Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics VX-3i , VX-6, Zeiss HD5 or other?

Looking to upgrade scope on my 7mm rem mag, primarily an elk/deer/antelope rifle. Want something reliable I can practice out to 600-800. Don't plan to shoot game that far, let's not turn this into an ethics debate. The z800 almost matches the ballistics of my 168 ablr perfectly...
Thanks

Do you want to spin turrets or use a reticle?

I'm open to either. Don't usually mess with wind adjustments via turret. Have a cds on my 300 and like it.

I really like my VX-6 2-12x42. And I have Kahles, Zeiss, Swaro, etc. to compare it to.

Great duplex, great glass, not too heavy, not too expensive, great eye box and I can fit a CDS turret.

DF

I do like the idea of a lockable turret

I have a few of the Zeiss 3x15 with the LTT and soar they have been great.I have used them on a antelope hunt and several cold weather(-15) hunts and so far flawless.The Kenton turrets have been spot on.

I have the 3-15x50 Zeiss HD5 with the Z800 reticle and absolutely love it on my elk rifle a 300 weatherby. It matches my trajectory perfectly and hitting gongs to 700 is pretty routine. Last season I shot a big cow at 550 yards and put 2 bullets in her chest with the same big exit hole. If I were dialing I doubt I could have gotten the shot off in time before she walked over the ridge.

The glass is excellent and the $700 price tag at Euro optic was too good to pass up. My original conquest with the Z600 is now on my 7mm and it works well but not like the hd5 for glass quality.

Comparable to those I think In quality and power range is the Bushnell LRHS with side focus, turrets and a couple reticle options. These are 30mm and fairly heavy at 24-26 oz but have had very good reviews.

I'm a big fan of my 5-25x HD5.

It literally takes 1 second to turn a turret to a designated number. Why can people turn a power ring, but get stumped on turning a turret?

Interesting. Seems to be high opinions of Zeiss glass. The reticle vs turret debate will rage on forever...both have merit.

I like my z5 3.5x18 really well.

This. VX-6 is a great choice.

Agreed on the 2-12x42 VX6. Great stuff.

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Wow thats a great kudu!

Gracias Amigo! It's addicting........

I bought a Sako Finnlight chambered for a 7 Rem Mag and mounted a Zeiss HD5 2-10. The Zeiss has the z600 reticle. Works fine.

The RZ600 works well but is weird in any kind of general closer-in woodsy type hunting. At least for me it was. The way it just floats without any heavier lines to pull the eye into the center didn't really work for me. I was hunting timber for elk, and when I'd throw my .338 to my shoulder I just really disliked the reticle in that context... the one and only season I hunted with it. However, it DID do well for me out to 600+ yards just target shooting. Guess "YMMV" probably sums it up.

If you want to dial, I'd suggest a scope purpose built for that... Nightforce, Bushy LRHS, etc... otherwise you might be introducing significant error into every dialed shot. Won't matter (probably) out to, I dunno, 450-500 yards or so. Will start to matter after that. That's been my experience anyway.

A reticle really is the simple "no moving parts" solution... greatly reduces the mechanical requirements of the scope to "just hold zero, dammit!"...

JeffO, a week ago you were sucking off Carl Zeiss, now suddenly you recommend Nightforce and Bushnell.

I like my Conquests very much. They are solid scopes optically and mechanically IME. But they were purchased at a considerably lower price point than the OP is proposing... for what he's gonna spend, if he intends to dial a bunch, I suspect he can do better than what he's got listed.

Would you agree?

Jeff,
A year or two ago, there was a guy on here asking questions ad nauseam about scopes. He had only used one brand of scope in his hunting career and he
ended up trying a Meopta. Shortly after receiving it, with a mere two scope brands/models under his belt - sure as the sun rising in the east, death and taxes, he's Johnny-on-the-spot in trumping Meopta.

My long route in getting to; don't be that guy.

I have two VX6 1-6X for the woods. I think the eye box and glass is excellent. I would assume a 2-12X to have the same quality.
I also have two 4.5-18 Bushnell LRHS for long range work. These also seem to be excellent glass and great turrets. The LRHS also has a really nice reticle that can be used effectively. It is FFP but reticle seems to be very well designed for that operation. I don't have that much time behind the LRHS but I am actually going to use them for silhouette matches this season and groundhogs.

I hear ya.

But now I am forced to say, I have owned and used 4 Burris', a half dozen Zeiss, a Swarovski, and a small herd of Leupolds.... as well as some other stuff not pertinent to this. Spun turrets in volume on the Leupold, Zeiss, and Swaro. Used two different types of Leup turrets. Two types of Zeiss turrets. Used range-compensating reticles on Leup's and Zeiss as well. Now I have a Nightforce NXS and am plotting another NF or two.

My opinion isn't based on one model or brand of scope. It's based on dicking around with mid-level scopes for a long freaking time and hitting the limitations inherent in them. It's based on doing numerous scope tests in the last 6 months to pound it into my thick skull that yes, that level of scope has some inherant mechanical imprecision and yes, it WILL show up in your shooting if you dial 'em. Depending on how rigorous the OP wants to be with his LR pursuits he might be happy as a clam with any of his stated options. But for VX6 or HDS coin he has other options that would likely make him happiER if, again, he's really gonna do this stuff to a high level of precision.

No? If you disagree let's talk. I'm listening.

What you think you've done, and what you've actually done isn't even close.

Has anyone checked the tracking on the VX-6's ? Like I said in the original post, I'm really looking to be confident at 600, practice farther for fun, and in all reality, shoot most critters under 300 if at all possible.

Yup -

Dump it -

I like Zeiss glass on rifle scopes it seems better to my eyes than competitive models and even superior models of scope. The Z 6&800 reticles are way to busy for a woods rifle in my opinion. The plain Zplex, I think it is #20 is perfect to my eye for all around including woods at lower magnifications.

If at all possible my goal hunting is not to have to adjust my scope in any way because rushing and adrenaline are good causes of screw-ups in the field. If I have to touch something it is simpler for me to crank the magnification all the way to make my reticle accurate and I can do that without losing sight of the animal. Inside 400 yards with a 7 RM neither the turret or reticle are necessary. I have enjoyed ringing gongs at 800 yards with the Z800 and the added confidence I have at longer ranges isn't something I plan to give up but there is a trade off. To me adjusting with a turret makes perfect sense for target shooting and not much sense in the field because it is one more thing to potentially go wrong. Just making sure the darn safety is off is challenging enough with a nice bull in sight.

^ if you can turn a power ring, you can turn a turret. Can't get any more simple than holding dead on and pulling the trigger.

With a graduated reticle (elevation and/or windage) of any variety, it is also a matter of holding dead on. Just on a different part of the reticle. And no risk of losing zero or forgetting to reset.

I'll put in a dig for the VX-6 2X12X42 been hunting with one since they came out, Sent mine back in had a fine duplex installed I've been impressed with it and highly recommend one for a hunting rifle if you can live with a 30 mm scope !

I can turn a power ring without losing sight of my target animal, I take ranges to several landmarks if I am sitting for any length of time so I don't necessarily have to range the animal either. Twisting a turret is more precise, but slower and I wouldn't trust doing that without looking. Elk vitals aren't 10 rings but i understand shooters who aren't comfortable with estimating, won't shoot moving animals etc. it is admirable when hunters know their limitations. I try to stay within mine and screwing around with a turret isn't something I'm comfortable with in most shooting situations.

Unless one needs to hold off for elevation as well as windage...

What about huskemaw scopes?