Which Scope?

[SJB358]

According to the oprtical testing that I have done with the USAF test charts and so forth, they are pretty equal. I would go with that up to a point, that point being recoil. If you are going to put the scope on a.340 Weatherby or Ouch & Ouch, I would go with Conquest because they are known for being tough. I am sure that Minox is adaquate but maybe not up to being a big bore scope forever.

My ZA-5 2-10x40 has been on a .30-06 for the past 3 years. No issues no problems.

It's funny you mention the "toughness" of the Conquest Charlie. Brian put a BRAND NEW 4.5x14 on his 300 RUM and shot it about 30 times before our elk hunt. The 2nd day of hunting the scope was internally fogged and useless.

I have been running the 2-10 Minox (like on your 06) on my Alaskan and probably have about 50 rounds through it so far with no issues. Granted, his 300 is a bit harder recoiling, but this scope was on my older 338 Win Mag too, for easily 150 rounds and it held.

Not saying the Zeiss isn't tough, but they all have issues.. Just stinks when you find out in the middle of a hunt.

 

[Oldtrader3]

Scotty, I don't know but I certainly agree that a failed scope on an out-of-state hunt is a catastrophy! I had two in two years with VXIII Leuopolds, that is why I was down on them for awhile.

Between me and my two oldest sons, we own (4) Zeiss scopes, three of these are Conquests: (2) 3-9x40's and a 2.5-8x32. Three of them have spent their lives on magnum rifles (7mm to .340 Bee). My 2.5-8x32 Conquest has about 300 rounds of .340 though it with no hiccups. It is on a 9.3x74R now. My son has a .300 WSM with one of the 3-9x40's on it for 10 years now.

Times change, maybe Zeiss, North America has changed their Quality Plan to save money? Certainly I have anecdotal information which indicates that Zeiss Conquest has slipped. Now a couple of people on the forum have had scope failures, one while on a hunt. This is disturbing because that scope was one of the pillars of stone in the scope industry and they are not cheap!

 

[SJB358]

I agree Charlie. It was probably just that "one" bad scope. I still wouldn't hesitate to buy another Zeiss at all. Any of them can take a crap, and a lightweight 300 RUM will test all but the best of scopes.

 

[Oldtrader3]

SWFA Samplelist has a couple or three Leice ER's for about $1100. This would be a good buy on a great scope.

 

[BK]

I have a semi-hijacking sort of question here. In the OP, the choices were between a Conquest and Swaro. Aren't these two different leagues of optics? That being said (or asked) is there something different about the conquest in question from a quality standpoint to the 3-9 Conquests that are available under $400? If there isn't a difference I'd be very much inclined to suggest the Minox ZA5 3-15x42. Minox is optically right on par with the Conquest (at least the 3-9 Conquest). The ZA5 Minox I mentioned is available for under $400 from CLNY and the same scope with the side focus is well under $600. My thought is the Conquest and Minox are on par with one another, why spend the extra dough on the Conquest? Now factoring out price, I'd probably be leaning toward the Swaro between the those three.

Just a note on that scope: I've railed on this before (probably repeatedly), but I'm leery of a 15x scope without some sort of parallax adjustment. It just chaps my backside that Minox offers the 3-15x50 SF, but no SF on the x42. And I don't like 50mm objective much, either.

 

[Oldtrader3]

Kurt, Zeiss has, with the Conquest Duralight at about $1000+, closed the pricing gap with the Swaro Z3 and Z5. Of course they both have the Diavari and Z6 respectively at about $2000+. Swaro had the Kahles Scopes down with pricing in the same overlapping catagory as Conquest but Kahles managed to break away from Swaro ownership and return to being a premium brand again. With that, Swaro does not have a entry brand like the Conquest but it would not surprise me to see them making one here in the future with Euro parts to compete.

Minox new brands are Chinese made and I will NOT buy a chinese made optic! I will keep my ZA5 bcause they have undermined the brand with sales of open box sales that make my $500+ Minox worth about $300. if that, used. It really ticked me off that they undermined their own brand integrity that way!

The whole optics market future comes down to who wins the US Presidential Election. I am serious, we will mirror China by the time Obama has another term as President. There will be no premium scope market anywhere but in Europe. Because all branding will become meaningless in this country with a collapsed economy.