Thinking about a new Zeiss with the rapid Z600

[rem338win]

To introduce myself: Hi, I am rem338win, and I am a Leupold-aholic. I have not purchased anything but Leupold in years because they are good scopes at reasonable prices with a great warranty and Canadian service center.
But I find their LR and Boone and Crockett reticles lacking. They seem, well, I think that I am being unreasonable, but I think they are ugly.
The LR is my favorite, as it is simple and uncluttered, but seems too vanilla.

I have looked through Conquest with the Rapid Z600 and liked it. I also liked the scope itself. But being what my past is I had seen a few failed Diavari's that leeked and did other strange things to people in far off places, and felt the glass was the only thing going for them.

I would like to hear some real life testimonials about the use of these scopes and the reticle if you please. And please direct me to someone who is selling the 3-9x40 Matte with the Rapid Z600 even close to the MSRP.

 

[Longwalker]

I have also only bought only Leupolds for many years, for the same reasons as you. But then my Dad bought me a Zeiss Conquest 3-9x40 for my elk rifle. I like it a lot, and shot several elk while using it. I just bought another, 3-9x50 for early morning hunts. My Zeiss even survived when my rifle fell out of a saddle scabbard halfway down a mountain in the Yukon. It stayed out in the rain and sleet all night, laying on some rocks and a log. Next day when I found it, scope was fine and I killed a nice mountain caribou with it a couple hours later. Things like that tend to help your confidence.
i only use the standard dual x style reticle, so can't comment on the Rapid z600.
Here's a pic of the happy recovery and the caribou.

 

[Brian46]

Zeiss makes very good optics and most of my rifles wear one, I would look at the diavari series as well from zeiss and compare it to the conquest, you will see a big quality difference.

 

[sheephunter]

To introduce myself: Hi, I am rem338win, and I am a Leupold-aholic. I have not purchased anything but Leupold in years because they are good scopes at reasonable prices with a great warranty and Canadian service center.
But I find their LR and Boone and Crockett reticles lacking. They seem, well, I think that I am being unreasonable, but I think they are ugly.
The LR is my favorite, as it is simple and uncluttered, but seems too vanilla.

I have looked through Conquest with the Rapid Z600 and liked it. I also liked the scope itself. But being what my past is I had seen a few failed Diavari's that leeked and did other strange things to people in far off places, and felt the glass was the only thing going for them.

I would like to hear some real life testimonials about the use of these scopes and the reticle if you please. And please direct me to someone who is selling the 3-9x40 Matte with the Rapid Z600 even close to the MSRP.

I've got a 600 and an 800, both in Conquests and they seem to be good scopes for the money and the Rapid Z reticle is definitely at the top of the heap for ballistic reticles.

 

[wild1]

I have a z-1000 I am trying to get rid of. The glass is awesome. I dont like the reticle and I dont like the fact the knobs are backwards from everyone else. It is a pita when shooting a few different rifles in the same day.

 

[sheephunter]

I have a z-1000 I am trying to get rid of. The glass is awesome. I dont like the reticle and I dont like the fact the knobs are backwards from everyone else. It is a pita when shooting a few different rifles in the same day.

What knobs are you talking about?

 

[wild1]

The adjustment knobs. Wind and elevation. They are left hand threaded.

 

[sheephunter]

No real need to move them once you are zeroed....can't really see what difference it makes. Truthfully, I never noticed.

 

[notsorichguy]

I just read an article in American Hunter (an NRA publication) They have compiled a list of hold over reticles and scored them based on ease of use and accuracy of the recticule.

They tested:
Nikkon BDC - Scored 6 out of 10
Burris Ballistic plex - Scored 6 out of 10
Sightron HHR - Scored 6 out of 10
Swarovski BR - Scored 5 out of 10
Bushnell DOA - Did not test
Leupold B&C - Scored 8 out of 10
Zeiss Rapid-Z 800 - Scored 10 out of 10

They state they did not test the Bushnell as it is almost exactly the same as the zeiss. This omition kinda makes me wonder, as the Bushnell is the most affordable (cheapest) scope they had the option to test and they didn't test it. hmmmm, its also the one I was seriously looking at before I read the article.

I don't know if this helps at all, but I figgured even ambiguous info is still info!

Cheers!