Leupold VX-lll or Zeiss Conquest?????

My Sako 75 should come in at any day now and I've been going insane the past week in researching scopes. I have narrowed the scopes to the following: VX-lll 3.5-10x50 or 4.5-14x50. The 4.5-14x50 I looked at was a Long range scope with the B&C reticle. I'm seriously looking at a Zeiss Conquest in: 3-9x50, 4.5-14x50 or 3.5-10x44, 4.5-14x44. I'm leaning toward a larger objective because the 7mm Sako 75 hunter I ordered comes with rings that are high and having more light can't hurt. The scope will be used for stand hunting deer up to 300 yards. Also what reticle do you guys like? B&C, Duplex or?? for the Leupold. Do you guys think the Z-plex reticle is a little to thick for longer shots? If I go with the conquest what reticle do you guys like?I have heard alot of good things about the Conquest being brighter and the Leupold being more durable and better because of the lifetime warranty. What do you guys think I should get? I'm trying to spend under $1000 on a new scope and am still open to other options.

Tell me about it.  I have been doing the same but I have a Kimber Montana on the way.  I have it down to two scopes. The first a Conquest 3-10 x 44 or a Kahles 3-9x42.  For weeks I was locked into buying another Leupold but the more research I do the farther I get.
Unless I find a killer deal on the Kahles, I will choose the Zeiss.

If you do a search under tis topic you will come up with a ton of info and things have not changed much with with exception that Leupold states they have improved their lens quality which I'm sure they have. They needed to to play catch up do to their high prices in this market place. The newest Leupold's are better than the old Vari-X III but cannot compete with the two scopes you mentioned. The Zeiss has a laser etched reticle on an interior lens as opposed to most other scopes that utilize a wire reticle, which should, at least from that standpoint, make them more durable. However, I believe that scope failure due to a broken reticle is very, very rare. The first thing to fail is usually the scopes ability to hold zero, which has little to do with the reticle design. Anyway, you probably don't have to do a search now because I love writing/reporting about this topic, but do so anyway. In closing, for no other reason than personal preference, I would go with the Zeiss Conquest 3.5-10x44 with the Z-Plex reticle. I don't care for any clutter in my sight picture. It is one more thing that can make you pause when opportunity strikes. Hope this helps. Nice gun choice by the way. Have a great day. One more thing, if you have chosen a flat shooting cartridge, shots inside 300yrds should not be a real problem. If you are anything like me and love toys, get a compact rangefinder with the monies saved over the Kahles with the TDS reticle.

Edited by Roy Finn

Right on about the range finder. Most if not all ballistic compensating reticles, mil-dot systems, B&C, varmit reticles (ad nausium) and very old concepts. Today's laser range finders dates them. Even the entry level range finders give more accurate information than any reticle system. Most are 6-8 power and while no where near the quality of binoc. offer a better look while sizing up the shot.

Rangefinders are great if you have time to use them. Where I hunt, if you tried to range a whitetail before you shoot, you might as well leave your gun at home.

Dano, I see that you mentioned the Leupold lifetime warranty, but not Zeiss' warranty.  Just incase you didn't know Zeiss has a lifetime transferable warranty as well.

How do the windage and elevation adjustments on the Zeiss conquest compare with the Leupold VX-lll. I know on the VX-lll you take a cap off and make finger adjustments easily. On the Zeiss is there a cap to prevent accidental windage and elevation adjustments? Thanks for your help I might be buying a Zeiss this weekend.

Depending on the area you hunt in a range finder can be a useful tool. I own a grain farm in western NY where your shots are limited by terrain and allowed firearms ( shotgun/muzzle loader) only, so a range finder isn't necessary. I also hunt in Canada where long shots can present themselves. I use the range finder to mark distances off of trees as a shoot, don't shoot basis according to my own ethics on shots at wild game. I made an assumption based on the writers question. I would like to think that I am a fairly good judge of range, but not everyone is. Also, the writer did not state the caliber he was using. At 300 yrds. a lot of people can be way off.

kim700 wrote: Tell me about it.  I have been doing the same but I have a Kimber Montana on the way.  I have it down to two scopes. The first a Conquest 3-10 x 44 or a Kahles 3-9x42.  For weeks I was locked into buying another Leupold but the more research I do the farther I get. Unless I find a killer deal on the Kahles, I will choose the Zeiss.

 

GO TO THE SAMPLELIST.COM!!!  There is a Kahles CL 3x9 42mm with MultiZero for $649.95!!!  That, my friend, is a KILLER DEAL on this scope!

LEU60335

New Leupold 4.5-14x50 VX-L Riflescope Matte Varmint Hunters 1" Index Matched Lens System with Diamondcoat Indexed Matched on the exterior lens surface

SWFA:

$829.95

LEU60365

New Leupold 4.5-14x56 VX-L 30mm Riflescope Matte Varmint Hunters 30mm Long Range Target Knobs Index Matched Lens System with Diamondcoat Indexed Matched on the exterior lens surface

SWFA:

$1,029.95

LEU57170

Leupold 4.5-14x50 VX-III 30mm Riflescope Matte Varmint Hunters 30mm Long Range Side Focus Index Matched Lens System

SWFA:

$769.95

LEU60000

Leupold 4.5-14x50 Mark 4 LR/T 30mm Riflescope Matte Illuminated Tactical Milling Reticle 30mm Side Focus M1 Target Knobs Free Leupold Flip-Open Lens Covers

SWFA:

$1,229.95

LEU54660

Leupold 4.5-14x50 Mark 4 LR/T 30mm Riflescope Matte Duplex 30mm Long Range Side Focus M1 Target Knobs Free Leupold Flip-Open Lens Covers

SWFA:

$969.95

8415

New Nikon 4-16x50 Tactical 30mm Riflescope Matte Mil-Dot 30mm Side Focus Free Lens Caps w/ Purchase Free 2.5" Sun Shade w/ Purchase Free Mil-Dot Master w/ Purchase

SWFA:

$999.95

The Leupold 30mm tube LONG RANGE 4.5-14 scopes have 100MOA internal adjustment - that's a lot.

The HOLY GRAIL of all rifle scopes it the Leupold 4.5-14x50 Mark 4 LR/T 30mm  according to   http://www.tacticaloperations.com/
I have a VX III  4.5-14x50 w/ 30mm tube (wide duplex range estimating) on my sons deer rifle. The varmit reticle has marks for 10mph and 20 mph wind as well as hold over marks. With tactical scopes you mil dot range your target by knowing the size of the target. Once distance is known you dial in correction for windage and elevation using known trajectory information.  example: http://www.snipercentral.com/7mm.htm

 

Well I went to Cabelas today and checked out some scopes. I brought my new gun to the counter with the bottom half of the rings installed so I could compare scopes and see how they feel with the gun. I looked at Leupolds and decided to go with the Zeiss conquest. I had the scope on the counter and was ready to take it when I made the mistake of picking up a Swarovski AV 4-12 x 50 with the TDS-PLEX reticle. I fell in love with the scope and bought it. It was more money than I planned on spending but what the hell you only live once. I'm reading the TDS reticle manual right now and it seems like an excellent system. What do you think??

If Mike from TacOps says that the Mark 4 is the best you probably could take that for gospel. After all, the Tango51 is one of the most highly respected weapons you will find anywhere.