What do the letters mean on Zeiss scopes? There's Diavari scopes with VM/V, Z, DA and whatever else. A Zeiss Diavari DA scope is available for a couple of hundred used but a VM/V is way more than that new. These are 1.5-6 series of scopes. Can anybody point me in the right direction for good information and REAL reviews. By "real" I mean reviews that do not break down to "my scope is better than your scope" and other such elementary school playground immaturity. Thank you for your time.

Much appreciated,

Ross

Ross, I believe the V in "VM/V" stands for "Victory" - nothing more than a marketing designation of the particular scope series - which shares coating technology etc. This is Zeiss' top of the line series, mostly (exclusively?) using 30mm tubes and 1st optical plane reticles.

The M in VM - as opposed to V - indicates that the (Victory) scope is one manufactured with the Zeiss internal mounting rail. This is one of the best mounting systems available anywhere, and if you can get mounts for it (and pay the price of a VM/V series scope), these are the models to get...

Here is a bunch of information about the Victory series.

"Z" designates a series of scopes preceding the V series. An older ZM/Z (again: M indicates a mounting rail) scope will be quite a bit larger and heavier than a V series. For a period of time, Zeiss moved the manufacturing of the Z series to the US. In the last couple of years, the Z series has been redesigned (lighter, smaller, better optics), manufacturing is back in Europe, and the coating technology is now the same used in the V series. These coatings will be designated with a T* on the ocular bell of the scope. I suppose in an attempt to market the Z series better, it has now been relabelled "Classic" in Europe - perhaps to gain a sharper profile and allow customers to distinguish from "Victory"... Ah, these marketing geniuses...

A "Diavari" scope has variable magnification.

That is about all I can think of for now...

- mike

Mike, as usual a nice informative reply. AR is lucky to have you as a member. Hope all is well with you.

As a footnote, the Conquest stuff is American made and geared for the American market, 1" tubes and 2nd focal plane reticle.


Regards--Don

Can anyone tell me about a Zeiss Diavari DA 1.5-6x42 scope?

R.P., I don't have any personal experience with the DA series. I Googled it, and came up with this:



It looks like an older scope line...

- mike

P.S. Don, thanks for the kind words.

Yes, that's one of the two I saw. They only want a couple of hundred for it. Makes me wonder what the quality and condition are like. That one looks like it has seen some rough handling with all the knicks on it. Anybody else know about the DA letter designation on these scopes?

R.P., all I can tell you is that I have one, it has been great, a 3x9x36, have it on a .243 with around a 1000 rounds through it and it has been rock solid, great eye relief and easy to bring on target without ever losing the sight picture. I thought the DA designation simply meant Diavari Adjustable, although that is repetitive as the Diavari means adjustable....

Good Luck--Don


Cheers Mike!