Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Spotting Scope Around $1,000

If you had $1,000 to spend on a spotting scope for hunting mostly open country, what would you buy?

Thanks

Vortex Razor in whatever MM and X's you prefer.

Without a doubt, one of the older Swarovski Grey ST80 or AT80's - I had the newest green HD Swaro spotter a few years back (the $3000 one, not the newest modular spotter) and sold it and bought both an ST80 and an AT80 off eBay. Something about that lead crystal glass they used just makes them the best out there for my eyes, and you can keep the cost around $1000. I've sent both of mine back to Swaro under their lifetime warranty for cleaning and inspection and they are good as new, free of charge from Swaro.

ive heard the zen ray spotter is a great one. debating picking one up soon

If you wear glasses, the Leupold Gold Ring 12-40x60mm HD is the nutz. It's the only thing out there that has 30mm of eye relief. And it's compact, totally waterproof and gorilla-proof strong without being too heavy. And the optics are top notch.

For me, I liked it better than any Swaro, Leica, or Zeiss I ever looked through.

Shouldn't have sold mine, but needed the money pretty bad.

+1

Check out the Vortex Razor HD's.

I've got the 16-48x65mm angled. I really like it.

I have several scopes but only one angled one, and I have
loaned that one to my father. I prefer a straight scope by
far.

Tell us how you get on a subject with yours pointed in
2 different angles?

He can probably walk and chew bubblegum at the same time.

Nothing like that older leaded glass. I had some leaded glass bincs (Zeiss nightowls) and they are really stellar. Mine were heavy though.

The st/at spotter idea is a great one for the budget minded!

I had a straight bodied spotter before and prefer the angled after using both.

Getting on a subject is the same for the angled, I point the body in the direction of the subject, put my eye to the eyepiece, and scan up or down to get there.

Where I really prefer the angled is in uphill glassing (plenty of that here). Also, the angle lets one keep the tripod lower (more stable in wind), and generally more of a comfortable head angle for the user when looking uphill. Secondly, by rotating the eyepiece in the ring-mount, it's easy to scan a very wide area side-to-side, without needing to reposition myself, or the spotter.

Angled or straight, choose whatever you prefer. It's just a choice. At one time I thought the straight eyepiece was a no-brainer, but I prefer the angled now.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions and info. I have been watching for an older Swarovki in my price range but have not found one yet.

I was also looking at the Leupold and the Vortex Razor. I think I can take a look at both of them at my local Cabelas and see which one looks best to my eyes.

Appreciate it!

Tough to beat a Pentax HD in your price range. It's somewhat waterproof, has great clarity, and gives up very little to my Zeiss 85mm FL*T. I bought my Pentax 65mmHD with an eyepiece and a cover for 650.00 and couldn't be happier with the purchase.

Yep

Pentax 65ED for $500 with the $300 20mm smc wide angle eye piece.

Pentax angled 65mm or 80mm body, no eyepiece

Then snipe one or more of the following eyepieces used off of Astromart:

XL-14 or XW-14 (tremendous wide angle 28x view in the 65mm scope)

XL-10.5 or XW-10 (tremendous wide angle 37x view in the 65mm scope, but a little more sensitive to eye position than the XL-14)

Compare these views against any higher dollar scope and you might amaze yourself. Variable magnification is overrated when you give up 20 degrees of field of view.

Buy a used Leica 62mm APO..best of the best glass, light and dependable....

I'm guessing it is mostly birders who buy and sell this high-end glass on ebay? I wonder if there is counterfeit stuff out there to worry about?

The Pentax PF 65ED2 with the XW-14 eyepiece is excellent. Good option if you can find a deal. I am into mine only $625.

Otherwise I would look at the Vortex Razor 65mm.

Kowa 663 with either 20x wf discontinued, or 30x.Lighter than the Leica and to my eyes better image. Very close to my Swaro 65 hd.