Nx8 vs Leica PRS VS Zeiss LRrP

[Mauser06]

Considering upgrading my glass this winter.

I am a steel shooter. Dabbling in some PRS as well.


I have a NX8 4-32 on my rifle now.


I'd like to upgrade but don't wanna spend crazy money either.

Considering the Zeiss LRP 6-36 as well as the Leica PRS 5-30.

Magnification isn't a huge deal. I shoot with a lot of successful guys that run lower magnification. I like to have the higher than 24 or 25 though for probe precision shooting small steel which is why I am looking at the higher magnification models.


My reason for wanting an upgrade is the NX8 isn't the brightest scope.

Both the Leica and the Zeiss have bigger make tubes and objectives and I'd imagine better glass...I'd imagine they are both brighter and clearer. Seeing beat up little gray plates gets difficult. The extra FOV will also be a bonus of target acquisition under the PRS clock.


It's nearly impossible to find them all and do a comparison. I don't know anyone with the Leica or Zeiss to look through in person.


I can use any of the reticle so thts a non issue. Turrets seem nice on both the Zeiss and Leica. Really boiling down to glass and image quality....and if it's worth the hassle and loosing a few hundred and spending a few hundred to "upgrade"

I do need to dig into warranty...thats big for me. The limited testing I've found seems like they both track very well.

Anyone have real world experience with the Leica or Zeiss??

 

[Ned Ludd]

@Rob01 has provided a very good review/info on the Zeiss LRP 6-36:

New scope! Zeiss LRP S3 6-36x56

Bought one of the Zeiss LRP S3 6-36x56 for my Vudoo and it showed up yesterday. Got it mounted up and took it to the range today. Zeiss did a great job on this optic! Glass is great and the reticle is very useful. On my 40 MOA base I have 26.5 mils of elevation left so plenty for matches to...

forum.accurateshooter.com

 

[Mauser06]

@Rob01 has provided a very good review/info on the Zeiss LRP 6-36:

New scope! Zeiss LRP S3 6-36x56

Bought one of the Zeiss LRP S3 6-36x56 for my Vudoo and it showed up yesterday. Got it mounted up and took it to the range today. Zeiss did a great job on this optic! Glass is great and the reticle is very useful. On my 40 MOA base I have 26.5 mils of elevation left so plenty for matches to...

forum.accurateshooter.com

Thanx for sharing! I didn't find that I'm my search.


He talked about something else I forgot on my list was parallax. The NX8 is pretty tight IMO. Not ideal for a 467yd target and a 962yd target on the same stage.

Doesn't matter as much for static shooting. But PRS noticed being able to get behind the glass easily (eye box) and parallax being not so fine seems pretty important.

 

[Larryh128]

I've used quite a few Leica scopes BUT not the PRS model. What I can tell you about the other models is the glass is great, clear and bright. I can't imagine their PRS model isnt better.

 

[linebaugh]

Not sure you would be upgrading. I run an NX8 on one of my rifles and I have been more than impressed with it. I didnt think it would hold up to PRS and I think I am on my 3rd year with it now. Flawless. My glass quality is great and the mil-xt reticle is one of my favorites.
Go look before you buy. I shoot with a guy that has the Zeiss at some matches but have not looked throught it. Might take a peek this weekend.

 

[BowWow]

NX8 is very good glass.

 

[Mauser06]

Hmmm. Sounds like I really need to get behind the others before I create a hassle.


I can't see how the other 2 aren't at the very least brighter with bigger main tunes and objectives. And knowing Zeiss and Leica, I'd assumed their glass is better..but maybe not the case without jumping way up to the next tier.


I do like the mil-xt reticle but could like anything that's not super cluttered and busy.

 

[Clancy]

I have had two NX8 and sold them both. It has a lot of features for a scope at that price point but that glass is junk when aside an ATACR. That’s what I’d get.

Of the two you listed, I’d give Leica my money purely for political reasons.

 

[Ned Ludd]

I have the Zeiss LRP 6-36 scope with the ZF-MOAi/Reticle 17. Unfortunately, it hasn't yet been mounted on a rifle, and I don't think I could do any better than @Rob01's review, anyhow. Nonetheless, I'll add a couple insights I have from playing around with it. My general take is that the glass is outstanding, really outstanding. This is a VERY bright scope; slightly brighter, I suspect, than the NX8 with its 30mm body tube and 50mm objective (the LRP 6-36 has a 34 mm tube and a 56mm objective). However, I haven't looked through the NX8, so that is merely a guess. The reticle is also outstanding, although it's a little busier in the center than necessary, largely due to the numbers underneath the horizontal stadia, which the NX8/MOAR F1 does not have. Be aware that there are slight differences between the ZF-MOAi/Reticle 17 and the ZF-MRi mil-based, reticle, largely around the center, which I don't really care for.

One potential downside to this scope is that it is quite heavy at just over 39 oz. That may be a deal-breaker for some. I also find the eyebox to be a bit on the tight side, although it's not unusable in any way. I find most of the other features, including turrets/adjustments, the added throw lever, etc., to be excellent. However, I can't really put it through it's paces properly until the rifle build it's going to sit on has been completed. So take my comments with a grain of salt. As has been mentioned, there is no substitute to actually looking through all three of these scopes with your own eyes, side-by-side, if possible. Unfortunately, that isn't always feasible. The next best thing would be to scour the internet for scope reviews. I spent a significant amount of time doing just that for the Zeiss LRP 6-36 and was able to find a number of useful reviews, including detailed shots of the reticle at various magnification, which was what I was really after. You might be able to get a better idea of which of these scopes is right for you if you can find some well-made review videos online. Although I can't tell you at this point exactly where they are located, several good review videos exist for the LRP 6-36. So they might exist for the other scopes. It's worth looking, in any event.

 

[Rob01]

All I can say is take a look through a Zeiss. You will be very happy. It will work great for PRS matches too and the reticle is great for holds. I have used mine in PRS22 matches but used the 4-25 in centerfire matches and was very happy with the performance. I have shot PRS matches for 20 years, even before there was a "PRS", and have used a lot of optics and reticles in that time from Hensoldt, S&B, NF, USO, Premier Reticles, Leupold, Vortex and others and I can say you will not be leaving anything on the table with the Zeiss.

 

[Mauser06]

Good stuff guys! I appreciate it!


I actually noticed today that a buddy has a Zeiss....we were at a match so I couldn't get behind it...but we should be shooting together Thursday and I'll be able to compare it side by side to my NX8.

I have a lot to learn in PRS but today I don't feel like the scope was an issue whatsoever. Only thing that got me a bit was the turret. I set the parallax around 500yds and magnification on 20x and didn't touch it all day. Targets from 400-1120. It was a pretty bright day most of the day.

Thursday I'll be able to compare them at dusk/lower light which will be nice. That's when better glass and brighter scopes make a difference.

I've never seen a Leica in person.


I did look at warranty of both and I don't have an issue with any of the 3.


I should probably add the MK5 to the list and can get behind those as well. I know several guys with them and they've ran em for several seasons now without issue.

 

[muleystalker]

Hmmm. Sounds like I really need to get behind the others before I create a hassle.


I can't see how the other 2 aren't at the very least brighter with bigger main tunes and objectives. And knowing Zeiss and Leica, I'd assumed their glass is better..but maybe not the case without jumping way up to the next tier.


I do like the mil-xt reticle but could like anything that's not super cluttered and busy.

The only the the bigger main tube is going to give you is more room fore the manufacture to house the current assembly, you might et more range out of the turret but is has nothing to do with the brightness of the scope.

 

[johnuf78]

Leica PRS is hard to beat. I only have the Zeiss 4-20 S3 LRP so not really a direct comparison. But do own an ATACR 7-35 and Gen III 6-36 and I think the PRS is as good if not better than those. I sold all my NX8’s because they didn’t handle mirage that well and most of the time I’m shooting it’s hot and humid with lots of mirage.

 

[shoot4fun]

I owned two NX8 4-32 scopes at one time. Both were good (for cheap scopes) but I was disappointed with both and sold them fairly quickly. Why disappointed? Over the last 20+ years I have owned many NF NXS scopes but they are most all gone now in favor of my favorite (not mentioned here) optics. While I still prefer NF over all others for long range BR rifles, I would not spend my riflescope dollars on anything less than ATACR in the NF family.
I have several Zeiss hunting optics. They have long ago proven themselves to be great glass and sturdily built (as in I dropped one 8 feet once and didn't break or lose zero). Hence, my choice from what you offer is the Zeiss.

 

[69mach]

i think you need to personally get behind the scopes yourself. go to some matches and find someone shooting the scopes your thinking about. shooters are a great lot in general and are happy to help.
everyone’s eyes are different especially when it comes to higher end glass and higher magnification. i sold off both march high masters and khales 10-50 i had just bc i prefer the nightforce comp glass and i can’t afford to keep them all. tell some march owners that and they’ll think your on drugs.

 

[Jim Ziegler]

i think you need to personally get behind the scopes yourself. go to some matches and find someone shooting the scopes your thinking about. shooters are a great lot in general and are happy to help.
everyone’s eyes are different especially when it comes to higher end glass and higher magnification. i sold off both march high masters and khales 10-50 i had just bc i prefer the nightforce comp glass and i can’t afford to keep them all. tell some march owners that and they’ll think your on drugs.

I'm shooting a Comp also but have always wondered about the High Masters. I got a chance to get behind one at a match last weekend. I'm keeping my Comp!