Rifle Scopes Alpha Class High Magnification 6-36/7-35 FFP Scope Review

#106
I’ve got the Schmidt 6-36 and have had a few 5-27 ZCOs. Optically, it’s a toss up between them at 27x. The ZCO may be ever so slightly better but honestly hard to say. To my eye, the Schmidt has a little CA whereas every ZCO I’ve had has none. FOV on the Schmidt at 6x is better than the ZCO at 5x. Schmidt softens a little bit especially above 30x but it’s still very good. View at 36x is similar to my 3-20 non US at 20x
 
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#107
chase723 said:
I’ve got the Schmidt 6-36 and have had a few 5-27 ZCOs. Optically, it’s a toss up between them at 27x. The ZCO may be ever so slightly better but honestly hard to say. To my eye, the Schmidt has a little CA whereas every ZCO I’ve had has none. FOV on the Schmidt at 6x is better than the ZCO at 5x. Schmidt softens a little bit especially above 30x but it’s still very good. View at 36x is similar to my 3-20 non US at 20x
Click to expand...
You have a USA 6-36 or the wider FOV euro-spec?
 
#109
chase723 said:
USA. I wish I had euro FOV but I’m not complaining. I like the 6-36 a lot. The TR2ID reticle is great.
Click to expand...
Huh, thx for that. Never would’ve thought the FOV on the USA Schmidt at 6x would be better than the ZCO at 5x, but I’ve never looked at the specs. How much better? (actual through-the-lens, hopefully in mils)
 
#110
FOV spec-wise, the the USA 6-36 at 6x:
  • 18.6ft @100yds (euro = 21.9ft)

The ZCO 5-27 at 5x is at:
  • 21ft @100yds

@koshkin has mentioned ZCO states, ah, optimistic numbers for FOV.

I think the actual numbers have been discussed somewhere, but what the heck, if you have the scope in hand, no harm in letting everybody know (again).
 
#111
I can’t compare them directly anymore because I sold my 5-27. However here is a pic through the scope at 6x and 36x. The thick portion of the horizontal stadia starts at 10mils. I’ve got an old ass iPhone 13. So image blah blah blah is better in real life. I want another one but have some other crap I need to buy first.
IMG_2035.jpeg

IMG_2040.jpeg
 
#112
Maybe I was reading the wrong thing but what I read was FOV was 7.3m @ 100m (24ft) and 21.9ft at 100 yards…I could have been reading the euro specs. But, when I had them side by side it seemed slightly better on the low end than my 5-27…take it with a grain of salt because I can’t directly confirm that anymore.
 
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#114
chase723 said:
Maybe I was reading the wrong thing but what I read was FOV was 7.3m @ 100m (24ft) and 21.9ft at 100 yards…I could have been reading the euro specs. But, when I had them side by side it seemed slightly better on the low end than my 5-27…take it with a grain of salt because I can’t directly confirm that anymore.
Click to expand...
Yeah, there’s this sneaky asterisk
1744390528024.png
 
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#115
I would say, regardless, I’m not disappointed. The FOV at 6x is completely sufficient for low end work. Also, if anyone uses illumination (which I do at dawn and dusk) the illumination is very nice.
 
#119
918v said:
The images are in focus. The contrast on the ZCO sucks.
Click to expand...
I can say beyond a doubt that the contrast on an 840 doesn't suck... I have one and have looked down TTs at the range and they are VERY close, maybe a smidge better for the TT. But that photo they show does NOT represent the glass in a ZCO well at all. I don't know what happened but that contrast doesn't look great in that photo, however shooting a couple thousand rounds down one in various conditions (including rain, snow, at Dawn and dusk) to my eye I was able to pick out any target no matter how battered and worn against similar colored backgrounds, something that was far more difficult in my NF 5-25 ATACR. Also I do have a newer ZCO (got it a year ago). Take it for what it is from my opinion, it's just that an opinion.
 
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#120
VikingSinEater said:
I can say beyond a doubt that the contrast on an 840 doesn't suck... I have one and have looked down TTs at the range and they are VERY close, maybe a smidge better for the TT. But that photo they show does NOT represent the glass in a ZCO well at all. I don't know what happened but that contrast doesn't look great in that photo, however shooting a couple thousand rounds down one in various conditions (including rain, snow, at Dawn and dusk) to my eye I was able to pick out any target no matter how battered and worn against similar colored backgrounds, something that was far more difficult in my NF 5-25 ATACR. Also I do have a newer ZCO (got it a year ago). Take it for what it is from my opinion, it's just that an opinion.
Click to expand...


It’s a general consensus from various reviewers like @koshkin and @Glassaholic that through a camera never fully represents what the eye sees.

- Richard
 
#121
If I'm not going to be using over 15 magnification while hunting using a 7-35x56 ATACR, is it even worth it for me to use a sun shade? With most scopes I just keep the shade on there but on a hunt where I'm worried about the scope maybe getting bumped a decent bit I'm wondering if it's necessary. It does give a longer lever to screw up the objective threads in the event of an impact.
 
#123
Going down the rabbit hole of premium HPVO FFP glass and looking for a do it all scope for fun/bench/prs 50-300m, I'm not super competitive or a pro, I just love and enjoy shooting.

Currently I have a Delta Stryker 5-50x56 DLS-1. Previously had a Sightron SVSS 10-50X60, Stryker 4.5-30x56 LRD-1P, Kahles k252i SKMR+, DNT The One 7-35, Arken SH4-J G2 6-24 VHR.

I'm looking at these at the moment:

model / reticle / price in Europe in EUR
Zero Compromise ZC840 - MPCT1x 4k
Kahles K540i 5-40x56i DLR - SKMR+ 4k
Schmidt & Bender CM II 10-60x56 FFP MT II - M1FL 4.5k
March Optics 5-42x56 D42HV56WFML-G2 - FML-WBR - waiting on price and delivery time
and last but not least cause it's the longest and heaviest but also a lot cheaper...
Sightron SVIII 5-40x56 ED IR FFP - LRM 2.9k

On paper, my favorite is the March...for me the best reticle, shortest, lightest, biggest elevation travel(40mil) second best in FOV, ample choice of mounts for 34mm main tube, comes with all the accessories and it's a March so I'm expecting reliability, quality and performance at MAX level, but there are 0 reviews/tests or anything about it except for specs and some short overview vids.

Would love to hear thoughts and opinions. I know most of these are in the early stages of production and and I hate to be an early adopter but hey, time flies, might as well enjoy the ride.
 
#127
The Kahles would be my second choise, best FOV and light transmission, solid reticle, best turrets imho(left windage, top parallax, stepless illumination, mechanical indicator, 10mil/rev, single turn windage, hidden tool...I am fine with the feel of the turrets) and I do live 15mins away from the factory so warranty claims won't be an issue, god forbid.

I will have to get new rings for it though so that brings the price up to the S&B/March which I also like a lot on paper and I already have 34mm rings lying around.

Regarding reticle, I prefer the tree-less ones, open top, minimal markings, floating dot, 0.2mil hashes...perfect. ZCO MPCT1x and the new March FML-WBR are my absolute favorites, kinda identical too :)
 
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