Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Tell me about Zeiss Conquest scopes

In particular I'm looking at the discontinued 4.5-14x 44mm. What are its strengths and weaknesses for a 7mm Rem Mag that likely will not get hunted often but could potentially go on a once in a lifetime trip.
I am now braced for impact... Tell me what you have experienced.

I've got 4.5-14x50 Conquests on three rifles, including one of my 7Mags. Great glass, accurate adjustments, really no downside to them that I have found. I've also got several of the 3-9x40s on other rifles. If I had to pick a favorite scope of all the models I own, the Conquests would probably get the nod.

The only Zeiss I've had to send in for repairs. The glass is pretty good, on par with the newer Conquest V4. The bass ackwards turrets I can live with, but the standard turrets are not numbered. So there is no reference for dialing purposes. So, for me, it's a "set and forget" scope. No real useable reticles, to offset that, like a longrange ballistic plex reticle for example. That would be a plus, if they had it, but no dice. The scope is also long, but it's still fairly lightweight. It's not a horrible scope, but it is highly dated. Similar to a Bushnell elite 4200. Great scopes, but are outdated, and limited in its use. Most times they are pretty robust scopes, but not my first pick. The older Zeiss Conquest models hold their value pretty well. The 3-9x40's often sell for around $400. The 3.5-10x44 around $450.00, and the 4.5-14x44 around $5-$600.00.

I had one and a Vortex Viper HST 4-16X44 some years ago and side by side the view at long range absolutely trounced the Viper.

Liked it, had the target style turrets and a usable duplex style reticle. No tracking issues, and I dialed it. Moved on from it to the HDS 5 3-15x42 mostly because of the more versatile zoom range.

And now I prefer lit dot reticles.

It will probably work fine for you, but as BSA stated, maybe a bit outdated.

I had the older conquest and liked it, it had trouble holding zero, sent it in and Ziess upgraded me to HD5 3-15. Have several versions of that model and V4..
The bright clear view is consistent and I like each different reticle and turret choice I have.
Each has done their job very well in tough conditions.

I have a 4.5x14x44 conquest with a #4 reticle. I consider it an excellent scope in low light. I've never been comfortable with the parallax adjustment feature.

I dont hunt over 200 yds, so I guess its too much magnification for me. Set n forget is the story of my life.

Great scope tho.

They don't track,repeat or hold zero and like to fog up. Hint.

EASY pass.....................

I like them. Have several and their MeoPro twins. To me they are still very good scopes. Bright enough to hunt past legal shooting hours here in AR. I don’t dial so the unnumbered turrets don’t bother me much. Mine have and are mounted on anything from a .300 WM down to a .243 Win. Never had any issues with any of them.

I bought several of the 3-9x40’s back when they were closing them out at $285 or so. Probably should have bought more. To me that was one of the best scope deals ever.

DF

I have two Conquest 4.5-14x44 and one Cabelas version of the same scope. All three have ballistic reticles that work great. The Cabelas is on barrel #2 in 204 ruger which I use for prarie dog shooting. It's never missed a beat and has always held zero. The two Zeiss versions are on a 300 Ultra and a 270. The 270 only has a few hundred round under its belt, but the one on the 300 Ultra is on barrel #3 and has been hunted hard for 20 years. The 270 zero has never changed. The 300 zero has changed once when I fell and smashed the scope into a cattle guard. Put a nice ding in the bell and needed 6 clicks of windage to correct.

I have several Conquests and 4-5 Meopros. I think they are great scopes for the $$$ and wish Meopta still made them.

I acquired one of the stainless 4.5-14x44 models years ago that had spent a lot of time on a gentleman’s 7mm Rem Mag. He was a one gun guy and hunted that setup all across North America. It had the bumps bruises to go with it but had never had an issue holding zero. Once I acquired it I moved it around on a few light magnums before it found its way onto a heavy barrel 22-250. That gun got bumped around chasing coyotes and prairie dogs without ever shifting zero. Aside from being a touch heavy they are a good scope.

I have had a Meopta branded version of the same scope that performed equally well but it wasn’t tested as hard.

They fit 30mm rings. Beats Arken by a long shot

I've got 2 EPL4's, one in Arken rings (exact same thing as Vortex Pro rings) the other in Burris Signature. No issues, scopes work great.

I believe nearly all of the Conquests were 1" scopes. If you're going to take a shot then make it accurate.

The only scope in the original Conquest line that had a 30mm tube was the FFP 3-12x56. All others had 1" tubes.

I've used scopes from the original Conquest quite heavily for a number of years. Back when I still had good mobility, I tortured them through brush, rain, mud and the sweltering heat we often have in in south central Texas. They have never let me down.

The only hiccup with any of those scopes was with one of the aforementioned 3-12x56 models. It worked just fine, but it did not have the full range of windage adjustments. I sent it in and was upgraded -- at no charge -- to an illuminated Conquest DL with the #60 reticle.

The 3-9x50 Conquest with the #4 reticle was my go-to for moonlight hogs for several years. I also used the 4.5-14x in both 44 and 50mm format -- with and without target turrets -- and have no complaints regarding them, either. I believe the only scope in the original Conquest line that I never got around to using would be the 6.5-20x.

Those who have actually used them know they work -- and work well.


Most of the photos from my Conquest days were on photobucket, and I didn't pay their hostage fees LOL. But here are a few successes with Conquest scopes.

Have used them since they came out. Wish the line was still made. Have used them on multiple calibers with no complaints. Twisting anything does not factor in to my hunting. Awesome set and forget. I am continually amazed at hunters who can’t get it done with 2 “ turrets sticking out of a scope.

GreggH

Here are a couple more. Pardon the poor quality. I just snapped a phone image of framed prints and did so through glass, hence the glare, etc.

Bottom line: the original Conquests were some of the most reliable, affordable and useful hunting scopes ever offered.

I had a 4.5-14x44 Conquest.

I tracked like a top. It held zero zero. Glass was descent. Lived in a very humid environment and got beat around harder than most scopes you'll see on the fire.

Unfortunately, the parallax adjustment went tits up under recoil. It got stuck sitting at infinity. It took a hot minute for the scope to get repaired by Zeiss. I sent it down the road after that and replaced it with a Nightforce.

I wouldn't use one on a once-in-a-lifetime hunt. The 3-9x40 Conquests seem to be a more durable optic.

I am a leupold man but did buy a 4.5-14x44 conquest and a 3-9x40 conquest several years ago. I really liked how clear the glass was but they were a little heavy. I put them both on .338 Winchester mag rifles. Both went bad after about 40 shots. On both would go up to 12” side to side horizontal from shot to shot. I sent them to zeiss for repair. Took 4 months each time. One they repaired and 3-9 x40 sent me a new scope. I no longer have them. One cost me a really big buck at about 100 yds. I know some people love zeiss but I probably just had bad luck. No more zeiss for me.