Same! Although I am building my daughter a CZ457 at the moment and will likely upgrade to a Venom on it.
What Optic Are YOU Running?
- Thread starter Malum Prohibitum
- Start date
ZCO 527 MPCT2 on Vudoo. Earlier, Vudoo wore one of three Vortex Razor 6-36x56 optics in my safe.
Why the switch: The higher the max magnification, the narrower the reticle - which can become a problem when you're trying to scan .2-mil subtensions on the clock. I learned the hard way that zooming out the Razor for wide field of view (widely-spaced / close-in targets) causes the .030-mil-wide reticle to shrink to where it's difficult to quickly discern which .2-mil subtension is which. The ZCO 527's .036-mil-wide reticle, being 20% wider, makes .2-mil subtensions easier to see at lower magnification. (Note: The tree layout of the Razor and ZCO scopes is similar, with the .2-mil subtensions all the same width straddling the vartical. The Nightforce MIL-C reticles do it better, with subtensions alternating straddling or on different sides of the vertical.)
Other likes/dislikes:
Why the switch: The higher the max magnification, the narrower the reticle - which can become a problem when you're trying to scan .2-mil subtensions on the clock. I learned the hard way that zooming out the Razor for wide field of view (widely-spaced / close-in targets) causes the .030-mil-wide reticle to shrink to where it's difficult to quickly discern which .2-mil subtension is which. The ZCO 527's .036-mil-wide reticle, being 20% wider, makes .2-mil subtensions easier to see at lower magnification. (Note: The tree layout of the Razor and ZCO scopes is similar, with the .2-mil subtensions all the same width straddling the vartical. The Nightforce MIL-C reticles do it better, with subtensions alternating straddling or on different sides of the vertical.)
Other likes/dislikes:
- Like: Of course, both scopes have superb clarity for rimfire. At centerfire ranges (>500 yards), the ZCO is marginally clearer in challenging environmental conditions - but, to me, there's definitely not $1000+ worth of difference. Both scopes have exemplary (but different) tactile feel (full disclosure: my two early-release Razors went back to have the gummy-feeling turrets fixed).
- Dislike (minor): My 5-year-old ZCO 527 has the 15-mil-per-revolution turrets, so I have to pay careful attention to avoid "over-dialing" - and the .1-mil marks are very close together so my septuagenarian eyes, again, didn't see that I mis-dialed in a match yesterday. Also, if I have to dial past 15 mils (one revolution), I have to remember to look at the smaller numbers at the top of the turret. No biggie, just takes a couple more seconds.
- Dislike: For the price of a ZCO scope, they could include a bleeping sunshade. No freaking way I'd pay the required price for one. In the VERY rare cases I need a sunshade (ZCO manages flare extremely well), I just tape an unused Vortex shade onto the bell. For those who call BS, that anyone who can pay $4k+ for a scope can lay out a few more $ for a sunshade - yeah, well, one reason I could afford a ZCO is my refusal to pay $75 for a little metal tube that Vortex includes even on cheap scopes.
I've used a S&B 5-25 PMII with Gen 2 XR reticle the last 2 years. I'll probably try one of my ZCO 5-27 this year.
On my Anschutz 64 silhouette and CZ 457MTR Athlon 10-40X56 and on my CZ457Benchrest and 2500X custom Athlon 15-60X56 Gen 1 and have a 15-60X56 Gen 2 on order. Had a Sightron Siii 10-50X60 but hated the target dot reticule other then that I was a great scope.
I run zcos for center-fire and love them but the g2 viper pst hasn't cost me any points in a rimfire match. The parallax is incredibly forgiving and it's tracked just fine for the last few years.
I have the Razor Gen III on Vudoo and a NF 7-35 with Mil-XT on a RimX.
I like both scopes but lean to the Vortex. I had a Tangent for a short while but at 70 years old I had trouble with dialing those tiny numbers.
I guess I may eventually pickup a ZCO to see if I am missing out but need to study their reticles to see what appeals to me.
I like both scopes but lean to the Vortex. I had a Tangent for a short while but at 70 years old I had trouble with dialing those tiny numbers.
I guess I may eventually pickup a ZCO to see if I am missing out but need to study their reticles to see what appeals to me.
When I put an Athlon Cronus on my 2500XR 9yrs ago, I felt like I was going overboard on optics for a 22RF rifle, but having invested in the custom action, Krieger bbl, Jewell trigger, and Manners stock, it made sense. When I sold that Stiller & moved on to Modacam modified 40X & XB rifles, I stayed with Cronus scopes, and when I bought Vudoo actions, I still didn't move away from the Japan-sourced Athlon scopes.
I shoot Kahles K624i scopes on my CF Bighorn rifles, and the ability to set the parallax at 600 & forget it on those scopes highlights the one thing about the Cronus scopes that I don't like - parallax is picky, especially on stages where targets may be from 25-200+yds. At my age (73), I'm not terribly interested in investing four times the cost of a Cronus for a ZCO, but then I've not asked a good shooting friend to get behind one of his ZCO scopes, so I don't know what I'm missing....
I shoot Kahles K624i scopes on my CF Bighorn rifles, and the ability to set the parallax at 600 & forget it on those scopes highlights the one thing about the Cronus scopes that I don't like - parallax is picky, especially on stages where targets may be from 25-200+yds. At my age (73), I'm not terribly interested in investing four times the cost of a Cronus for a ZCO, but then I've not asked a good shooting friend to get behind one of his ZCO scopes, so I don't know what I'm missing....
This is my set up. I didn't think about it until a post above but with the ZCO I don't have eye fatigue. I shot 2 matches Saturday and none at all.
Started with a 5-25 Strike Eagle then moved to the Razor 6-36 when funding allowed. It's a great scope and I really love how easy it is to zero, the reticle is fine, the brightness is great, and the glass is good. If I hadn't gotten a discount and had to pay full MSRP I would have just gone for the ZCo I wanted instead.
Razor Gen 3 , used strike eagle 5-25 for a long time — love the reticle and the overall scope function with ability to get the parallax really close — so the transition to the Razor was a no brainer — more of the same just way better
I'm literally doing this exact same thing. Razor will be here tomorrow, I'm so stoked!
That is what I shoot on my centerfire rifle, and same here.
Although I really want a Kahles 540 . . . maybe I get that for the centerfire and put the Steiner on my rimfire?
I wanted to thank everybody so far on their input to this thread. I have never been to a rimfire competition, and I was genuinely surprised at the price range and magnifications of the scopes most posting. It appears ZCO is the one most frequently mentioned above, which I would not have bet my next paycheck would have been the case.
I guess I thought with the shorter distances involved the scopes would be lower magnification maybe and folks would not spend ZCO money on a rimfire.
Thank you for providing your reasons for each scope selection, too. It sounds like there are some good reasons to at least consider a higher end scope on a rimfire gun.
I guess I thought with the shorter distances involved the scopes would be lower magnification maybe and folks would not spend ZCO money on a rimfire.
Thank you for providing your reasons for each scope selection, too. It sounds like there are some good reasons to at least consider a higher end scope on a rimfire gun.
IOR 6-24x56 Tactical. Tried an Arken during a PRS-22 match and it would not return to zero, nor would it spin up to the MOA I needed for the stage. Had this spare scope, so I run with it.
One rimfire-specific scope "thing" not mentioned so far: the elevation turret on a match-use rimfire scope will really get a workout compared to centerfire.
- With the commonly-used centerfire calibers in PRS-style matches, one will typically use a max of 10-ish mils of elevation; hotrod calibers 8-ish.
- In the PRS-style rimfire matches I've attended, max range has been 375-415 yards. Dialing to 400 yards will take somewhere around 20-22 mils with popular match ammo brands. With more typical ranges 75-175 yards - not uncommonly in a single stage - one is still cranking through 5-6 mils.
Who said precision rifle is too fussy for the masses.....
Here is my Vudoo with the Kahles K540i. I am running a ZCO527 on my centerfire and evaluating the Kahles to determine if this will be my new go-to scope.
I hope you write up a comparison between the two scopes in the Kahles K540i thread.
I provided some initial opinions in this thread. I expect there will be others who are much more qualified than I am to review the Kahles compared to ZCO and maybe TT.
