Rifle Scopes I’m considering a Minox ZP5 5-25

[NotBotvinnik]

So like the title says I’m considering a Minox ZP5 5-25 for my bench rest rifle.

They don’t seem to be too popular here on the hide as posts about them are few and far between.

Are these top notch scopes or should I just get an ATACR?

It’ll be going on a 27” barreled 6.5 PRC which I only shoot prone or bench at paper or steel…. 100 yards to 1700 yards

Thanks for anyone with any experience or input here

Sal

 

[sleeplz]

For bench rest, there are better options. Something like vortex Golden eagle or nightforce 12-42. Go to a bench rest match to see what they’re running.

 

[NotBotvinnik]

Thank you for your input. The only upper echelon optics I’ve owned are a Vortex Gen 2 Razor 5-27 and a Leupold MK5 5-25

 

[Emmaandhaley]

I will say that there are plenty of threads and videos about them. All over the sight.

I’ll be 1000% honest with you. I like money more than anything else besides my wife.

During have of the head to head you will hear minox is nearly, almost, just not quite, little off and so on and so one!!!

What I actually hearing is by me spending $2200 on a minox and saving $1400-2500 vs buying a ZCO’s/TT and all I’m missing out on it nearly, almost, just a little off when sign me to everyday answer twice on Sunday.

i have owned a couple of a 3, and now I only own 8 minox’s.

But are your eyes good enough to see the difference in them.

 

[Guthwine]

As an owner of a ZP5 I am probably biased but I can not find any real flaws in that scope, especially when it comes to optical quality and the MR4 reticle. Could the turrets be a little bit better? Sure but they absolutely do what they are supposed to do.
I do not think that you'll be disappointed.

 

[jda2631]

ZP5 is a fantastic scope. MR4 reticle is great, glass is absolutely incredible. My only complaint was the turrets, I had the white box version with updated turrets. The clicks were solid, crisp, and audible. My issue was the turret cap would always slip a little bit as I was using it, so the arrow and the line for elevation would be off, it would be like in between two different 0.1 mil markings and made it difficult to know exactly where you were.

 

[Tac Beard]

When you say bench rest, I assume you just mean shooting from a bench —and not actual Bench Rest competition where it’s more common to use SFP, MOA and higher mag… with that assumption in mind the ZP5 is an outstanding scope. It has a great reputation on here, and everything jda2631 and guthwine mentioned above is accurate.

That said, I’d look for a used one in the >$2600 range. At the mid-3k level where the ZP5’s MSRP sits, you’re just too close to a ZCO to justify not buying that instead.

The Minox LR seems to be one of the best in the $2k range also, definitely worth a look.

 

[deersniper]

ZP5 is a fantastic scope. MR4 reticle is great, glass is absolutely incredible.

Yes this ^

 

[Glassaholic]

Apparently you haven't searched enough, there is quite a bit here on the Hide about the ZP5. For the price, nothing comes close. Some early complaints about the turrets that Minox has resolved, latest turrets are spot on and if you're not happy they will swap the turrets for their latest although it has to go back to Germany for that, but they will take care of you.

ZP5 with MR4 has three peers, the Tangent Theta 5-25 (which shares the same lineage and design), the ZCO ZC527 and the March 4.5-28x52, but the latter 3 will cost you quite a bit more than the ZP5.

If you want a FFP mrad scope I highly recommend the ZP5

HK Dave's review is one I reference often

Rifle Scopes - Tangent Theta 5-25 v Minox 5-25 v Nightforce 7-35 v Schmidt & Bender 5-25 v Vortex 4.5-27

Tangent Theta TT525P 5-25x56mm vs Minox ZP5 TAC 5-25x56mm vs Nightforce ATACR 7-35x56mm F1 vs Vortex Razor HD Gen II 4.5-27x56mm vs Schmidt Bender PMII 5-26x56mm L/P DT This review and comparison has been a long time coming. It’s essentially the comparison I’ve always wished someone did in an...

www.snipershide.com

 

[charnicus]

ZP5 is a badass optic. Hard to be the value of it. Service in my experience was decent. Others have said different for what it’s worth and likely a small sample size. For the price I’ve seen a couple 7-35 Atacrs go for, you’d probably sleep fine knowing you got one. I’d say image wise the ZP5 is slightly superior with more forgiving parallax. Still these are both top tier.

 

[skatz11]

I’m a huge ZP5 fan as well. I’ve always been somewhat budget conscious opting for value picks from LOW with good Japanese glass (Bushy LRHS, Athlon Cronus) but I’m on board with the German glass thing now.

I was initially underwhelmed with a quick side by side off the tripod looking out my gun room window compared with my Cronus. However in field conditions on the range the ZP5 shines. I think the extra resolution and other optical engineering details show in different weather and lighting conditions. Parallax is forgiving and the scope is a true pleasure to be behind.

I can see another ZP5 or even a ZCO in the future for me based on what I’ve seen from my first ZP5.

 

[SD Carpenter]

I have a zco and a minox. The minox's glass is better, while not much more at all, it is noticeable to me. However the rest of the entire package of a Zco is better, which is why that's still my go to scope.

 

[Glassaholic]

I have a zco and a minox. The minox's glass is better, while not much more at all, it is noticeable to me. However the rest of the entire package of a Zco is better, which is why that's still my go to scope.

I am right there with you SD, as a whole package the ZCO is hard to beat. I think if March had locking turrets for their 4.5-28 it would make that scope that much more desirable

 

[M77]

I'm a big fan of my Minox - have had it for a year or so now. It is definitely not going anywhere and may even ad a Zp5 3-15 at some stage.

 

[260284]

I liked my first ZP5 so much that I bought a second one. Couldn't get rid of my Gen II Razor fast enough.

 

[whatsupdoc]

While the ZP5 is a fine optic it is not designed to be a bench rest optic.
Use the right tool for the job.

 

[anginaprinzmetal]

Only problem w Minox ZP5 is the MR4 reticle which makes hard to use below 15x. In matches I find myself porwering up to 16-20x. Otherwise is a great scope

 

[Edgecrusher]

My ZP5 MR4 has been on my long range gun for three years now. I see no reason to go to anything else. The turrets were never an issue for me. Mine doesn't offer a ton of resistance, but apparently others did. The overall quality and glass were better than anything else I had previously handled and it tracks dead nuts. I also currently own NF NX8, USO scopes and have had S&B and Vortex glass in the past. The ZP5 checks all the boxes for me.

 

[Gil P.]

Only problem w Minox ZP5 is the MR4 reticle which makes hard to use below 15x. In matches I find myself porwering up to 16-20x. Otherwise is a great scope

I think the MR4 is one of the best designed reticles on the market.

 

[rhsc]

So like the title says I’m considering a Minox ZP5 5-25 for my bench rest rifle.

. . .

It’ll be going on a 27” barreled 6.5 PRC which I only shoot prone or bench at paper or steel…. 100 yards to 1700 yards

(emphasis added)

I get the sense that you're primarily doing casual target shooting (maybe PRC comp?) and this isn't intended to be a bench competition set-up. If my assumption is correct, that Minox should be an excellent scope for your purposes.

 

[Chiavettas_Yum!]

I have a ZP5, it’s a really nice scope and I have no issues with it.

I also have the new Minox LR. The reticle is essentially the MR4 reticle without full illumination. Glass is better than any other sub-top tier optic and the turrets/controls are the same as the MR4.

Although I think the ZP5 is badass and near perfection, I would buy another LR before another ZP5. The optics are really close, such that as a non competitor like myself, I see more value with the LR.

Either way though, both scopes are the tip of their class and you’ll be beyond pleased.

 

[Forrest84]

Loved both of mine but after S&B’s got a lot more affordable the last two years second hand I went back to the PM2. Great damn glass though

 

[Glassaholic]

Loved both of mine but after S&B’s got a lot more affordable the last two years second hand I went back to the PM2. Great damn glass though

And now that S&B's are no longer that affordable? (Prices went back up at end of last year)

 

[TimK]

I have one as well as ATACR's in 5-25 and 7-35, a Schmidt PM2, USO and several Steiners. I quite like the Minox. I'm not super skilled at evaluating glass, but to my unsophisticated eye the Minox is the best of the lot. I've never quite understood all the strong opinions about turret feel. All the scopes I run are quite different one from another, but I don't have any issue dialing away at a match with any of them. Perhaps I'm just an unsophisticated rube.

I sent mine in for service as part of an effort to diagnose a rifle. (stupid Valkyrie!) I sent it with a list of gripes, some real and some imagined. To their credit, it came back with the real gripes having been addressed. Unfortunately, I forgot to remove the sun shade before sending it, and it did not come back with the scope. Even more unfortunately, it was gone for almost exactly 6 months. To be fair, this all went down at the height of the covid silliness, so I doubt that's representative of their normal turnaround time.

Would I buy another? You bet. My goal (because I'm an optics junkie) is to have one of everything out there that's cool. If I had the budget for a ZCO or a TT, I'd go that route just for the joy of having a scope that is truly at the top of the heap. If I was budget limited, as I always am, I'd buy another Minox in a second.

 

[Thorbeast]

I will say that there are plenty of threads and videos about them. All over the sight.

I’ll be 1000% honest with you. I like money more than anything else besides my wife.

During have of the head to head you will hear minox is nearly, almost, just not quite, little off and so on and so one!!!

What I actually hearing is by me spending $2200 on a minox and saving $1400-2500 vs buying a ZCO’s/TT and all I’m missing out on it nearly, almost, just a little off when sign me to everyday answer twice on Sunday.

i have owned a couple of a 3, and now I only own 8 minox’s.

But are your eyes good enough to see the difference in them.

Where are you finding a ZP5 for 2200? That's exactly my target price range and I'd love to get one for that price!

 

[308pirate]

So like the title says I’m considering a Minox ZP5 5-25 for my bench rest rifle.


It’ll be going on a 27” barreled 6.5 PRC which I only shoot prone or bench at paper or steel…. 100 yards to 1700 yards

So are you a benchrest competitor or just a casual shooter who sometimes uses a bench? There is a huge difference and also a huge difference in the rifle scopes that are suitable for each.

Does your rifle look like this?

 

[rhsc]

Where are you finding a ZP5 for 2200? That's exactly my target price range and I'd love to get one for that price!

He may be referring to scopes for sale in the PX here. I know of one example where a seller was asking @ $2350.00 for what was described as a virtually new ZP5 with the improved turrets. Naturally, it sold pretty quick.