The best rifle scope for the money
01-18-2017, 06:37 PM
#22
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Illinois
Posts: 3,695
Sorry to notice this thread so late but I will pass this info along anyway. In the April/May 2015 issue of Peterson's Hunting magazine Keith Wood did an article titled "Best Budget Glass". For the article he evaluated a Zeiss Terra, a Leupold VX-1, a Weaver Kaspa, a Bushnell Elete 3500 and a Burris Droptine. They were tested and evaluated in the areas of ergonomics, eye relief, mechanical quality, optical quality and durability and assigned a score--5 was a max in each area so a score of 25 would be perfect in all areas. The Zeiss scored 22.5, the Leuposd & Weaver both scored 22, the Bushnell scored 19 and the Burris scored 21. I though the tests were well thought out and should separate the sheep from the goats. In the durability test, the dial covers were removed and the scopes immersed in hot water then placed in a freezer, later mounted on a rifle and tested. All five scopes passed this test and received 5's. The Zeiss had the best optical quality, the Leupold was next followed by the Weaver, Bushnell and Burris in order. The Leupold would have come out on top overall except that the adjustments did not track precisely while "shooting the box" adjusting 4 inches each way so the VX-1 was rated a "3" in that area while the Weaver and Burris were perfect and the Zeiss scored "4.5". This was an interesting article and made me a little more impressed with the quality of these five scopes.
Till I looked up the Terra models. Never seen or heard of them. In all honesty, if price wasn't a factor, Leupold would have to pack a lunch, dinner, and probably breakfast for the next day in a fight with Zeiss. They are, without a doubt, the best scope on the market today. But, as was already stated, you get what you pay for. But in my lowly opinion, they are still over priced. Leupold and Nikon, to me anyway, are about the best deals that can be had in the optics world with the newer company Vortex coming up on them with a passion. Something most folks either don't know or don't think about, is the glass for most all of the major high quality scope manufacturers come from the same place. Either Germany or Japan. While the COATINGS and SHAPE (design) may be proprietary, the glass QUALITY is the same.
01-18-2017, 06:54 PM
#23
Super Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Northern California
Posts: 18,381
CalHunter
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01-19-2017, 08:17 AM
#25
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Illinois
Posts: 3,695
Yes and? I do have the common ability to read there Jenks..As I stated, fairly clearly I thought, I hadn't ever seen the Zeiss Terra line and didn't know Zeiss had a scope for under $900 in the 9x range. It surprised me because I have always liked Zeiss (who wouldn't?) but I just don't think spending $900-$1200+ on a vari power 3-9 scope is the best spending of my money. I'll have to go look through a Terra now to see how they compare to my Nikon's that are relatively in the same $400-$500 price range.
01-19-2017, 12:13 PM
#28
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Midwest
Posts: 1,079
No problem SH54. I can not type out a very long post because my computer decides to lose the internet connection. I have to be fast so sometimes I do not think out what I am typing very well. The post with the scope powers and prices I lost twice before I got it done so it was a little quick and to the point. There will be no war across the Mississippi. I hope the sleep situation improves.
Last edited by Jenks; 01-19-2017 at 12:15 PM.
01-20-2017, 09:20 PM
#29
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: VA.
Posts: 1,415
$636 and $445 don't strike me as budget glass, but your posting about this article is certainly well regarded in my case.
01-21-2017, 03:54 AM
#30
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Midwest
Posts: 1,079
Game Stalker, I wondered about the "Budget" part of it too. I did buy a new "Blemished" VX-1 last summer for $100 after the rebate. I could find no blemish on it.
Optical quality was evaluated by studying optical test charts thru the scopes and by an outside test. They made a rack to hold the scopes side by side, set them all at 6 power aimed at a decoy deer placed in the shade of trees 70 yards away. As dusk came on the guy checked each scope to see if it presented a "shootable" view as it became darker. The difference between the worse and the best was six minutes, the Zeiss was slightly better then the Leupold.
Optical quality was evaluated by studying optical test charts thru the scopes and by an outside test. They made a rack to hold the scopes side by side, set them all at 6 power aimed at a decoy deer placed in the shade of trees 70 yards away. As dusk came on the guy checked each scope to see if it presented a "shootable" view as it became darker. The difference between the worse and the best was six minutes, the Zeiss was slightly better then the Leupold.