The new ZEISS LRP S3: an advantage for Precision Rifle Shooters?

Accuracy. Steadiness. Adaptability. Composure. Key characteristics needed by anybody looking to be successful in Precision Rifle Shooting. (PRS)

Precision Rifle Shooting – why it’s growing in popularity

Rifle shooting has always appealed to those who value skill and competence. Precision Rifle Shooting demands strong nerves of the participant, who quickly needs to judge the balance between speed and precision.

In a time trial scenario, participants in PRS competitions must identify a target and hit it accurately at distances of up to 1000 yards, sometimes further. It is a discipline that speeds the adrenalin, builds camaraderie and fine tunes the skills of the shooter.

Background

PRS arose from a background of military, hunting and law enforcement and quickly gained popularity in America, from where it spread to Europe. Here in the UK it is starting to be talked about more and more.

 

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The challenge of PRS

Whilst a shooter may have a natural ability, honed by hours of practice on the range, PRS pushes the boundaries further. Standing steadily to hit the target is just one skill needed because sometimes the target features barricades requiring the shooter to be prone, with targets at different distances – with the clock ticking all the while. A shooter needs to be able to judge the situation swiftly, move from one firing position to another and find a stable spot.

Possibly too challenging? “PRS doesn’t have to be complicated. If you start off with the right kit and the right fundamentals you’re well on your way to a great start” says Andy Simpson-Nix, Director of Precision Rifle Series UK.

Kit

Andy recommends:

• A bolt action rifle, normally 6.5 Creedmoor or a 6mm of some kind
• A good quality bipod
• A barricade bag to help you get a solid shooting position

What about optics?

Of course, the kit above wouldn’t be complete without a high quality optic, which is where the new ZEISS LRP S3 comes in.

The turret clicks reassuringly as elevation is adjusted

Elevation

The ZEISS LRP S3 is designed to deal with any undulations in the land the user comes across , offering best-in class total elevation travel. The turret clicks reassuringly, knowing you have dialled what you need.

• 160 MOA or 46.5 MRAD for the 425-50 model
• 110 MOA or 32 MRAD for the 636-56 model

Visibility challenges

Conditions can change swiftly and optimum light can suddenly diminish. To help the user deal with these challenges the LRP has 90% light transmission and a daylight visible illuminated reticle. Digitally controlled diffractive reticle illumination technology delivers an exceptionally bright point of aim – regardless of the amount of incoming light – allowing you to confirm precise shot placement on target:

• Red/Green illumination
• Digitally controlled, five intensity levels
• Auto-off feature
• Centre-of-reticle illumination
• Powered by CR 2032 battery

The ballistic stop and external locking windage turret

Whatever the weather

As with visibility, wind conditions can alter rapidly. The ZEISS LRP S3 offers an External Locking Windage Turret that provides immediate access for wind corrections, with a locking feature. When you need to zero your rifle, the ZEISS proven Ballistic Stop provides a true return. 

• Multi-turn, lifting design with enhanced engraving
• MRAD or 0.25 MOA click value option
• One revolution equals 10 MRAD or 25 MOA
• Elevation turret – with dual row engraving
• Windage turret – locking feature

Side parallax adjustment:

• 425-50: 15 meters to infinity
• 636-56: 10 meters to infinity
• Larger diameter for ideal control

 

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Andy says about the ZEISS parallax: “I find myself not having to adjust parallax as often as I would on some of the other options on the market. Natural point of aim is made easy with a fantastic eye-box allowing you to save time when mounting the rifle and getting on to target.”

The ZEISS LRP S3 is built to be tough and rugged

Tough and rugged

PRS demands a lot of the kit you use. With speed being of the essence, your equipment needs to be robust, tough as well as capable of high performance. The LRP S3 has been designed with all this in mind. It is compact and heavy duty featuring:

• 34 mm main tube mono-bloc housing
• Machined from solid aluminum billet T6
• Up to 3 mm main tube wall thickness
• Matte black, hard-coat anodized finish
• Shock tested to 1,500 g-force

Long range hunting

What about pest control and stalking? Whilst the ZEISS LRP S3 excels at PRS, it will also pay its way when the user is out stalking or foxing. The S3 delivers ultra-sharp images and gathers the maximum amount of light for low-light conditions allowing you to identify game at great distances in all weather conditions. It’s a game changer for the long range hunter and users remark that it is a perfect dual purpose scope.

The ZEISS LRP S3 is the ideal dual purpose scope

Finally

ZEISS has a superb reputation for optics and the LRP S3 will not disappoint. With Extra Low Dispersion (ED) glass elements, ZEISS T* multi-coated lenses and 90% light transmission, the ZEISS LRP S3 models deliver advanced optical performance.

Andy Simpson-Nix concludes: “The S3 sits at a price point much lower than you’d expect. When you compare the quality of the glass, the huge amount of elevation, reticle design and overall build quality against the other optics in this class, it makes you wonder why you would choose anything other than the LRP S3 range”

Price: from £2100

Visit ZEISS for further information.

Tech specs ZEISS LRP S3 636-56