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

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.