Spotting Scoped in ~$1000 - $1500 price range

[Recon_Scout]

I'm most likely asking a question which has been beaten to death in this forum :
I'm looking at upgrading by Spotting scope and looking at something not above $1500

Wanted opinions of people who looked through these and see if they would recommend one of the scopes below:

Nightforce TS-80 Hi-Def 20-60x
Vortex Razor HD 27-60x85
Kowa TSN-82SV with TE-9Z Eyepiece (21-63x)

 

[Mortalpawn]

The Leupold 12-40x60mm with the TMR reticle is what I would recommend. The range of this scope is perfect for field use and the reticle is a must for precision shooting. The ones you are looking at (60x) are more for benchrest shooting, and if you don't have a reticle how can you measure your impacts? The 12-40x gives you a nice transition from binoculars at 8-10x to the spotter at 12x, and then you can zoom in to measure the shots. The milrad TMR reticle lets you directly adjust a milrad rifle scope to hit. At 40x you can still read the wind from the mirage/shimmer.

Its a bit above your price range, but I bought mine on a Black Friday sale a few years ago for under $1500. Also if you qualify for the Leupold discount program (LE, military vet, NRA instructor, etc...) on their web site you can get a pretty good discount from Leupold directly.

 

[Recon_Scout]

The Leupold 12-40x60mm with the TMR reticle is what I would recommend. The range of this scope is perfect for field use and the reticle is a must for precision shooting. The ones you are looking at (60x) are more for benchrest shooting, and if you don't have a reticle how can you measure your impacts? The 12-40x gives you a nice transition from binoculars at 8-10x to the spotter at 12x, and then you can zoom in to measure the shots. The milrad TMR reticle lets you directly adjust a milrad rifle scope to hit. At 40x you can still read the wind from the mirage/shimmer.

Its a bit above your price range, but I bought mine on a Black Friday sale a few years ago for under $1500. Also if you qualify for the Leupold discount program (LE, military vet, NRA instructor, etc...) on their web site you can get a pretty good discount from Leupold directly.

@Mortalpawn I looked through Leupold in the past and was not extremely impressed at image quality at 800+ yards, I was told (3rd hand) that these have a much better glass. Can you confirm (or not) that that is the case?

 

[Wyzrd]

If interested, I might be parting with my Zeiss Victory Diascope 65mm T* FL spotter with a fixed 30x Wide Angle eyepiece. Glass is gonna be superior to all 3 you listed. Shoot me a PM if you want.

 

[Mortalpawn]

@Mortalpawn I looked through Leupold in the past and was not extremely impressed at image quality at 800+ yards, I was told (3rd hand) that these have a much better glass. Can you confirm (or not) that that is the case?

They have good glass. I used mine for a 7 day class at Gunsite in Arizona and it performed well out over 1000 yards where the targets were all camoflaged and hidden at unknown ranges. In fact that was the only type of spotter they use there, and it is arguably one of the best training facilities in the world. I've also used it in lousy conditions back East (rain, fog, high humidity) out past 1000 and again no issues. I have a 7-35x Nightforce ATACR on my gun and Swarovski binoculars, so I do know what good glass looks like.

 

[Pastureman98]

I'm most likely asking a question which has been beaten to death in this forum :
I'm looking at upgrading by Spotting scope and looking at something not above $1500

Wanted opinions of people who looked through these and see if they would recommend one of the scopes below:

Nightforce TS-80 Hi-Def 20-60x
Vortex Razor HD 27-60x85
Kowa TSN-82SV with TE-9Z Eyepiece (21-63x)

I own the Razor above. Bought a refurb last summer for $765 to the door. Caught a sale plus out of state so no tax. A friend has the Howa here or very similar. Razor is as clear and a little lighter. I haven't compared to the NF.

 

[Pastureman98]

I'm most likely asking a question which has been beaten to death in this forum :
I'm looking at upgrading by Spotting scope and looking at something not above $1500

Wanted opinions of people who looked through these and see if they would recommend one of the scopes below:

Nightforce TS-80 Hi-Def 20-60x
Vortex Razor HD 27-60x85
Kowa TSN-82SV with TE-9Z Eyepiece (21-63x)

If time allows, watch A&A optics for refurbs, but none this time of year. If Wyzrd still has that zeiss I would look hard at that (pun intended). I would have mentioned them but new above your price range. I have a 5-5-25 ATACR and a Zeiss V8 4.5-45x60 so I too know good glass and the Zeiss beats NF for me. The Vortex works for counting pts on deer out to 1400-1500 in backyard here in ND. I doubt you will be unhappy with any of these.

 

[flatland1]

I paid just under $1k for an Athlon Cronus 20-60x86 spotter a few months ago, and in comparing it to a Celestron M2 Regal 20-60x80, it's got better definition, and is at least as bright as the Celestron. There's a H-line powerline running east/west right south of my house, so I set both scopes up on tripods and compared them side-by-side looking at details on each pole set (ID numbers, hanging insulator stacks, etc) for how sharply I could focus each scope. The new Cronus was easier to focus for a sharper image than the Celestron, on poles from 100yds on out to a mile. Not much color to a pole line for comparison, and the scopes weigh within a couple of ounces of each other, but the Cronus is a little shorter than the Celestron. If I really need a reticle, I get out my Athlon Cronus tactical 7-42x60.

 

[Recon_Scout]

They have good glass. I used mine for a 7 day class at Gunsite in Arizona and it performed well out over 1000 yards where the targets were all camoflaged and hidden at unknown ranges. In fact that was the only type of spotter they use there, and it is arguably one of the best training facilities in the world. I've also used it in lousy conditions back East (rain, fog, high humidity) out past 1000 and again no issues. I have a 7-35x Nightforce ATACR on my gun and Swarovski binoculars, so I do know what good glass looks like.

Thank you, great to know, I'll give Leupold another look, having a reticle is a very attractive option that requires a different eyepiece on other spotters.

 

[Recon_Scout]

If interested, I might be parting with my Zeiss Victory Diascope 65mm T* FL spotter with a fixed 30x Wide Angle eyepiece. Glass is gonna be superior to all 3 you listed. Shoot me a PM if you want.

@Wyzrd seen your Zeiss post on WTS forum, love the idea, but a bit outside of my price range unfortunately

 

[Recon_Scout]

I paid just under $1k for an Athlon Cronus 20-60x86 spotter a few months ago, and in comparing it to a Celestron M2 Regal 20-60x80, it's got better definition, and is at least as bright as the Celestron. There's a H-line powerline running east/west right south of my house, so I set both scopes up on tripods and compared them side-by-side looking at details on each pole set (ID numbers, hanging insulator stacks, etc) for how sharply I could focus each scope. The new Cronus was easier to focus for a sharper image than the Celestron, on poles from 100yds on out to a mile. Not much color to a pole line for comparison, and the scopes weigh within a couple of ounces of each other, but the Cronus is a little shorter than the Celestron. If I really need a reticle, I get out my Athlon Cronus tactical 7-42x60.

I'm quite categorically opposed to Athlon glass, had 2 very poor experiences with their scopes.

 

[Wyzrd]

@Wyzrd seen your Zeiss post on WTS forum, love the idea, but a bit outside of my price range unfortunately

No worries bud, I understand trying to stick to a set budget. Good luck with your search

 

[chutinlead]

There is a reticle eyepiece that's a fixed 22x for the Razor if you decide to go that route. I have a 1st gen Razor and I'm real happy with it.

 

[Mortalpawn]

Thank you, great to know, I'll give Leupold another look, having a reticle is a very attractive option that requires a different eyepiece on other spotters.

I would not recommend any scope with an eyepiece reticle. The problem is that for the reticle to be useful it needs to be first focal plane (FFP) which means it is on the target end of the tube. Any reticle you put on the eyepiece is second focal plane (SFP) and it won't change size as you zoom (like a second focal plane rifle scope).

To measure anything at distance in consistent units, the reticle needs to be first focal plane like the Leupold with TMR which means the reticle measures a constant angle regardless of the zoom. A SFP reticle won't match target size as you zooom, which makes it useless for milling targets and also very poor for measuring hits/misses.

On the FFP Leupold, if you miss your first shot by 1 mil left, you can literally adjust 1 mil to the right and hit (assuming no wind change). On a SFP reticle you would have no idea how far the miss actually is without a complex calculation to scale the reticle by your current zoom settings.

There are a handful of other FFP reticle tactical scopes, but for price performance the Leupold is hard to beat. Here's one review:

Finnaccuracy: Review of reasonably priced FFP spotters

This article is published with permission from Finnaccuracy in Finland.You can find the original here.There is a lot to read, over 2000 words, but it’s well worth it if you’re looking to buy one now or later, or just learn more about these First Focal Planer spotters.Note that the writer’s first...

www.thefirearmblog.com

 

[Recon_Scout]

So does anyone have experience with a Nightforce or Kowa above?

 

[NovaHunter]

I have a Vortex 27-60x85 I am selling. Just PM'd you.

 

[ghostrider272]

Can’t speak to that particular Kowa,but I have used a 773. They are very nice. Have also used a Bushnell Elite and that was almost as good as the Kowa. Mid day I could barely see a difference in the image.

 

[hillclimber]

So does anyone have experience with a Nightforce or Kowa above?

I have a Kowa but not the model you listed. I have a 773 and it is pretty spectacular.

 

[Darkside-Six]

I’ve used Leupold Mark 4 12-40 for years. Mine has the p4 reticle but glass is very good.

 

[Recon_Scout]

Can’t speak to that particular Kowa,but I have used a 773. They are very nice. Have also used a Bushnell Elite and that was almost as good as the Kowa. Mid day I could barely see a difference in the image.

Do you happen to remember which bushnell model you used, looks like they change the name/lineup almost yearly.

 

[Devildog]

I’ve been we’re your at, I think to help make your decision and free up some stress you have to decide what you’ll use the spotter for? Do you spot for friends or shoot matches? Hunting? Spotting holes in paper targets? Not sure what your needs are.

I also have a Mark 4 it works, the glass is ok it depends largely on the conditions. A lot of times I wish I didn’t have a reticle as well, I’m saving for a Swaro STR myself.

I’d also think about portability exc, its a few hundred more but I’ve heard great things about the Kowa TSN-553. You should hit up @gr8fuldoug he‘d take good care of you, I know there having sales right now As well. Good luck.

 

[ghostrider272]

Recon, it was the plain Bushnell Elite model. Made them from like 2004-2011. There was an angled one for sale in the Classifieds for 450ish. Bushnell made a 22x wide angle (I believe Natchez still has some for 44$) a 30X and a camera adapter for it. It's plain black with "Elite" in gold on the size of it.

 

[chevy_man]

For matches, the Mark4 or Gold ring w/reticle are unbeatable in weight to performance. Glass is plenty good for the usage, and the 12-40 is ideal.


For hunting, I grabbed a SX-4 20-60x85. I was watching elk in a clearing from my front door 5 miles away on a hillside. Me and the kids were looking at craters on the moon, and I use it for paper punching during load development as it's easy to see holes at 200 yards.

The SX-4 has better glass than the standard gold ring, but the HD gold ring is $2800 msrp. If you can get a discount through one of their programs it may bring the HD GR into the top of your price range.

 

[acudaowner]

Sightmark Latitude 20-60x80 XD Tactical Spotting Scope

https://www.amazon.com/Sightmark-Latitude-Spotting-Scope-20-60x80/dp/B06XHSVDD1

and its only 700 dollars .

 

[Robert S]

The Leupold 12-40x60mm with the TMR reticle is what I would recommend. The range of this scope is perfect for field use and the reticle is a must for precision shooting. The ones you are looking at (60x) are more for benchrest shooting, and if you don't have a reticle how can you measure your impacts? The 12-40x gives you a nice transition from binoculars at 8-10x to the spotter at 12x, and then you can zoom in to measure the shots. The milrad TMR reticle lets you directly adjust a milrad rifle scope to hit. At 40x you can still read the wind from the mirage/shimmer.

Its a bit above your price range, but I bought mine on a Black Friday sale a few years ago for under $1500. Also if you qualify for the Leupold discount program (LE, military vet, NRA instructor, etc...) on their web site you can get a pretty good discount from Leupold directly.

I second this recommendation.

 

[Dr. Strangelove_207]

I’ve not used one but have heard good things about the Minox ZD 60/80 spotting scopes. They’re not that well known in the US so if you’re lucky you might be able to get one for a steal!

 

[gr8fuldoug]

In a full sized spotter, especially with this weekends extra 10% off sale the Athlon Cronus 20-60x86, for under $1000.00, is the way to go.

• Aprochromatic Lens System: Apochromatic lense system gives you the result of images which have greater contrast, sharpness and color definition
• ED Glass: ED glass gives you an image with little or no chromatic fringe so the final result brings a clearer and sharper image to your eyes
• ESP Dielectric Coating: ESP Dielectric Coating is a multi layer prism coating that reflects over 99% of the light to your eyes bringing you a clear, bright image that displays accurate color reproduction.
• Magnesium Chassis: Magnesium chassis give you the strength of a metal chassis while reducing the weight as much as 30%
• XPL Coating: XPL Coating gives you an extra protection on the exterior lenses from dirt, oil and scratches
• Bak4 Prism: Bak-4 glass prisms reflect more light to your eyes which will give you brighter and sharper image.
• Advanced Fully Multi-Coated: Advanced Fully Multi-Coated lenses gives you better light transmission to bring optimum brightness and true color across the entire light spectrum.
• Argon Purged: Argon Purging uses the inertia gas with bigger size molecules to purge any moisture out of the tube giving you better waterproofing and thermal stability .
• Waterproof: Waterproof to protects the binocular in the harshest weather conditions or if accidently submerged underwater
• Dual Focus: Dual focus has dual speed focus knobs that offer both faster and finer focus adjustment
• Rotating Ring: Rotating Ring allows you to rotate the scope around tripod supporting ring into the most comfortable and convenient angle for observation

 

[Recon_Scout]

In a full sized spotter, especially with this weekends extra 10% off sale the Athlon Cronus 20-60x86, for under $1000.00, is the way to go.

• Aprochromatic Lens System: Apochromatic lense system gives you the result of images which have greater contrast, sharpness and color definition
• ED Glass: ED glass gives you an image with little or no chromatic fringe so the final result brings a clearer and sharper image to your eyes
• ESP Dielectric Coating: ESP Dielectric Coating is a multi layer prism coating that reflects over 99% of the light to your eyes bringing you a clear, bright image that displays accurate color reproduction.
• Magnesium Chassis: Magnesium chassis give you the strength of a metal chassis while reducing the weight as much as 30%
• XPL Coating: XPL Coating gives you an extra protection on the exterior lenses from dirt, oil and scratches
• Bak4 Prism: Bak-4 glass prisms reflect more light to your eyes which will give you brighter and sharper image.
• Advanced Fully Multi-Coated: Advanced Fully Multi-Coated lenses gives you better light transmission to bring optimum brightness and true color across the entire light spectrum.
• Argon Purged: Argon Purging uses the inertia gas with bigger size molecules to purge any moisture out of the tube giving you better waterproofing and thermal stability .
• Waterproof: Waterproof to protects the binocular in the harshest weather conditions or if accidently submerged underwater
• Dual Focus: Dual focus has dual speed focus knobs that offer both faster and finer focus adjustment
• Rotating Ring: Rotating Ring allows you to rotate the scope around tripod supporting ring into the most comfortable and convenient angle for observation

@gr8fuldoug had very bad experiences with Athlon optics, would not be interested. Thank you for the offer though

 

[J@50n]

I'd look for a spotter with a reticle, even if you don't think you need one at the moment. The Leupold Mark 4 TMR is a popular choice, and you can find them used on ebay in that price range. I found one in mint condition for $1100 over the weekend.

 

[AMTGMC]

So does anyone have experience with a Nightforce or Kowa above?

I have the Cabelas Euro HD which is a rebranded Meopta S2 same as the Night force. The Cabelas version doesn't have changeable eye piece but other than that it's said to be the same scope. Works great for me and I've compared it with previous gen Swaro and Razor. Razor wasn't in the same league, and the sale price of the Cabelas scope was $1200-1300 sealed the deal.

 

[Swaim13]

Has anyone compared the Tract Toric spotter with the scope listed above? They are releasing eyepieces with fixed power reticles in March. I have enjoyed their rifle scopes so was wondering if anyone had compared their spotting scope to the spotting scopes above? They are in the same price range.