Is it worth it to upgrade to a ZCO or TT
- Thread starter Bigrederic
- Start date
There just is not much better than a 5-20 US on a gas gun!!!
If you can afford it, do it. I’ll own a ZCO or similar one day. For now though, I’ll be a poor with my Bushnell DMRs
I've probably handled more ZCO's than anyone outside of Jeff and his employees and I'm finally getting one this year
Old eyes here…just love my ability to get behind my ZCO 420 3XNLE. I don’t try to justify $$, I just like it better than my previous SB/NF/TT scopes
ZCO 420 parallax - eyebox - reticle - NLE - just like the combo on my AXSR, 300N, 338L, 308 Steel/Overlook Hunting
Z8i 2-16x50 mil turret on my Blaser 300W for LW hunting/packing
ZCO 420 parallax - eyebox - reticle - NLE - just like the combo on my AXSR, 300N, 338L, 308 Steel/Overlook Hunting
Z8i 2-16x50 mil turret on my Blaser 300W for LW hunting/packing
it might be for you , but I ain't paying that much for one scope Id use the money and buy 3 of my current scopes and still have more than enough money left over for an adjustable rail and go that much further out with lunch . But they are nice scopes so if you get one best of luck to you .
If you are happy with your S&B and it work well, dont change it. You save a hell of a lot money
Just don't look through a TT or ZCO. You will not be happy with your S&B anymore.If you are happy with your S&B and it work well, dont change it. You save a hell of a lot money
I did cut to the chase in my first post in this thread, but haven't yet given specific thoughts since buying a TT 525. TT seemed brighter and less colorful / less contrast than ZCO. TT had better FOV than ZCO. Reticle, preference I guess, but ZCO's reticles are very thick, with small center dot. TT is much thinner than ZCO, but not fine like SCR2 in Burris, or LRR in S&B (which I have not tried, but love on paper). Turrets, I don't really care, but the TT and ZCO are definitely a step above the 2K class scopes. In terms of absolute resolution, I think TT was best overall, but not necessarily because of actual resolution, but because of superior DOF, which made fine tuning parallax less important than on ZCO. Again, plain to see vs the 2K class, but less of a difference between it and ZCO. At distance, the ZCO would go from almost perfect, perhaps better than TT, to less than TT, just by moving to a different object at slightly different range, without fiddling with parallax. To my eye, the ZCO would "color flicker" when in this state - going from deep color and perfect resolution to washed out and a touch blurry, until I fine tuned the parallax.
In a perfect world, I want a ZCO with the Sightron parallax fine tuning wheel and either the Burris SCR2 reticle or the S&B LRR mil. Since that doesn't exist, and everything is a compromise, just give me the XTR Pro SCR2 mil, and if thicker because of the illumination, change the center cross to a dot.
In a perfect world, I want a ZCO with the Sightron parallax fine tuning wheel and either the Burris SCR2 reticle or the S&B LRR mil. Since that doesn't exist, and everything is a compromise, just give me the XTR Pro SCR2 mil, and if thicker because of the illumination, change the center cross to a dot.
I have looked through several ZCOs, a friend of mine has 3 or 4 of them. I also had the opportunity to look through a TT 525 briefly at a match. I have not set them all up side by side ever. .. but someday I hope too.
When you do that make sure you set the diopter to your eye, it may be you and your friend are close but if not, then it could reduce the IQ of what you see when looking through the scope and give a false impression the scope did not perform well.
I can't comment on the TT, but I can on the ZCO ZC527.
Im fairly new to precision rifle and shoot mostly NRL22 so take all of this with a grain of salt (or just 40 grains of 22LR.
I went from an Element Nexus, to an NX8 4-32, to an ATACR 7-25 to the ZCO ZC527. I had a Kahles K525 DLR for a bit but I didn't like the layout/features too much.
All of them were largely in the same league glass wise until you got to the ZCO. The image and FOV is just better that you "feel" closer at the lower magnifications and can resolve details much better. I like the reticle (went with the MPCT3X) and the features (locking turrets, electronics, etc) and the quality is amazing. I won't be selling the other scopes but this one is my favorite. It does have a tight eyebox above 20X but all of them do. The difference is that the ZCO is still bright and detailed at max zoom.
Im fairly new to precision rifle and shoot mostly NRL22 so take all of this with a grain of salt (or just 40 grains of 22LR
.I went from an Element Nexus, to an NX8 4-32, to an ATACR 7-25 to the ZCO ZC527. I had a Kahles K525 DLR for a bit but I didn't like the layout/features too much.
All of them were largely in the same league glass wise until you got to the ZCO. The image and FOV is just better that you "feel" closer at the lower magnifications and can resolve details much better. I like the reticle (went with the MPCT3X) and the features (locking turrets, electronics, etc) and the quality is amazing. I won't be selling the other scopes but this one is my favorite. It does have a tight eyebox above 20X but all of them do. The difference is that the ZCO is still bright and detailed at max zoom.
Well... I will be getting the opportunity. I will have a Tangent Theta and ZCO 5-27 by this time next week to compare. This will be interesting, they both have really got permanent places in my safe that is for sure.
I'll be interested to read your evaluation. Threads like this are critical to members like me. I have absolutely zero chance to make up close and personal evaluations.
It will be a few of us looking through them, I will attempt to give my best feedback. One of the guys we shoot with has done content for Precsion Rifle Network so maybe I can get him to review them all and right something.
I have a TT525, ZC527 and Schmidt 3-27 for my next review, really looking forward to this one
I can't say I possess near the calibrated eye you do. I do plan on testing all them in different lighting and weather situations, with several other seasoned shooters.
I think you need one of them fancy NF 7-35 to show those other optics a thing or two in that review.
You know I had one of those... but this great opportunity came up that I couldn't pass up.
All joking aside, they have really nice glass, it is what made me order my 4-16 and a few others for work.
I’m not made of money hereI think you need one of them fancy NF 7-35 to show those other optics a thing or two in that review.
. About to commence reviewing but if someone has one sitting around they want to send me (@canezach ???) I’d be happy to take a look 
Have never owned a S&B just messed with a couple at the range. I own a TT and a ZCO527, get the ZCO and never look back.
Sorry, brother. My 7-35 sits firmly atop my Desert Tech, so it's pretty frequently used, but I would be more than happy to compare it to my Tangent Theta. Just give me a set a parameters you want me to note and I'll gladly post them.I’m not made of money here
By the way, I hope you and the family are doing well. I miss shooting with you, my friend!
Likewise, we had some fun out there. Altus gets out to 1400 yards I believe but shooting that mile at your range, that was a fun challenge.
I had a feeling your 7-35 was married to your DT
It wouldn't be for my benefit anyway, but I know a lot of folks are curious how the 7-35 stacks up to TT and ZCO, of course we have a lot of feedback already and it's a mixed bag, some love ZCO and some love NF.You know I got a really good deal on my 7-35, about $1500 less than I paid for my TT, so i try not to let that cloud my judgment. Honestly, I think it's a fantastic scope. You have to look through the NF and TT side by side to notice the differences. TT has the edge in every category, but it's slight. I'll have to measure FOV to see which one is better. The only area where I think TT has a distinct advantage is turrets. Those damn TT turrets never cease to impress me after all these years, but the question is always, "Is the Tangent $XXX better than NF/Minox/SB/whatever?! And honestly, I can't answer that. The rational side of me says I can buy a Minox with the MR4 reticle for around $2K and it goes toe to toe with the TT in the glass department and you know how much I love the MR4. But then the GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome for those who don't know) kicks in and I buy the new and shiny.Likewise, we had some fun out there. Altus gets out to 1400 yards I believe but shooting that mile at your range, that was a fun challenge.
I had a feeling your 7-35 was married to your DT
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@Glassaholic has compared March optics before. I'm sure he can add to the discussion. The last one he had (I can't remember if you had it when we shot in Salida or in Canon) was really decent
I just read that and I generally agree with the assessment. I came to the fx from a MK5HD and I very much enjoy the wide FOV for hunting. I don’t have any way to quantify my own experience but I can tell you I enjoy looking through it as much as I do my ZCO and I very much like the FMLTR1 reticle, just not quite as much as the mpct3.
Definitely had it in Salida, but can't remember if Cañon, I know I had my Minox ZP5 in Cañon, maybe my ZCO too???
I just got a ZCO 5-27 FDE with MPCT3 and love it on my AX PB, doing a review of a number of scopes (TT, Schmidt and March) so will have a more thorough eval coming soon (but soon is relative, could be next month, could be six months, crazy right now)
TT is my favorite out of all three, I personally think it has the best turrets and glass. Glass could be subjective but edge to edge clarity is noticeably better compared to some of my other scopes. Turrets clicks are unlike S&B where the clicks are so close to each/too fine.
I would agree with the older Schmidt turrets, but the new DT II+ turrets are a whole new ballgame, closest to TT along with March's new locking turret IMO
That was the primary reason I sold my S&B. I thought it was a great scope. Glass was excellent and I always liked the Gen2XR reticle I had, but I always found myself over-dialing when I was on the clock. The clicks themselves were nice, but there was increased resistance at every full mil mark, so if I needed 4.1 mils, I always ended up dialing to 4.2 or 4.3 and had to slowly, carefully dial back. At the range, it's no big deal. When you're at a match, that time adds up
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I’ll never know because Schmidt wants over $5K for recent DTII+ equipped scopes.
My experience has been the same with previous Schmidt turrets but not the DT II+ I’m calling this the fun bunch, love the turrets on all four
I'm really digging the ZCO in FDE. It might be the next one I buy, but I admit I'm torn between it and the Gen 3 Razor. I'm not saying the Razor is on par with the ZCO, but I can pick up the Razor for under $2k, so it's really tempting
By the way, what's the bottom scope on the last pic?
If you can get Gen3 Razor for under $2k, that's a no brainer.
The bottom scope in that picture is March 4.5-28x52.
ILya
Thanks, Ilya! Knowing Bill, I figured it was going to be a March. And your thoughts on the Razor are the same as mine. It was too good to pass up! I just have to wait for them to come back in stock
ILya is correct, the March 4.5-28x52
Here's some better pics
View attachment 7874637
View attachment 7874638
View attachment 7874639
Interesting to see the difference in physical size when compared side by side.
Here's a size comparison of the ZC420, ZC527 and new ZC840
@Glassaholic that tan ZCO on that AX and all these nice glass pics are getting me slightly aroused….. alright fully aroused
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