I think I may have found the perfect DG scope (for me anyway) as I don't care for the Leupold 1-4s and 1.5-5s with heavy duplex reticles and teeny objective lenses.

Mstarling on here pointed me towards the Zeiss Conquest 1.8-5.5x38mm. Camera Land has these on sale for $299 so I ordered one and it was delivered today. I am very impressed with it. I have been comparing it to some of my higher-end Swaro and Kahles scopes and this is a very nice scope. Once the sun goes down I will see how it measures up in twilight. This one is going on my .450 Dakota and I think I will be ordering another for my Lott.

Great price, I will be interested in your twilight assessment.

I was not aware that such a beast existed!

I like it. For $300, it is a great deal.

Wish I would have known about this last week!

Wendell,
SWFA website also has them listed for $299.

Please post your assessment. I would like to know how it is standing up to recoil after a few sessions on your 450.

Andy,

Do let us know all about the scope. Looks like a winner. How about eye relief and ring spacing? I'm not a real fan of the 1.5x5 either so I'm quite interested.

Mark

I have three of these scopes.

These are not small scopes. They weigh about 15 oz, essentially the same as the 3-9x42 MC Conquest. They allow any ring spacing that makes sense (I measure 5.88" available outside edge of the rings) ... same as the 3-9x42 MC Conquest. They have a constant 4" eye relief just like the 3-9x42 MC Conquest. They are very clear and gather very good light at dusk. They are almost as bright at twilight as the S&B 1.5-6x on my Chapuis.

Took two deer at dusk with them last season. Worked well.

Most of my scopes are mounted using Leupold QRW rings on custom mounts that have exactly the same spacing ... so I can move them around on rifles. Have used these scopes on .264 Win Mag, 338-06, 9,3x62, .376/.416 Steyr Improved, and .458 AR rifles.

Zeiss tells me they will stand up against the .458. My .458 AR weights just over 10 pounds with this scope mounted. Have about 50 rds on one and so far it has been fine.

Am taking 4 scopes to RSA in May. Two will be 1.8-5.5s.

Alex at EuroOptics also has them for $299. Great scope at a great price!

They sound like a good scope..if they can handle recoil long term.

What sort of adjustment range does the scope have Andy?

Nightforce has come out with a 2.5-10X32 which will have better light gathering ability than the old 2.5-10X24........they are tough scopes and have plenty of adjustment, both elevation and windage.

Zeiss specs available here:

http://www.zeiss.com/c1256bcf0...9a5585257546006e354d

Adjustment range is shown to be 110" square at 100 yards compared to the 3-9x42 MC which is 64.1" square at 100 yards.

Pretty much ditto what Mike said above as far as specs and performance.

I weighed it on a digital postal scale and it weighs 15.7 oz. The distance between the bells, as near as I can measure with my dial caliper, is about 5.8" which is plenty for pretty much any ring spacing. I measure eye relief for me right at about 4", maybe a bit more, excellent and all I need for my big bores.

Twilight performance is outstanding. Not as good as my 50mm Kahles, which is to be expected, but for my eyes just about as good as my 2-9x36 Swaro, 3-10x42 Swaro, and 2-7x36 Kahles. Optically it is not far off from the aforementioned scopes and is much better than the 2 Leupolds I compared it to and the one Bushnell 4200. I only spent about an hour making comparisons but I think I can say that this is a very good scope. Don't know about adjustment range as I haven't yet mounted it and shot with it.

An absolute steal for $300.

Cheers,
Andy

Sounds great. Thanks to you and Mstarling for the reports.

JPK

quote:

Originally posted by mstarling:
Zeiss specs available here:

http://www.zeiss.com/c1256bcf0...9a5585257546006e354d

Adjustment range is shown to be 110" square at 100 yards compared to the 3-9x42 MC which is 64.1" square at 100 yards.

Thanks Mike.

They look like good scopes and a absolute bargain.........

Just another scope for me to blkow to bits!!

When a few of you guys have put a couple of hundred heavy recoil rounds through one I'll have a look at them

Until then I'll stick with the 1.5 leupolds!!

What dont you like about the Leupold anyhow?

The small size of the objective lens is BETTER on a DG rifle, if used properly. You are only wanting to magnify what you are already looking at and keep as much of your periferal vision as you can.

What else dont you like about them?? Just curious??

Cheers
Matt

The link says the reticle is #20 Z-Plex.
Is that something like the Heavy Duplex on Leupold, or is it a fine cross?
I prefere a reticle that stands out bold on rifles for close up work or dense bush hunting.

quote:

Originally posted by adrook:
This one is going on my .450 Dakota

A heavier scope will help tame that beast!

I used to have a 450 Dakota. Let's just say it has a touch of a recoil!

Just looked on Cameraland web site and the specs/hype on the 1.5 X 5 X 38 scope talked about here. Zeiss says it's recommended for shotgun, muzzle loader, 22 rimfire and "some" centerfire rifles. I have some Zeiss Conquest scopes on 9.3 X 62, 375 H & H etc and have had no problems, but am wondering if this Model will hold up to this type recoil? The price is very good, Zeiss Conquest scopes have been good to me, but would like to hear more about the recoil/survival factor on this one!!

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

I've been using the Bushnell Riflescope 3-9x40 Matte.3-2-1 lowlight, 15 Oz, 13.0", 3.5" eye relief, 1/4 MOA. Fired 220 rounds in my 375 H&H CZ, 395 rounds in my Ruger Hawkeye 375 Ruger and my Ruger No.1 450-400 3" 105 rounds. So far they have held up like champs. Havent had to resight them since Day one. Go figure! All 3 were sighted to 75 yards.

This scope has a 56 foot field of view on the lowest power setting.

About one half of the much more expensive 1.1 - 6 power Swarovski.

For elephant, you really need a scope with more field of view than this.

But what a deal for a .375!

Andy

For my Coyote Shotguns(12 gauge) and my CZ .404 Jeffery I use Nikon Team Realtree 2-7x32 Hardwoods Green HD Camo NikoPlex. So far so good.

Thanks for the input on the Zeiss Conquest 1.5 X 5 scopes?? Just kidding.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

quote:

Originally posted by eurocentric:
I've been using the Bushnell Riflescope 3-9x40 Matte.3-2-1 lowlight, 15 Oz, 13.0", 3.5" eye relief, 1/4 MOA. Fired 220 rounds in my 375 H&H CZ, 395 rounds in my Ruger Hawkeye 375 Ruger and my Ruger No.1 450-400 3" 105 rounds. So far they have held up like champs. Havent had to resight them since Day one. Go figure! All 3 were sighted to 75 yards.

quote:

Originally posted by Matt Graham:
Just another scope for me to blkow to bits!!

When a few of you guys have put a couple of hundred heavy recoil rounds through one I'll have a look at them

Until then I'll stick with the 1.5 leupolds!!

What dont you like about the Leupold anyhow?

The small size of the objective lens is BETTER on a DG rifle, if used properly. You are only wanting to magnify what you are already looking at and keep as much of your periferal vision as you can.

What else dont you like about them?? Just curious??

Cheers
Matt

I think that optically they are not all that great as well as not being very bright and I don't like the heavy duplex reticle, I have hunted DG with one and don't care for them.

I think the finish that Leupold puts on their scopes is thin and somewhat fragile compared to a lot of other makers and I hate the way they focus with that lock ring that you loosen and then screw the eyepiece in and out.

I don't like the smaller objective and to me the consideration is for the first shot and getting that right as things usually don't get interesting unless you fluff the shot and have to do a follow-up. In that case I can see where smaller might be better but it's really not a consideration for me as in that situation the scope is coming off and I will use irons.

A lot of guys like them but they are just not for me.

Cameraland says only two of these left, and I just bought one of them, and Doug says Zeiss has no more either. Great deal on a great scope.

Good morning, I have seen in the web "The Optic Zone" one riflescope Nikon Monarch African 1-4x20 and other Leupold VX-II 1-4x20. What do you think about them? I want to put one of this scope in my Ceska 550 375 H&H with Cz 550 mount.

Thank you,

Oscar.

If Zeiss is out of the scope check with meopta. The conquest line is made by meopta I believe. I have no experience with them.

Ain't no flies on the Leupold 1.5-5x20. Yeah, it has a small objective, but I'm not hunting a beanfield in South Carolina at dusk. I've taken shots to 300 yds with one and have 1200 rounds under it on a .375 shooting nothing but max loads. I have some 50mm objective scopes on lighter rifles for dusk/dawn hunting, but I'll stick with the 1.5 on the African gun. The #4 reticle doesn't obscure the field of view at all and it is unerringly accurate.

For the purpose of the .15X5 Leupold there really is nothing that can compare with it when taking in to account size-eye relief-field of view. The finest dangerous game scope on the planet end of story. There are others-but none that can match the 1.5X5 Leupold all things considered.

Michael

The 1.5-5x20 is very cheap compared to other brands. Warranty means you just keep sending it back if it fails. No good for you if you are in the bundu though.

Have you had any 1.5x5's fail code4??

Cheap has nothing to do with it anyhow.... it just seems to be the right combination of size, weight and strength - makes it very durable in the field.

On a dangerous game gun the reticle means practically zero anyhow.. Esp at close range you should be able to lift that thing up and shoot it in the center of the field of view - no reticle needed - just shooting it instinctively.

If the reticle on a DG rifle bothers you then you arent shooting it enough!!

quote:

Originally posted by Matt Graham:
Have you had any 1.5x5's fail code4??

Cheap has nothing to do with it anyhow.... it just seems to be the right combination of size, weight and strength - makes it very durable in the field.

No Matt. In fact I have a Custom Leupold 1-4x20 #4 reticle on my 9.3x62 with Express sights as back up.

I purchased it second hand before sending it in for the changes to be made and it was still cheaper than a new 1.5-5. The reasons I chose it was because of its light weight & price.

Im just saying that Leupolds make an attractive purchase because of the reasons stated. Id prefer a straight tubed Zeiss or S&B but cant justify the outlay ona plains game rifle(yet).

Adrook
I cringe when a client wants to scope a Lott nowadays. I can understand it but I still cringe. If it were me I would buy two scopes for your trip, zero one and pull it off your rifle and put it in you kit. Zero the 2nd scope and hunt with it. If one fails you have a backup that is pre-zeroed if your mounts will allow this. It should require only a round or two the confirm the zero in camp or in the field. Even the most expensive Zeiss is not Lott proof as I have had them fail on the Lott. I had a client hunting in Tanzania with a Lott and the scope went blurry (separated lens element) about day 15. He was back in action in less than a 15 minutes. I and my clients have broken well over a dozen scopes with the Lott, Leupolds, Zeiss, and Leica's. Some right out of the box, others within a couple hundred rounds. If Leupold would bring back out the fixed 3X again I think that would be the best scope for these larger calibers. From what I've heard prototypes have been made and used in the field as we speak. I can only hope. This is one scope that has never let me or a client down.

I had a Zeiss fail on a Lott two weeks before I was leaving for Tanzania a fews years ago. They did correct the problem and returned it within 4 days. The "back up" became the primary the "cratered repaired scope" became the backup.

DArcy,

Have you had any experiences with the Nightforce NXS compacts on a Lott?

DArcy is 100% correct. If you scope a Lott or anything near similar, and I have a couple that are far worse than 458 Lott. My little 50s will bust a scope in short order! Regardless of make, or model! ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS take two scopes on a trip, just as DArcy states. Never leave home without two ready to set up! I use the QRW system-spare scope sighted in and ready to mount.

I once had a 1.5X5 Leupold go to 500 rounds before going on the blink mounted on a Lott. I have also had them bust within 20 rounds! During 1 18 month period I sent back 13 scopes to be repaired! Almost always the scopes would loose focus above 3X, and various other issues--However 1 important note, none of them ever lost POI (point of impact).

Fortunately although always prepared I never run into an issue while in the field.

Michael

quote:

If Leupold would bring back out the fixed 3X again I think that would be the best scope for these larger calibers. From what I've heard prototypes have been made and used in the field as we speak. I can only hope. This is one scope that has never let me or a client down.

I have used a new in box (old) 3 X Luepold on my 450 Dakota now for almost 500 rounds without problems.

Only problem is field of view is not adequate for elephant. (I shot mine at 9 paces).

I got the 3 X after breaking two variable Luepolds on my 375 improved. (Great customer service though).

Andy

I have 2 of the old 3x Leupolds that I'm jealousy holding on to. As Andy said they may not be ideal for elephant at spitting distance but otherwise I think they are perfect for big bores at moderate ranges.

Mark

I have to agree with DArcy and others. Take at least one spare for each rifle.

Two rifles are going to Africa with me this year. One is a 9,3x62 and the other is a .458 AR. Both are Mausers. Both have custom mounts with identical spacing (to 0.001") for Leupold QRW rings.

Four scopes are going: one 1.8-5.5x38 Zeiss Conquest, one 3-9x42 Zeiss Conquest, one Leupold 1.5-5x IR, and one 2.5x Leupold Compact. Two will be set for each rifle, but all can be used on either rifle if sighted-in. If there is enough weight limit left, I may throw in a fifth scope.

I'll second the question about the Nightforce scopes. Has anyone used a low magnification Nightforce on a big kicker? I have a 1x4 that appears hell for stout but it's on a 223.

My use of Nightforce scopes is limited to two. The first one I ever used had a loose lens and would not hold impact right out of the box. That was 12 years ago. I called Jeff and he noted that in that production series of Ser #'s all had the same issue. He paid the return Next Day Air and had it back to me in 3 days and that scope is still in service for all I know. Gene Simillion has a client that crashed a 1-4 Nightforce on a 416 last year. It happens to all of them now and then. As I've stated before the Leupold fixed 3 is my choice, as it has the longest eye relief is light weight which puts less strain on the mount system in recoil and has less moving parts.

I was going to add to the post above that we just installed a Nightforce 2.5-10x32 on a 300 Wtby and I really liked using that scope to break in the barrel and test this rifle. I will use more of those in the future I'm sure.

quote:

If Leupold would bring back out the fixed 3X again I think that would be the best scope for these larger calibers.

Darcy

How do you feel the current Leupold 2.5x compact compares to the old 3x?