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Need Spotting Scope Help Before Purchase

It is not just that the $400 Leupold is "kind of close" in clarity when looking at them for 10 minutes. Or even 30. Try looking though both for 4+ hours a day. THEN tell me the Swaro is not worth 9x more than the $400 spotter. Eye fatigue is a killer.

For the serious western hunter, high end glass isn't expensive....it is priceless. I wouldn't go any less than a Meopta S2 20-70×82HD. Way outperforms a Vortex Razor spotter.
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But for glassing out west, where 2-4+ miles is commonplace, top choice is either Swaro or Kowa. And a good tripod is a necessity.
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This deer is 3.1 miles away.
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And this one is 880 yards
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Hey Lance didn't you get the memo you cant use a spotter too find game!!! you have to use your Binos first.... all the time 🤣 🤣 🤣
 
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I will sure try…

Thanks,

Grub
trust me and the others on here and every other forum when we say .. they're the best and most trusted/used optics on the planet for good reason .. eye strain will ruin your day. I've seen guys with brand "X" optics give up and stop glassing because there eyes and head were killing them.
 
If you want to borrow my Pentax for your hunt, so you can save more $ to get what you really want at a later time, just let me know. It's a good scope and will do 75-80% of what you'll need. I'll ship it to you on a LRH handshake.
I may take you on that offer if I can't find something I love.

Regards,

Grub
 
What about the best pair of 15s made? I use my 15s a LOT during hunting season. Way more than my BTXs.

I was thinking the same. Those are the new HD models also.
 
trust me and the others on here and every other forum when we say .. they're the best and most trusted/used optics on the planet for good reason .. eye strain will ruin your day. I've seen guys with brand "X" optics give up and stop glassing because there eyes and head were killing them.
Well try (glassing) for a couple hours with a very good spotting scope and then switch over to a very good set of binoculars.
We have been gifted with binocular vision, in that we have 2 eyes for that reason, closing one eye for long periods can have an effect on you.
There are also people out there who are unaware of the fact that the binoculars they are using are not in alignment.
Even the very best ones can be out of alignment, at least to some degree, but not bad enough to be all that noticeable to many people. But when used for long sessions they can cause discomfort, and the user wont necessarily know why.
And if you tell him that his $2000 glasses are in need of service your apt to get an argument.
Thats the advantage twin spotters in adjustable brackets have over conventional binoculars. And thats the main reason that so many L/R hunters use them. You can adjust them with an allen wrench right on the spot if they fall over and get knocked out of alignment. Whereas our expensive factory binoculars will go back to the factory for service.
After the hunt is over of coarse.
 
What about the best pair of 15s made? I use my 15s a LOT during hunting season. Way more than my BTXs.

I appreciate that link, looks like a great deal. I do have a really nice set of 12 poet bible already. I really need more magnification though.

Thanks,

Grub
 
I tried to include this in my prior post, but apparently there is some type of time limit on typing?
Anyway when the long range train left the station now many years ago, ( in Pa. ) lol, many things started changing and many new products started coming along because of that.
Optics of all kinds have certainly been an area that has benefitted, and probably even the most.
Without long range hunting, we would no doubt have never seen many of these products.
As for the large hand held binoculars that have become popular in recent years such as the Swaro 15x56 and others of arguably equal quality, there are several reasons, all good ones.
First off they are much easier to lug around than larger heavier ones. Assuming of coarse you are doing alot of walking around while hunting, which not all of us do, depending upon where we hunt.
But ive noticed that even some of us who do stay at the same location all day, are choosing to use their large hand helds as opposed to using their large twin spotters.
And the reason is that a straight 15 power eyepiece will be clearer than a zoom eyepiece offering 15 power.
Assuming that one dosent have a straight 15 for the spotters,
And most dont offer one.
15 power is nicer to use while glassing than the higher powers are, especially for long sessions.
By and large its enough power for most situations even at longer distances, and air quality isnt nearly as noticeable while using 15 power.
I have 4 sets of eyepieces for my now old 77 mm Kowas.
A factory set of 20 wides, a set of 30 wides, and a set of 40s.
I also had a set of 15s made for me by using telescope eyepieces.
And they are my favorite to use for long glassing sessions.
Four of my friends now have them also.
But make no mistaking the fact that power is sometimes needed. And its nice to be able to screw one out and another one in when that happens.
 
I can tell you...15x56s beat 12s. Last year NM pronghorn, my buddy and I were picking out good goats from "just goats" with our 15x56 Swaro SLC NEU vs another guy with 12x50 NL Pures. The extra 3x helped.
 
I'm sure it does, but the extra 3x is not going to help me that much at the range where I'm sighting in my rifle at long range, which is part of my plan for the scope.
 
I'm sure it does, but the extra 3x is not going to help me that much at the range where I'm sighting in my rifle at long range, which is part of my plan for the scope.
Well Grubby you need to remember one important thing when hunting long range, regardless as to where that might be.
We dont get to choose anything like we do while dreaming about it sitting in our lazyboy.
You will either adjust to whatever presents itself or you wont.
Its just that simple.
And the equipment you take along will either help you in doing that or it wont as well.
 
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