Down to 2 ???

wisconsinteacher

wisconsinteacher

Handloader
Dec 2, 2010
1,976
290
Well I am down to two scopes and need a little more advice. It will go on my Ruger 25-06 with a varmint barrel. In no order they are:

Zeiss Conquest 3-9x40 from Cabela's

or

Leupold VXII 4-14x40

Price wise they are within $50 of each other. I would like to shoot out to 300-400 yards at the range and hunt deer and yotes with it.

So what one and why?
 
4.5x14 for the extra power. (Varmints are small)
 
I'll respectfully take the opposing option of Fotis and recommend the Conquest. Although there is a lot of truth to going for higher power on smaller varmints, a 25-06 is a lot of gun for smaller varmints. I'd assume you're looking to go for some larger varmints (bigger than whistle pigs or p-dogs). Just my opinion, but I feel the Conquest is superior, optically speaking. There is a lot to be said for optical quality over magnification power. Now I'm not saying that vxII or vx2 is a slouch, and it'll probably serve you well, but I also have a general disdain for Leupold due, to what I believe is, general overpricing. I realize that you're settled on one of those two, but perhaps one to consider would be this one....
http://www.cameralandny.com/optics/minox.pl?page=66020
379 for the open box. Right now their open box is a little spendier than I've seen before (bought one earlier this year for 289 from CLNY for my 257Roy). But still... 379 for a scope that is right on par optically with the Conquest and offering you an excellent magnification range.... excellent value.
 
Of those two, I'd definitely go Conquest. It's on a par with the Leupold scope one or two levels above the one you're comparing. For $299, you simply cannot beat it.

Of course, M3 has brought another fine piece of glass to the table. I was shooting through my 4-20x50 Minox ZA5 today and it's just as clear as the Conquest 4.5-14x44 on one of my other rifles - no question. Of note, too, is the add-on option to get a pair of Minox binos for a penny. Scotty has a pair of these and says they're far better than their $300 MSRP would indicate. I've been thinking about picking up a scope just to get the spare binos...but I have at least one extra scope already!
 
I'm looking at the same deal myself, Dub. I, however, have a varmint AR about to be built in the next few days that'll need a scope and I'm really liking the idea of another ZA5 3-15. The add on Binos would be quite the deal sweetener, although I think I'd rather just get the scope for 289 again! I don't need the binos.
 
I would put the Leupold on the .25-06 in order to get clean 12x magnification for varmits. You can do a comparison test between them but the newer VXII 4-12x40AO's have Multicoat 4 lenses and are plenty good enough for all varmit hunting. The 3-9x40 Conquest may be a slightly better optically scope but I would opt for the magnification on a varmit rifle which can reach out like a 75 grain BT from the .25-06.
 
This is the Leupold I was looking at.

VX 2 4-12x40 http://www.leupold.com/hunting-shooting ... 4-12x40mm/


The Minox has me thinking. I do need a pair of binos for bowhunting/turkey hunting that would fit in my day pack.

So now it is down to 3.

Conquest 3-9
Leupold 4-14
Minox 3-15 plus binos

HELP.
 
For the record, when I bought my VX-3 Leupold last month, I considered getting a VX2 Leupold "Hog" but went or the VX-3 route instead because I could not find anything but faint praise for the Leupold VX2 opticals on "Optics Talk". Now mind you, I have not looked through a VX2 because the nearest one is at a dealer's who is 50 miles from my house.

I have two VXII scopes and they are adequate but they are not the Minox or Conquest for contrast or resolution. Just my opinion and not a good one because I do not know about the VX2 versus the VXII.
 
Hey WITeach.... both Fotis and OT3 mentioned varmints, but I noticed in the OP that you only mentioned the rifle having a varmint barrel. Is varmints your intended quarry (and what size critters?) or are you looking at game animals and the rifle just happens to have a varmint barrel? Also, what kind of ranges are looking at? I realized that could make a difference in recommendations for some. If this is actually going to be a whitetail gun, I'd probably push towards the Conquest further or suggest the ZA3 Minox 3-9. BTW... I noticed the add on special through CLNY was for "new" scopes. I'm not sure if their open box deals qualify although I bought two towards the end of last year and both had a $50 rebate from Minox... something typically not done on a not new product. But you can always call the guys there and talk to them. Although they tend to be rather short (typical NYC thing, I suppose), they are pretty easy to deal with.
 
wisconsinteacher":3pm7t9n6 said:
This is the Leupold I was looking at.

VX 2 4-12x40 http://www.leupold.com/hunting-shooting ... 4-12x40mm/


The Minox has me thinking. I do need a pair of binos for bowhunting/turkey hunting that would fit in my day pack.

So now it is down to 3.

Conquest 3-9
Leupold 4-14
Minox 3-15 plus binos

HELP.
Click to expand...

Be hard to beat the Minox 3-15 if you want a set of GREAT bino's. I love the ones I got for my son and use the heck out of them being they are an 8X back East. I have no issues with the Leupold or Zeiss, but the Minox is better than 1 and equal to the other, for less money. Plus, you can add turrets pretty easily to the Minox as well. Makes for alot of scope for your money WT.
 
No question, conquest. Also if it were I, I would pony up the extra cash and get the rapid z 600 ret, you'll love it and it works very very well.


Bill
 
As far as to what I want to shoot. I would use it to shoot targets/deer/coyotes in that order. If I ever get the chance to go west, I would take it for speed goats and mule deer. As of now I am leaning on the Minox. I do not have a pair of binos and would like the bigger magnification for shooting out to 400 yards.
 
My son has the 3.5-10x44mm Conquest with the Z600 on his 300 WSM. Love that scope and reticle, but then the B&C reticle on the Leupold is just as nice, and simple to use also!
 
Just do not use a scope for bino's, particularly if you are looking at other hunters. I about have a heart attack when I see someone looking at me with a riflescope. I have been shot at several times and get extremely nervous when someone looks at me with a scoped rifle!
 
Charlie, he's talking about the binoculars "add-on" deal with the Minox scope at CameralandNY. But I hear you on the whole "using the scope as binos" thing. Totally heebs me out when I see or hear other hunters talking about "not needing binos because they have a scope." Morons!
 
wisconsinteacher":2be2nnal said:
As far as to what I want to shoot. I would use it to shoot targets/deer/coyotes in that order. If I ever get the chance to go west, I would take it for speed goats and mule deer. As of now I am leaning on the Minox. I do not have a pair of binos and would like the bigger magnification for shooting out to 400 yards.
Click to expand...
Sounds like you'd be well served with a 3-9. Anything beyond that would be up to you. I put the 3-15 Minox on my 257Roy for the express purpose of speedgoats out here where distance can stretch a bit... and honestly, a 3-9 would have worked, but CLNY had a killer deal going on the 3-15 at the time. It is entirely up to you, but if you stuck with a 3-9 of good quality, you certainly wouldn't be under-scoped. Despite my misgivings on Leupold's pricing, I believe you're on the right track with any of the options you're considering. Put in order of personal preference, I'd go with a toss-up between Minox and Zeiss (giving the nod to Minox based on available pricing) followed by the VX2.
 
The reality for me with scopes is 10X. If I have a scope with 10 magnification for deer and antelope hunting, I am set up just fine for all circumstances, as far as I can discern. I want to be able to see brow tines and antler points in the oak brush at 300 yards. The 10X scope will do that for me.

I have several 3-9x40 something scopes and they are great but I really key on the 10X magnification, even at the range. Yes, I can see a difference and it is meanful for me.
 
Minox+1,
Purchases a Minox 3-9X40 BDC earlier this fall, Will get the 2-10 as soon as I have the cash!
Keith
 
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