Spotting Scopes

LRDesert

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Montana
Hey all curious what you guys are using for a hunting spotting scope. I'm in the market for one and the options obviously are a little overwhelming. I'll start with budget $2000-$3000. This will be used for Hunting and long range shooting purposes. Thus far I have looked into the Vortex Razor HD 27-60x85 and the Leupold SX5 HD 27-55x80. Anyone with field experience with these two? Also open to other suggestions as well. Before all the Swarovski guys get in on it if I had the budget I would go that route. As I have a hunting partner that has one and it is amazing. He even named it the "gods eye".
 
If you want a large, heavier scope that gives up nothing optically to just about anything, try the Kowa Prominar 88. Compares directly with the Swaro 85. Can be had in your budget. For a smaller, more packable scope, the Swaro 65 is tough to beat for an all around scope.
 
I agree about the Kowas.

For your $3000 budget you can find a Swaro STS HD 80mm with 25-50X though so I don't understand your resistance?
 
With that budget I would be looking past the Vortex and Leupold. The Swarovski 85 ATS or STS is in your budget. We mostly run these at work and are fantastic. My personal one is a Kowa 66 Prominar and to get any better I think you would have to step up in price to the swaro, very little difference in optical quality. I just got two more spotters for work and ordered Kowas. I could get 2x spotters and 2x 2-Vets carbon tripods (Plus 2 heads- bowl and ball) for the price of the 2 Swaros.
 
Thanks for all the advice guess I was just a little shy to look at the Swarovski at all assuming they were out of my budget. Will take a look at em
 
Within your budget given you can not make a bad choice optically. Kowa, Swaroski, Leica, Nikon and so on become a matter of personal preference. I would recommend going to some of the birding websites and they usually have some great articles on the pros and cons for spotting scopes.
 
Hey all curious what you guys are using for a hunting spotting scope. I'm in the market for one and the options obviously are a little overwhelming. I'll start with budget $2000-$3000. This will be used for Hunting and long range shooting purposes. Thus far I have looked into the Vortex Razor HD 27-60x85 and the Leupold SX5 HD 27-55x80. Anyone with field experience with these two? Also open to other suggestions as well. Before all the Swarovski guys get in on it if I had the budget I would go that route. As I have a hunting partner that has one and it is amazing. He even named it the "gods eye".


I have the Swaro ATS 65 25-60. It was in the low $2k range including cover and two camera mounts.
 
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Hey all curious what you guys are using for a hunting spotting scope. I'm in the market for one and the options obviously are a little overwhelming. I'll start with budget $2000-$3000. This will be used for Hunting and long range shooting purposes. Thus far I have looked into the Vortex Razor HD 27-60x85 and the Leupold SX5 HD 27-55x80. Anyone with field experience with these two? Also open to other suggestions as well. Before all the Swarovski guys get in on it if I had the budget I would go that route. As I have a hunting partner that has one and it is amazing. He even named it the "gods eye".

Ive got the Razor 27x60x85, it's a great scope. Glass is very good, but it's just to heavy to pack
 
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