Took my ZKK's to the range today!

jbmauser

jbmauser

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Nice day out today and since I'm planning on using my ZKK 600 in 7x57 for whitetail on nice days this year, I thought I'd do a little practice and rough sight in the Carl Zeiss Jena scope I just picked up for it.

I also brought along the ZKK 601 in .308 with it's Zeiss Jena 4x as well. Ended up shooting it mostly, as I found an issue with the rear scope mount bolt on the 7x57 and couldn't get it to tighten up properly. Even so, it shot ok but I need to sort that out before wasting any more rounds.

The two groupings in the pic are from the 601. The taped over rounds are from a group with the 600. Ammo fired through the 601 was reloads using IVI 79 brass, Hornady 150gr Interbonds, and Varget. The 7x57 was loaded with unknown 160gr BT's (I suspect Speer), Privi brass, and H380, which I don't like and just wanted to burn up with practice rounds.

I like the original scopes and mounts for these but the adjustments are a pain. I adjusted the windage to far one way then the other a couple times before I got the 601 shooting where I wanted it. Not like sighting in a normal scope with positive markings and graduations at all.

Comparing the two, the 600 is far smoother operating and feeds unbelievably smooth. The 601 functions perfectly but doesn't seem to have the fit and finish of the 600. The 600 is a 79 made unit and the 601 was made in 87 so maybe that has something to do with it? Any way, pics below:
 
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Nice rifles JB, did you find those off the EE, buy them locally or import them?

What's the glass like in those Zeiss Jena scopes? How does it compare to recent day glass from the major manufactures? Any other scope features that you don't you like? I'm assuming DDR made.

Thanks.
 
The 601 was found through a WTB ad on the EE and the 600 was at a dealer in ON. Got both for pretty reasonable prices and the 600 is pretty well mint.

The scope on the 601 is like new and was found through a WTB ad on the EE. The base is a NOS piece off ebay. The scope and mount on the 600 were just purchased off the EE and are nice but not mint. Both the bases and scopes are fairly hard to find but they are out there.

Glass is decent. Not as good as a modern scope like a Leupold VX1 but decent enough for my purposes. I don't shoot these a lot as to me they are collectors pieces more than shooters. I only hunt with the on nice days. The scope adjustments are a pain. The windage is adjusted in the base by adjusting set screws on either side. 2 per side. You have to loosen 2 then tighten the other 2 to shift the scope over. It's tough to get just the right amount of movement. The up/down is adjusted normally but there are no graduations or clicks so it's a bit tough again to to estimate the appropriate amount to turn the dial. I was sighting in the 601 with some different ammo today and sort of chased the zero around a bit until I got it where I wanted it. Now that it's sighted I won't be changing the load again unless absolutely needed.

I also find the post reticle less than ideal for precision shooting but as you can see from the 601's groups, I manage.
 
twoshots said:
nice, had my7x57 brno out today as well
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Wish I could have put a few more rounds through my 7x57 but with the scope not tightening up properly, it would have been pointless.

Found out why though. The threads in the base are buggered up right near the bottom of the hole. I'll have to see if I have a proper tap in my set at work tomorrow and run it in there to clean them up. Hopefully they aren't some oddball thread size.
 
What's the glass like in those Zeiss Jena scopes? How does it compare to recent day glass from the major manufactures? Any other scope features that you don't you like? I'm assuming DDR made.
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Apologies for butting in -- I have had Zeiss Jena scopes (and Oberkochen produced scopes to compare )for many years and FWIW ... "Jena" is (was) in DDR ... and you probably know about the various debates between Zeiss (W. Germany) and Jena.

Questions about Jena quality is understandable, they made some very inexpensive, and not very high quality, optics (Jenoptem binoculars) and some very high end optics (Nobilem bino's) so each of their products have to be judged on their own merits. These scopes with rails and the threaded base seen on ZKK mounts were not nitrogen purged nor well sealed other than with grease that was applied to very fine threads on the ocular and objective ends - despite this mine have never fogged and provide excellent service. They apparently did start to multicoat the optics later on but it didnt improve the already pretty good performance in most light conditions ... as JB Mauser says the windage adjustment in the mount is a PITA - but once set - it stays put. The mounts did not introduce any stress/tension into the scope tube (an issue not often considered by so called "expert" tests of high end scopes) and I believe that contributes to the very excellent accuracy of out of the box ZKK rifles. I also have a straight tube Jena scope (26mm) that appears virtually identical in performance but it also has internal windage adjustment. I "believe" but not entirely certain, that Doctor Optic acquired the Zeiss Jena scope manufacturing capability ...and continued to build various lines of scopes.
 
Thanks for the info on Zeiss Jena AP! I wonder if anyone can confirm the Doctor Optic link.

I don't know much about Doctor Optic optics ;) ...maybe someone could start a thread in the appropriate forum.
 
in fact Docter bought back Carl Zeiss Jena optik plant in the beginning of 90s then the story changes ...

Jena Optik was making their own lenses and had a very good knowledge that they shared with the romanian brotherhood of IOR Valda ...

i had a docter 2.5-10x48 made in DDR that is now in Australia it worked great for our drucken hunts.
 
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