Author Topic: Zeiss did good (Read 2065 times)

Sourdough · « **on:** May 03, 2013, 07:54:09 PM »

My buddy bought a new Zeiss scope for his Weatherby 30-378. We worked up the load and ran them through the chrony to get velocity. He sent the information back to Zeiss, and they made him a set of custom turrets, calibrated for his load.

During our hunting trip last fall, the shaking of the gun on the 4-wheeler caused the cross hairs to brake. He sent the scope back to Zeiss. They made the repair, but returned the scope without the turrets. He called them up and asked what was going on. They told him to standby and they would fix the problem. A week later he received a box containing a new scope with a set of custom turrets. A letter apologising for the mistake, and instructions to keep the other scope for his trouble. Zeiss is number one in his book now.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #1 on:** May 04, 2013, 01:54:53 AM »

its great they took care of him so well but id sure be hesitant to ever go on a real hunt with one again if the crosshairs fell out. Ive had some rifles take a real beating and the only scope that even had the crosshairs break or fall out was a 30 dollar tasco. Shouldnt happen in a 400 dollar scope

pastorp · « **Reply #2 on:** May 11, 2013, 01:46:53 AM »

Lloyd,

You just really really really don't like zeiss riflescopes, do you?

The guy I hunted with in Alaska tore up even leupolds. We were on a Brown Bear hunt about 100 miles north of our village on his fishing vessel. Got his gun out to go hunting and the crosshairs in his leupold scope would just turn around with the power ring. I've given him several scopes the last one was a old jap Tasco straight 4x. He don't fiddle with it because it don't change power. He hasn't broke that one yet.

By the way does the hunt we were on qualify as a real hunt.....?

charles p · « **Reply #3 on:** May 11, 2013, 03:58:33 PM »

I'm only 67. Been using Leupolds for 45 years now. Currently own a dozen I think. Never even seen one with a broken cross hair. Still have the very first 3X9 Gold Ring model I ever owned. Been back to the factory for rehab but works just fine. Have to be patient sighting the friction adjustments, but once they are right, they hold tight for me. The newer ones are better. Only model I didn't enjoy was the 30mm LPS. Too heavy, too big, and not worth the money.

Oldshooter · « **Reply #4 on:** May 11, 2013, 10:36:52 PM »

The crosshairs breaking makes me nervous, but I aint ever been on a "real hunt" in Alaska. Rog was that rifle tied to the bottom of that 4 wheeler?

I have seen scopes(leupolds) on rifles dropped from pickups and banged on rocks, and not seen crosshairs break. I shot one once(another story) the tube had a dent and you could see chipped glass inside, but the crosshairs were in tact. That was a 150 dollar nikon.

I'm glad they made it good and it sounds like they are customer friendly! Heck I'd try one! After they heard my story they may not sell me one.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #5 on:** May 12, 2013, 12:14:00 AM »

I dont hate ziess scopes. I have two myself and think there just fine. What i dont like is alot of ziess owners. They sometimes can think there a bit superior. Kind of like they were smart enough to buy a ziess and your not. They think anything with zeiss stamped on it is somehow a superior product. In fact most of them are. But in the case of conquests there no better then a run of the mill leupold or nikon. Say one bad word about them and all the fans come out and cruscify you. I tend to tell it like it is. I like leupolds too but wouldnt give you a plug nickle for a rifleman or even another friction ajust vx1, a vari x1 or an older vari x 2 and surely wouldnt spend good money on another one of there redfield line of scopes. I love my monarchs but have a couple buckmasters that arent that impressive and got rid of all of the prostaffs i have due to there poor low light performance. Nope theres nothing wrong with a conquest as long as you realize it sure isnt a 1000 dollar zeiss scope. Bottom line is they all can break as there mechanical devices and none are bullet proff. Would i go hunting in alaska with a tasco? hell no but if my scope took a crap and the only thing i had to put on the gun was a tasco sure i would use it. Would i pay money for one. NOPE! But i do know many who do and have no trouble with them. I just seem to be the guy that trouble follows though and i try to take every precaution to prevent it.

Quote from: pastorp on May 11, 2013, 01:46:53 AM

Lloyd,

You just really really really don't like zeiss riflescopes, do you?

The guy I hunted with in Alaska tore up even leupolds. We were on a Brown Bear hunt about 100 miles north of our village on his fishing vessel. Got his gun out to go hunting and the crosshairs in his leupold scope would just turn around with the power ring. I've given him several scopes the last one was a old jap Tasco straight 4x. He don't fiddle with it because it don't change power. He hasn't broke that one yet.

By the way does the hunt we were on qualify as a real hunt.....?

pastorp · « **Reply #6 on:** May 12, 2013, 01:43:05 AM »

Lloyd,

Many years ago in my Rocky Mountain days a good friend that lived in NM and hunted a lot bought new Tasco scopes. To my knowledge he never owned more than one rifle at a time. Ruger #1 was his choice. When I first met him he had one in 22-250 with a Tasco 3-12 or something like that. He shot big mule deer, antelope,& even elk with that rifle.

Later when his rifle was stolen he replaced it with another except in 25-06. And a new Tasco a 4-16 I believe it was this time.

during the almost 40 years I've known him those are his only guns. And he could shoot...... He regurally shot deer at 500 yards.

Tasco that was his preferred brand. Of course that was when they were made in Japan.

A single shot center fire rifle & a single shot 12 gague was his only guns. He had no need for a rimfire.

Regards,

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #7 on:** May 13, 2013, 12:45:09 AM »

to each his own i guess. But for me shooting and hunting are my main hobby. I dont own motorcyles or snowmobiles anymore and dont play golf! When i shoot or hunt i like to have qualilty equiptment. I too know alot of guys that use tasco scopes. As a matter of fact id bet if you took a survey that probably half the people around here have tasco or some other cheap scope on there rifles. Many have used them all there lives without trouble. Most of those though are guys that shoot 5 rounds before season and then go hunting. A box of shell lasts them two or three years. Alot of folks like me are shooters and shoot hundreds or rounds out of there guns and give a scope more of a test. Alot of them also hunt in situations that call for good low light performance or hunt horse back or other methods that knock around there guns a bit. Buying a good scope is no guarantee that it wont break but does give you alot less chance of it happening. Personaly i think its about crazy to go out and buy a $1000 #1 and put a 50 dollar scope and 15 dollar mounts on it. Id rather have a $400 gun with a $300 scope and good mounts and rings. Most 400 dollar rifles shoot as well as a $700 gun but does a $50 scope perform like a $400 scope does? I kind of chuckle at some. They dont think twice about dumping a grand to buy chrome for there harley or a set of fancy wheels and tires for there truck but will go out and spend 50 bucks to buy some cheap scope that is about like looking through a coke bottle. Especially the ones that do it on a expensive rifle like a #1 or a weatherby or something like that. As long as it looks good there happy.

Sourdough · « **Reply #8 on:** May 16, 2013, 03:28:06 PM »

Norm had his rifle in a case on the front of his 4-wheeler, that is where the scope cross hairs came apart. But when Zeiss failed to send back the scope with his calibrated turrets, that was what got him angry. Glad they fixed it.

In 1985 the wife and I both bought 30-06s. Mine was a pump hers was a semi-auto. I bought two Bushnell 3-9s and mounted them. While we were sighting in the cross hairs on her scope broke. I rushed into town and the only thing I could find was a 1.5-4 Tasco. I mounted it on her gun and we went hunting. Her gun is still wearing that Tasco. She likes it and can see no reason to change it. 15 years later I ran across that scope with the broken cross hairs in the back of the vault. I sent it to Bushnell, they replaced it with another 3-9 scope.

I shoot a Weatherby 338/378 with a Night Force 3.5-15X50 scope. 1,000 yards no problem. I swear by Night Force scopes. Oh I have other makes, Leupold, Bushnell, Cabela's, Nikon, Herters, Burris, and even a Winchester. They all work, and do what they are supposed to do. But I am partial to my Night Force.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #9 on:** May 16, 2013, 11:15:41 PM »

nobody woudl argue that nightforce doesnt make top ends stuff. Id dearly love to have one but there a bit out of my price range anymore. 500 is about it for a scope for this guy these days.

nomosendero · « **Reply #10 on:** May 18, 2013, 06:19:24 PM »

The crosshairs shouldn't have broken, But I sure don't draw conclusions on one experience, if I know dozens of results to the contrary & I do, be it Zeiss, Leupold, Nikon & a couple of others. But the best equipment will have a dud every once in a while, been selling Industrial Equipment for years & some of the best made, but things happen to the best, but more rarely than the average stuff.

I think the Nikon Monarch is alot of scope for that price range, but I just bought one that is going to back to the factory, the ele. adj. is out of whack. I have several Nikons & this is my first problem, but it happens & because my history & others I hunt with has been so good with Nikon's, it won't affect me buying more.

I will say that the new Conquest HD5 has features that are outstanding & likely I will be picking up a 5x15 Z600 soon, the new features are impressive.

Soudough, that is the best backing of a product I can imagine, who would not be pleased with that one.

FPH · « **Reply #11 on:** May 18, 2013, 06:34:32 PM »

My friend strapped my .300 to the top of the panards on a pack horse without my knowledge. The horse slipped on some shale and rolled down a hill. Broke my stock, dinged the barrel, dinged the Leupold scope. Ruined the hunt, but the scope came out just fine......get to rebarrel and restock the rifle.

Sourdough · « **Reply #12 on:** May 18, 2013, 08:56:22 PM »

FPH: Ouch, I've lost a few that way myself. Horses are rough on guns. Even my Nylon-66 got busted by a pack horse.

I'd send the scope back to Leupold and have them check it out, just to be on the safe side. You're going to be waiting for the gun repair anyway, good time to have the scope checked for hidden damage.

Rog

FPH · « **Reply #13 on:** May 18, 2013, 09:39:26 PM »

'Good suggestion. I did try it out on an 06 that I built......all was good. However, while I'm deciding on which caliber to go back with, I should send it in.......hate to loose an Elk.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #14 on:** May 19, 2013, 12:08:13 AM »

no doubt true. I dont think theres a scope brand out there that i havent had in for repair and that includes the leupolds and nikons i like so much. Anything mechanical can and will break. theres even mechanics for porches and ferraris!

Quote from: nomosendero on May 18, 2013, 06:19:24 PM

The crosshairs shouldn't have broken, But I sure don't draw conclusions on one experience, if I know dozens of results to the contrary & I do, be it Zeiss, Leupold, Nikon & a couple of others. But the best equipment will have a dud every once in a while, been selling Industrial Equipment for years & some of the best made, but things happen to the best, but more rarely than the average stuff.

I think the Nikon Monarch is alot of scope for that price range, but I just bought one that is going to back to the factory, the ele. adj. is out of whack. I have several Nikons & this is my first problem, but it happens & because my history & others I hunt with has been so good with Nikon's, it won't affect me buying more.

I will say that the new Conquest HD5 has features that are outstanding & likely I will be picking up a 5x15 Z600 soon, the new features are impressive.

Soudough, that is the best backing of a product I can imagine, who would not be pleased with that one.

FPH · « **Reply #15 on:** May 19, 2013, 12:41:33 AM »

Quote from: Lloyd Smale on May 19, 2013, 12:08:13 AM

no doubt true. I dont think theres a scope brand out there that i havent had in for repair and that includes the leupolds and nikons i like so much. Anything mechanical can and will break. theres even mechanics for porches and ferraris!
Quote from: nomosendero on May 18, 2013, 06:19:24 PM
The crosshairs shouldn't have broken, But I sure don't draw conclusions on one experience, if I know dozens of results to the contrary & I do, be it Zeiss, Leupold, Nikon & a couple of others. But the best equipment will have a dud every once in a while, been selling Industrial Equipment for years & some of the best made, but things happen to the best, but more rarely than the average stuff.

I think the Nikon Monarch is alot of scope for that price range, but I just bought one that is going to back to the factory, the ele. adj. is out of whack. I have several Nikons & this is my first problem, but it happens & because my history & others I hunt with has been so good with Nikon's, it won't affect me buying more.

I will say that the new Conquest HD5 has features that are outstanding & likely I will be picking up a 5x15 Z600 soon, the new features are impressive.

Soudough, that is the best backing of a product I can imagine, who would not be pleased with that one.

You just ask them to check out the scope for function Lloyd?

Huntz · « **Reply #16 on:** June 01, 2013, 05:41:49 PM »

Whats really amazing about a Zeiss crosshairs breaking is that they are etched in the glass.So how do they break???

pastorp · « **Reply #17 on:** June 02, 2013, 02:13:51 AM »

I don't believe the conquest line are etched into the glass.

but the German made stuff is. Of course it costs a lot more.

Regards,

Huntz · « **Reply #18 on:** June 04, 2013, 02:30:20 PM »

Yes the Conquest has an etched reticle,and as of this year are made in Germany.The new Terra scope is made in Japan from German parts.

FPH · « **Reply #19 on:** June 04, 2013, 02:36:47 PM »

When Weaver still belonged to Bill Weaver, we had a repair/warranty shop here in El Paso. One day I took a scope into have the reticle changed. The tech opened up the scope and pushed a #2 pencil through the perfectly good fineplex I wanted to replace......he then looked up and said damn....this reticle is bad.....what kind do you want. No charge of course.

pastorp · « **Reply #20 on:** June 05, 2013, 01:39:31 AM »

Yeah I remember the old weaver repair shop in El Paso. If memory serves it was on Industreal dr.

they did good work. Things have sure changed with all the offshore mfg & banking and such. Gone are the days when you just could just call and talk to the guy at the factory.

Now, most of the time you hang up never quite sure if they understood you or not. Your usually talking to a guy that was a goat herder yesterday in a hut in Bangladesh or some such place. Today he's a sales rep for some company.

FPH · « **Reply #21 on:** June 05, 2013, 07:51:32 AM »

Quote from: pastorp on June 05, 2013, 01:39:31 AM

Yeah I remember the old weaver repair shop in El Paso. If memory serves it was on Industreal dr. they did good work. Things have sure changed with all the offshore mfg & banking and such. Gone are the days when you just could just call and talk to the guy at the factory.

Now, most of the time you hang up never quite sure if they understood you or not. Your usually talking to a guy that was a goat herder yesterday in a hut in Bangladesh or some such place. Today he's a sales rep for some company.

Thinking about it, it was after Weaver sold his Co. in 68......I was driving, so it had to be after than 71. Old employees had started a repair shop.........those guys sure were good.