Down to three spotting scopes

[MNFinn]

So, I have been looking at replacing my Kunus 15-45x65 with a different spotter. The three that I have narrowed it down to are the
Vortex Viper HD 15-45X65 http://www.vortexoptics.com/product/vortex-viper-hd-15-45x65-angled-spotting-scope

Sightron SII 20-60X85 http://info.sightron.com/Spotting-Scopes/SII-Spotting-Scopes/SIIBL2060X85HD-A/

The Vortex is the same magnification/objective as my current spotter, but from my history with Vortex, the glass will be much better than my current one

The Sightron adds more power and a bigger objective, but I don't have the history with Sightron glass to know how it compares.

Looking for some insight on the two from people who have had experience with one or both of them.


The third is the Viper 20-60 HD if it is worth the extra couple hundred bucks
Thanks.

 

[MNFinn]

Re: Down to two spotters

Also just found a deal on the 20-60 Viper HD for $800, so that's definitely in the running. With the price difference being only around $250 I think I can justify it.

 

[Dos XX]

Kowa TSN 82SV with LER eyepiece can be had for $850 to $900 ish. Great scope.

 

[MNFinn]

yeah, Just found the body forthe Kowa for $650 and the eye piece on optics planet for $225. Good way to go?

 

[Dos XX]

Excellent scope. You see a lot of them on the firing line.

I got one from Creedmoor sports with a stand back in December. They were running a holiday special with a good discount on the package. You might call them and check their price. I don't think they show the price on the scope only on the web site.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Depends on what you are using it for.

If hunting, I would not recommend a 65mm objective. Even the best glass in the industry suffers greatly in low light with a smaller objective. I had the Vortex Razor HD 16-48x65mm (before my current Meopta S2 HD 20-70x82mm) and even though the Razor has superior glass to the scopes you are considering, it still had trouble in low light. Detail also suffers with smaller objectives because they have a smaller sweet spot.

For target shooting in the middle of the day, smaller objectives work, but still can't beat the bigger glass for detail and contrast.

I think if you are willing to spend $1K right now, you'd be better off saving up a while longer to get a high end spotter. They're expensive, but you'll never regret it once your bank account recovers and your wife stops yelling at you for buying it ;D

Kowa makes very nice scopes, but I would deal with the Konus for now and save up for a Kowa Priminar, Meopta S2, Swarovski HD, Leica, or Zeiss Diascope.

Most scopes look great in the middle of the day or looking across a sporting goods store show floor. Thats where you always here people saying "The Swarovski was nicer, but not $2000 nicer". Thats because they dont own one and havent fully experiemced its optical excellence in the field. You will never hear some one say "I wish I wouldnt have spent $2700 on this Swarovski when 'Brand X mid priced spotter' is almost just as nice for half the price". The difference in detail, contrast, color fringing, and edge to edge sharpness at long ranges and in low light with the high end optics vs the mid priced scopes is night and day. That's where you see how that extra money spent really pays off.

Just my opinion though.

 

[MNFinn]

this is straight up for target shooting and for helping spot hits when I help out sighting in rifles at the local range for deer season. I don't need as much for low light as for reading mirage, checking for scoring disks and spotting bullet holes at 200 yards for deer hunters. If that helps with what I'm looking for

 

[Ledd Slinger]

this is straight up for target shooting and for helping spot hits when I help out sighting in rifles at the local range for deer season. I don't need as much for low light as for reading mirage, checking for scoring disks and spotting bullet holes at 200 yards for deer hunters. If that helps with what I'm looking for

For 200 yards bullet holes, I think the Vortex would be more than enough. The Viper HD glass is actually really nice for the money. No experience with Sightron spotting scopes.

 

[MNFinn]

this is straight up for target shooting and for helping spot hits when I help out sighting in rifles at the local range for deer season. I don't need as much for low light as for reading mirage, checking for scoring disks and spotting bullet holes at 200 yards for deer hunters. If that helps with what I'm looking for

For 200 yards bullet holes, I think the Vortex would be more than enough. The Viper HD glass is actually really nice for the money. No experience with Sightron spotting scopes.

Thanks for the input. My needs for a spotting scope aren't huge, since I live in heavy woods, so I don't use one for hunting so my needs are limited to local range use and for scoring F-Class, along with trying to get into using the spotting scope for reading conditions.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

this is straight up for target shooting and for helping spot hits when I help out sighting in rifles at the local range for deer season. I don't need as much for low light as for reading mirage, checking for scoring disks and spotting bullet holes at 200 yards for deer hunters. If that helps with what I'm looking for

For 200 yards bullet holes, I think the Vortex would be more than enough. The Viper HD glass is actually really nice for the money. No experience with Sightron spotting scopes.

Thanks for the input. My needs for a spotting scope aren't huge, since I live in heavy woods, so I don't use one for hunting so my needs are limited to local range use and for scoring F-Class, along with trying to get into using the spotting scope for reading conditions.

Gotcha. I think you are looking in the right price range then. For short range and shooting in daylight i'm sure either scope on your list will work great.

I think the Vortex would be the best option because you can use and abuse that thing all you want. If it ever gets damaged in any way, they will replace it with a brand new one, no questions asked. Often times you wont even have to wait for them to ship you a new one or make repairs to the damaged optic. They just tell one of their local sporting goods retailers to give you a new one off the shelf.

I had the 10x42 Vortex Razor binoculars and you could keep spinning the right eyecup once you turned it all the way down. Didn't really affect anything with the binoculars because the eyecup still worked as designed in any other position and when down, it was still all the way down. But it wasnt how I bought the binos. I took it into one of their local retailers. They contacted Vortex customer service and Vortex credited the store $1199 retail price for my faulty binocluars. Because it was a monetary credit to the store, I didn't even have to get the same binos, or even binos for that matter. So i put it towards the new 10x50 Razor binos that i was wanting to try for extra low light advantage. With an extra $80 out of my pocket for the slightly higher price tag on the 10x50's, I walked out of the store with the binos I'd been wanting. Hands down, Vortex has the best warranty in the business

 

[MNFinn]

Thanks for the thoughts Ledd Slinger. Now I'm just debating between the 15-45x65 or 20-60x85.

A Kowa would be nice, but My experience with Vortex and their CS has been phenomenal and that counts for a lot.