Cant Split them Exos 1-8 or Swaro z8 1-8

[pc3]

In the next three/four months I need to buy a scope for my cz .416. Its down to these two, price, is pretty well the same...the SB is a little dearer.

I know the swaro is slightly better in the field of view department, and slightly lighter, some have said the SB is more durable.

I wont get to look at either

 

[RR 314]

I have numerous Z6Is. Had one z8i and don’t even think I shot the rifle before a buddy snagged the combo from me. I have several Exos and love them. EE mode is true 1x. Exos is my go to on most of my quality rifles, but admittedly I did not give the Z8i a chance.

 

[rookhawk]

In the next three/four months I need to buy a scope for my cz .416. Its down to these two, price, is pretty well the same...the SB is a little dearer.

I know the swaro is slightly better in the field of view department, and slightly lighter, some have said the SB is more durable.

I wont get to look at either

Neither are a bad choice at all. Top choices in fact.

If it was a really big gun, I'd say 1-6 is fine. On the other hand, you have a 416 that is known to be an accurate and relatively flat shooting caliber where having that 8x will open distant plains game opportunities.

Neither 8x option give you great eye relief, but you can get by with standard eye relief in a 416. If you can find a vintage Swaro 1-6x24mm EE illuminated anywhere, that will get you another 1" of eye relief which is awesome, but you're going to pay $1000 more than the new options and its a hard to find used scope no longer made.

The swaro is lighter, the S&B is stronger. I prefer swaro, but I've owned both brands. I've never complained about quality, light gathering, or customer service from either firm. I think Swaro is more likely to have replacement parts in the USA in the event you need it serviced simply because they have a larger US-based service organization than S&B.

 

[Jefferry404]

FYI The S&b parallax in the 1x CC mode is app. 7yds.

 

[Niklas]

I run both the Exos 1-8 (plains game, 300gr TSX-loads) and the Z6i 1-6EE (DG, 450gr Woodleigh). Love both of them on my CZ 550 in 416 Rigby. The S&B for that extra magnification and bombproofness and the Swarro for the extra eye relief when shooting the “heavy recoiling” load under stress.

Regarding the Z8, I tested their new Z8i + but I don’t like the chunky eye piece nor the new tube diameter

 

[rookhawk]

I just want to point out the polling results above. Nobody argues that the Schmidt & Bender is the more durable optic, yet the majority prefers Swarovski on this forum.

Why? There is more to life than durability, just like there is more to rifles than accuracy. The Swaro is a better engineered "civilian" optic, the S&B has a lot of milspec heritage. Too much milspec and your ferrari starts to take on the properties of a hummer.

 

[yhc]

Regarding the Z8, I tested their new Z8i + but I don’t like the chunky eye piece nor the new tube diameter

Would you elaborate on the “new tube” diameter? It is my understanding that both Z6 and Z8 have 30 mm tubes.

 

[Niklas]

Would you elaborate on the “new tube” diameter? It is my understanding that both Z6 and Z8 have 30 mm tubes.

The new Z8i+, available in 0.75-6 and 1-8, is being pushed as ”the new thing” here in Sweden… it has a 34mm tube and a enormous eye piece

 

[Niklas]

I just want to point out the polling results above. Nobody argues that the Schmidt & Bender is the more durable optic, yet the majority prefers Swarovski on this forum.

Why? There is more to life than durability, just like there is more to rifles than accuracy. The Swaro is a better engineered "civilian" optic, the S&B has a lot of milspec heritage. Too much milspec and your ferrari starts to take on the properties of a hummer.

I agree that the Swaros like the Z6i, especially the EE-version, was a great homage to hunting… the new Z8i+ is more ”milspec” or ”black rifle” than hunting IMO

 

[uplander01]

The eye peices and the tubes on all the new 1-8's are too big for me, I'd save yourself some money and get a SB zenith 1-4 or a Swaro 1-6, there is nothing you can't do in Africa with either one of those scopes on top of a good rifle. I own and use both of the aforementioned optics on more than a couple rifles and the choice for either is not a bad choice. If I had to choose, I would choose S&B, I like the way their erectors feel and the scope adjusts, optically they are so similar its splitting hairs, the zenith from SB IMO has a little better and more forgiving eye relief, the Klassics from SB have eye relief directly comparable to Swaro. Make sure you understand the focal plane situation on anything you buy as well, there is a big difference there too-

 

[pc3]

Well folks I bought a Z8i 1-8 with 4A retcile...no flex changes in stock and from what I can gather Swarovski have discontinued the 30mm tubed Z8 1-8's...knowing my luck they will now have a z10 1-10 for the same price

Anyway the price was cheaper than the exos by a good bit and not "much" more than a leupold 1-6 $3150 vs $3800....the extra money was worth it in this instance I thought.

The new Z8i+ 1-8 has a 34mm tube...I already had some 30mm warne rings for the cz as well.