CLASSY GLASS WITH NO CORNER CUTTING

Mat Manning puts the ZC420 riflescope from Zero Compromise Optic to the test on his pest control rounds

PHOTOGRAPHY: JOE BRANSTON

From time to time you come across a piece of kit that you know is going to be something special as soon as you lift it from the box, and the ZC420 telescopic sight from Zero Compromise Optic (ZCO) is one of them. This telescopic sight’s excellent build quality was apparent as soon as I unpackaged it, and a quick peer through the ocular lens immediately confirmed that its optical performance was quite exceptional.

I should point out, though, that this scope has a recommended retail price of £4,050, so it would only be right to expect something special for that kind of money. Made in Austria, the ZC420 has a 50mm objective lens and 36mm tube. Those factors combine with some very good glass to deliver a remarkable 92% light transmission, and it shows — clarity and resolution are also excellent. Seeking a second opinion from a photographer friend who is accustomed to spending big money on high-quality optics, I was reassured to hear that he was equally impressed with what he saw through the ZC420.

A scope of this standard clearly deserves a special mount to cradle its oversize tube, and Edgar Brothers sent it along with a ZCO Opti Block Mount, which adds another £445 to the overall bill. Despite the Zero Compromise name, I did have to make a tiny compromise as I needed an adaptor to secure this Picatinny-type mount to the dovetail rails of my Weihrauch HW66. The mounts were also higher than I would ideally have liked but, like the scope, they are very robustly constructed and feature a neat fold-out level, which tells you at a glance if you’re canting your rifle.

There was another small compromise in the weight department. This scope is relatively compact at 328mm long but, combined with that sturdy mount, the setup comes in at 1,380g. That is the price you pay for robust build quality, though, and both products feel absolutely bomb proof. The ZC420 is actually waterproof to 4 metres, and its shock resistance can withstand much more than my little .22 LR could inflict on it.

I found the ZC420 a real pleasure to use when setting up on the range. Its 4-20x magnification delivers everything from a wide field of view for rapid target acquisition at close quarters right up to the high level of precision required for tackling targets at extreme distance. The grooved zoom dial has just the right amount of torque and features a raised knob to ensure a secure purchase even when wet.

The chunky low-profile windage and elevation turrets are very practical and perfectly match this scope’s overall feel and aesthetic They’re resettable and the windage dial needs to be pulled out to its unlocked position before it can be turned, whereas the elevation dial is constantly unlocked and ready to be dialled in — it is more than stiff enough to avoid accidental movement. Each positive click makes a 0.1 Mil adjustment, which amounts to 0.1cm at 100 metres and facilitates very precise adjustment.

Parallax is adjustable from 25m to infinity via the inner wheel on the left-hand turret and the outer wheel controls reticle illumination. Turn the latter anticlockwise from its fixed position and the reticle gets brighter with smooth, continuous adjustment. A clockwise turn provides optimum illumination for viewing through a night vision device.

Unscrew the cap on the end of the illumination dial and, apart from being able to change the CR2032 battery it runs off, you can also access switches to choose between red and green reticle illumination and to activate the AIM system which automatically turns it off, thanks to some clever angle and time sensors.

This is a first focal plane scope, which means the ZC420’s reticle stays in proportion with the target as you zoom in and out, so your aimpoints remain the same whatever magnification level you select. I am not a fan of overcomplicated reticles and the MPCT1 10 Mil configuration on the review scope was much to my liking — it had plenty of aimpoints to compensate for bullet drop and wind drift but wasn’t too cluttered. The ranges I was running my subsonic ammo over probably fell way short of what most shooters would use a scope like this for, but those aimpoints kept me on target as I stretched the distance beyond my usual comfort zone.

As ever, I was eager to put the ZC420 to the test in a real shooting scenario. I’m always busy with grey squirrel control, which gives me plenty of opportunities to do just that. Being done over fairly close quarters, his sort of shooting doesn’t usually entail particularly challenging shots, but the ever-changing light levels encountered in the woods around sunset usually provide a good test for any scope.

So, I took the Weihrauch/Zero Compromise combo with me on an evening stroll to check and refill my squirrel feeders. There wasn’t time to wait in ambush at any of my bait stations, but I expected to see the odd bushy-tail on my way through the woods.

The first sighting actually came very soon after I’d left the car. A grey squirrel was scratching about in the leaf litter, and was far too busy in its pursuit of tasty morsels to notice me closing in. At less than 40 metres, it still hadn’t clocked me as I crouched down for a kneeling shot.

I had the ZC420 on 10x magnification, at this zoom setting, the field of view was still pleasingly wide, and the sight picture was very clear despite the fading light. A steep bank behind the squirrel made for a safe shot, so I settled the crosshairs and pushed through the trigger to rid the woods of another bark-stripping squirrel.

There were no further sightings of squirrels, but I did encounter a rabbit as I trekked back towards the car. The light was only just starting to go, so my decision to illuminate the reticle for this shot was probably unnecessary, but there is no denying that it gave me an extremely clear aimpoint against the dull target. Even closer than the squirrel, the shot was a mere formality and the bunny was duly added to my game bag.

Zero Compromise Optic’s ZC420 is undeniably built to deliver the goods and then some in far more challenging situations than my humble pest control rounds, and I can confidently say that I can see it excelling in a huge range of serious rifle shooting applications. It is expensive, but you get what you pay for and the outlay here is justified by its performance and very robust build quality. Shooters who have the means to invest in an optic like this will certainly be getting their money’s worth and are unlikely to want to replace it for quite a few years.