I had a ZCO and recently switched to a TT. I’m interested to know what guys think who have had or currently own both. To be exact I had zco impact3 and got TT gen 3. I like things about ZCO and TT but I’m interested to know what other people think. Before I post my opinion I would like to hear some others. There is very few video reviews and information out there the little I have seen came from a guy who is a member here I believe. Thanks to that guy, sorry I can’t remember to give him credit but now I have 2 TT to compare for quality. I am extremely impressed so far that being said there is a large difference in price. Just want real guy opinions who have experience. im Not a super snob I’m sure there are plenty of people out there who could out shoot me with far less scopes just wonder what people think of the two
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Rifle Scopes ZCO vs TT
- Thread starter Btmann45
- Start date
I currently own ZCOs, but have had and shot several TTs. For me the ZCO wins in weight, locking turrets, ocular adjustment, and finish. The TT has slighly better glass (sudjective), better turret click feel, and tooless rezero. Where the TT falls short for me is the smaller markings and tough to turn mag ring adjustment. I use my optics for hunting as well, so that does sway my decision.
These are obviously my opinions and others may disagree.
These are obviously my opinions and others may disagree.
You won’t see too many comparisons because they are both at the top of the heap. And while they are both at the top, they are fairly different as far as reticles and features.
So, when someone chooses one over the other, it’s almost never that one is absolutely better than the other. One just fills a shooter’s preference slightly more than the other.
I’ve own both and stick with ZCO mainly for the reticles, but also locking turrets is important to me. The ergonomics are also better for me as well.
So, when someone chooses one over the other, it’s almost never that one is absolutely better than the other. One just fills a shooter’s preference slightly more than the other.
I’ve own both and stick with ZCO mainly for the reticles, but also locking turrets is important to me. The ergonomics are also better for me as well.
I think the TT has better glass. its close. but the fov and eyebox on my zco 420 is hard to beat. I dont dislike the turrets of the zco but the tt are better. especially the zeroing out the turrets. cant remember whats that called as im having a I just got done working 14 hours brainfart. They are close. honestly I dont think the price difference justifies the performance differences.
Id like to spend sometime directly comparing the zco 5-27 with the tt525. as Ive only got the zco 420 and tt525. and those two optics definitely serve different purposes.
Im a bit of a glass snob, these two are the best Ive ever put my eyeballs upto.
Id like to spend sometime directly comparing the zco 5-27 with the tt525. as Ive only got the zco 420 and tt525. and those two optics definitely serve different purposes.
Im a bit of a glass snob, these two are the best Ive ever put my eyeballs upto.
i have tried em all except the TT. Had a new in box premier 5-25 i bought and sold like the next day as had a big tax bill that i still regret. Love my ZCO and think it better than my SB PM2s and NF atacr, beasts etc.
I don’t like the locking elevation turret on the zco. There is no need for it to lock. While dialing it can also be a little difficult to see exactly what you are dialed to. The reticle is nice but the lines are a little thick for me. The parallax doesn’t seem to be as forgiving as the TT. I have gone entire matches without touching g the parallax once. With the zco I had to adjust it more often. the field of view is a bit smaller on the zco as well. The glass is great but I think I prefer that on the TT as well but not by much. If the TT had a .5 mil hash in the reticle it would be perfect. Sometimes under time it can be hard to tell if you are looking at .4 or .6. I actually like the larger dot. Some hate it but I think it gets me on target faster. This might sound like I’m bashing the zco but that’s not the case. It’s just being compared to what I think is the best scope on the market. For a scope that’s 1000 dollars cheaper you could make the argument that the zco is a better bang for your buck.
I have 2 TT’s 5-25 Gen 3 XR’s. The glass is awesome, the tooless zeroing is great, and the turrets are also great. Wish at least the windage turret was locking, and the field of view was larger. I run several Gen 2 Razors as well, and the FOV I have at 22x in them I have to turn the TT down to 18 to get. Reticle is good, but not great. EBR-7C is my favorite reticle of all scopes.
I have several friends who run the ZCO 5-27’s. Reticle choices are great, glass is almost a wash with TT, FOV is better. 15 Mil turrets make the clicks really close together and hard to read for people over 40. The ZCO is almost perfect, it just needs NF turrets with 10 mils per rotation for us older folks.
I have several friends who run the ZCO 5-27’s. Reticle choices are great, glass is almost a wash with TT, FOV is better. 15 Mil turrets make the clicks really close together and hard to read for people over 40. The ZCO is almost perfect, it just needs NF turrets with 10 mils per rotation for us older folks.
The ZCO imo was a little better in the fact it’s easier to get behind, better fov, better reticle, and seemed to cut mirage a little better. The TT is an awesome scope but the Gen2XR isn’t the best forsure. The turrets tho, phew, are phenomenal on the TT and I really wish the ZCO turrets were the same. For 1100 bucks less than the TT, I don’t think the ZCO can be beat.
I own the ZC 4x20 and the TT 315m and they are both outstanding optics.I like everything about the ZC and the 2 problems I have with the TT is the stiff mag ring and the small amount of elv it has.Both scopes will be money well spent.
So in my opinion and my tt is new so they could have fixed the problem but I believe the mag ring on my tt is the same as my zco. I was expecting to get a throw lever honestly I almost got it before I got the scope but decided to wait and glad I did. I was pleasantly surprised. I hope they listen to customer feed back and fixed it or maybe i just got a good one. I had a little trouble with my zco turrets and didn't have the 100% faith in them like I do my tt. I will agree I think the zco ret are better but then again the tt tooless zero is amazing. You can't go wrong with either (5-27 zco or 5-25tt) can speak for other models because I have no experience with them.
I'm not sure that it is fixed i may have just got a good one. I will ask my shooting partner about his and what he thinks ours cam off the line at the same time, but unless we have a larger pool that say its better I wouldn't go as far to say its fixed yet
Own 2xZCOs (1x 4-20 MCPT2 and 1x 5-27 MPCT3) and 2xTTs (5-25 Gen3XRs). In my hobbyist opinion:
- Still need more rounds through all setups to say which reticle catches my eye the best. If forced to answer today, really enjoying the MPCT3.
- Locking turrets are not as important to me at this point compared to the ease to re zero the turrets, so I give the TT a nudge there for my use.
- It could be my own anatomy + rifle setup, but I find the TT eyebox slightly more forgiving than the ZCO. That is being real picky however.
- Overall Value (quality/price) and Customer Service - Hands down to ZCO.
It’s always interesting how much focus people put into their preferences on the tree.
The part that get used the least (and often times almost never), gets the most attention.
The part that get used the least (and often times almost never), gets the most attention.
2xTT 5-25 Gen3XR
1xZCO 5-27 MPCT3
I really enjoy all the reticles Gen2XR (S&B), Gen 3XR (TT), and the MPCT3 (ZCO) so that's a wash for me
Turrets - TT
Glass - TT
Customer Service - ZCO as I didn't care for how TT treated me on the ultra-stiff mag ring which remains...ultra stiff
1xZCO 5-27 MPCT3
I really enjoy all the reticles Gen2XR (S&B), Gen 3XR (TT), and the MPCT3 (ZCO) so that's a wash for me
Turrets - TT
Glass - TT
Customer Service - ZCO as I didn't care for how TT treated me on the ultra-stiff mag ring which remains...ultra stiff
Feel free to give us a call at 916-670-1103 as we have a ton of experience between both of those fantastic options
Other food for thought:
Theta is almost two inches longer (this actually affects where I can get a grip on the rifle when running my hand in front of optic)
Theta has some tunneling (if that sort of thing matters to you)
I have also experienced the stiff mag ring. I’ve noticed it’s not consistent. One optic might be tight and the other feels much better.
Not bashing theta. I like the optic overall. Just tossing out some differences that may or may not matter to you.
Theta is almost two inches longer (this actually affects where I can get a grip on the rifle when running my hand in front of optic)
Theta has some tunneling (if that sort of thing matters to you)
I have also experienced the stiff mag ring. I’ve noticed it’s not consistent. One optic might be tight and the other feels much better.
Not bashing theta. I like the optic overall. Just tossing out some differences that may or may not matter to you.
And I'm just the opposite. I own the TT with a Gen3XR and I am about to sell/trade away a NF 7-35 MilXT to buy another TT. If ZCO had the Gen3XR, I'd have them on all my rifles
They haven't and when I called about it I got the "deal with it" type attitude from their CS. They also have a history of not listening to the end user. This is another big reason that ZCO gets my money.
I have owned both first the TT Gen 3Xr then the ZCO. I liked the turrets better on the Tangent and I found the tool less zero extremely useful and simple. Setting zero on ZCO was not a huge deal but not near as user friendly as TT. I always put emphasis on locking turrets when I purchase scopes and the more I shoot and compete the more I realize that its not a critical feature. The glass is to subjective to make a determination and choose not to even go down that road. One draw back on ZCO, which I understand there is a significant design reason is the 36 mm tube. I will say again not a deal breaker but I had to spend another 300 bucks to get up and running when I had 10 different 34mm rings lying around my workshop. Value wise I would go with ZCO I don't fill you get enough for the price difference out of Tangent to justify the extra cost. Now that I said my piece I will mention I have gone back to a NF ATACR 7x35 and have zero regrets and don't feel like I am leaving anything on the table.
I feel this way in reverse ...if ZCO had MOA optics, I would empty my
bank....yes I understand folks love Mils but I still like MOA myself 
I recently upgraded from a Schmidt to a TT, but I was also heavily cross-shopping the ZCO 527 because they're both the cream of the crop. Really though there were a couple things that made my decision easy in the end, for me personally.
For the record, I can personally attest that at least my TT has the magnification ring issue fixed. I ordered it in September from Primal Rights, and they in-turn ordered it new from the factory because they didn't have any T3 reticle models in stock. Got it less than 2 weeks later and the magnification ring is as easy to use as it was on my Schmidt, which was a relief. In the past I have used a TT manufactured sometime in 2015, and that scope's magnification ring was just unbearably tight to the point of being virtually unusable without a throw lever. The current-manufacture TT scopes have a magnification ring not much different from that of a S&B PMII.
- I don't personally like locking turrets
- I personally prefer the Tremor3 reticle
- I highly value tool-less rezero because I use the same one scope on most of my rifles
For the record, I can personally attest that at least my TT has the magnification ring issue fixed. I ordered it in September from Primal Rights, and they in-turn ordered it new from the factory because they didn't have any T3 reticle models in stock. Got it less than 2 weeks later and the magnification ring is as easy to use as it was on my Schmidt, which was a relief. In the past I have used a TT manufactured sometime in 2015, and that scope's magnification ring was just unbearably tight to the point of being virtually unusable without a throw lever. The current-manufacture TT scopes have a magnification ring not much different from that of a S&B PMII.
I sent my TT in for warranty work due to the obvious parallax binding with a Spuhr mount and in the repair notes they changed out the o ring on the mag ring to make it less stiff. I didn’t think anything of it for the couple days I had it before sending it in, but it’s nice and smooth now. They also had great CS when addressing the parallax issue and promptly sent me an RMA to get it back to them. I can’t complain.
im trying to pick something to top my AW. The ZCO 420 is really high up there and i like the MPCT1, which is really good and i dont think i need the tree. i have a couple of Kahles with the Skmer3 and its good, but i dont need the mpct2. just need to call @CSTactical and talk to them about it and see if i can pull the trigger.
We can make that happen for you, let me know when you're ready and we'll get you set up
So I had never owned both at the same time until recently. I had and sold a TT gen 3 xr when they first came out and got into zco after but always wondered the same thing so I got another TT 5-25 to compare to try and answer this for myself.
I have 2 ZCO 5-27’s, one mpct and one mpct3. I also have a 420 with mpct2 which isn’t part of this topic but would probably be the last scope I sold if I had to get rid of them all. It covers a lot of bases!
I have been shooting the mpct3 on my dasher most of the year since I put it on, I was one of the first couple with that reticle to come out of CS tactical when released. I didn’t think you could get better glass than ZCO’s even having owned a TT previously. Along with S&B kahles and others. I really like the mpct3 reticle it has a lot of tools and somehow doesn’t get in the way. I have noticed for matches I do miss some small marks the top 2 mils of the tree, say if I’m trying to hold .5 or 1.5 elevation and some wind it’s kinda open space. Also, I can’t say it has cost me anything but the open dot at a mil isn’t quite as precise of a hold and covers more target than a hash mark does. Pretty minimal gripes. Glass is awesome, parallax is plenty forgiving, turrets are very good. Overall this scope has been my favorite combination of features.
Enter the TT gen 3 xr to do a side by side. Glass is awesome, I’ll stop short of saying it’s better, parallax is very forgiving, turrets I still don’t know how they make them so good! Reticle hasn’t convinced me yet that it’s better for my intended use, although it covers a few more holds in the top 2 mil of the tree by having small dots at .5 & 1.5 without getting in the way.
Back to glass. I compared side by side multiple times now from morning, mid afternoon and dusk with a west to northwest facing range (for lighting reference) and observed from 100 out past a mile. At 1650 yards there is a small structure with a lot of electrical boxes and what not around it that is great for comparing resolution at that distance. Both scopes can easily make everything out and if they were targets could engage and spot without issue. I will say the TT makes out edges a little sharper and colors seem a little more defined, this was in morning and afternoon light. At 515 yards which is where my main target is or at least the one I seem to favor, is a 6” plate on a T post. Both scopes can make it out with plenty of detail and clarity. I think it’s reticle more than it is glass quality, but the TT seems to have a better view of the plate, especially at dusk, I attribute it to being finer than the mpct3 is on the horizontal bar and wind holds even though center dot is bigger. At 400 yards on KYL rack the TT seems to make things out in more detail, the zco can get there but I have to spend a little more time on the parallax knob to dial it in. This is being very picky, it is plenty clear to do anything without issue it’s just when really studying fine details like 1/2” bolt heads I can pick it up.
All this to say, I thought within first couple days I had made my mind up, my end goal is to get my dasher and trainer matching scopes with it being TT or the ZCO mpct3. But I just can’t bring myself to sell the zco yet to get another TT. I’ll probably shoot them some more this fall/winter and see if I still prefer one or the other.
Glass: too close to call IMO
Turret: TT better unless you need locking
Customer Service: ZCO is awesome can’t say on TT. When I used ZCO CS my scope spent more time in the mail than at their shop, and they overnighted it back to me!
Reticle: I like them both a lot get what fits your task better or what your eye likes, but look through the mpct3 in person not on paper.
I have 2 ZCO 5-27’s, one mpct and one mpct3. I also have a 420 with mpct2 which isn’t part of this topic but would probably be the last scope I sold if I had to get rid of them all. It covers a lot of bases!
I have been shooting the mpct3 on my dasher most of the year since I put it on, I was one of the first couple with that reticle to come out of CS tactical when released. I didn’t think you could get better glass than ZCO’s even having owned a TT previously. Along with S&B kahles and others. I really like the mpct3 reticle it has a lot of tools and somehow doesn’t get in the way. I have noticed for matches I do miss some small marks the top 2 mils of the tree, say if I’m trying to hold .5 or 1.5 elevation and some wind it’s kinda open space. Also, I can’t say it has cost me anything but the open dot at a mil isn’t quite as precise of a hold and covers more target than a hash mark does. Pretty minimal gripes. Glass is awesome, parallax is plenty forgiving, turrets are very good. Overall this scope has been my favorite combination of features.
Enter the TT gen 3 xr to do a side by side. Glass is awesome, I’ll stop short of saying it’s better, parallax is very forgiving, turrets I still don’t know how they make them so good! Reticle hasn’t convinced me yet that it’s better for my intended use, although it covers a few more holds in the top 2 mil of the tree by having small dots at .5 & 1.5 without getting in the way.
Back to glass. I compared side by side multiple times now from morning, mid afternoon and dusk with a west to northwest facing range (for lighting reference) and observed from 100 out past a mile. At 1650 yards there is a small structure with a lot of electrical boxes and what not around it that is great for comparing resolution at that distance. Both scopes can easily make everything out and if they were targets could engage and spot without issue. I will say the TT makes out edges a little sharper and colors seem a little more defined, this was in morning and afternoon light. At 515 yards which is where my main target is or at least the one I seem to favor, is a 6” plate on a T post. Both scopes can make it out with plenty of detail and clarity. I think it’s reticle more than it is glass quality, but the TT seems to have a better view of the plate, especially at dusk, I attribute it to being finer than the mpct3 is on the horizontal bar and wind holds even though center dot is bigger. At 400 yards on KYL rack the TT seems to make things out in more detail, the zco can get there but I have to spend a little more time on the parallax knob to dial it in. This is being very picky, it is plenty clear to do anything without issue it’s just when really studying fine details like 1/2” bolt heads I can pick it up.
All this to say, I thought within first couple days I had made my mind up, my end goal is to get my dasher and trainer matching scopes with it being TT or the ZCO mpct3. But I just can’t bring myself to sell the zco yet to get another TT. I’ll probably shoot them some more this fall/winter and see if I still prefer one or the other.
Glass: too close to call IMO
Turret: TT better unless you need locking
Customer Service: ZCO is awesome can’t say on TT. When I used ZCO CS my scope spent more time in the mail than at their shop, and they overnighted it back to me!
Reticle: I like them both a lot get what fits your task better or what your eye likes, but look through the mpct3 in person not on paper.
Curious ...why did you need customer service on the ZCO? What happened with it?
It was on my 527 with the mpct1 reticle which was a very early scope from when ZCO released originally. Probably 6 months or more after getting it I noticed a small speck of something on a lens when looking through the scope. I don’t know what kind of debris it was but it wasn’t there when I got it and over time with normal use and moving around it showed up. Didn’t effect the functionality of the scope it was a small annoyance so I contacted Customer service. Within an hour of the call I had an email with instructions and shipped my scope on a Friday if I remember correctly. By the following Tuesday they had the scope and I got an email Thursday with tracking it was on its way back and had it Friday. I was without my scope a week and they only had it 2 days! They also updated the turrets while it was there without any questions or fees, if you’ve handled and original vs newer ZCO they did something to make them a little more tactile clicks. Probably one of the best customer service experiences I’ve had between communication and they just dealt with it.
That’s great customer service nice to know thank you
I own and shoot with both. Simply put both are the best examples of the pinnacle of rifle optics today.
Choose the reticle and options you want and purchase with confidence.
Can’t go wrong either way.
Choose the reticle and options you want and purchase with confidence.
Can’t go wrong either way.
I just noticed the same “spec” issue on mine today as well. Googled ZCO & “spec” and found this post.
Similar circumstances, have owned it for about 6 months and it just showed up. You‘d think it was a reticle marking except for its location in the 10 o’clock position. It stays in the same spot when zooming.
Not looking forward to sending it in, but I’m glad to hear about your easy CS experience.
When I first got my ZComp while back, the parallax knob was gritty and felt wrong.
CST immediately put me in touch with ZCO and they got me a return label ASAP and upon receipt, sent me a new one, ASAP, just in time for a NRL22X match.
It was a satisfying customer service experience. And just took first place today in a regional centerfire match with this 5-27 M2 scope--it's simply a pleasure to use. Only gripe is reading the lines on the elevation turret, my eyes gettin old, but still trying to save for another...
CST immediately put me in touch with ZCO and they got me a return label ASAP and upon receipt, sent me a new one, ASAP, just in time for a NRL22X match.
It was a satisfying customer service experience. And just took first place today in a regional centerfire match with this 5-27 M2 scope--it's simply a pleasure to use. Only gripe is reading the lines on the elevation turret, my eyes gettin old, but still trying to save for another...
ZCO has some of the best numbering out there, but with presbyopia I'm in the same boat as you, if I keep my cheek weld the turret is a blur. MK Machining has a cool turret magnifier that works like a charm...
Pro Series Turret Magnifier
Pro Series Turret Magnifier The MK Machining Pro Series Turret Magnifier easily mounts to your scope tube and provides an approximate 3x magnification allowing for easier viewing of small markings on your rifle scope turrets. Features an easy to remove magnifier which makes changing out lenses...
www.mkmachining.com
I bought one of those but the plastic lenses were not as clear as the one posted in the pic. On a side note, TT has great customer service as well, at least in my case. Had a scope that kept slipping to the right .2 after resetting zero. Contacted TT, got a return label and sent it off and received the scope back in about six weeks. I have both TT and ZCO and either one is a solid choice.
The original magnifier does tend to collect dust. He has a new one with a better lens, I've asked him about its dust repellency and may try one out...
www.mkmachining.com
Gen II Pro Series Turret Magnifier
Gen II Pro Series Turret Magnifier The MK Machining Gen II Pro Series Turret Magnifier has been designed to incorporate a new lens that allows for much more magnification. It still easily mounts to your scope tube and now provides a varying amount of magnification depending on placement...
www.mkmachining.com
I too have one and generally love everything Tyler does, but the plastic lens in the mag I got is just too foggy and doesn’t look anything like the pic above.
Free to a good home if pay USPS flat rate shipping. PM me
Not the best picture for trying to show this but this gets you the general idea. The lens is not scratched up, just cloudy and not clear. That's not a finger print on the lens. One side of the plastic is smooth and the other side has small ridges in it that you can feel with your fingernail.
