Swarovski z6i 5-30x50 bt

[1980floppy25]

Hi I have the chance of getting a gen 2 5-30x50 bt scope, having never owned a Swarovski scope looking for people’s opinions. It will be used for 80% stalking and 20% paper punching out to 500yards. Could any one tell me what these are like at low light and pros and cons thanks in advance Adam

 

[The Singing Stalker]

It's a swaro. It's what they do.

 

[gaza916]

Fantastic at low light. No cons!

 

[Colonel]

Get it, you will not be sorry

 

[Tulloch]

You will find the max efficient optical zoom is around 25 x not the full 30x , I would suggest past 15x zoom for stalking is too much , Swaro are good glass but as you said only 20% is for punching paper the magnification is just going to be too high for stalking and that will eventually annoy you, but each to their own.

Another point to be made is that in low light you will have to crack that scope, like most variable zoom scopes, back to around 6 or 8x mag and on high mag scope like this one it can be fiddly, also to add high mag effects followup and target tracking so be aware of that if you get a runner as you will lose the beast if tracking with the scope even at 15x mag,

Good scope but designed more for tactical range use than stalking.

If you are being offered the scope for under £1500 then jump at it but if you are not then I am afraid there is far less expensive scopes on the market that will offer a far greater experience and with locking turrets etc.

 

[Essex stalker]

I have one and think they are great, I agree that the higher magnification is too much for for stalking shots but on a number of occasions I have seen roe through my Swaroski bins at long distance but not been 100% about the sex, in these instances wind the scope up to 25 or 30 mag and problem solved! Probably saved me many hours of stalking into deer of the wrong sex

 

[243ack]

You can't beat horsepower!. In my opinion, it's better to have it and not use it than to need it and not have it!. When I spot a deer, I always wind my 5-30 up to the highest power conditions will allow. If I see 'shake' in the picture - great!. It's there whether or not you can see it with your 4x scope.
Each to their own - but I would not go out with a 4 or 6x scope - I'm old and eyesight is not what it was.
The Swaro 5-30 is the best there is. You will not be disappointed.

 

[Marcher]

High mag scopes are very dependent on good "cheek weld". You may find you need to get an adjustable comb raiser fitted to your rifle to get the most out of it.

 

[Malxwal]

Personally, and echoed by some, I find the Z series scopes fussy on head/eye position/cheek weld. They don't work for me, but they are brilliant optically and customer service oustanding.

 

[Uncle f]

Simply the best. Best optically best customer service best price retention
Got 4 and el range bins would never consider any other manufacturer

 

[Gandy]

Cracking scope I stalk with one myself but no use for shooting targets at 500 yards due to no windage turret.

 

[Marcher]

Gandy. What do you call the turret on the right hand side ?

 

[Tulloch]

What he means is no exposed windage turret lol I think

 

[RifleTuner]

Hi I have the chance of getting a gen 2 5-30x50 bt scope, having never owned a Swarovski scope looking for people’s opinions. It will be used for 80% stalking and 20% paper punching out to 500yards. Could any one tell me what these are like at low light and pros and cons thanks in advance Adam

This would be a good scope for the 20% paper and the longer range shooting you are describing. But if you are predominantly getting shots on deer at close range then I would want much less magnification on the low end of the range. Ideally 2 power or less.

I once tried to use my 6.5-25 leupold to shoot at around 50 yards on game, but I completely lost the target in the scope. It was a frustrating process I never want to repeat.

If you always have plenty of time to set up on undisturbed game, then the higher magnification would be less of an issue.

 

[1980floppy25]

Cheers guys thanks for all your feed back

 

[jcampbellsmith]

Hi I have the chance of getting a gen 2 5-30x50 bt scope, having never owned a Swarovski scope looking for people’s opinions. It will be used for 80% stalking and 20% paper punching out to 500yards. Could any one tell me what these are like at low light and pros and cons thanks in advance Adam

Having similar aspirations I have a Z6 5-30 x 50 BRH. I shot at 500 yds recently and due to the strong wind was holding off by about 5 feet to the left. The results were ok, but using a dedicated target scope they would have been better. After chasing this issue around for some 10+ years, I now use a dedicated rifle and target scope for competitions. I do regularly shoot the Z6 at paper at up to 400m, but that's just for practice and to ensure my Strelok data is correct.
I've been using Swarovski scopes since 1992 for stalking. For load development I shoot at x30.
Regards
JCS

 

[1980floppy25]

Having similar aspirations I have a Z6 5-30 x 50 BRH. I shot at 500 yds recently and due to the strong wind was holding off by about 5 feet to the left. The results were ok, but using a dedicated target scope they would have been better. After chasing this issue around for some 10+ years, I now use a dedicated rifle and target scope for competitions. I do regularly shoot the Z6 at paper at up to 400m, but that's just for practice and to ensure my Strelok data is correct.
I've been using Swarovski scopes since 1992 for stalking. For load development I shoot at x30.
Regards
JCS

Cheers for that JCS

 

[Leupsak]

I went with the Z6i 3-18x50 (BT) and the 2.5-15x56 (BT) as the maximum elevation & windage adjustment on the 5-30 is significantly less which can lead to mounting/zeroing and adjustment problems that require shimming etc.

43" elevation and 25" windage on the 5-30 scope but 65" elevation and 36" windage on the 3-18 and 2.5-15 models.

I shoot the 3-18 and 2.5-15 out to 500 yards without issue by just turning the BT top but as has been stated you will be holding off for windage unless you open the turret and dial in for windage which to be honest is no hassle just remember to dial back to zero and pop the cap back on when your finished.

Cheers

 

[Milligan]

5-30 doesn't have a lot if elevation. Much less than say a zeiss conquest.
Optically great though

 

[triggersqueezer]

glass is second to none and withoubt a doubt the best illuminated ret i have seen as a paper punching scope it is imo not good at all.very limited elv and covered windage turret but no moa ret to help.but the deal breaker for me was they tend to be in cm not moa and computing in .36 or what ever it was did my head in.as a stalking scope i give 10 out of 10 paper punching it gets a 5 out of ten.