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Tangent theta ....ZCO.....Night Force ATACR.....

Davehc130

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Minuteman
Oct 11, 2013
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explain why I should NOT buy a ZCO over Tangent or NF? I have a ATACR now...I need another PRS scope....I am leaning towards the ZCO 5-27.....any reason NOT TO get a ZCO?
 
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You like Gen2xr, Gen3xr, or Gen3xr fine reticles. That's about the only reason that is mandatory.

The rest would be personal preference on turrets and such.
 
explain why I should NOT buy a ZCO over Tangent or NF? I have a ATACR now...I need another PRS scope....I am leaning towards the ZCO 5-27.....any reason NOT TO get a ZCO?
At least wait a few more days. Shot Show is less than a week away.

And oh, I echo the above comments. Reticle, locking turrets, font size on turrets (how easy it is to read), etc are going to matter more at these levels. The only reason not to buy a Tangent/ZCO is price.
 
At least wait a few more days. Shot Show is less than a week away.

And oh, I echo the above comments. Reticle, locking turrets, font size on turrets (how easy it is to read), etc are going to matter more at these levels. The only reason not to buy a Tangent/ZCO is price.
I have both TT's and ZCO. I love both. If I were to buy a scope right now, it would be ZCO, because it's less money (and not just by a little) than TT. That's not a slam on TT. If you have that kind of coin, you'll love it.
 
explain why I should NOT buy a ZCO over Tangent or NF? I have a ATACR now...I need another PRS scope....I am leaning towards the ZCO 5-27.....any reason NOT TO get a ZCO?
What is it about the ATACR you do not like?
 
explain why I should NOT buy a ZCO over Tangent or NF? I have a ATACR now...I need another PRS scope....I am leaning towards the ZCO 5-27.....any reason NOT TO get a ZCO?
@Euro.Connor and the guys at EuroOptic are great folks to deal with. They're who I buy all my top-tier glass from. Their shipping times are ridiculously fast, too. Every time I've bought a scope before 2pm CST, it's shipped out that day, and I had it in 2 days. 👍🏼

Also, don't overlook the new Vortex Razor Gen3 6-36x56 in the EuroOptic exclusive black finish. I'd put it into the mix along with the others you're looking at. If you're wanting to stick with the top-tier price bracket, the Kahles K525i DLR an excellent scope.

 
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explain why I should NOT buy a ZCO over Tangent or NF? I have a ATACR now...I need another PRS scope....I am leaning towards the ZCO 5-27.....any reason NOT TO get a ZCO?

Feel free to call my line directly at 916-628-3490 and I'll be happy to go over all those items with you :)

-Richard@CST
 
I have a number of ATACR 7-35s both FFP and SFP ( my son does not really like FFP), they were fine and performed adequately and were very reliable. That said I picked up a ZCO here on the PX to try it. I loved the clarity and brightness. the turrets were more precise and distinct. Since then I have bought 3 new 527s and am waiting on an 840. not switching over all my rifles (the NF competition scopes will definitely be staying as will the SFP ATACRs (got to keep my shooting buddies happy)). Give CST a call they are great people and a pleasure to deal with.
 
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Why is Barska not in this discussion?
Barska is in every discussion, just floating around in the background, like a turd that won't flush.

I own both, I like both; once you reach a certain investment level, it is all based on small preferences. I don't shoot competition, so it comes down to best in lighting conditions and elevation turret design and execution - at least for me.

Be advised: if you buy either, it is like a forehead tattoo saying "Hey, poors, tell me why your Tasco is just as good..." so be ready for that shit show.
 
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If S&B would add to their reticle options, I'd be far more interested in trying the 6-36 out. Their past pricing games and the neutered FoV are not checks in the pro column for me either. I could probably get over the FoV and pricing issues if they had reticles that I liked.

I’ve said it before, but I’ll say I’ve also had Kahles K525i, and while I liked that scope, it’s not in the Tangent/ZCO category. Bought used in the PX for $2200, they are a good choice IMO, but I would not spend anywhere close to retail for one.
 
The Gen 3 Razor is closer to the ZCO and TT than anything else. Its like just a little sliver bellow both. I have owned a few of all 3 in the last couple years and really you cant go wrong with any of them. Razors around $2K, Used ZCO around $3k or a used TT around $35-3800. Buying a new ZCO or TT is dumb, they will instantly loose 20% of their value.

The ATACR and Kahles are not in the same league as the above. Same with S&B. Minox is, but they are not worth dealing with due to warranty hassles.
 
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The Gen 3 Razor is closer to the ZCO and TT than anything else. Its like just a little sliver bellow both. I have owned a few of all 3 in the last couple years and really you cant go wrong with any of them. Razors around $2K, Used ZCO around $3k or a used TT around $35-3800. Buying a new ZCO or TT is dumb, they will instantly loose 20% of their value.

The ATACR and Kahles are not in the same league as the above. Same with S&B. Minox is, but they are not worth dealing with due to warranty hassles.
Yeah they may lose some value, but I get what I want. Finding my preferences in the PX is like looking for the lost arc. I also buy new cars, but keep them an average of 10 years, it all works out in the end.
 
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Yea typing ZCO or TT into the PX search and spending 30 seconds to find something with the reticle and price you like is not worth saving like $500-1000.

Do you also burn $100 bills to light your cubans while sipping on Louis XIII?
 
Yea typing ZCO or TT into the PX search and spending 30 seconds to find something with the reticle and price you like is not worth saving like $500-1000.

Do you also burn $100 bills to light your cubans while sipping on Louis XIII?
I have actually perused the PX for my desired option for the last 6 months and have yet to find one (2X and 10mil NLE) that had not sold already despite checking several times. and I do not smoke, drink or do any of the other recreational substances. Totally boring and no exotic cars or McMansions. Pretty sure you would avoid me like the plague. Ok sorry to disrupt the thread. We all have priorities and spend money differently. You choose what you want and decide if that fits your "Play Money" allowance. Good will to all!
 
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I mean, if everybody only bought used scopes than places would eventually have layoffs, stop innovating and go out of business...

Take your reality out of here.

We all know the hide is full of people trying to offload the last scope they bought to try something new. This way they can regret selling it and buy it again in 6 months.
 
We would have only old scopes and look like how Cuba is with cars :ROFLMAO:


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Whichever Minon this is.. Dan .. Mike.

I just want you to know most of the people I buy my used TT/ZCO from, bought them from you. Then they turn around and order another new one to replace that. So in effect I am creating the need that you fill. I'll DM you my venmo so I can get my cut :)
 
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Whichever Minon this is.. Dan .. Mike.

I just want you to know most of the people I buy my used TT/ZCO from, bought them from you. Then they turn around and order another new one to replace that. So in effect I am creating the need that you fill. I'll DM you my venmo so I can get my cut :)


I'm the big minion Richard :geek:

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Shit glass for the money, Whole occular turns, NF customer service sucks if you have an issue, they will just blame it on the customer. Overpriced for what you get. Reticle selection sucks and always has.

The best thing about NF is the little tool they give you with each scope. Wish they would sell it separate. When i sold mine i kept the tool, HA
 
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@Euro.Connor and the guys at EuroOptic are great folks to deal with. They're who I buy all my top-tier glass from. Their shipping times are ridiculously fast, too. Every time I've bought a scope before 2pm CST, it's shipped out that day, and I had it in 2 days. 👍🏼

Also, don't overlook the new Vortex Razor Gen3 6-36x56 in the EuroOptic exclusive black finish. I'd put it into the mix along with the others you're looking at. If you're wanting to stick with the top-tier price bracket, the Kahles K525i DLR an excellent scope.

i have a gen 3. i dont like the lock turret….and it is very stiff to turn…..on a few stages the turret locked on me and lost time…and after the match my fingers were sore just from the turret…glass and reticile are nice though…
 
i have a gen 3. i dont like the lock turret….and it is very stiff to turn…..on a few stages the turret locked on me and lost time…and after the match my fingers were sore just from the turret…glass and reticile are nice though…
How early is your gen 3? They had a problem with turrets being too easy to lock. They fixed it. You can send it in and get it fitted with new, stiffer turrets. Or you can put a bushing/oring to keep it from locking if you don't want to send it in.
 
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i have a gen 3. i dont like the lock turret….and it is very stiff to turn…..on a few stages the turret locked on me and lost time…and after the match my fingers were sore just from the turret…glass and reticile are nice though…
If that's the case, then look hard at the K525i DLR... Smooth and refined turrets, with definitive clicks, and the 2nd rotation elevator indicator is nice.
 
Love my ZCO 527 and NF 7-35 ATACR

The 7-35 is a step above the others in the ATACR lineup and the only one that should be compared to a ZCO. Unless you’re going for the size of the 4-16 X 42

Mil XT is my favorite reticle
 
Love my ZCO 527 and NF 7-35 ATACR
Same. I struggle to find anything that on paper I would even consider an upgrade to the 7-35. And I like my ZCO 5-27 as well, both work well on different rifles.

The 5-27 is on a short action and the 3x reticle is nice to have for the rare times I hold in the reticle. And the circles in the reticle are nice to quickly count out full mils.

And my ATACR 7-35 is on a long action so I'm dialing elevation anyways, I have a Mil-C in that.

In a back to back the ATACR feels like it has more FOV but I've never felt like I was looking through a straw with the ZCO.

In daylight the image looks comparable in both. I think id have to do a side by side at dusk or dawn to spot a difference. At this level I'm not a glassaholic, they both look good enough.

I'd prefer if the 7-35 ocular didn't rotate but on the rifle it's on the clearance is fine so the end cap never gets in the way.

Turrets work well on both. I got the NLE on the ZCO and don't think I'd be happy if the elevation turret locked. ZCO non adjustable -0.5 zero stop is much better than the ATACR adjustable zero stop. I gave up on screwing around with the adjustable zero stop long ago and it's around -0.5 mil or so anyways.

S&B 6-36 reticles are a non starter for me. Maybe if they trim back the graph paper reticle like they were hinting at I'd consider it (but I'd need some serious research to figure out what the hell is going on with all the turret options.)

I had a chance to look though a TT 7-35. The ocular seemed badly setup for me and I wasn't going to screw with that on someone else's rifle. The Gen 3 XR Fine was nice but it is very fine, hard to judge from a quick review but I think I would get used to that. And the turrets are everything they are cracked up to be. The clicks... And tool-less adjustment are very nice. If I try a different scope anytime this would probably be it.

I think it's hard to go wrong with a TT, ZCO or 7-35 ATACR.
 
Same. I struggle to find anything that on paper I would even consider an upgrade to the 7-35. And I like my ZCO 5-27 as well, both work well on different rifles.

The 5-27 is on a short action and the 3x reticle is nice to have for the rare times I hold in the reticle. And the circles in the reticle are nice to quickly count out full mils.

And my ATACR 7-35 is on a long action so I'm dialing elevation anyways, I have a Mil-C in that.

In a back to back the ATACR feels like it has more FOV but I've never felt like I was looking through a straw with the ZCO.

In daylight the image looks comparable in both. I think id have to do a side by side at dusk or dawn to spot a difference. At this level I'm not a glassaholic, they both look good enough.

I'd prefer if the 7-35 ocular didn't rotate but on the rifle it's on the clearance is fine so the end cap never gets in the way.

Turrets work well on both. I got the NLE on the ZCO and don't think I'd be happy if the elevation turret locked. ZCO non adjustable -0.5 zero stop is much better than the ATACR adjustable zero stop. I gave up on screwing around with the adjustable zero stop long ago and it's around -0.5 mil or so anyways.

S&B 6-36 reticles are a non starter for me. Maybe if they trim back the graph paper reticle like they were hinting at I'd consider it (but I'd need some serious research to figure out what the hell is going on with all the turret options.)

I had a chance to look though a TT 7-35. The ocular seemed badly setup for me and I wasn't going to screw with that on someone else's rifle. The Gen 3 XR Fine was nice but it is very fine, hard to judge from a quick review but I think I would get used to that. And the turrets are everything they are cracked up to be. The clicks... And tool-less adjustment are very nice. If I try a different scope anytime this would probably be it.

I think it's hard to go wrong with a TT, ZCO or 7-35 ATACR.
I did a low light comparison with mine this year. I’m not a glass snob by any means. Just an unbiased observation of two optics I use lots and have no affiliation with. Even added an Arken EP5 in the mix. Near dark I thought I bumped the scope caps shut on that….

 
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retilce is a little busy..other than that I love it…just wondered if I would like the ZCO more…
Many of us have been down the rabbit hole of “maybe I’ll like this more”, it is a costly venture that does not always yield the best results. I have no doubt you will like ZCO, it is a step above but whether or not it will yield an improvement in your shooting more than what you already have is debatable. If you think Mil-XT is busy you may find the MPCT reticles to be even more so, at least the tree ones. If you dial elevation and hold wind like many of us you may want to consider MPCT1 non-tree reticle should you go with ZCO.
 
Whaaa?

View attachment 8325947
View attachment 8325950




Mil-XT (top) vs. MPCT 3x (bottom)

Maybe you flip-flopped the reticle names in your sentence?
Nope, can’t stand the circles, all my eye ever looks at in that reticle (is the circles), too much clutter and too distracting for me, also don’t like all the vertical dots. If ZCO swapped the circles with thicker dots like the Mil-XT and got ride of the vertical dots, they’d have a reticle I could live with. Don’t like the H2CMR for the same reason. Also, this is very much personal preference as there are many who are not bothered by the circles.
 
Nope, can’t stand the circles, all my eye ever looks at in that reticle (is the circles), too much clutter and too distracting for me, also don’t like all the vertical dots. If ZCO swapped the circles with thicker dots like the Mil-XT and got ride of the vertical dots, they’d have a reticle I could live with. Don’t like the H2CMR for the same reason. Also, this is very much personal preference as there are many who are not bothered by the circles.
You think that’s distracting…

I have the MPCT3

That’s like looking at a vag while you shoot

Another guy here said it reminds him of a goat. But to each their own….probably has his on a savage
 
Yeah, I guess I like the circles but I don’t own a ZCO, so just basing it off a reticle pic I found.

I do own a NX8 4-32 with a Mil-XT. That reticle is a little thicker in the 4-32 than in the 7-35 Atacr (called NF to confirm). Not sure which scope the Mil-XT ret pic I used came from.

I like the Mil-XT, but I do wish it didn’t have all of the numbers flying everywhere. I like their hash style and that they have 3mil wind holds right off the bat. The 1/2mil dots are neat too.

I guess I initially prefer the ZCO 3x reticle for its circles, fewer numerals, and that they cut off the vertical stadia at 4mils. I wish it had at least 2mil wind holds (like vortex) right off the bat. Don’t need the grid part that happens down lower, but having those 1/2mil dots like the Mil-XT might be nice.

If ZCO is reading this (hint hint lol), I’m a small varmint shooter, not a competitor. I shoot 204 mainly, and 17 Hornet, both of which blow around a lot on the windy prairie.
 
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You think that’s distracting…

I have the MPCT3

That’s like looking at a vag while you shoot

Another guy here said it reminds him of a goat. But to each their own….probably has his on a savage
Hey! I’m the goat dude! Lol. You pointed the vag imagery out and now I can not un-see that haha.

And ya bastard I don’t own a salvage! Although that would be a funny combo. Almost as funny as a AI with a Tasco.