I have had a couple of Argos's in the past with excellent tracking and good-enough glass. Should the spotter ever fail, its fully backed by SIGs excellent five-year warranty. Dielectric-Coated Porro Prism. I would leave the range with headaches from it. Get the Bushnell Match Pro over either. These scopes have features normally only found on high-end scopes. Get as much zoom power as you need, but keep in mind the more you zoom in, especially with a cheap scope, the more clarity you will lose. While this Argos was very well built (and very similar in style and quality to the Vortex Diamondback which is a much higher-priced scope I've used in the past), I found the optical quality to not be as good . thanks! If youre a hobbyist photographer who doesnt care about squeezing the maximum amount of performance possible from a scope, give the Celestron Regal a look. The angled eyepiece and rotating tripod mount increase its versatility, and the controls are relatively tight and precise, especially for the at around $400. Apr 23, 2018 #13 M. . . Put it on a 40-50 MOA base and you can dial a .22 out past 500 yards. The optical quality, overall . Also, is 40 or 48 power enough to spot holes at 500 yards? +1-800-504-5920 Live Chat Contact Us Check Order Status. It also has a dual focus knob, one of our favorite features on any scope that allows you to focus it both quickly and precisely. Objective Lens Diameter. The inexpensive Argos BTR and less expensive Talos BTR work surprisingly well for the price. Brands that might introduce a new binocular or riflescope every year are on a 2- or even 3-year cycle with spotting scope introductions. Vortex Optics Diamondback Tactical FFP Riflescope 6-24x50, EBR-2C MRAD DBK-10029. . Half felt it implied a lack of durability. Vortex diamondback vs viper. Scopes are generally sold either with a straight body or with the eyepiece angled up 45 degrees. It may not have the extra low dispersion glass and other high end features of more expensive scopes, but it does a great job considering how little it takes to get your hands on one. The spotter with the highest overall score wins our Editors Choice awardthis year it went to Mavens CS.1. Vortex Diamondback Tactical 6-2450 FFP EBR-2C MOA reticle diagram. Its glass is protected by double-walled armor that resists scratching. A nice feature it has that I wish more scopes would include (especially angled scopes) is a sighting line to help you line up with what youre trying to look at. The importance of the exit pupil diameter directly relates to how our eyes function. But only barely, and only because they are more established and I have had good experiences directly with them in the past. How you use your scope will impact the type of scope body you get. I have a Hawke Vantage 3-9x40 on a Diana 240, and a Hawke Vantage SF 6-24x44 on a Savage Mark 2 22LR. Deploy MIL First Focal Plane reticle. They are known to provide some of the best mid-range optics. This Japanese scope uses pure fluorite crystal lenses, which is unique in the industry and gives them excellent optical clarity. While this is likely the first spotter that a hunter or shooter may buyowing to the approachable priceit wont be the last. Anything you point this scope at, youre going to get a clear view of. Most spotting scopes have whats called a variable zoom, meaning you can adjust how close you are zoomed into what you are looking at. A big, serious spotter with very good glass and responsive controls, the Ares UHD is the big brother to Athlons excellent 65mm Argos introduced a couple of years ago. What is the rep of the Athlon Argos 2-10x40 BDC 600? 1.7 #7) Bushnell Trophy Xtreme Spotting Scope. This isnt the spotter for everyone, but for buyers on a budget who want decent performance and all the reach that a 60-power can deliver, its a very good choice. (Argos 6-24x50, Talos 4-14x44) Last weekend I mounted both of these . Updated: October 2, 2020, 79 optics, 152 reticles. If youve got a little more money to spend, its hard not to recommend the Vortex Razor series for you. Anything further out than that will not be visible. Say you have a 20- to 60-power eyepiece on an 80mm spotter. Snipers Hide is a community of Snipers of all kinds, focusing on long range shooting, accuracy, and ballistics. Now if youre using your scope from a fixed position and dont have to carry it around, this wont be a problem. As a hunter who uses a spotting scope and binoculars in tandem, I dont worry too much about the field of view of my scope. They are heavy to carry into the field, but the work is worth it if it can save you from stalking an animal that you dont want to harvest thanks to being able to identify it from so far away. I haven't had a chance to mount and shoot it yet, but construction feels solid. Vortex is a well-known manufacturer of optical material such as binoculars, spotting scopes and rifle scopes. On the other hand, the image delivered by the UHD glass was bright and free of flares and distortion, and the balance and heft of the chassis are both satisfyingly substantial. Having to go down and check your target every few shots means you can only get in so many practice shots per round. Though its the same size and about the same in terms of zoom power, the money is spent on the quality of glass. So got the Argos in mail last night and got it mounted this afternoon. Its hard to label a single scope as the best available since they are so personalized to different uses. Is it going to be used from your vehicle? One of the lesser known technical specs that you may need to account for is eye relief. Since you're talking 22LR and not sure if you'll shoot competitive, I'm going to throw out Hawke here. Full-sized spotting scopes can cost well over $2,000. tlav21; Nov 5, 2021; Optics; Replies 5 Views 2K. Learn more about it here. xugz0212 New Member. I would highly avoid getting a true budget scope (one that costs less than $200). An ideal companion for long-range shooters and hunters, the angled viewing Vortex Optics Viper HD 20-60x85 Spotting Scope delivers bright and sharp high-contrast images with true-to-life color and crisp clarity at all . We only make money if you purchase a product through our links . Athlon Midas BTR, Midas HMR, Midas TAC scopes - Also made in China to Athlon's specific specifications. in your price range I would look at this. At first sight, the Argos 10x42 is quite a compact binocular. But most commonly, you will see ED (Extra-low Dispersion) used, and that is what you want. However, at 4.5 pounds, this is a beast to pack, which makes it a better choice for a back deck or base camp optic. All in, theres a lot of scope here for $800, a price that represents the savings possible from the direct-to-consumer optics brand. Spotter-Vortex Viper vs. Athlon Ares. So should you avoid scopes labeled as HD? What this means is that if you look at a hill that is 1000 yards away, you will see an image that is between 48 and 102 feet wide based on how zoomed in you are. Put it on a tripod, point it at the sky, and youll be opened up to a whole new world(s)! Meopta is said to be on higher tier than vortex razor. Here are some good picks: You dont necessarily need a scope youre going to use for target shooting to be portable, so you may as well get something with a beefy objective lens. The glass itself in the lenses of your scope is what will determine how much dispersion is happening, and getting glass with lower dispersion is one of the primary differences in cost between different brands and models. With televisions, High Definition has a technical definition that sets a standard of pixels a display has to have in order to earn the HD distinction. But at magnifications above about 18, youre going to want to mount this, because the shakes introduced by your hands, or an improvised support, blur the image. Sold two to a friend(bought Athlon Ares and Tacticle). This spotter makes an excellent choice for a hunter who wants a versatile spotting scope without paying a months wages. The focus, magnification ring, and retractable sunshade all move with silky precision. For example, the Athlon Argos we recommend has a field of view of 48-102 feet at 1000 yards. athlon ares rifle scope tract optics Product Description ARGOS BTR GEN2 For those of you that are just getting started in the PRS or are looking to start, take a close look at the Argos BTR GEN2 family of scopes. A dual focus knob is also great for fine tuning in on far away celestial bodies. If you have the money and want to get top performance, you definitely have that option. They sent me a prepaid label without a fight. Here are the specs that matter most: You should seriously consider this combo, check the price here. Vanguard is a smaller, more specialized company than many on this list, and they deserve your consideration for their quality products. The optic with the highest Price/Value score wins our Great Buy award. free shipping & returns. Founded by Frank Galli in 2000, Snipers Hide has been offering informational videos, podcasts, and other support to its users in one location. I shoot spring airgun and 22LR, and Hawke is on ALL of them. This Hawke is classified as a mid-sized unit, with its 68mm objective lens diameter, though it has a magnification range more in keeping with 80 and 85mm scopes. They offer solid products at affordable prices, as well as higher end options. These seamless connections will give you crystal clear images. If the former, you might consider investing in models with excellent glass and mirage-taming coatings. Since some of the most prime hunting hours are during low light dawn/dusk conditions, it can be tempting to get a scope with a larger exit pupil. The downside is that in order to do so, you will have to either sacrifice zoom power, or get much larger objective lenses (and therefore increase weight). Illuminated reticle probably isn't critical for your application. And at nearly $4,000, most of us arent willing to subject the Harpia to the indignities and dings of the field. 30mm main tube. This scope is perfect for someone: Who is looking for an all-in budget build of under $1,000 (gun and scope) A beginner long-range shooter who wants to stretch into those longer distances, but doesn't want to stretch their wallet Now, don't get me wrong, this scope is a high-quality scope Its their higher end scope offering, but is still affordable. Therefore it stands to reason that you want the spotter labeled HD, right? Don't let the fact that it's cheaper than the Viper and Razor deter you, this thing provides stellar optics and is backed by their excellent lifetime warranty program. Dispersion is an effect in glass that causes distortion as light travels through it, or actually with any kind of waves. Magnification. 1.4 #4) Swarovski ATS 80 20-60x Spotting Scope. And while their telescopes are awesome for picking out constellations, their spotting scopes give you some flexibility to use in different situations. Joined Jun 19, 2019 Messages 1,412 There is no such standard in the world of sporting optics, and the term is essentially meaningless. I don't really want more than 3-4 x on the low end at least around here MDs are putting targets close and starting at 6x makes things tricky. The test team was divided on the merits of the relatively light weight. Still, if you use this scope in daylight and dont max out its magnification, its a worthy companion for most hunting situations or first-time buyers. The Argos mechanism has proven to track and is robust. And the Celestron Trailseeker ED has better optical performance than the under $150 Celestron Nature DX. Likewise, the triply more expensive Vortex Viper is optically superior to the Vortex Diamondback. Its on the larger side for a hunting scope, and you may not want to pack it in if youve already got a heavy pack and are going in deep. Here are some great options to consider: This scope, which gets our number one overall recommendation right now, is a shockingly good value. They're both fairly equal when comparing in the same price range, but I will support Vortex always for their customer service and unmatched warranty. We've rarely seen this much glass and optical horsepower for under $400. I personally used it this last year when hunting pronghorn in Idaho extensively, and it helped me pick out minute details on horns from absurdly far away! When you see 20-60x85mm, that means that the objective lens (the one that points out towards whatever you are viewing) is 85mm in diameter. Vanguard Endeavor HD 82A. I mention this because you are likely to get more use out of a spotter with a 20-45-power range than one that claims it goes to 60-power. One example is hitting the coldbore shots on steel often out to 1122Y. All else being equal, you want the biggest lens possible. This is the optic I have been testing for the last few weeks, and I can finally give you guys the full specs: 6-24 magnification, 50mm front lens. Definitions aside, if youre in the market for a full-sized spotter and have limited funds, consider the Argos HD. I think youade the right choice. But the magnification range, zooming from 9x up to 27x, gives this little unit more range and a surprisingly nice image. 5 Best Spotting Scope Under $500 {Expert's Choice} Best Bushnell Spotting Scope {Our Top Pickup} . Most amazingly, some of their highest end products are even assembled in the United States, a rarity in this industry. Spotting scopes work best from mid to far distances. Spotting Scope Review after Testing. By Max Mutter and Benjamin Hickok. And if youre really a beast and can pack it in, youll be rewarded with great images. I didnt think the turrets, lack of zero-stop, and mediocre glass would bother me. 3 reviews. Its virtually impossible to hold a powerful scope still enough to use effectively.