Leupold or Zeiss?

A

ArkansasElkHunter

New member
I am going to get a new scope for the Bushmaster Varmitter I have ordered. I want something in the 6.5 x 20 x 50mm range and have been looking at the Zeiss Conquest and the Leupold VXIII. I have Leupolds and they are great scopes, but I would like to hear what you guy's think regarding whats the best scope for the money. I plan to spend around $700 (if necessary)so whats my best deal? I'll hunting with it but will still play on the range a bit. Thanks for the advice.
 
well, from my experience, i'd go with the leupold.. simply b/c i hear way more people talking about leupold then what i hear talking about zeiss... Most leupolds are crips and clear,and of very high quality, and most of all dependable and rugged!! soo i'd go with the leupold.. just my humble OP though...

-PPH-
 
I only have one conquest, because it came rediculously cheap priced with a used rifle. I sold the rifle and kept the scope. I like it more than any of my VariX III's. I have quite a few Leupold's, and they are very nice scopes. I also like my Nikons. However of those three makers, I like my Ziess the most-est. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
I have them all and don't think you will get hurt with either one. The 6.5-20's I use are the longrange target models and have never had a problem with them. This is what we use on our sniper rifles as well. Don't have any experience with the non-target model scopes.
 
That is way too much scope. Too much power. Too big an objective. Just too big and heavy.

If you are planning on 500 yard shots at night, it is a good choice.

Jack
 
thanks for the replies.

I uderstand the weight issue, but if I was going for lightweight, I wouldnt get the 9 lb Varminter. At even 300yds Prarie Dogs are pretty small. I struggle with my 3.5 x 10 x 50mm VXIII. Can you ever have too much light? What would you recommend then, Jack.
 
Yes you can have too much light. Even teenagers can only manage 7mm pupils at best. Everything beyond that is wasted. And the big lenses do cut down the resolution, they are not as good.

In a usual PD situation there is a lot of mirage. Anything above 10-12 power just makes the mirage harder to dope.

I only have 2 dedicated PD rifles. One has a fixed 10X Lyman scope and the other has a fixed 12X Target Leupold.

PDs are sun lovers. They disappear if a cloud comes by. A 30mm objective is more than needed.

Jack
 
I remember the first Pdog hunt I went on with some friends back in the 60's.....Yeah I am getting gray hair.....so what!

Now I had this Redfield 4 x 12 scope that I thought was the cat's meow OK. Now come to find out, after I had put the scope on the 12 power setting, I touch off a round and scored at 200 yards.

I then thought my eyes were giving me a problem in the sun. So I put on my sun glasses! I fired once more and then again. Now I had funny looking waves in my scope and it was very hard to focus on anything, let alone a Pdog. I ended up backing that 12 power scope back to the lower settings at 6 power. So much for magnification on a hot sunny day. :eek: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
 
I have several older leupolds (not any of the newer ones) and one zeiss conquest in 3.5-10x. The zeiss is by far the brightest and clearest of all the scopes i own except for my nightforce (which is the size of a baseball bat and not good for anything other than benchrest shooting). I highly recommed the conquest although you can't go wrong with either.
 
Go with the Zeiss. Far superior optics. I have other high end scopes but the Zeiss has brilliant optics. Leupolds are over rated. I have one and probably will be my last when I can get a Zeiss for equal money.
 
Thanks to everyone again for the replies.

Jack.

I understand the light may be available and not able to be used in bright conditions. But then in lowlight, that same light gathering ability will be put to use, right. I also understand the Mirage effect and know when to turn down the scope. Again the higher power is there if and when you need it. This wont be a dedicated P-dog rifle, but an all around varmint and target LR plinking toy. I don't mind buying a little more than I need for some situations if I have all I need for others.

What I don't understand, and would like to, is the resolution being better with smaller objectives. Can you explain what happens there.

thanks for the advice,
 
I think what you are talking about with resolution being better thru a smaller objective is this: A large objective can gather more light but it has to concentrate the light down to the same point in the scope so it is lined up for viewing in the eyepiece. Anytime you change or alter the direction of light it stands to possibly lose resolution. If you look at the scope {with a smaller say 40mm objective} the angle from the edge of the lense to the center of the scope tube is less than the same angle in a 56mm obj. scope. I say possibly lose resolution because perfectly corrected optics are part of what you pay for in a european scope. Leupolds are assembled with Japanese glass while Zeiss and other european made scopes use I believe Schott optical glass ground by Aus Jena{it may be all Schott I am not sure these days}. Which brings up another point, fine european optical glass is chemically no different than the glass in your windows at home, it simply has all the impurities removed and any remaining color is chemically corrected for maximum light transmission. This is why when you look thru a German made scope at dusk you have 15 minutes more shooting than with something else. Another important point is that the Conquest series is not a German made scope, only the V/VM scopes have european glass and you can tell when viewing. I like Schmidt and Benders. I have tried them all and suggest you look hard at the Nikon Monarch Gold. It is closer to real European optics than a Conquest and damn hard to beat for the money. One more point, if maximum light transmission and resolution is what you are after consider a fixed power scope. Variables are like an outboard engine, they are expensive and never do anything but wear out internally. They will change point of impact and have many more lenses that knock back the transmission. Same tube size same obj. size and same power a fixed scope will out perform the variable everytime. If the variables were as good the USMC and the Army would use them but the do not. Hope this helps, good luck.
 
AEH
The smaller objectives normally have better resolution because it is much easier to make the smaller lenses near perfect. The larger lenses, especially the 50 & 56 mm ones, are many times harder to make so usually will have more imperfections. There is something to what Harpy said also.

Jack
 
I understand what you are saying about single power scopes. I am having a problem finding anything that seems like it would be worth buying.
I have a new Savage 12vbss 22-250 I would like to put a new scope on. What would you suggest in the single power???
Thank You
Chris
 
Larger lenses are not nessecarily harder to make as much as they are harder to correct to a short focal length like modern scopes use today. The large objective lenses in the old Unertl target scopes while not the brightest in the world for gathering light are still some of the sharpest scopes you can look through even by todays standards. This is because they had that long focal length and conversely the shallower angle the light had to bend. Call Alex Roy at Euro Optics, Ltd. 1-570-220-3159, he will give you the best deal to be had on real european glass.
 
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