5. The ballistic software itself, yes it will give you a hold based on the fields input into it, but I never got the feeling that all factors such as air temperature, barometric pressure and most importantly, incline were being taken into account. Longest shot I made was around 400m which was a good hit, and have got reports of them being used out to 600m, but bear it mind it only displays a generic wind drift at distances past 250m, (for both 'left' and 'right' wind) it won't give you an accurate wind hold.
6. Other scopes do the above much better with just a little user input, there are plenty of dial scope out there that will dial and track to 1000m and beyond, better light transmission, more reliable, less weight and at around the same price or less.
Still want one? By all means go ahead, I'll chuckle when it's on the classifieds in 8 months.
Highseater
Well-Known Member
Thanks for your detailed explanation. What long-distance scope would you recommend? I would basically use it for ibex and maral hunting. What about the S&B Exos?1. Heavy, being just over 1 kg it unbalances the rifle and the requirement of large diameter (40mm!) scope mounts only add to this issue.
2. The wee turrets around the objective housing mentioned by @Tim.243 ... give one a sharp tap by accident and check your zero... send back to Swaroski for a service and zero again once it's back, then repeat!
3. Light transmission is truly terrible, have a Nikko Sterling that does better!
4. Price! Over £3.5k for the new Gen2 and people are asking £2.5k for a used Gen1, nah!
5. The ballistic software itself, yes it will give you a hold based on the fields input into it, but I never got the feeling that all factors such as air temperature, barometric pressure and most importantly, incline were being taken into account. Longest shot I made was around 400m which was a good hit, and have got reports of them being used out to 600m, but bear it mind it only displays a generic wind drift at distances past 250m, (for both 'left' and 'right' wind) it won't give you an accurate wind hold.
6. Other scopes do the above much better with just a little user input, there are plenty of dial scope out there that will dial and track to 1000m and beyond, better light transmission, more reliable, less weight and at around the same price or less.
Still want one? By all means go ahead, I'll chuckle when it's on the classifieds in 8 months.
Highseater
Well-Known Member
I know them, thanks!
tac29136
Well-Known Member
I've the IOR RECON Gen 1 on my .300wm for long distance stuff....and i cannot fault it. The DS is lovely in theory, but if anything fails on it in the field, you're goosed. Plus, in Ireland they are over €4k... I also have a Z8i 2.3-18x56P on my .308w and its a fantastic scope neither amazing light gathering.
Had a Gen2 now for 6 months and I think its great. It is a heavier scope but it depends on how you use your rig. After a few tweeks with the input info it drops the pill at the right height right out to 500 yards. I will try further in time. Sitting out on open ground in calm conditions it performs great. Its still about the correct ethical shot. Ive had a few cracking long shots at fox. The speed you are on them is great compared to using a range finder and ballistic turret. As for the wind I only push it on calm days. Everyone is different on how they want to use their kit. I would say it is more of a day scope. Cant fault it.
buck52
Well-Known Member
I have the Gen 1 and have been using it for work since just after they were available.
I wouldn't be without it, superb piece of kit and does everything it says on the tin.
Providing you input the correct ballistic information at the outset, which is not rocket science, its flawless.
Agreed light transmission is not as good as my Zeiss V8, but my Zeiss V8 wont do what the DS does.
Some of the best money I ever spent, its paid for itself.
In my experience many people who badmouth them are either jealous or have not set them up properly, and if they have they dont know how to use it.
I wouldn't be without it, superb piece of kit and does everything it says on the tin.
Providing you input the correct ballistic information at the outset, which is not rocket science, its flawless.
Agreed light transmission is not as good as my Zeiss V8, but my Zeiss V8 wont do what the DS does.
Some of the best money I ever spent, its paid for itself.
In my experience many people who badmouth them are either jealous or have not set them up properly, and if they have they dont know how to use it.
Schmidt and bender PM 2 exos,Zeiss V6/V8, Swarovski z6/8, Nightforce, atacr,NX8. Zero compromise optics, Hendsolt, Tangent.
There are many scopes that will get you shooting at long range. They all require the same amount of marksmanship ability, a good knowledge of your rifle and environmental conditions.
Even the DS does not do the shooting for you what sort of realistic ranges are you going to be comfortable shooting at an animal ?
What ranges do you practice at ? A red deer out to 300 metres is achievable with an 8x 56 scope or 6x42 with holdover. Perhaps easier with a 5-25 and turrets. Everyone will have a self imposed limit.
Using the DS shouldn’t increase this limit it just dials for you. If your not confident making a 400 m shot with a dialable scope you shouldn’t be doing it with a DS
I have had a couple in the past and would have another, they are a tool if they are the right fit for the job in hand a very good one.
Overlay
Well-Known Member
I’m using a zeiss v8 on my 308 and V6 on the .243 to be honest, absolutely cracking scopes given that i'm a schmit and bender dyed in the wood man on the rest of em, zeiss take some beating, the illuminated reticle is excellent combined with a clear glass brilliant scopes
got 2 low mag swaro’s for boar and the day hornet, they are awesome for that
pays yer money take a chance, they are all good scopes. getting the one for your needs is the big thing. - try as many as you can then decide
got 2 low mag swaro’s for boar and the day hornet, they are awesome for that
pays yer money take a chance, they are all good scopes. getting the one for your needs is the big thing. - try as many as you can then decide
Or someone who got given one for work but does not like it, as they know how to work out the ballistics of a round and their own drop/drift data.
How many shots have you made at 250m and under?
You won't need a DS for that distance!
Correct, it is an 'easy button' of sorts.
I am sure it is not as fast as a competent shooter using an 'Xmas tree' reticle for holdovers.
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