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$500 spotting scope
#7058101
01/30/18 05:56 AM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 12,547
chital_shikari
OP
Minor in training
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OP
Minor in training
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 12,547 |
I am fairly certain I'm going to buy a spotting scope this year. It's gotta be 20-60x80mm. I've decided on a $500 budget because the el-cheapo glass at public ranges is crap and if I wanted to save money I'd get one of those and because $500<$800.
The three that are most appealing to me are Leupold SX1 Ventana, Nikon ProStaff 5, and Vortex Diamondback (in this order). Here's a few reasons why: >with starter kits I can get them at about $500 >have Leupold, Nikon, and Vortex glass currently, really like their products >I like these three brands
Any other recommendations in this budget of $500, which is to say <$625? The primary use of this scope will be at the shooting range from 100-600yd and if I'm ever fortunate enough, then a hunting trip that requires such hefty glass.
Thank you
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Re: $500 spotting scope
[Re: chital_shikari]
#7059185
01/31/18 12:19 AM
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Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 1,716
duckhunter175
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
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Posts: 1,716 |
I had two buddies with Diamondbacks and they each sold it and bought Razors.
I've had the Razor 16-48 and a Nikon 13-40x. Both would do the job you are looking to do for the rifle range.
You can probably find a Viper HD used in that price range which would be in between the Diamondback and Razor.
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Re: $500 spotting scope
[Re: duckhunter175]
#7059236
01/31/18 01:03 AM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 12,547
chital_shikari
OP
Minor in training
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OP
Minor in training
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 12,547 |
I had two buddies with Diamondbacks and they each sold it and bought Razors.
I've had the Razor 16-48 and a Nikon 13-40x. Both would do the job you are looking to do for the rifle range.
You can probably find a Viper HD used in that price range which would be in between the Diamondback and Razor. Thank you!
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Re: $500 spotting scope
[Re: chital_shikari]
#7059448
01/31/18 02:51 AM
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 4,564
patriot07
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
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Posts: 4,564 |
I agree with duckhunter. I own diamondback binocs and love them, but looking through the diamondback spotting scope was less than stellar.
I bought a Razor 11-33 spotting scope used for $400. Stupid good glass for the money, but you do give up on magnification, although I'm sure if you're looking to do range work then I think the 33x max is plenty. If you're not willing to do that, I'd side with duckhunter and suggest a used Viper (though I haven't looked through one, I can imagine it's probably a good middle ground). But unless you need high mag, the lower-mag razor glass should not be ignored.
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Re: $500 spotting scope
[Re: patriot07]
#7059866
01/31/18 02:33 PM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 12,547
chital_shikari
OP
Minor in training
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OP
Minor in training
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 12,547 |
I agree with duckhunter. I own diamondback binocs and love them, but looking through the diamondback spotting scope was less than stellar.
I bought a Razor 11-33 spotting scope used for $400. Stupid good glass for the money, but you do give up on magnification, although I'm sure if you're looking to do range work then I think the 33x max is plenty. If you're not willing to do that, I'd side with duckhunter and suggest a used Viper (though I haven't looked through one, I can imagine it's probably a good middle ground). But unless you need high mag, the lower-mag razor glass should not be ignored. Thank you!
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Re: $500 spotting scope
[Re: chital_shikari]
#7059876
01/31/18 02:41 PM
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Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 15,642
QuitShootinYoungBucks
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 15,642 |
I have the Leupold you're looking at and I really like it. I got mine as a demo from Cameraland and came in greatly under your budget. Shop around, there are deals to be had!
https://web.archive.org/web/20170223065011/http:/www.rrdvegas.com/silencer-cleaning.html
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Re: $500 spotting scope
[Re: SingleShot85]
#7061262
02/01/18 06:48 AM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 12,547
chital_shikari
OP
Minor in training
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OP
Minor in training
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 12,547 |
I have the Leupold you're looking at and I really like it. I got mine as a demo from Cameraland and came in greatly under your budget. Shop around, there are deals to be had! Awesome, just the review I need. I will most likely go this route, thank you! will look at that!
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Re: $500 spotting scope
[Re: chital_shikari]
#7062297
02/02/18 12:43 AM
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Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 3,809
Cleric
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 3,809 |
You can get a razor 11-33 for 499 right now
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Re: $500 spotting scope
[Re: Cleric]
#7062361
02/02/18 01:18 AM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 12,547
chital_shikari
OP
Minor in training
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OP
Minor in training
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 12,547 |
You can get a razor 11-33 for 499 right now Thank you!
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Re: $500 spotting scope
[Re: Cleric]
#7062491
02/02/18 02:39 AM
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Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 1,038
TXBoss
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
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Posts: 1,038 |
You can get a razor 11-33 for 499 right now From where? If that's the one from Cameraland it's gone.
Last edited by TXBoss; 02/02/18 03:21 AM.
"Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment..." - W. Rogers
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Re: $500 spotting scope
[Re: chital_shikari]
#7062566
02/02/18 03:35 AM
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Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 3,809
Cleric
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
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Posts: 3,809 |
Didn’t know they just had one. They put them on sale from time to time
I bought a demo from them that I would have thought was new
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Re: $500 spotting scope
[Re: chital_shikari]
#7062580
02/02/18 03:44 AM
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Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 1,038
TXBoss
Pro Tracker
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It wasn't from their inventory. They took on another stores inventory and listed it. Neil told me they aren't going to carry Vortex anymore.. or at least for the time being.
"Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment..." - W. Rogers
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Re: $500 spotting scope
[Re: TXBoss]
#7062731
02/02/18 12:22 PM
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Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 3,809
Cleric
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
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Posts: 3,809 |
It wasn't from their inventory. They took on another stores inventory and listed it. Neil told me they aren't going to carry Vortex anymore.. or at least for the time being. explains why the prices were lower then usual.... wonder what happened
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Re: $500 spotting scope
[Re: Cleric]
#7062827
02/02/18 01:52 PM
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 35,124
Brother in-law
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 35,124 |
Probably why Doug has been pimping Athlon so hard.
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Re: $500 spotting scope
[Re: chital_shikari]
#7062921
02/02/18 02:50 PM
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Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 33,955
Buzzsaw
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
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Posts: 33,955 |
see my post above on the Leupold
SPACE FOR RENT
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Re: $500 spotting scope
[Re: Buzzsaw]
#7063062
02/02/18 04:20 PM
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Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 15,642
QuitShootinYoungBucks
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 15,642 |
see my post above on the Leupold Buzz, I don't see another post from you in this thread?
https://web.archive.org/web/20170223065011/http:/www.rrdvegas.com/silencer-cleaning.html
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Re: $500 spotting scope
[Re: QuitShootinYoungBucks]
#7063093
02/02/18 04:40 PM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 2,634
MacDaddy21
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
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Posts: 2,634 |
see my post above on the Leupold Buzz, I don't see another post from you in this thread?
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Re: $500 spotting scope
[Re: chital_shikari]
#7063233
02/02/18 06:21 PM
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Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 267
AZ_Hunter_2000
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 267 |
For range use, have you looked at one of the wireless camera setups? BullsEye, Caldwell, and others sell them and can go out to a mile or so. It's in your budget range and provides a better picture than a spotting scope in the same price range. The million dollar question is if the range(s) that you use will allow them to be used.
I personally have found that it's better to have top tier binos than a low/mid-grade spotting scope. This is especially true when hunting and mostly true when target shooting. If I need to see bullet holes at longer ranges, I just use reactive targets or ring steel.
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Re: $500 spotting scope
[Re: AZ_Hunter_2000]
#7064880
02/04/18 03:59 AM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 12,547
chital_shikari
OP
Minor in training
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OP
Minor in training
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 12,547 |
For range use, have you looked at one of the wireless camera setups? BullsEye, Caldwell, and others sell them and can go out to a mile or so. It's in your budget range and provides a better picture than a spotting scope in the same price range. The million dollar question is if the range(s) that you use will allow them to be used.
I personally have found that it's better to have top tier binos than a low/mid-grade spotting scope. This is especially true when hunting and mostly true when target shooting. If I need to see bullet holes at longer ranges, I just use reactive targets or ring steel. I did not know that these are within my price range. The range that is 200-600yd has this permission.
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Re: $500 spotting scope
[Re: chital_shikari]
#7085746
02/20/18 01:22 PM
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 806
Loanman
Tracker
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Tracker
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Posts: 806 |
I went with the Cabelas Krotus 20-60-x85, lifetime warranty and its the Athlon scope ( from what i have read) for $699....originally $1200.....they are clearing out their inventory....they had 3 left in Ft worth last week. We had it out at the Niblo ranch last week looking at stuff thousands of yds away, and had a Leupold scope up against it and was considerably better for the money spent.
Thejeffersonteam.com
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Re: $500 spotting scope
[Re: chital_shikari]
#7088431
02/22/18 09:05 AM
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,233
JCO
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
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Cabelas has the Viper for 599 now. Was 899.
NRA Life Member (Master of Poor Decisions)
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Re: $500 spotting scope
[Re: chital_shikari]
#7091004
02/24/18 10:17 AM
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Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 57
LuckyVictim
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 57 |
Unless your dead set on those numbers, If it were me with that budget, I'd focus on higher quality glass and less magnification and objective. Viper is a good scope, and Razor will blow your mind.
"Sometimes hunting isn't about hunting at all"
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