I shot the box at 100 yards to test the precision of the Zeiss V8 NA 2.8-20X56 riflescope. The test went well, but shot number four hit a good inch high and a half inch left of where it should have struck. The other shots actually made a nice box as I made my 12-click adjustment right, then up, left, and down, firing one round after each adjustment.
With the V8 2.8-20 adjustments set at .25 MOA, each 12 clicks should have moved the bullet’s point of impact approximately 3 inches. Which, yes, happened during most of my adjust-and-shoot process.
But that fourth shot bothered me.
With my very last shot, number five, I drilled my original bullseye, suggesting the V8 returned to its original settings. Or had it?
I’d also placed a pair of orange stickies on the target paper and decided on another test. I loaded three rounds into the magazine of my Weatherby 307 bolt action and fired at the first small orange target. From the bench seat, it looked like a decent group. I reloaded and shot three more times at the next orange. Better group.
My first trio measured out at .80 inches, the last group .60 inches.
All of which told me the Zeiss V8 adjustments were extremely precise. Full credit for the one wide and high shot went to me.
Looking at the Lineup
Zeiss Hunting & Nature launched the V8 line of four riflescopes in 2025. In addition to my test unit V8 NA 2.8-20x56, the Zeiss V8 line includes:
V8 1-8x24
V8 1.8-14x50
V8 NA 4-35x60 model.
All are second focal plane scopes, boasting 92% light transmission and 8x zoom magnification.
“NA” refers to North America, designating that the optics are designed for the North American consumer.
All V8 optics feature .25 MOA adjustments, SCHOTT fluoride glass elements, and an ultra-fine illuminated dot only a fraction of the thickness of a human hair for extremely low target coverage.
Above the ocular lens sits Zeiss’ multi-function illumination control button. It operates quickly and silently. A press of the button and it activated. The illumination automatically deactivated when I put down my rifle and re-started when I picked it back up.
Lens coatings include the Zeiss-developed LotuTec, a coating for binoculars and scopes that provides clear vision in all environmental conditions. V8 lenses also receive Zeiss T* coating to provide high-contrast images even in low light situations.
My test and evaluation 2.8-20x56 scope featured a 30mm tube made of rugged aluminum. It sported a parallax control on the left side of the tube, too, and adjusted from 54 yards to infinity.
My magnification ring moved smoothly but stayed in position. An inadvertent knock on the ring should not move it at all.
The reticle in my test scope was the Zeiss AHR (Advanced Hunting Reticle) 90, a long-distance reticle with MOA precise sub-tensions. The scope is also available with the Zeiss 60, a plex-style reticle. Both feature a tiny, illuminated dot in the center.
The images I viewed through this scope were amazingly clear and sharp, even at dusk and beyond. Color separation was equally impressive. The scope struck me as exactly what I want when hunting for those 15 minutes or so after dusk when the light keeps fading, the animals really start moving and it’s still legal to shoot.
(My Weatherby 307 was chambered in the gunmaker’s newest round, the .25 WBY RMP. Look for a review of the rifle and the new round in an upcoming issue of SSR.)
Compact Option
I also had the opportunity to run the V8 1.1-8x24 scope mounted on a Henry SPD HUSH lever action chambered in .357 Mag. I added a Banish 46 V2 suppressor, too. I’ve used the rifle and suppressor pairing at the range and on hunts, and it is a reliable, accurate and fairly compact package.
Like its higher magnification brother, the V8 1.1-8 offers .25 MOA adjustments. My test model featured the Zeiss 60 plex-style reticle with a very tiny red dot in the center. It is also available in Zeiss reticle 54. Built for fast shooting and driven hunts, the 54 reticle features minimal target sub-tensions, a small horizontal bar, and an ultra-fine illuminated dot.
Zeiss also rates this scope at 92% light transmission, and it did a great job of pulling in clear-edged images even in low light. Parallax was set at 100 meters.
The V8 1.1-8 measures out at just 11.1 inches and weighs only 19.4 ounces, making it a fine choice for those customers who want a high quality, compact LPVO.
Predator and Prey
At my outdoor range, I zeroed the HUSH and V8 at 50 yards using Federal Premium HammerDown! .357 Mag. ammunition. From past hunts and reviews, I knew the HammerDown! .357 was very accurate and one of the top hunting rounds in that caliber for carbine-length rifles.
Which made it perfect for the HUSH with its 16.5-inch, carbon fiber wrapped barrel.
I only needed a half dozen shots and adjustments to the scope to get on target. My accuracy for five shots came in between 1 and 1.4 inches.
I also took on a life-sized paper coyote target, courtesy of Delta McKenzie, and at 50 yards the predator definitely became prey.
Stocking Dealers
Who might be the top customers for the admittedly expensive V8 riflescopes?
“Typically, they are hunters seeking the very best riflescopes for their upcoming special hunts, such as going out west to harvest a mature bull elk or those going to Africa for a hunt of a lifetime,” said Kyle Brown, director of marketing and product at Zeiss Hunting & Nature. “Hunters who are building custom hunting rifle packages and want the riflescope quality to match their custom rifle's quality and performance are another key group.”
For its dealers, Zeiss offers branded point of sale displays for these scopes and other Zeiss optics. Display signage and printed marketing materials to help explain the benefits and features of the V8 line are also available.
“We always suggest keeping our optics in the 'special' section of the glass counter, with ample space around them,” Brown added, “arranged in our Zeiss branded displays and with our in-the-counter special signage.”
Doing so, he noted, helps customers see the optics as marquee products versus just commodities.
“We encourage the retailer to reach out to their Zeiss territory account manager and ask for retail support for these items,” Brown said. “More importantly, they should ask for product training and knowledge to help sell these highly specialized, investment-quality scopes.
“Also, and here comes the hard part, dealers need to actually stock these scopes — assuming they have the clientele to purchase them — rather than telling the customer, ‘I can order that for you.’ Why? Because the customer can order it directly themselves through multiple online options.”
With a customer in store and interested and the optic on hand, sales staff have the best chance of completing the transaction.
“This is one key reason why we have our Zeiss Authorized 'Stocking Dealer' Program, which offers great incentives and purchasing power to help authorized dealers achieve a good return on their investment,” Brown said.
A Zeiss territory account manager sets up his/her authorized stocking dealers with banners, displays, counter mats, counter-top signage, digital ads, apparel, and sales staff incentive options.
Likewise, account managers can schedule in-store and online sales and educational training.
Signing Up
To become a Zeiss Authorized Stocking Dealer, simply reach out to the support team at 1-800-441-3005 or email them at info.sportsoptics.us@zeiss.com.
Retailers can buy directly from Zeiss, though they must meet certain criteria before becoming a Zeiss Authorized Stocking Dealer. Zeiss products are also available from Bill Hicks & Co. distributors.
“We encourage the dealer base to take a fresh look at the Zeiss sports optics product lineup and portfolio,” Brown added. “We continue to meet veteran dealers who didn't know Zeiss has expanded its product line beyond European centric optics. Veteran and new dealers continue to be surprised by our optical quality and our growing assortment of optics that meet the specific needs of the USA hunters and shooters.”
