Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Zeiss Conquest or Leupold VXIII

How does it hold up to 180" of rain and being thrown around a skiff for 6 months?

Per nearly always, very well put....<grin>

I have about concluded that the best thing a guy can do, when it comes to the Optics Threads,is to have tried ONE THING;remain ignorant,don't try too much,ie different scope brands,etc. If you try to much, learn,etc., you gain "EXERIENCE",which is very dangerous and NOT terribly beneficial.You are far better off to be blissful in your ignorance....

If you have only used One Thing,and keep your opinions to yourself, you are treated kindly, like the Village Idiot,or the pathetic neighborhood pooch with a limp,who goes begging handouts.......If you happen to mention, in passing, that you have used a Leup 2-7,for everything, forever...you are ,fortunately, ignored...... Reaching "ignored" status on the Optics Threads is the same as a free pass to all seven games of the Yankees/Red Sox World Series,or a date with Jessica Alba...maybe better(grin)!

Kids crack me up.........

Perhaps, but that don't make them wrong. I'm sure I would run more Elites if I lived where you do.

No need for flaming when things are rationalized as you did above - well put. The flames comes when one adamantly insists on how one is superior to the other - for someone else. Both have their advantages as well as drawbacks. Have both and can like either for their various qualities for ME.

Zeiss baby!

The beautiful thing about using an Elite is the built in excuse for missing a shot(just kidding Elite fans). Example: I was holding dead on the shoulder, it must be this dang scope.

My brother has an Elite 4200 that hasn't fogged on him yet, but he did have it change zero on him when he smacked his rig down on some extremely hard packed snow.

Got to agree with Steelhead on the Bushnell's , they just dont give much eye relief and have a fairly small eyebox , the older Monarchs too (3-9x40). They both have good glass but they arent very user friendly. Lots of good scopes out there , a fella just has to go with what works best for him.

fwiw,
I sell and represent Schmidt Bender/Accuracy International as a day job. In that capacity I see alot of glass and Leupold HAD been one of the best manufacturers in the 2000-2002 time frame from my limited experience. That said I bought SEVEN new VX-IIIs for various rifles in 2006. I finally got around to mounting two on Leupold EFRs on a pair of Anschtuz Meistergrade Rifles. The third Meistergrade had a new Zeiss Conquest 4.5-14x44 with the dreaded light robbing side focus. I will only tell you that it was an eye opening experience...

YES THERE IS A DIFFERENCE and it damned evident when you shut your mouth and open your eyes to the scopes. It was a stark contrast between the Zeiss and the Leupolds, however, no one had any question about the Zeiss's Sight Picture being brighter. Nothing said about tracking, holding zero, ect... However, They ARE brighter. This is one internet rumor that appears to be based in fact. I once wore a large green Leupold Cape and felt all warm and fuzzy about my USA Made Scopes from Beaverton, Oregon. That said when I started comparing them to Zeiss and Schmidt Bender they start looking damned average. Can only speak to Mark 4s and VX-IIIs as that is all I use from their line...

Would try a VX-7 but the Nightforces NXS is a better scope, soon to be Made in USA, and is priced similarly. Not to mention Leupold's dicked Quality Control of late. They need to concentrate on quality and not quantity...imho

Regards, Matt Garrett.

I'm all for crystal sharp in bino's, scopes are aiming devices first and foremost.

Eye [bleep] and hunting/carrying a rifle daily ain't the same. YMMV

First off...thank you all for the wonderful insight. I got exactly what I was looking for - opinions from those that have run both, and info from those that only have experience with one or the other.

To fess up, I already had the 2.5x8 in-hand. Without getting into all the details, I had a Leupold go bad on me. To make things right, I was handed a NIB 2.5x8. I have contemplated Ziess for a while, so I had a thought of selling the 2.5x8 and putting the funds toward the Ziess. If I told the complete story up front, I was affraid this would turn into a Leupold bashing. That would perhaps not be fair, but it for sure would not be informative.

What I learned...both are great; the Zeiss in my price range has it's pros but at a cost (bulk, plastic turret covers, no B&C reticle). Same with Leupold - great size and weight and a BC reticle, but not as good glass, and I'm coming off the negative experience of having one go bad - so I'm questioning quality control right now. But, your responses have lead me to believe that both are made to last, and a Zeiss could probably go bad just as quickly - even if it is a fluke.

Today I found a shop that actually mounted a Zeiss for me just to see what the thing would look and feel like (on my Ruger #1). It looked much better than I thought it would, and it threw up pretty darned nicely too - and of course the picture was sweet. But...however gratifying that was, the overall gratifying feeling one gets when he looks down at his rig and says, "that's finally set up exactly how I want it." was not there. I don't know if anyone besides me will get that, but it's real enough for me. And as I carried that rifle around the store, my thoughts of "wow...this sure balances nice", switched to, "if only this was a little lighter." I left that Zeiss there, and as of right now it's looking like that Leupold will get the nod. If this Leupold goes bad, you can bet that Zeiss will be in those rings in no time flat.

I truly appreciate the help. Happy hunting!

Know exactly what you mean dude, and I dont think there is a right or wrong scope for the job, only the right or wrong scope for you and the gun its going on. I have said this before, if I hunted from an elevated blind with potential 400+ yard shots at first and last minutes of daylight heavily hunted whitetails, shooting a Remington Sendero 300 RUM and I didn't like Turrets it would be a higher power Zeiss something or another. But for the hunting I do and the guns I use, I just dont need/want to add the bulk and weight to the gun. Its pretty light here where I hunt during season too and the critters aint all that spookish.

AZ Southpaw, it's your money, spend as you see fit.

Rob

ZEISS for no ther reason then I prefer their #4 and all the reticles are etched which I like because they stay black under any and all conditions.... Optically its close, weight goes to leupold, looks go to leupold....now if premier still made the #4 for leupold it would be tough

AZ Southpaw,

I have both. I have a VX3 2.5-8 and now a couple of Zeiss 2.5-8 Conquests. You need to compare them side by side by looking through each scope. Thats the primary job of a scope which is aiming. The Conquests easily win that job.



The old rifle in .358W. at the bottom of the picture has a new 2.5-8 Conquest on it.

This is just unbelievable. I did a search for a specific model of scope and came across this thread. All I can say is "Holy Crap!!!" The guy starts a thread to obtain opinions. That is what he got for the most part. However, in addition, he got the added benefit of outbursts from a poster or two who, for some reason, had a difference of opinion.

Difference of opinion is fine; but, to take personal offense at a differing opinion is childish at best and completely abusive and out of line at worse. If you have your whole 401K invested in one of the aforementioned companies, spread it around to protect yourself. You should never be suprised someone has a differing opinion.

Jeepers, sometime people react to a differing opinion in the same manner one would expect them to react if someone accused them of being a pedophile in front of their clergy.

Provide your opinion. Provide the basis for that position if you so choose. I assume the original poster is not a moron. He will be able to sift through what is provided to help him in making an educated decision. I assume that the personal attacks, name calling and posturing don't/didn't help him to make that decision.

Tell me I'm wrong.

Now why did you have to go and do that, bringing this to the top. Things had been so pleasant and nice here lately.

JonA, Good point. I actually thought of that before I posted; but, I just needed to get that off of my chest.

Thomas