Picked up a used SWAROVSKI Z5 3.5-18x44 Ballistic Turret Riflescope with 4W Reticle yesterday for $800.00. Really good shape. Putting a 6.5 Creedmoor to Aoudad hunt upto 600 yards......

Anyone else shoot this scope? Thoughts?

I always liked the idea of the Ballistic Turret. But it's not easy here to find a range to set up 3 useful drops. If you have something nearby, it is a great feature,

A 6.5 cm isn’t gonna make a very good 600 yard aoudad gun FYI.

I have to ask why not? 143 grain bullet keeps 1,000 pounds of energy past 600.

Aoudad are extremely tough.

That’s one animal where it doesent hurt to use a magnum and a bonded bullet. Next aoudad I shoot I’ll use my .300 win.

I saw one take a 140 grain 7mm-08 bullet square in the neck at 50 yards, hit the ground, get up and haul Arse into the wild blue yonder

Ever instance where I knew guys shoot one with a 6.5 it didn’t work out really well.

That’s funny because I spoke with a west Texas guide for auodad that had a 708 built for his customers

a 7mm-08 will work at reasonable distances. This instance though it didn't.


and I don't know a single person who would recommend a 6.5 for shooting aoudad at 500 or 600 yards.

Any neck shot where the animal doesn’t go down, caliber doesn’t matter. Shooter missed the spine. But I don’t disagree that you want some gun for Auodad at distance.

I think it was bullet failure.

I was watching it thru binos at 50 yards, saw the bullet hit it square in the neck.

Freak deal.

The Z5 is a nice scope but with one major drawback. Once you set your zero, you'll be limited to 13.25 MOA of elevation. With a 200 yard zero and shooting commercial ELD-X that'll get you to about 650 yards (minus adjusting for environmentals). This is why I sold the one that I had despite loving the glass and the weight.

The Z5 glass is very good.


Maybe an alternate would be a Leupold VX-6???

SWaro's are for reasonable range HUNTING. Like AZ___Hunter points out. If you're going to bang steel pat 600, you're better off with a Nightforce.
Yes the Z5 is VERY good.

The outfitters that I've talked to have almost without exception recommended a flat shooting .30.
Aoudad are well known for soaking up lead. I think you'd want more ft lbs at 600 yds than what 6.5 is going to give you.

Sold my Z5 for a VX-6HD and much happier. The 5HD and 6HD are underrated for a lightweight hunting scope, IMO. 6HD probably not worth the premium over the 5HD though, they have the same glass.

Z5 with BT is a great scope especially at that price. I had one and set it up for ranges 100, 200, 400, 500yds. Easy to do and always on target.