Zeiss Conquest V4 Riflescope: New Functional Turret Upgrades

The Zeiss Conquest V4 scopes are now being offered with external elevation turrets and a ballistic stop which is something hunters and long-range shooters will appreciate.

February 18, 2025 By Scott Ergas

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Zeiss’s slogan for the Conquest V4 line is “Reliability in everyday hunting. Even under toughest conditions.” This dynamic confidence speaks to me as a person who hunts harsh terrain from 3,000 feet of elevation to the tops of mountains while encountering a multitude of various inclement weather conditions.

For my hunting optic review, I opted for the Conquest V4 3-12x44 with the Zeiss #20 Plex reticle. This magnification range would suit my needs awesomely as I’d be using the scope for mountain mule deer as well as some late-season predator control (yotes mostly). This 4 times zoom ratio is a sweet spot for traditional hunting, allowing you to utilize the low end of 3x in timber and still hunting scenarios while being able to crank up to 12x if you need to reach out and touch something—which should suffice for 95% of hunting distances.

Robust Construction

The Zeiss Conquest V4 is a tough as nails scope ready to tackle any terrain and keep on performing. (Photo courtesy of Scott Ergas)

A lot of research and development goes into Zeiss’s scope production, resulting in riflescopes that not only feel solid but are tough. Some of these exhaustive tests include their water immersion test, which validates the waterproofness up to 13 feet for 2 hours, and their impact shock test at 1,500 g-force, which correlates to shooting a 460 Weatherby cartridge with a 500-grain bullet traveling at 2,600 feet per second.

To meet and supersede these stringent standards, Zeiss uses strong, high-end materials in their scope construction and deploys their own proprietary LotuTec coating—that doesn’t allow wet weather conditions to impede performance.

In addition, Zeiss Conquest V4 models are backed by the ZEISS Limited Lifetime Transferable Warranty and 5-YearNo-Fault Policy.

Light Gathering

close up of eye box and occular glass — The Conquest V4 magnification ring operates smooth and steady. (Photo courtesy of Scott Ergas)

The 30mm main tube serves as a nexus between the objective len’s light transmission and the hunter’s eye. The high-definition glass was apparent when sighting in my rifles across the full spectrum of magnification and performed admirably in the field during low-light sits at dusk and dawn.

Zeiss’s “T* coating” supported and enhanced the high-contrast images and made what my eyes perceived vibrant and deep. In Idaho, I was never hindered by the half-hour swings of “shooting light” windows, and I even got set up on a large black bear during the fading and fleeting moments of dusk, declining to shoot due to it being opening evening of deer season (still regretting that decision).

Size and Eye Relief

hunter in white camo with pack on setting off on foot — The scope's compact size make it easy to pack around on a rifle all day. (Photo courtesy of Scott Ergas)

With a length of 14.5 inches and a weight of 22.5 ounces—an ideal form factor footprint for proper rifle balance without a noticeable weight penalty—I had no qualms about packing it around with me during the fall. It felt equally at home on a sporter-style rifle as it did on a collapsible stock chassis rifle and always held zero, despite logging over 100 miles with me either attached to my pack or in my hand.

The eye relief was generous and perfectly acceptable at 3.54 inches and the edge-to-edge clarity of the glass made getting on target with a proper cheek weld and steadying the crosshairs a cinch.

Function and Performance

shooter adjusting elevation turrets before making a shot — The external elevation turrets are responsive and tactile. (Photo courtesy of Scott Ergas)

One of my favorite things about the Zeiss Conquest V4 riflescope is that they are now offering it with external elevation turrets and a ballistic stop. The ¼ MOA clicks are very responsive and tactile—promoting confidence when dialing up—and the ballistic stop takes away the headache of worrying about passing zero on your way back down the rungs.

I called in a couple of coyotes in the brisk cold that were trying to gain the high ground in the canyon across from me to ascertain what I was (perhaps a larger pack). The distance where they stopped and leered was 386 yards, and I dialed based on my dope chart—resulting in a one-shot center-punch kill of the large male.

From my field testing, I felt assured that the Conquest V4 tracked accurately and precisely, or I would have never attempted a shot like that on such a small target. There’s something very special when your equipment is up to any challenge you throw at it, and, vulnerably beautiful, you are the only potential weak link.

Lasting Impressions

close up of exposed turrets — Zeiss is now offering external elevation turrets and ballistic stops. (Photo courtesy of Scott Ergas)

The Zeiss Conquest V4 3-12x44 riflescope has a lot of great things going for it. From its compact size and useful magnification range to its workhorse quality construction, it’s sure to compete well with other similarly priced scopes on the market, as well as outperform its $849.99 price tag in spades.

At home on the timbered elk benches of the mountain west, the Midwest beanfields, and the desert canyonlands—this scope can—and will—serve the hunter’s hunter faithfully and without much ado. The durability and clarity is wonderful so you won’t have any excuses about missing that next buck (pun intended).