Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics The Best Scope Money Can Buy

Well I'm sure I'll get some flak for the open ended question but I figured there was no better place on the net to ask it!

The question:
I have a Sako Finnlight 300 WSM with Opti Locks that�s a real tack driver! I currently have a Zeiss Conquest 3.5-10x44 Stainless on top of it. I like it but the clarity isn't what I'd consider "perfect". What's the best scope in your opinion regardless of price? I figured I paid a premium for this rig might as well for the gusto and get a top of the line scope too.

Many consider zeiss to be the best,I don't know that any scope is perfect.There is swarovski and shmidt and bender that cost more but I don't think they are better.

In my opinion, you can't get a better scope than a Schmidt
& Bender!!

Check out the S&B 3-12x50 Zenith - its clarity is awesome!!!!!

The Swaro Z6 is pretty impressive.....

My $.02...

Top Three, in no particular order.
--Zeiss Victory Divari;
--Schmidt & Bender Zenith;
--Swarovski Z6;

All three will do you well.

Great input and thank you.
Based on the three you gents have mentioned. If I were to add weight, warranty, and customer service as a reuirement. Would it narrow it down any further?

Weight: Schmidt and Bender scopes are tanks.

CS: Swaro is supposed to be stellar in this department according to many posts here.

Warranty: Is Zeiss still lifetime and transferable?

S+B 6x42 or most any 6x42

Not based on the 3 mentioned, but if you based on weight, warranty and customer service combined with overall usefulness it narrows down to one and that would be Leupold.

OUCH Schmidt is much more expensive too.
Zeiss and Swaro are priced almost the same and have similar features. I love Zeiss even though all my scopes have been from the Conquest line.
I've never owned a Swaro so this may be a great opportunity to make a change.

Last thoughts?

My perfect scope is a Zeiss Diavari 3x12x56.
I believe it is lightest of the Top three.
Great resolution.
Great in low light.
Can refit turrets.
Yes, it is a fairly big scope, but to get the best, that's what it takes.
Kinda like racing. A top performing 4cylinder will never run with a top performing V8! Yes the 4 cylinder weighs less, is more compact, etc. but hey, were talking about Ultimate Performance!

I have owned Zeiss,Swarovski,Kahles,Leupold,Nightforce,Bushnell,and Weaver,and my hunting scopes now wear 1" Kahles Helia CT scopes.They are clear,bright,reliable,compact,and the weight is reasonable.With 42mm objectives,they can also be mounted low enough for a proper cheek position on the stock.

How is the customer service these days?

The new Schmidt & Bender Summit might also warrant a look. It's S&B's first 1" scope and the 2.5-10x only weighs 16-some ounces. I just put one on my Heym .300 Winchester and went to the range for the first time yesterday. Haven't finished all the official testing yet, but so far have been very impressed.

If I ever need it,I will let you know.To date,only one of my scopes ever required customer service,and that was a Zeiss involved in a horsewreck.
I did have a couple of Leupolds that had magnification rings that were extremely hard to turn,but I just sold them to get rid of the problem.I would rather have a scope that doesn't need service than a Leupold that is shipped out defective,but is repaired under warranty.

Really?

I don't care what the brand is, I don't like shelling out for a piece of gear with an iffy support system. BTW, where did I mention Leupold?

...and I have had more than one of the high-priced Euro-scopes go bad. Thinking they never do is a mistake.

I was just passing on my own personal experiences.I have never had a defective Zeiss,Swarovski or Kahles scope,but I have had two defective Leupold scopes.



I mentioned them,because I have owned two that were defective from the factory.They held zero and tracked reasonably,but it was extremely difficult to turn the magnification ring.And if you search the forums,you will soon see that this is quite a common occurrence.There is no excuse for shipping a scope that is so obviously defective,regardless of the warranty.

iflyguns,

Make sure you try whatever you get side by side with other "high end" stuff. Both times I compared Swaro with Leupold LPS the LPS was definately sharper. These were the 3-9X Swaro with the 2 1/2-10X LPS and the 4-12X Swaro with the 3 1/2-14X LPS.

A Conquest is a price point scope.

If you want THE best buy a fixed power Schmidt, Swaro or Zeiss. Less moving parts, and no compromise to achieve the best performance at ONE magnification.
My 4X Schmidt is slightly better than my 4-16 Schmidt set at 4X. BUT "slightly" is just that.
If you ever want to be REALLY spoiled look through a Schmidt 8x56.
Not a real practical scope for USA hunting but you can count the hairs on a gnat's butt!

Expensive, but I never saw an armored car following a hearse!