Zeiss Riflescope.

mag357

Active Member
Thinking of upgrading my stalking scope to a Zeiss 3-12x50 Duralyt approx £600, any one with one and would be interested in your comments.
 
i had a 3-12x50 duralyt found it a cracking scope for the money, cant go wrong really

if your funds allow i would consider the illuminated version i had this model and found it very very useful shooting at last light

Dave
 
Thanks bud,you just confirmed my thoughts...now scouring the various forums for the best price........as a pensioner I have to look after the pennies.....lol :D
 
Depends on what you consider upgrading. Personally I would say that a fixed mag scope of 6-8 power by one of the better European manufacturers takes some beating. For that sort of money you should be able to better a Zeiss Duralyt even if you buy something pre-owned. The Duralyt is O.K. but is at the lower priced end of the Zeiss range.

P.S. you've posted in the wrong area of the site. I'm fairly sure that admin will move it in due course.
 
8x57... Duralyt for the price is a cracking optic even if it sits in lower end of the Zeiss price range. Comparing the Duralyt to a 6x fixed optic isn't realistic and offering a fixed mag scope as a better option from a variable is a serious downgrade by comparison. As a Duralyt Illuminated user I rate it far about anything in it's price range and would laugh at anyone that tries to swap me a fixed power 'better' alternative.

What possible benefit could a fixed power at 6x have over a variable from 3x through to 12x in the wide range of conditions of everyday stalking! In fact in several situations they're a disadvantage like with dispatch shots or if a deer makes cover.
 
Do you need the additional magnification at the expense of quality of optics? Personally I would prefer the better optics of a 6x42 or 8x56 Schmidt & Bender or a 7x50 Meopta.
 
Do you need the additional magnification at the expense of quality of optics? Personally I would prefer the better optics of a 6x42 or 8x56 Schmidt & Bender or a 7x50 Meopta.

I owned until very recently a zeiss duralyt and a shmidt and bender 8x56. There was no noticeable difference in quality between the two.
 
8x57... what you prefer and believe is your business but Zeiss is Zeiss through and through from entry level to top end. You use the word better but 'better' is a personal thing and it's not for you to say fixed is 'better' than variable because for the vast majority of stalkers it simply isn't.
 
There has been a very discernible difference with optical quality with all the Duralyt scopes that I have seen and used in comparison to Schmidt & Bender, perhaps you were just lucky in the one you purchased or perhaps the S&B was in need of a service. Only two weeks ago I was on the range with a friend who has a Duralyt scopes and we were comparing scopes. He was voicing his slight disappointment with image quality in his and had decided to trade it for another scope possibly another Zeiss but of better quality. That very same evening another club member turned up with a Duralyt scope and compared his rather unfavourably with his other scope which happened to be a Leupold.

There's nothing badly wrong with the Duralyt range, they're O.K. but it's just that they are made for the mid priced market and I think there are better options available for the money. That's just my personal opinion you may think quite differently. What I would suggest is that mag357 go somewhere where there is a range of scopes and compare them side by side. After all we all after all see things differently, and what may appear clear to one will not appear so good to another. We are not talking an awful lot of money when compared to some of the top end scopes but for some of us we need to buy carefully with our limited budgets.

Paul I would disagree with you there mate, Zeiss isn't Zeiss regardless of the range. There is quite a bit of difference between the lower end of their product line and the top end.
 
I have one for sale 3-12x50 i on sako .308 rifle at the moment , its a cracking scope i am only looking to sell it due to win fall from wife as a 30 year gift for putting up with her :eek: lol . looking for a z5/6i bt It was new from sportsman gun centre November / 13 wish £800 cost me over £ 950:00 plus have box etc . The scope rings are optilocks plastic so no damage to tube .
atb
paul



QUOTE=mag357;718229]Thinking of upgrading my stalking scope to a Zeiss 3-12x50 Duralyt approx £600, any one with one and would be interested in your comments.[/QUOTE]
 
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I looked through a 3-12 victory and a 3-12 duralyt side by side at the CLA last year and to my eyes there was a hell of a difference and that was in good light. It put me off buying a duralyt.I know there is hell of a difference in price between the two but I would rather save up and buy a proper Zeiss
Geordie
 
You are aware that the victory rrp is around £1,100 more than the rrp for the duralyt? I'd bloody hope there was a difference in quality!
 
This is very interesting as a thread. So would you say that today's Zeiss Duralyt is not as good, in performance at equal magnifications, as my 1980s Zeiss Diavari 'scopes in 3-9x36 and 1.5-4.5x24?

As I had thought about selling both and getting the one Duralyt 1.2-5x36 as I only ever really go up in magnification as far as 6x. And prefer the lower mounting ability of a "36" and don't want a "42".

Thoughts?
 
So would you say that today's Zeiss Duralyt is not as good, in performance at equal magnifications, as my 1980s Zeiss Diavari 'scopes in 3-9x36 and 1.5-4.5x24?

As I had thought about selling both and getting the one Duralyt 1.2-5x36 as I only ever really go up in magnification as far as 6x. And prefer the lower mounting ability of a "36" and don't want a "42".

Thoughts?

Well I have don't have the Duralyt, but have used a couple and looked through a few more.....
I do have a 2.5-10x50 Zeiss Classic Divari which is much clearer and better is low light.
I also have a pre Z3 3-9x36 Swarovski, the Swaro is better than the duralit.
Even though with both at 9x and the Duralyt being 18mm larger in the objective.

I suppose the fact that the little 36mm Swaro is staying and the as new and still boxed Zeiss is for sale says it all.
I'll not claim the Swaro is better than the bigger Zeiss Divari (it isn't), but as I rarely use full mag and don't like the size of the
Zeiss even although it is a very compact scope for a 50mm objective and 30mm tube on my CX527's.
Actually if the OP is interested in a proper Zeiss mine could be collected at £750 or posted at cost ?

Neil. :)
 
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As for the comparative merits of having a fixed or variable magnification scope, it all really depends on what you intend to use it on. If it's specifically for stalking and your ground offers shots generally of a certain range, then the fixed scope may be more useful. Perhaps if you have a rifle that has to do double as a foxing tool, or a smaller calibre vermin/fox rifle, then the variable scope comes into it's own.

As for price and quality of the optics, then if your wallet and usage allows, fill your boots. But if you have to be out in all weathers, climbing over gates, knocking the rifle against stone gate posts in the dark in your efforts to save the pheasant poults from those maurading foxes, the mid priced offering would seem to fit the bill.

The point I'm making is that the best scope is the one that best fits your intended use I should say.
 
I agree with Pedro about the intended use. I have the Duralyt 3-12 x 50 and I am very pleased with it, except for the plastic turret caps.
 
This is very interesting as a thread. So would you say that today's Zeiss Duralyt is not as good, in performance at equal magnifications, as my 1980s Zeiss Diavari 'scopes in 3-9x36 and 1.5-4.5x24?

As I had thought about selling both and getting the one Duralyt 1.2-5x36 as I only ever really go up in magnification as far as 6x. And prefer the lower mounting ability of a "36" and don't want a "42".

Thoughts?

My thoughts would be don't do it. Your older Zeiss scopes are of better optical quality.
 
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