Author Topic: Comparsion help.. (Read 944 times)

jathames · « **on:** December 25, 2003, 01:05:25 PM »

I am looking to buy either the Bushnell Elite 4200 2.5 x 10x 50 or the Zeiss Conquest 3.5 x 10x 44.. any help on narrowing these two scopes would help. Everyone around here loves both but most use the Zeiss. It will be mounted on a Steyr Prohunter 7mm-08. Thanks :grin:

longwinters · « **Reply #1 on:** December 25, 2003, 06:17:09 PM »

Of the 2 scopes that you have mentioned, with the 7m-08, I would go with the Zeiss. I have both and really like both. But I dont know why you would need the 50mm lense for a medium caliber (I have a 7m-08 also). I would probably take my Zeiss over the 4200, but others will differ with me. Aint shopping for scopes fun?

long

woodseye · « **Reply #2 on:** December 26, 2003, 01:04:11 AM »

Owning both I would simply say - Price goes to Elite - rainguard is a nice thing that really works with fogging and rain droplets - lighest weight would go to Zeiss as well as reticle prominence and color - diopter reticle focus is nice - prefer the Zeiss finish - both have great W&E knobs - I prefer the Zeiss factory over the Bushnell for service or warranty work and for tunaround time - the constant eye relief of the Zeiss is a welcome change fron eye reliefs that vary with power - the longer eye relief of the Zeiss would become of concern but only with larger calibers than what you are using. All in all I would pick the Zeiss Conquest which I favor slightly over the 4200 Elite. By the way......thats an excellant caliber choice and my personal favorite for deer. Good choosing and in all my acuity and contrast tests they came out pretty much in a dead heat.

woods

jathames · « **Reply #3 on:** December 26, 2003, 03:27:39 AM »

woodseye would you still recommend the 50mm in the 4200??? and the 44 in the conquest or the 40mm in both??

Zachary · « **Reply #4 on:** December 26, 2003, 06:25:03 AM »

I would look at only 40mm objectives. Look at the Elite 4200 2.4x-10x-40mm or the Zeiss Conquest 3x-9x-40mm.

Still, I would recommend the Elite a bit over the Zeiss.

Zachary

woodseye · « **Reply #5 on:** December 26, 2003, 08:49:12 AM »

jathames........I never go above a 44mm because I like to use low rings and any bigger an objective and you have to start jacking the scope up higher above the bore. I would stay at 40-44mm on a hunting rifle and with either of these two scopes which in my opinion are the two brighest in their class right now. I prefer the 3.5x10x44 Conquest over the 3x9x40 Conquest simply because the 3.5x10 is shorter in length and with the 44mm objective allows you to run a little more power without limiting the exit pupil size. It also comes with a little more internal adjustment range and the range finding reticle isn't available in the 3x9. There is less than an ounce of weight difference between them. That said either is a good choice and will serve you well for any hunting conditions you will encounter. The 44mm will allow the use of about 7.3x with an eye exit pupil diameter of 6mm while a 40mm will limit you at 6.7x.......as you can see not that much difference but some none the less. Just for your own knowledge the 50mm you were considering would allow 8.3x but the increase in weight and the need to mount higher offset this advantage in my opinion although not everyone agrees with me on this point.

woods

jathames · « **Reply #6 on:** December 27, 2003, 10:33:50 AM »

I have struggled with which of these two scopes to get the Zeiss Conquest 3.5x10x44 or the 2.5x10x40 elite 4200. I think I have decided on the Zeiss Conquest, around here I can get it for $499 and I think the elite 4200 runs around 379-389 in that range. One more question just curious since you say you have a 7mm-08.. Mine is a Steyr and I love it.. but what load do you shoot in it.. or better yet do you shoot a factory load.. I am a big hornady fan and was thinking of trying the sst bullet. Thanks again...

Jeff

woodseye · « **Reply #7 on:** December 27, 2003, 12:27:26 PM »

You can get the 3.5x10x44 from Gary Winks Sporting goods for $459 and shipping. He is an authorized Zeiss dealer and a good guy to deal with.

GWink222@aol.com (his E-Mail addy)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3647998951&category=7307 (his info on E-Bay)

I have a 7mm-08 in a Savage model 16, it has a 3.5x10x44 Conquest scope and I handload, best load so far has been 45 grains of IMR 4350 in winchester brass with federal 215m primers and 140 grain nosler ballistic tips. 1/2" groups so far and still working on COL tuning. I will start next week with working up a load with 139grain hornady sst inner bonds a brand new bullet design that I like the looks of. If you are going to use factory loads I would suggest hornady sst's or sst inner bonds as the hornady factory ammo tends to be very accurate.

Will keep you posted on what I get for accuracy and performance with the loads I'm working on.

jathames · « **Reply #8 on:** December 27, 2003, 01:46:31 PM »

Thanks woodseye.. I am planning on trying the new interbond for the 7mm-08 but it want be out until sometime in 04. The only load that hornady has right now for the 7mm-08 is the Light Magnum 139 Grain and the 139 Grain SST .. What are your thoghts on the Light Magnums. Thanks

woodseye · « **Reply #9 on:** December 28, 2003, 02:52:00 AM »

Not quite as accurate as the hornady custom but the hottest loads around and as warm as most handloaders can accomplish with maxed out loads. The SST is a good deer bullet but I prefer the bonded style for the shoulder shots I take on large northern deer. I used to use and swear by Nosler Partitions but they won't shoot better than 1-1 1/2" in my guns while the ballistic tip style (SST - Ballistic Tip) will always work their way down to 1/2" or so. I'm hoping the Inner-Bonds and Accu-Bonds will be the best of both worlds with a durable design that don't jacket shed and that plastic tip to avoid tip deforming in the magazine from recoil and quick expansion. They are getting a very good review on the various hunting forums so far and working as designed it appears.

woods

Graybeard · « **Reply #10 on:** December 28, 2003, 06:13:49 AM »

Hand Loaders cannot match the velocity of the Hornady Light Mag line at same pressures. We do not have access to the same powders or loading techniques the factory uses to make this leap forward in velocity while maintaing the pressures at SAAMI pressure levels. Rest assured that if as a handloader you match the velocity you are exceeding the SAAMI spec pressures. That is a given.

I disagree on the comment regarding accuracy of the Light Mag line vs. Custom line. It varies by gun. In some the Light Mags are more accurate and in some the Custom is. Perhaps if one tested enough of both in enough guns you'd eventually arrive at one being more accurate. But for practical purposes you should try both where available and determine which is best.

In my personal R700 LSS Mtn. Rifle both of the Hornady Light Mag loads shoot well under MOA with the older 139 grain BTSP load having a very slight accuracy edge. It is the ONLY load I use for deer hunting in mine. Only if I were going after much heavier game like elk with the 7-08 (an unlikely occurence) would I consider a different ammo choice. I have a large stock of it in same lot # on hand to assure I am using the same ammo for a long time to come. I use it only for my hunting and to be sure rifle is still on each year prior to season and for any other general shooting I use reloads to save the supply of this lot of ammo for hunting use.

GB

woodseye · « **Reply #11 on:** December 28, 2003, 07:14:00 AM »

Quote

Rest assured that if as a handloader you match the velocity you are exceeding the SAAMI spec pressures. That is a given.

Don't know about that Bill, the factory light mags and 49 grains of RL19 both seem to chrono about the same at 15' in a 24" barrel and the RL19 load is within SAAMI specs of 52,000 cup.

I'll defer to what sounds like a lot more in depth testing and shooting knowledge on the factory hornady loads. :-)

Bullet choice is a lot like gun preference, we all like different flavors depending on what personal experiences have been.

woods

jathames · « **Reply #12 on:** December 30, 2003, 06:28:14 AM »

Woodseye the choices everyone is telling me for the 7mm-08 around here without going with the light mag is the Winchester 140 grain ballistic tip and the Federal Nosler ballistic tip would you go with these or go with these or try the light mags. thanks for all your help

Jeff

woodseye · « **Reply #13 on:** December 30, 2003, 10:43:39 AM »

Buy a box of each of the two or three your interested in and using a good rest let your rifle tell you which brand and load it likes the best.

woods

jathames · « **Reply #14 on:** December 30, 2003, 11:39:39 AM »

Do you like the 139 grain light mag or the 139 grain light mag SST for the 7mm-08

Jeff