Rifle Scopes Alpha Class High Magnification 6-36/7-35 FFP Scope Review

[wooferocau]

^?

3 great optics...
FOV ....on the Kahles is huge...then S&B 6-36 ( Aus version) ... and the ZCO is quite some ways behind in this aspect !
Glass... S&B , ZCO and then Kahles ,,,, Kahles is good but hasn't the contrast and sharpness of the other 2 .. Looks a little "washed out/Milky "

 

[LeftyJason]

@koshkin talked with @flyer1a on a stream about his feedback on the a419 video. They also talked about taking in camera Pic issues. I'm not in the market for anything but thought it was good. @CSTactical was on as well.

 

[CSTactical]

@koshkin talked with @flyer1a on a stream about his feedback on the a419 video. They also talked about taking in camera Pic issues. I'm not in the market for anything but thought it was good.

I think you forgot me towards the second half while I had the flu - Richard

 

[LeftyJason]

I think you forgot me towards the second half while I had the flu - Richard

Updated. Sorry.

 

[CSTactical]

Updated. Sorry.

I wasn't planning on being there, but when @koshkin offered, I'm down to debate and learn.

-Richard

 

[chase723]

I’ve got the Schmidt 6-36 and have had a few 5-27 ZCOs. Optically, it’s a toss up between them at 27x. The ZCO may be ever so slightly better but honestly hard to say. To my eye, the Schmidt has a little CA whereas every ZCO I’ve had has none. FOV on the Schmidt at 6x is better than the ZCO at 5x. Schmidt softens a little bit especially above 30x but it’s still very good. View at 36x is similar to my 3-20 non US at 20x

 

[carbonbased]

I’ve got the Schmidt 6-36 and have had a few 5-27 ZCOs. Optically, it’s a toss up between them at 27x. The ZCO may be ever so slightly better but honestly hard to say. To my eye, the Schmidt has a little CA whereas every ZCO I’ve had has none. FOV on the Schmidt at 6x is better than the ZCO at 5x. Schmidt softens a little bit especially above 30x but it’s still very good. View at 36x is similar to my 3-20 non US at 20x

You have a USA 6-36 or the wider FOV euro-spec?

 

[chase723]

USA. I wish I had euro FOV but I’m not complaining. I like the 6-36 a lot. The TR2ID reticle is great.

 

[carbonbased]

USA. I wish I had euro FOV but I’m not complaining. I like the 6-36 a lot. The TR2ID reticle is great.

Huh, thx for that. Never would’ve thought the FOV on the USA Schmidt at 6x would be better than the ZCO at 5x, but I’ve never looked at the specs. How much better? (actual through-the-lens, hopefully in mils)

 

[carbonbased]

FOV spec-wise, the the USA 6-36 at 6x:

• 18.6ft @100yds (euro = 21.9ft)

The ZCO 5-27 at 5x is at:

• 21ft @100yds

@koshkin has mentioned ZCO states, ah, optimistic numbers for FOV.

I think the actual numbers have been discussed somewhere, but what the heck, if you have the scope in hand, no harm in letting everybody know (again).

 

[chase723]

I can’t compare them directly anymore because I sold my 5-27. However here is a pic through the scope at 6x and 36x. The thick portion of the horizontal stadia starts at 10mils. I’ve got an old ass iPhone 13. So image blah blah blah is better in real life. I want another one but have some other crap I need to buy first.

 

[chase723]

Maybe I was reading the wrong thing but what I read was FOV was 7.3m @ 100m (24ft) and 21.9ft at 100 yards…I could have been reading the euro specs. But, when I had them side by side it seemed slightly better on the low end than my 5-27…take it with a grain of salt because I can’t directly confirm that anymore.

 

[chase723]

That shop is 596 yards away

 

[carbonbased]

Maybe I was reading the wrong thing but what I read was FOV was 7.3m @ 100m (24ft) and 21.9ft at 100 yards…I could have been reading the euro specs. But, when I had them side by side it seemed slightly better on the low end than my 5-27…take it with a grain of salt because I can’t directly confirm that anymore.

Yeah, there’s this sneaky asterisk

 

[chase723]

I would say, regardless, I’m not disappointed. The FOV at 6x is completely sufficient for low end work. Also, if anyone uses illumination (which I do at dawn and dusk) the illumination is very nice.

 

[chase723]

So looking at it, there’s ~31 mil’s on each side of the center dot at 6x.

 

[schmi015]

I've been told that by December of 2025 the FOV limitation will be gone according to a rep.

 

[ReturnFire]

I've been told that by December of 2025 the FOV limitation will be gone according to a rep.

If that’s true then I wonder how soon we could expect to see new offerings from the top manufacturers

 

[VikingSinEater]

The images are in focus. The contrast on the ZCO sucks.

I can say beyond a doubt that the contrast on an 840 doesn't suck... I have one and have looked down TTs at the range and they are VERY close, maybe a smidge better for the TT. But that photo they show does NOT represent the glass in a ZCO well at all. I don't know what happened but that contrast doesn't look great in that photo, however shooting a couple thousand rounds down one in various conditions (including rain, snow, at Dawn and dusk) to my eye I was able to pick out any target no matter how battered and worn against similar colored backgrounds, something that was far more difficult in my NF 5-25 ATACR. Also I do have a newer ZCO (got it a year ago). Take it for what it is from my opinion, it's just that an opinion.

 

[CSTactical]

I can say beyond a doubt that the contrast on an 840 doesn't suck... I have one and have looked down TTs at the range and they are VERY close, maybe a smidge better for the TT. But that photo they show does NOT represent the glass in a ZCO well at all. I don't know what happened but that contrast doesn't look great in that photo, however shooting a couple thousand rounds down one in various conditions (including rain, snow, at Dawn and dusk) to my eye I was able to pick out any target no matter how battered and worn against similar colored backgrounds, something that was far more difficult in my NF 5-25 ATACR. Also I do have a newer ZCO (got it a year ago). Take it for what it is from my opinion, it's just that an opinion.

It’s a general consensus from various reviewers like @koshkin and @Glassaholic that through a camera never fully represents what the eye sees.

- Richard