Last weekend I had a lengthy conversation with the region's swarovksi rep and we talked about a lot of different things, but basically the summary was nothing I want is available and they have no intention of making more of what I deemed fantastic. A few of the highlights of the conversation:
1.) My premise: The z6i 1-6x24mm EE was the finest optic ever made. They are selling for 200%-300% of original MSRP new in the box. Swarovski's position is nobody wanted them and they lose FOV, they believe FOV is the key trait. They stated "how much eye relief do you really need anyway?". My response was two fold, one that 5" allows you to scope large bore rifles and its literally the only one that exists. I don't enjoy close scopes on 458Lott and up rifles. My second point was that for stalking rifles, it gave the opportunity to come up for a snap shot like a shotgun, rather than seeking for good eye relief that introduces hesitation. They politely disagreed. They said if I bought 1500 of them, roughly $3.3m USD, they'd make me anything I want. I asked for a practical number minimum order and I'd maybe do just that, but they wouldn't give me a reasonable number. They did mention they sold some sort of rail mount scope in the USA and literally sold 4 units of them, but they didn't want to make another EE.
2.) My second topic was that the 3-9x36mm z3 was a bargain and perfect for stalking rifles at <$700 for a great optic. The weight and size allowed low rings and was appropriate for kipplaufs, falling blocks, and lightweight bolt guns. Their response was the 42mm is barely bigger, so they are just sticking with that one.
3.) My third point was that we were standing next to a rack of London made safari rifles worth about $400,000. For those rifles, people take pride in traditional rings and a low or extra low ring that brings the sight picture in line with the stock geometry and iron sights. That means a scope like the z8i 1-8x24mm with the 30mm tube should be brought back, because aesthetically and functionally people spending premium money on safari and stalking rifles do not want 34mm rings, nor do they want the extra height, nor do they want to use hideously ugly tactical rings. You really have very few options in fine gun rings in 34mm whereas there is a plethora of rings for the 1" and 30mm offerings that are appropriate for Rigbys, Dakotas, and all the other typical safari rifles. Swarovski's answer was that I should just buy ugly 34mm rings, or I could pay $5500-$8000 and have someone like Rigby or Holland build new custom 34mm rings and mounts to accomodate their new tube sizes rather than offering an industry standard 30mm scope appropriate for the task. Another lovely scope option now discontinued.
4.) My fourth question was "what happened to the Kahles Helia lineup?" because they had nice small bells for stalking rifles, or they had straight tube 4x and 5x options for double rifles, drillings, kipplaufs, etc. Their response was they are still made for the EU market because Vortex and Leupold do not have a presence, but they are no longer imported to the USA. I asked if I bought them in the EU, would they support them for repairs? The answer is no, it would be deemed gray market.
I'm being told that the market doesn't demand what I like and that I'm in the minority. Maybe that's correct, but Swarovski also spent decades building a reputation as a true hunter's optic company. The brochures would show old gentleman hunting chamois with kipplaufs, trachten jackets, tyrollian hats on their heads. It suggested quality and tradition, that was their reputation. They no longer make the products that are compatible with the lifestyles and firearms they loved to feature in their ad copy of the past ten years, now showing bench rest plastic rifles and gigantic glass in their ad copy.
I suggested they cannibalized their own market, too many SKUs, reticles, illuminations, and that dilution resulted in too few units sold of these storied products. They also didn't offer the lineup above to the right dealers, the bespoke makers and the Dakota/Rigby/et al dealers that know how to use the right rings, mounts, and optics for the tasks at hand. They remained unpersuaded and closed the conversation showing me their new Western Hunter long-range scope with ballistic turrets for shooting elk at 700 yards. Clearly, they are selling into the sniper and long range hunter industry where every other brand has a large presence as well.
I'm not here to shoot the messenger, Swarovski has the right to do whatever they wish, I'm just saddened that the best optic company in the world has discontinued 100% of the optics that I have come to love over the past 20 years. I honestly think part of the problem is most dealers in fine rifles don't even understand stock-to-optic fit so they aren't advocating for what is proper and correct for their rifles either.
Any way you slice it, Swarovski has products that are now directly in line with Vortex, Leupold, and Nightforce but none of the useful outliers that they were known for over the past many decades.
1.) My premise: The z6i 1-6x24mm EE was the finest optic ever made. They are selling for 200%-300% of original MSRP new in the box. Swarovski's position is nobody wanted them and they lose FOV, they believe FOV is the key trait. They stated "how much eye relief do you really need anyway?". My response was two fold, one that 5" allows you to scope large bore rifles and its literally the only one that exists. I don't enjoy close scopes on 458Lott and up rifles. My second point was that for stalking rifles, it gave the opportunity to come up for a snap shot like a shotgun, rather than seeking for good eye relief that introduces hesitation. They politely disagreed. They said if I bought 1500 of them, roughly $3.3m USD, they'd make me anything I want. I asked for a practical number minimum order and I'd maybe do just that, but they wouldn't give me a reasonable number. They did mention they sold some sort of rail mount scope in the USA and literally sold 4 units of them, but they didn't want to make another EE.
2.) My second topic was that the 3-9x36mm z3 was a bargain and perfect for stalking rifles at <$700 for a great optic. The weight and size allowed low rings and was appropriate for kipplaufs, falling blocks, and lightweight bolt guns. Their response was the 42mm is barely bigger, so they are just sticking with that one.
3.) My third point was that we were standing next to a rack of London made safari rifles worth about $400,000. For those rifles, people take pride in traditional rings and a low or extra low ring that brings the sight picture in line with the stock geometry and iron sights. That means a scope like the z8i 1-8x24mm with the 30mm tube should be brought back, because aesthetically and functionally people spending premium money on safari and stalking rifles do not want 34mm rings, nor do they want the extra height, nor do they want to use hideously ugly tactical rings. You really have very few options in fine gun rings in 34mm whereas there is a plethora of rings for the 1" and 30mm offerings that are appropriate for Rigbys, Dakotas, and all the other typical safari rifles. Swarovski's answer was that I should just buy ugly 34mm rings, or I could pay $5500-$8000 and have someone like Rigby or Holland build new custom 34mm rings and mounts to accomodate their new tube sizes rather than offering an industry standard 30mm scope appropriate for the task. Another lovely scope option now discontinued.
4.) My fourth question was "what happened to the Kahles Helia lineup?" because they had nice small bells for stalking rifles, or they had straight tube 4x and 5x options for double rifles, drillings, kipplaufs, etc. Their response was they are still made for the EU market because Vortex and Leupold do not have a presence, but they are no longer imported to the USA. I asked if I bought them in the EU, would they support them for repairs? The answer is no, it would be deemed gray market.
I'm being told that the market doesn't demand what I like and that I'm in the minority. Maybe that's correct, but Swarovski also spent decades building a reputation as a true hunter's optic company. The brochures would show old gentleman hunting chamois with kipplaufs, trachten jackets, tyrollian hats on their heads. It suggested quality and tradition, that was their reputation. They no longer make the products that are compatible with the lifestyles and firearms they loved to feature in their ad copy of the past ten years, now showing bench rest plastic rifles and gigantic glass in their ad copy.
I suggested they cannibalized their own market, too many SKUs, reticles, illuminations, and that dilution resulted in too few units sold of these storied products. They also didn't offer the lineup above to the right dealers, the bespoke makers and the Dakota/Rigby/et al dealers that know how to use the right rings, mounts, and optics for the tasks at hand. They remained unpersuaded and closed the conversation showing me their new Western Hunter long-range scope with ballistic turrets for shooting elk at 700 yards. Clearly, they are selling into the sniper and long range hunter industry where every other brand has a large presence as well.
I'm not here to shoot the messenger, Swarovski has the right to do whatever they wish, I'm just saddened that the best optic company in the world has discontinued 100% of the optics that I have come to love over the past 20 years. I honestly think part of the problem is most dealers in fine rifles don't even understand stock-to-optic fit so they aren't advocating for what is proper and correct for their rifles either.
Any way you slice it, Swarovski has products that are now directly in line with Vortex, Leupold, and Nightforce but none of the useful outliers that they were known for over the past many decades.
