Kowa 82SV or Kowa 77 Prominar?

[ChadCollins]

82SV w/25LER on sale now for $975 at Creedmoor. Or spend another $1000 for 77 Prominar with same eyepiece.

Wondering who have experience with both that can help me decide.

I’m a midrange prone and smallbore shooter.

Thanks
Chad

 

[F Class John]

82SV w/25LER on sale now for $975 at Creedmoor. Or spend another $1000 for 77 Prominar with same eyepiece.

Wondering who have experience with both that can help me decide.

I’m a midrange prone and smallbore shooter.

Thanks
Chad

First, it's not the same eyepiece. It's the same in that they're both a 25LER but the 773 uses the same eyepiece as the 883/4 and it's a beast of an eyepiece (meaning it's awesome and larger) and to be honest if you're gonna step up to the 773/4 just go to the 880 series (it and the 550 series are the only Fluorite lenses which are amazing). If you want more comparable but step up from 82sv then it's the 660 series and that's what I'm using now. Uses the actual same eyepieces as the 82sv but more compact. I've used the 82sv, 660 and 880 and for me the 660 was the best balance when travel is involved. the 82 is long and doesn't fly nearly as well for me and even in use it's not my thing. The 660 is compact and more manageable but smaller objective so a little less light but I've yet to feel it's hurting me. The 660 series is only a little more than the 82 BUT just to be clear, there's NO Kowa that I wouldn't use over anything else out there. That's just me, others love the Vortex and they have an amazing warranty but for the money I'd buy a Kowa of any type any day of the week. Try to find some different ones on the line to look through if you can, everyone's eyes are different.

 

[ChadCollins]

First, it's not the same eyepiece. It's the same in that they're both a 25LER but the 773 uses the same eyepiece as the 883/4 and it's a beast of an eyepiece (meaning it's awesome and larger) and to be honest if you're gonna step up to the 773/4 just go to the 880 series (it and the 550 series are the only Fluorite lenses which are amazing). If you want more comparable but step up from 82sv then it's the 660 series and that's what I'm using now. Uses the actual same eyepieces as the 82sv but more compact. I've used the 82sv, 660 and 880 and for me the 660 was the best balance when travel is involved. the 82 is long and doesn't fly nearly as well for me and even in use it's not my thing. The 660 is compact and more manageable but smaller objective so a little less light but I've yet to feel it's hurting me. The 660 series is only a little more than the 82 BUT just to be clear, there's NO Kowa that I wouldn't use over anything else out there. That's just me, others love the Vortex and they have an amazing warranty but for the money I'd buy a Kowa of any type any day of the week. Try to find some different ones on the line to look through if you can, everyone's eyes are different.

I haven’t considered the 660 series. I’ll look into them. I have a Kowa TSN-1 now. It’s great for mirage reading, but I struggle a bit using it for smallbore seeing the bullet holes at 100yds. It there is any mirage at all I cannot see my shots. Not sure anything really fixes this. I’ve read the Prominar series are a nice step up. It’s a solid $1000 more for the 77 then another $1000 for the 88. Hard justifications. I’m trying to find a good middle ground. Might be the 660????? Good FOV is a factor as well….
Chad

 

[F Class John]

I haven’t considered the 660 series. I’ll look into them. I have a Kowa TSN-1 now. It’s great for mirage reading, but I struggle a bit using it for smallbore seeing the bullet holes at 100yds. It there is any mirage at all I cannot see my shots. Not sure anything really fixes this. I’ve read the Prominar series are a nice step up. It’s a solid $1000 more for the 77 then another $1000 for the 88. Hard justifications. I’m trying to find a good middle ground. Might be the 660????? Good FOV is a factor as well….
Chad

While the 82sv is a great scope for the money I don't think it's light years ahead of the TSN-1. I am actually using the 663 with a 30x wide angle and I lose some eye relief but I love the FOV I get on the line. Everything with optics is a tradeoff until you have unlimited money and resources which I do not have.

 

[ChadCollins]

While the 82sv is a great scope for the money I don't think it's light years ahead of the TSN-1. I am actually using the 663 with a 30x wide angle and I lose some eye relief but I love the FOV I get on the line. Everything with optics is a tradeoff until you have unlimited money and resources which I do not have.

Definitely all a trade off. I wish I had unlimited funds!

 

[ltebiker]

PM Sent.

 

[mgdietrich]

I have used a 601, 821m, and have a 773. Starting all over again, I would buy the 663. Size is important if you need to fly at all. 821m or 82sv are darn bulky. Good optics, but 66mm or 82mm doesn’t really matter for what we use the scopes for. Birds or other people, ok maybe that makes sense.

From your 601, I would do a 663 or a 773. There is no difference between a 773 or 883 in performance to me, I like the smaller package.

If you don’t plan to ever fly, 82sv is a good scope, but bulky.

 

[lotech]

A bit off topic, but how does the Kowa 554 compare with other Kowas? I've had the 884 for several years. Heavy and cumbersome but incredibly useful if distances are long.

 

[mgdietrich]

554 doesn’t have long eye relief eyepiece. No eyepiece interchangeability or that scope could actually be great for traveling HP shooters.