Spotting Scope Questions

W

wolf gray

Guest
Guys,
I need a little help here. I am a 100-200 yard Benchrester who has ventured out to 3-500 yard shooting. I went back through the search option and read all the info there. I read the 6mmbr article and have looked online at different spotting scopes. The scope I have now will not cut so I am looking to buy one last spotter that will last me and do the job. Evidently I have more money than sense as I am looking at the Swarovski STS-80D, Pentax PF 80ED-A,Pentax PF100ED, Zeiss Diascope 85mm T*FL and Kowa TSN 884. What are most people in the long range game using on the line? I know the variable eyepiece is good when the mirage gets going but I heard that the qualiity of the view through it suffers a little compared to the fixed eyepiece. I thought I might get 2 eyepieces but that is getting pricey, as if the cost of the scope wasn't already pricey enough! I need to make a decision before I come to my senses or lose my nerve! :D
Any advice or info would be greatly appreciated,
Thanks,
Dan Batko

"Where are we going and why am I in this basket?"
 
Stay far away from variable eye pieces do not consider anything but fixed magnification. 27 X is as high as I want to go. I own and use a KOWA. Why because the matches I attended in high power prior to my purchase of this scope showed that the largest number of scopes in use was KOWA.

It does not do any good to read any other reviews but the ones from the bird watcher crowd, they seem to be the best of the lot.
 
LIECA...APO 77.....all the way.....and I have both a fixed and a 20 - 60 eyepiece....only had the fixed out one time.....I always use the 20-60.

It's kind of like BAT says in thier add...Buy the best and cry once!!!!

I am sure all of the brands you mentioned will get the job done fabulously (I only have expireance with the SWARO). If it were me, I would look at each mfgr's top of the line glass.....if it were me!!!;)

Good luck,
Tod
 
Spotting Scopes

Big Al & Tod,
Thanks for the replies. Tod, I looked for that particular model of Leica and it has has been discontinued. The replacement is $3,400. That's a little rich for my blood considering I would still have to buy an eyepiece to go with it. Al, I have heard good things about Kowa. It is gradually moving to the top of the list. I have heard it both ways, "get the fixed" and "get the variable" so I may get both. Once again, thanks for your opinions.

Best,
Dan Batko

"Where are we going and why am I in this basket?"
 
I have the Swarovski HD with the variable eyepeice and it does everything I want it to. If your looking to see bullet holes at 500, do exactly that when looking through them to compare. I made the mistake of comparing The Swaro to the high end Nikon, looking at trees and other objects at the optics place I went. I wasn't 100% certian I made the right choice so when I got home I set a used target at 500 and put the Nikon side by side with a friends Swaro HD. The nikon was nice but just not nice enough. You could see bullet holes a lot of the time with the Nikon but when I lost sight picture with the Nikon I would look through the Swaro and there were the holes. Just remember your not always going to see the holes at 500 no matter what you purchase. I think the best bang for your buck is to find a used Gray Body HD Swaro. They are just as crisp and clear as the newer Green Body scopes.
 
Scopes

Gunnermhr,
I think you are right. That sounds like the best way to compare them. Nobody in this town carries the high end stuff so I may have to order two different brands and send back the one I don't want.
Thanks,
Dan
 
wolf gray said:
Big Al & Tod,
Thanks for the replies. Tod, I looked for that particular model of Leica and it has has been discontinued. The replacement is $3,400. That's a little rich for my blood considering I would still have to buy an eyepiece to go with it. Al, I have heard good things about Kowa. It is gradually moving to the top of the list. I have heard it both ways, "get the fixed" and "get the variable" so I may get both. Once again, thanks for your opinions.

Best,
Dan Batko

"Where are we going and why am I in this basket?"
Click to expand...


A fellow shooter was sure bragging up his Leica, he did look through my Kowa that day, I never heard another word about the Leica?
 
Big Al said:
A fellow shooter was sure bragging up his Leica, he did look through my Kowa that day, I never heard another word about the Leica?
Click to expand...

Like I said....the only other scope I have seen (other than the $150.00 works of art some guys show me) is the Swaro. Even at that, it was at least 5 years old. My Licea is 4 years old. I have never looked to see if it is still avalable....but, that is the joy of not compromising....you just plain stop looking and caring what is out there!!!!;):D

Like I said (no matter the brand)....buy which ever mfgr's best and cry once.

Thanks,
Tod
 
Spotting Scopes

Big Al,
Thanks for the article. After looking at more stuff than I can remember, I ordered the new Vortex Razor HD(Angled model). It's the new top of the line from Vortex. I am going to compare it to a friend of mines Swarvoski and see how it compares. The Bird Watcher's Digest compared it to all the top end scopes and said it is comparable to the top end European optics(The article comes out in their November issue). I also read some other reviews that gave it top marks. I talked to the factory in Wisconsin and several dealers (that said it was their choice and that the price hasn't gone thru the roof like some of the other top of the line scopes). I guess we will see(pardon the pun). It's a 20-60x85 with the Vortex HD System,argon gas filled,magnesium alloy body, extra-low dispersion glass, has a triple apochromatic lens system with two elements precision ground from High Definiton optical glass. Hmm, I sound like an ad- I should get them to give me a discount. The company is headquartered in Wisconsin. They make the scopes in Japan. It has a no charge lifetime warranty here in the States.It comes with a zippered scope cover and 20-60 eyepiece. I went ahead and ordered the fixed eyepiece and the camera adapter while I was at it. Will let you know how it performs.

Best,

Dan Batko

"Where are we going and why am I in this basket?"
 
It's always good to have more information when you make a decision about a purchase. I'm glad you feel more confident. Best of luck.
 
I have a Leica Televid 77 with 20-60X eyepiece and a Zeiss Diascope 85 with same eyepiece. Both purchased used. I have tried them side by side under same conditions and cannot find any difference at all.
 
I think it's hard to beat

either the 80 mm Nikon Field Scope with ED glass or the 80 mm Pentax with ED glass. Both are great scopes for the money, from all that I have looked through and I have looked through a lot of them.
 
dont own one but had experience with

If one could find one of the older bushnell spacemaster scopes it would be worth their while ( these were the ones the 1000 yrd shooters origionally used to make big eyes.) i have looked thru several spotting scopes but never seen the quality that those bushnells had. personally i covet these and wish i had spent the money to get one long ago.
not the new ones with the tilting eyepiece, not the same, i mean not even close.

Fred
 
Has anyone checked out the scope fetured in the latest PS mag? The Rouge River Super Scope. Acording to PS the Marines call it "the eye of God".

At $2150.00, it could be the buy of the year, since most of the high end glass is around 2 grand.
 
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