Out of curiosity, you say your updated March 1.5-15x42 is better with IQ, what would you say are pros and cons compared to this Zeiss?
Honestly, I think the March is going to win all around pretty handily now the IQ was fixed on mine. There just isn't enough difference in the optical quality to outweigh the functional advantages where the March beats the Zeiss. But I mean these are two completely different scopes, just happen to be in the same magnification range.
Reticle: March wins (DFP model does both FFP and SFP well)
Turrets: March (Zeiss way behind with the 1/3 MOA and it being hunting focused)
Mag Range: tie really but March is 10x vs 8x. I mean what's the real difference of .3x on the low end and 1x on the high end?
Weight: March (Zeiss way behind if that matters to you)
Length: March (Zeiss way behind if that matters to you)
Illumination: Zeiss (March still very good)
Optical Quality: Zeiss (March not far behind)
Low Light: Zeiss (March not far behind)
Sexiness: March is a bad looking mamma
Ability to be used as a blunt force object or door breach: Zeiss
Multipurpose-ability: March hands down. You can put this scope on just about any rifle and it could be useable. Zeiss is a one trick pony.
Price: Tie.
If I'm targeting a big buck and I had to grab the right tool to smoke him, I'd take my dedicated hunting rifle with my hunting handloads, topped with the Zeiss. Really don't see that changing. Best tool for the job. For every other job I need a scope for I'm going to pick the March over the Zeiss every time.
These scopes are lined up at the back...look at the size difference! Ignore the Spuhr/Vortex LRF setup, it's temporary. Moving it to my Surgeon Remedy .338 LM once I can get out to the range and swap mounts with the March and rezero immediately.