Glass quality

sandy hicks

sandy hicks

New member
Instead of adding more rifles to my safe, I intend to upgrade my scopes. My two favorites are my vx3s and zeiss conquest hd5. If you were going to add scopes with glass quality as the only requirement, what would it be?
Lets set the upper price at 1000 and give a 10percent overage if it is justified.
I like the swaro 3x10x42. Upper power will probably be 15 or there about.
 
You cannot go wrong with a Leica. German made Zeiss, Kahles, Swaro, Schmidt and Bender, anything German....they are all scopes that work when it really starts to get dark, the rest wont do. Nothing Asian can hang with them, period, end of story. There are many fanboys that cannot afford one of these, they will cry about this....theirs to get over, or not. They look like the baby on your avatar when it starts to get dark.
 
Usually the good quality starts around 1,000. That said my sightron stac beats my vortex viper in both clarity and brightness as well as reliability in the turrets. Spend a bit more and get one of sightrons higher line and you’ll be happy. Personally I’d be shopping for the Nightforce SHV F1. Absolutely everything I want in a scope but retail is like 1250 right now so on sale it could be in your range. I haven’t owned a Burris, Zeiss, or Swavorski so no comment there. My only Leupold was in trade and it’s just a vx-1 3-9 so I’m not going to even compare it to any others I have. My Nikon bino’s has great glass but I’ve yet to buy a scope, heard they have good quality too. Japanese, German, and Swiss glass are the best I believe. The illuminated reticles and bigger objective lens usually take money away from lens quality so look for a 44mm and under objective and a long scope with a gradual angle expanding to the objective. That’ll give the best quality for the lowest price because it won’t require as many lens to correctly bend the light so you’ll get a brighter clearer image. Also fact check all I say because I’m no pro, just a dude that does a lot of reading and a good bit of playing.
 
I forgot to mention that I dont need dials and I dont like really busy reticles. These will be hunting restricted to 500 yards absolute max. My personal mark is 400 from what I consider a sporting standpoint. I dont have enough time to be almost foolproof proficient beyond that anymore. If that helps.

If I hold scope price to rifle price, these will hover at high 9s to 1500 or so. The replaced scopes will be used as upgrades on my cheaper rifles.
 
Last edited:
Zeiss and Leica have been on sale in the $650-700 dollar range and selection is diminishing.
It's a good time to buy guns and glass.
 
Check out the cabelas instinct riflescope with exposed turrets. Basically the same as the old zeiss conquest. On sale for 450 right now. I just got 6 of them in the mail yesterday. Glass is amazing in low light side by side with other scopes. I'm sure their other euro scopes made by meopta are just as good.
 
Have you all looked through the new Vortex Viper PST Gen 2. I was blown away when I looked at one. A little bit too much going on in the reticle for my taste. Crystal Clear.
 
Last edited:
Agree with Tripod......

Been a Leupold guy for a loooooooooooong time and will always own them. However, after buying now 3, Zeiss scopes, I am sold. The clarity and workmanship are amazing. I am going to buy another Original Conquest 6.5-20x50 next week for my wife to put on her new surprise 22 PPC for Christmas.

Just my opinion.......
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: sandy hicksInstead of adding more rifles to my safe, I intend to upgrade my scopes. My two favorites are my vx3s and zeiss conquest hd5. If you were going to add scopes with glass quality as the only requirement, what would it be?
Lets set the upper price at 1000 and give a 10percent overage if it is justified.
I like the swaro 3x10x42. Upper power will probably be 15 or there about.

FYI, Cabela's has the Zeiss HD5 3-15x42 on sale for $649 right now.
 
Those sales come and go pretty quick so if you want one I wouldn't wait to long.

They had the same HD5 on sale a couple days ago but with the Z600 reticle but now that scope is no longer on sale.
 
If Cabela's doesn't have the reticle you are looking for then Eurooptic has Leica and Zeiss on sale too, and Sportoptics does also. Both with free ship no tax.
Buy what you like just have seen these recently.
 
I wish Trijicon made their Accupoint in 2.5-14x44 AND made it as lightweight as their 3-9x40.
Their new stuff is almost double the weight of their old 3-9x40.
 
Originally Posted By: msincYou cannot go wrong with a Leica. German made Zeiss, Kahles, Swaro, Schmidt and Bender, anything German....they are all scopes that work when it really starts to get dark, the rest wont do. Nothing Asian can hang with them, period, end of story. There are many fanboys that cannot afford one of these, they will cry about this....theirs to get over, or not. They look like the baby on your avatar when it starts to get dark.

Yep... been trading my Leupolds for Zeiss for the last couple of years. I have one left now, and it’s for sale.

I just got the Conquest V6 3 days ago. Despite my best efforts to make it fail, it has held up. It’s kinda like an NXS.... with good glass.
 
Originally Posted By: Brad PhillipsI really need to look through a Zeiss scope ! I thought my Loupy was great... But it is hard to justify a truly high end scope.

You really should!
 
Originally Posted By: sandy hicksI forgot to mention that I dont need dials and I dont like really busy reticles. These will be hunting restricted to 500 yards absolute max. My personal mark is 400 from what I consider a sporting standpoint. I dont have enough time to be almost foolproof proficient beyond that anymore. If that helps.

If I hold scope price to rifle price, these will hover at high 9s to 1500 or so. The replaced scopes will be used as upgrades on my cheaper rifles.

There are some Conquest DL 3-12x 50s rolling around at EuroOptic. $600. That used to be an $1800 scope. They also have the illuminated models for about $1300. That’s the same one I paid $2200 for a while back.
 
Back
Top