Rifle Scopes Elcan Specter DR 1-4 , any buyers regret ?

[TacticalPlinker]

Thinking seriously about getting the 1-4 Specter. For a shared home on top of an SPR and an M4 build. Plan on running BH 77TMK 5.56 exclusively .


Anyone have one and fell out of love with it ?

TP...

 

[bogeybrown]

we were just discussing this optic over in Bolt Actions. I'll hit that member up and see what he can add. He's got one on a DTA for a specific role.

ETA: here's the link to that other thread, I linked this one there as well: https://www.snipershide.com/shootin...-action-killin-rigs-show-em/page4#post6322164

 

[CSTactical]

We love them here and have the latest revision that comes with the Tenebraex caps, revised battery cap and slightly revised throw lever in stock!
https://www.cstactical.com/elcan-specterdr-1-4x-optical-sight-5-56.aspx
A detailed review here: https://thepackingrat.net/2010/02/09/elcan-specterdr-an-overview/

The new model

 

[Starbuck]

Thinking seriously about getting the 1-4 Specter. For a shared home on top of an SPR and an M4 build. Plan on running BH 77TMK 5.56 exclusively .


Anyone have one and fell out of love with it ?


TP...

I have the OS 4x and love it on my Steyr AUG. Robust housing and optically very bright, plus no expensive tritium to replace like the ACOGs, just a battery. There was some internet chatter a while back about the windage and elevation adjustments not staying true, because they are external (the housing adjusts not the reticle). This may be true if you are beating on the unit like a real mean operator, going in and out of APCs and helicopters all the time - I don't know. Finally, the BDC reticle is calibrated for the 62gn bullets, not the 77s that you say you want to use.

 

[bogeybrown]

I have the OS 4x and love it on my Steyr AUG. Robust housing and optically very bright, plus no expensive tritium to replace like the ACOGs, just a battery. There was some internet chatter a while back about the windage and elevation adjustments not staying true, because they are external (the housing adjusts not the reticle). This may be true if you are beating on the unit like a real mean operator, going in and out of APCs and helicopters all the time - I don't know. Finally, the BDC reticle is calibrated for the 62gn bullets, not the 77s that you say you want to use.

Having watched the Canadians beat their M145 models like rented mules in Afgh, durability shouldn't be a problem.

 

[CSTactical]

We have many LEO/MIL guys that have used these on their issued firearms that end up buying one for their personal AR's for their overall durability and how well they function for their intended role.

 

[Devildog]

I have one on both a Scar 16 & 17. I started with an Eotech then switched to an Acog with rmr. Finally I put Elcans on both and I'm glad I did. If I was to do anything different I may switch to a Nightforce 4x16 F1 on my 17 only because my eyes are getting old and tired for the 16 the Elcan is here to stay. It's a fabulous optic and I'd say buy with confidence.

 

[wigwamitus]

Had one, loved it, sold it. It was sure twice as good an image as the ACOG everything clear as day out to 500yds, but it didn't exactly meet my use case which was 50-700yds ... I can go with dot sights (with 3x magnifier beyond 100) out to 400yds, but can't guess wind hold well enough after that without some reticle ... and neither ELCAN nor ACOG had quite enough for that. But very clear glass and great illumination (both dot and reticle - separately) ... also had and sold Vortex gen2 Rz 1-6x ... which compares to the ELCAN on glass and dot ... and has more reticle, but still not quite enough. So wound up with the Burrs 1.5-8x CQB Mil reticle, great reticle, no parallax, and larger and heavier ... so I run this on 5.56(18) not carbine ...
But ELCAN is best in its class, if that is the right class for you ... depends on purpose.

 

[vmpglenn]

I've owned a few of these. Eventually sold them all. Heavy for the mag range, ARMS lever mounts suck, very expensive. You can do better with a low-power variable optic for much less $$.

 

[BARBARIAN-X]

Had one, loved it, sold it. It was sure twice as good an image as the ACOG everything clear as day out to 500yds, but it didn't exactly meet my use case which was 50-700yds ... I can go with dot sights (with 3x magnifier beyond 100) out to 400yds, but can't guess wind hold well enough after that without some reticle ... and neither ELCAN nor ACOG had quite enough for that. But very clear glass and great illumination (both dot and reticle - separately) ... also had and sold Vortex gen2 Rz 1-6x ... which compares to the ELCAN on glass and dot ... and has more reticle, but still not quite enough. So wound up with the Burrs 1.5-8x CQB Mil reticle, great reticle, no parallax, and larger and heavier ... so I run this on 5.56(18) not carbine ...
But ELCAN is best in its class, if that is the right class for you ... depends on purpose.

Agree with all of this. Mine is for use out to a max of 300yrs and spends most of its time @ 1x. Beyond that I want more magnification to prevent wounding and tracking injured game all day. Better reticle for holds and/or turrets are appreciated as the ranges stretch out and the wind becomes more of an issue. I'll replace it with a 1-8x when they make one I like. Elcan will likely go an a slug gun when I replace it...that will be fun. lol I love mine and will probably never sell it. If the magnification range works for you then its strengths are optical clarity/brightness, wide FOV and @ 1x the closest variable optic to a RDS.

 

[Valken]

I had one. Very happy with the glass. Seem rock solid and I had good performance running an AR with it. I played with the 100 yd zero and checked zero while switching back and forth between power. Not a huge difference. As a matter of fact I could attribute some of the difference to me. The only real problem I found was there was no Diopter adjustment. As my eyes got older the sight picture was fuzzy. I could fix that with readers but who wants to carry readers all day in the field just to lose them when you need them. So I traded for glass I could adjust the Diopter on. Hope that helps. PS I loved the whole lite ret part. I felt they nailed it in that respect

 

[darthnugget]

I also have a couple on top of SCAR 17s and we like them for some 3-gun action when there is a short range course stage. The Elcan is rock fricken solid for durability and we never had them lose zero. Customer support is also top notch. Mine had an issue with the magnification lever not being flush and I sent it in and it came back the next week replaced with a new unit which was with the newer battery cap and magnification lever style. The other one on my wife's SCAR 17 is the old model and it's just like the day it came from the manufacturer even after 3000 rounds. Both of ours have the DR red dot on top so we may have switched them to 1x once or twice to test. The range on 4x is good to 300 but I have taken it out to 600 successfully and stayed consistent. It just depends on your scope skills and style.

Not or to talk you out of it but I have been tempted to look at some of the new prism based optics that are similar but much cheaper, specifically the Vortex Spitfire. There are also the Primary Arms 3x, Burris AR-332, and the Steiner M-332 that are on my temptation list since they are 1/10 the price.

In the end it depends on your budget and your purpose for that system and setup if it is worth it for the price. If I could go back I probably would have purchased only 1 and then would have used the money to checkout the other optics I listed here.

 

[user]

I've owned a few of these. Eventually sold them all. Heavy for the mag range, ARMS lever mounts suck, very expensive. You can do better with a low-power variable optic for much less $$.

+1

 

[TacticalPlinker]

I had one. Very happy with the glass. Seem rock solid and I had good performance running an AR with it. I played with the 100 yd zero and checked zero while switching back and forth between power. Not a huge difference. As a matter of fact I could attribute some of the difference to me. The only real problem I found was there was no Diopter adjustment. As my eyes got older the sight picture was fuzzy. I could fix that with readers but who wants to carry readers all day in the field just to lose them when you need them. So I traded for glass I could adjust the Diopter on. Hope that helps. PS I loved the whole lite ret part. I felt they nailed it in that respect

No Diopter ! Well that kills it for me. Sorry to hear that. Looks like a Gen 2 Razor 1-6 is the plan B for me.....

 

[Bevan]

It's not 2007, lighter, cheaper, better 1-6x scopes exist, the Elcan is dead

 

[whatmeworry_45]

My only complaint is the cash a laid down to get one. Great optic hands down. But $1800 great, I don't know, maybe.

 

[Kamkaze]

I have had one on my duty rifle for 6 years, had to get one replaced under warranty. It works fine but I feel for the price there are better options out there.

 

[jrp3]

I also have problems with the ARMs lever on mine. When locked in, it slides back and forth a fair amount. In their defense, I never contacted customer support to see if I could get it resolved.

John

 

[CSTactical]

It's also dependent on what you're putting it on, not many optics survive a Scar 17 very long but this is one of them.

 

[teddyw19]

They are really good optics. Amazing glass quality, good eye relief and they are built like tanks. However they are heavy and you have a limited range of magnification. If you don't mind the price tag you will be happy with it. But you could by a vortex razor gen ii 1-6 and have a better magnification and save yourself some money. I sold mine because t was not able to produce the magnification that the scar can use to stretch its legs accurately.

 

[tactic-als]

Had one. Loved it but then again I purchased it BRAND NEW for $1500. The only reason I sold it because it would not attach to my S&W M&P-15T rifle without using shims. Turns out the 15T rail was NOT mil-spec and the ARMS lever mount offers zero adjustment for anything that is now mil-spec. I ended up selling the sight and later sold the rifle. I miss it....because honestly, I never care to shoot my AR any further than 300 yards.

 

[Lowlight]

In fact I just put one on my Seekins yesterday ... still my fav

 

[The King]

I couldn't get it to tighten up on a FS2000 I had once. It was marginal on my daniel defense gun. You could whack it with your palm and it would move.

I agree with other posters - the 1-6x vortex is pretty good. God I wish Nightforce would finally get in this game to be honest.

 

[CSTactical]

In fact I just put one on my Seekins yesterday ... still my fav

Some LPV's are fantastic but the Elcan SpectreDR just works really well for its purpose.

 

[orkan]

Tactical Plinker... we watermark our images for a reason, chief.

 

[CSTactical]

You will hear people from time to time say they do not return to 0, I have not noticed this to be the case and we have tested a lot of ELCAN's over the years.

https://www.cstactical.com/elcan.aspx
[video=youtube_share;-xZQ6PyB2zg]https://youtu.be/-xZQ6PyB2zg[/video]