I would guess the reason Swaro is pushing the BR reticle over the TDS is "MONEY". When they sell a scope with the TDS system I would guess they have to pay TD Smith (the originator of the system) some sort of fee. I have heard that the BR reticle is their own design.
I have both the TDS and BR reticles on different scopes. They do basically the same function but the BR reticle is in finer increments and goes out farther. With that said I do not believe one is better than the other - it all depends on how far out you want. I personnaly find the BR reticle has so many "slash" marks that it almost becomes a little confusing at times.
I like the TDS much better than the BR. The TDS is not as busy, or confusing to find the correct range bar marker. Also the windage is built into the rangebar markers on the TDS, for a 10 mph wind.
Let me start by saying I do not and have never owned the scopes you mentioned. But ITHINK they changed it for a reason mentioned above, money...but for a different reason stated. The TDS is old news (technology), these companies have to keep coming up with new and so called better products to appeal to customers. Kinda like coming out with new cartridges. Unless they fill a void somewhere (now-a-days there aren't many if any at all) I see them as a gimmick or marketing tool to keep selling rifles. Why else would you make a cartridge with the same performance as one that is proven and time tested? I have all but quit subscribing to gun magazines because they, to me, are the biggest pimps out there. Why else would somebody get paid, or get some kind of kickback, to write a story about something like a new .30 caliber cartridge that gets 3000fps with a 150gr bullet...."WE FIELD TEST THE NEW .308 HORN-DOG SHORT MAGNUM ON DEER." Anybody with a 30-06 can tell you what a 150gr .30cal at 3000fps will do...that isn't news, that is advertisement for companies who want to stay on top of the market.
I just re-read my post. It sounds like a rant, not meant to be...just how I see things. And if you want a new .308 Horn-Dog Short Mag then go for it, I'll bring my old '06 and we'll do some shootin.