Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Looking at a new spotting scope

Looking to get a new spotting scope and right now looking at either the Vortex Razor HD 16-48x65 and the Leupold Golden Ring HD 12-40x60. Anyone compared these two side by side? Any other suggestions on which other scopes to check out?

Of those 2 vortex razor HD. What's the budget limit?

Maven just rolled out a new spotting scope.

Under $1500

What' your first want or need for the spotter.

I have had 60 mm spotters for checking at 200 yds and less,

Even with high mag. variables I wanted better resolution.

The 80 mm scope I have now is far better than the 60's for that.

The Konus Spot 80 did not cost much and is not too big for the range or car.

Konuspot 80 @ Walmart $230

Won't be used for range work. Be used mostly for eastern Montana deer and antelope and out west elk and bear hunting

I've never compared the two but the leupold is easy to pack and works well, there are spotters that have way better glass but the Leopold is a good compromise has good eye relief also!

Get the Vortex. You won't regret it.

I had my heart set on a Meopta S2(w/30-60x WA) but it's $2300 and the tax man said save it for the bill.


Cabela's has their branded version with the 20-70 eyepiece for $1800. Never looked through one but lot's of people have recommended that deal.


What's another $300 Laker.....grin

Of the two you listed laker I'd go with the Leup every day of the week. For Western US hunting I wouldn't look much further than that scope... Huge ER, great glass, lightweight and compact... It's about perfect for MT, CO, ID, WYO, etc... I love 'em.

Tanner

^^^^^^^^The Cabela's Meopta S2 on sale.^^^^^^^^^

Is the Meopta really worth it compared to the other two? I do have a couple gift cards I could use

Go look through one next to a Swarovski and you tell me.

I don't think anything can touch it w/o spending lots more.

Wish I could look through a few spotting scopes but the nearest big retailer is over 3.5hours away

I use the 12-40x60 Gold Ring and doubt I ever buy anything else

It packs small and has great eye relief

The Razors really are great scopes for the money. I'd probably go that way or spring for the Meopta.

Laker if come through Forsyth I'd be glad to let you take a look at the Leupold, It is NOT the HD model though.

There's a guy on Rokslide selling a Kowa 664 w/ tripod and case for $900. IMO that's better glass than either of the 2 you're looking at.

I sold a few more things so now I'm looking at the Meopta S2 20-70x82 or the Swarovski ATS/STS 20-60x65. I like the Swarovski for its lighter weight. Is it worth the extra coin to go to the Swarovski?

to me it is.....

With that budget, I would buy a used Leupy 12-40 non-hd and a pair of used 8x32 ELs.

Grin

Laker, if you decide to go swaro sts/stm, just get the body. Save some coin by buying the Vortex eyepieces. Same-o, same-o.....

Man that's handy. I'll definitely keep that in mind. Thanks

Look at how much the Razor 65 weighs-may as well pack a 80mm.

For what you want the Leupold HD is a better option.

If portability is your priority get the Swaro, as you can never go wrong owning anything they make. The 82mm Meopta will have better optics. The S2 is likely the best spotter made, with the exception of the new Swaro modular models, which command premium plus prices.

Laker, if you do get to Billings and want to look through the Meopta S2 20-70X82, let me know. Heck, I'll even let you take it with you to Scheels or Cabelas to compare to what they have.

TBS- have you moved here?

I moved from Helena to Billings in August.

I'd hold the cash and watch the used market.

Maybe I have bad eyes but to me Leica, Leupold HD, Swaro, Ziess, etc. are all good for the OP's purposes.

I'd wait for the right deal and save some coin.



Dave

I didn't realize a guy could do that. That's good to know for sure.

I dearly love my Swaro ATM 20-60X65, as to my particular eye it blows all other ~65mm's away in clarity (including Zeiss, Leupy, Leica, Meopta and everything else I have looked at) but its pretty much an early season scope for me. Both the power ring and the focus has straight up frozen solid on me...as have my Swaro 8.5x42 ELs. When the temp gets around 0 degrees, or if it is raining, I break out different optics and put up with the reduced clarity.

For the price Swaro charges they should have an electronic dick sucker, let alone the ability to function in freezing weather.

Wow the power ring and focus ring freezing up is not a good thing especially for how much they want for them. Thanks for the info

never had that prollem.....

Maybe it is just me...and my small sample. I have heard of Swaro's fogging up before in extremely wet weather, but I had never heard of them freezing up until my couple of incidents. To be fair, when this happened it was -20 or so. My Steiner Peregrine's performed flawlessly during that same weather.

Hunts: do you put any special grease or graphite lube on your equipment? I've had a couple firing pins fail to drop quickly enough to ignite the primer in really cold weather. I fixed it by degreasing the bolt and putting on dry graphite lube. I wonder if that would work for optics too?



Not trying to scare anyone away from Swaros, as they're still the very clearest optics out there IMO, but figured I would weigh in on my experience.

This was the week my stuff froze. This was also about as good as the weather got during that hunt.

I ended up going with the Cabelas branded Meopta S2 angled and should have it by next week. Thanks guys for all the help

Laker, sweet, hope it's okay!


Like I said earlier haven't looked through one, curious to see how you like it.

You should be tickled pink!

Never buy new. I just saw a Leica Televid 15-45X62 mint with the original box and papers listed for $1200.00. That is a ton of looking for not much money. If you decide you don't like it, you could always get your money back, something you will never do buyin a new Meopta or other similar optic...

If Laker doesn't like it, he can return it. If he doesn't return it, he won't need to worry about getting his money back. I love mine.

The Leica Warranty has been a big obstacle for me. It's the reason I've avoided buying Leica new or used.



Laker let me know if you need a case for that spotter. I've got four different ones that I've been meaning to review. I'll have two extras.

I hear what you are saying, but when was the last time you sent something to Leica for a warranty? The Leica will still be worth $1200.00 in a year...

Leica's service is well known to be hit or miss. Who wants to take a chance when other makers have both stellar warranty/service and products? I won't buy Leica anything anymore, especially used.

The truth is that I have owned lots of optics over the years and at this time own 3 branded Leica. I prefer Swarovski, but I am not afraid to own Leica. I did have a pair of Leica Trinovid compacts that got out of columation, sent them back without a warranty card and they were repaired with no problems.

People still throw salt over their shoulder for good luck, but there is little evidence that it helps. People also worry more about Leica than they need to, I have owned plenty with good luck and no warranty issues...

If the Chuck Norris of Montana sent me a warranty repair, I'd dam well fix it no questions asked.

Used Meopta S2's are hard to find.

The meopta is the best spotter I have ever seen. I had the gold ring HD and it works best below 30x above that and the image dims too much. If they did a huge glass upgrade I would be interested again however the 500 viper HD has better optics than the gold ring HD

The problem with meopta is when you sell to upgrade if you paid anything close to retail your gong to take a beating on resale I hate that

We've had the Cabelas Euro 20x70 for five months and are very happy with it. Sharp, edge to edge without color fringing at the edges, bright, and easy to focus well.

This is a great thread. I'm trying to decide on a spotter, although mine will be used for both range work as well as checking things out on my property and the occasional hunt in Montana.

The Swarovski's and the Meopta / Cabela's models seem to get a lot of praise. If going with one of the bigger models, 20-60x80, what tripod do you use?

SamOlson, I'll sell you mine, in mint condition, for $1750 shipped and insured. Mine has the 20-70 eyepiece.

BigSky, thanks for the offer but I better not spend anymore money!

No problem Sam. I know that feeling.

10-4.



Curious to hear what Laker thinks of this thing.

I have 5 Manfrotto aluminum tripods. That's three too many. I'm planning to post the extras on here, but haven't gotten around to it. PM me if you want me to quit procrastinating.


I usually use this setup from the bench.




It's a Manfrotto 410 geared head on a Manfrotto 649 Quick-Release C-Clamp.

that's pretty fancy, fella. I use a quick-grip clamp with a 1/4 inch bolt welded on it.....



.....grin

Nice setup. Simple yet effective.

Absolutely.

I'm a fan of the geared head, my old school spotting scope had one built into its tripod. I guess I couldn't live without it.

Will be here Monday Sam and then I'll give it a run through.

Sweet!

Two of my hunting pards had to go through multiple phone calls and no small amount of frustration to have Leica repair/refurbish their Ultravids. And they have to go back by slow schooner across the pond. Took 5 months round trip.

A 'fire member is currently doing battle with Leica over his Geovids with the Passport warranty. His focus knob is stiff and Leica is telling him the electronics warranty is expired. They said they would repair it for $300+ He keeps telling them it's the friggin' focus knob and should be repaired under warranty.

Contrast that with both pairs of my 1st gen SLC's. A phone call to Swaro's repair facility in Rhode Island and 5 weeks later my SLC's came back better than ever. All for free. One started growing the dreaded crystals, the other I simply sent in for insurance.

I really like Leica, but I've listened to other stories about their less than stellar CS. Not even Swaro/Leica/Zeiss are immune to breaking.


Casey

My focus knob is stiff as well.




Travis

This is a good thread and I'd like to hear how the Meopta works for the OP. But I love the look of that portable bench.

Is it tripod? Is that a granite top? The storage shelf looks great to store rifles out of the way.

Granite? Nah, a scrap of 1 1/8th OSB with poly....

It seems most optics conversations do a lot of comparing to swarovski.cabelas trys to look like swaro in form and color. Indicates to me what i choose to buy. Aside from that all the higher end optics are very nice. Some suit one individuals eyesight that may not suit another. I have had a set of swaro binos of one model or another for over twenty years. Neaver been disappointed or felt like i had to defend them.

Well, in your case I'd use TriFlow diluted with a bit of Coors and apply liberally.

Should loosen things up...........


Casey

Laker, you get a chance to try 'er out yet?

I've played with it a little at work but have been doing so much running haven't had a lot of time. So far I love the hell out of it

Right on, thought maybe you'd forgot about us....grin



I hear you on busy, last week was the mad dash to seed wheat before the rain hit last night.


You guys get much down there? Inch here on the riverbottom, I guess Glasgow got douched, +2".

We ended up with 2-4" of moisture between the rain and snow depending on what part of the country you were in. We needed it badly as there had already been 3 grass fires down here and the stock dams looked like end of August. Getting rain today and going to rain all day tomorrow.

I'm hoping to give the scope a good workout over Memorial Day in the Crazies looking for a bear

Good to hear you're liking it! Spring is nuts. I've been waiting for the wind to die down so I could get a 900sqft. piece of shade fabric installed on the greenhouse in one piece. Today was the day.