Long Island. As you have seen in our list of recommendations, both Vortex and Athlon offer multicoated optics. If the former, you might consider investing in models with excellent glass and mirage-taming coatings. I'm an optics snob and all my rifles sport Vortex Razors, AMG, Nightforce NSX, Swarovski and Zeiss. I have had a couple of Argos's in the past with excellent tracking and good-enough glass. Most spotting scopes that zoom up to 60-power get so dark and grainy at that magnification that theyre really only useful up to about 50-power. This spotter makes an excellent choice for a hunter who wants a versatile spotting scope without paying a months wages. Bushnell is one of the older players in the sporting optics world, having been founded in 1948. So for a brief period of time, I had both the Athlon Talos 20x60x80 and this Athlon Argos 20x60x85 side by side for a detailed comparison. At lower powers, you can get by without a stabilizing tripod. Spotting Scope Review after Testing. But you wont be tempted to compare the image delivered by the Maven to that of a Swarovski or Leica. Models that have both designs typically have identical glass, magnification ranges, and components, so theyll likely deliver an identical image. They sent me a prepaid label without a fight. NightForce ATACR 5-25X56 F1 - Best for Competition. A more compact scope from a newer, fantastic brand, the Maven S.2 12-27x56mm means business. Itll cost you, but man does it make scopes easier to use. Large 85mm Objective Lens. The controls are tight, and we especially liked the two-speed focus and the fingertip sensitivity of the fine-focus knob. Learn more about it here. $139.99 - $169.99. Its a tough trade off, and has to be made based on your hunting style. Free Shipping & Free Returns* FREE SHIPPING on Over 250,000 Products. It is dramatically more affordable than the other optics were recommending here for bird watchers. Vortex Optics Diamondback Spotting Scopes - Top Pick. Gosky Newest 20-6080 Dual Focusing Spotting Scope. As expected, the Nikon 5 8x42 is clearer and brighter than the under $200 non-ED glass Vortex Diamondback. Brands make a big deal out of the upper end of the magnification range for their spotters, but that doesnt mean those higher powers are very useful. Here are some great options to consider: This scope, which gets our number one overall recommendation right now, is a shockingly good value. Athlon Argos Spotting Scope 20-60x85. These coatings help the scope transmit and gather light better, thus increasing the quality and clarity of the image it delivers. Apart from its compact design, it is also ergonomic. What is the rep of the Athlon Argos 2-10x40 BDC 600? Well, Athlon kept that in mind, and that is why they brought out the Ares ETR in different reticle styles. So much so that it won our Great Buy award as the best bargain spotting scope. I just got the argos for my 22. And we were a little disappointed in the relatively narrow field of view. 2 models Athlon Optics Argos 20-60x85mm HD Spotting Scopes $487.49 $389.99 Save 20% Best Rated. Therefore it stands to reason that you want the spotter labeled HD, right? Get the Bushnell Match Pro over either. Can be easier on the neck, particularly if looking up at something above you. The Vortex Viper is a great choice. However in dark conditions, your pupil will open to allow more light in, and can get up to 7mm in diameter. The first is the magnification, which generally refers to a range between the lowest and highest magnification. They are known to provide some of the best mid-range optics. So I've narrowed it down to two scopes. Here are the scopes Id recommend for the budding astronomer: Celestron is kind of the specialist when it comes to astronomy equipment in the sporting optics world. 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. 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. Youll notice the images starts to get dark and grainy at about 45-power, and our low-light test confirmed that, compared with its UHD brother, the Argos HD will wink out several minutes before its peers. The Mavens eyepiece is fixed, which means you wont be able to swap out eyepieces for different magnifications. What the CS.1 delivers, though, is rugged performance. QUICK LIST: Best First Focal Plane Scopes in 2022. quigley257; Mar 17, 2020; Replies 6 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. (Argos 6-24x50, Talos 4-14x44) Last weekend I mounted both of these . Bresser Pirsch Compact Binoculars. And while their telescopes are awesome for picking out constellations, their spotting scopes give you some flexibility to use in different situations. Most spotting scopes have whats called a variable zoom, meaning you can adjust how close you are zoomed into what you are looking at. Because the best spotting scopes represent a significant investment in money, durability and warranties are both prime considerations. 20-60x Zoom Eyepiece. There is no easy answer on which is best as there are tradeoffs. The redesigned Diamondback HD spotting scopes have all the horsepower the long-distance hunter needs, and they excel in lowlightright when you need it most. Argos and The Midas Tac is a $700 scope so if going that high then look at the Vortex Strike Eagle 5-25. The rubber is extremely grippy, and the mid-barrel focus allows users to make fine adjustments even while wearing gloves. But maybe you want a spotter to mount on a tripod and use from a vantage point. Astronomy is usually thought to be done with a big telescope setup, but a spotting scope can also work well for a hobbyist. We may receive a sales commission if you purchase any products after using one of our links. 1.8 #8) Athlon Optics Argos HD 20-6085 Spotting Scope. Demerits include the slippery, non-textured armor and the underwhelming glass, which makes images above about 45-power pretty dark and grainy with some distorted edge detail. Full-sized spotting scopes can cost well over $2,000. Find Athlon Optics Cronus Gen II 20-60x86mm UHD Spotting Scopes-311004 with New Product and 20% Off today at Rangefinders.com +1-800-504-5995 Live Chat Contact Us Check Order Status. You wont be counting antler tines on a bull three miles away with this thing, but it will at least get you closer than your naked eye. If you're money-concience (i am too for the same reason! Whether you choose an angled or a straight-body spotting scope is largely a matter of personal preference. Along with size, price varies dramatically. The angled eyepiece and rotating tripod mount increase its versatility, and the controls are relatively tight and precise, especially for the at around $400. I think youade the right choice. Show More. They also have several subsidiaries underneath them, including names you might recognize like Tasco, Browning Sport Optics, and Simmons. . The best brightness and image quality will be at 20X, but the image will be smallest at that magnification. At low magnifications, the SIG has a bright image and wide field of view. You should see a set of numbers either in the products title or right away in its specifications that look something like 20-60x60mm. Snipers Hide is a community of Snipers of all kinds, focusing on long range shooting, accuracy, and ballistics. That brings us to the Vortex Diamondback 20-60x80mm straight eyepiece spotting . Most are designed to be held directly up near your eyes and therefore have a short eye relief, and this works perfectly for most situations. After consulting with other experts I compiled this guide that includes information about spotting scopes, how to choose the best one, and reviews of our favorites on the market right now. . Nikons Monarch Fieldscope 82ED-A W/MEP-20-60 is a fantastic one to consider for someone who has a larger budget. With a straight-body spotting scope, youd have to trade places with your buddy in order for them to see the deer. Field of view is a measurement of how wide of a picture you will see when you are looking through a scope. Half felt it implied a lack of durability. This lets you choose the size of scope that is perfect for the way youre using it. Andrew McKean is Outdoor Lifes hunting and conservation editor, drilling into issues that affect wildlife, wildlands, and the people who care about them. But we also assign a Price/Value score to each submission. We rate the tightness and precision of their controls, how comfortably the scopes fit our hands and eyes, and then assess their style, versatility, and durability. And if youre really a beast and can pack it in, youll be rewarded with great images. Its positioned just right between the companys big, bright, and spendy S.1 series and its big-boned B.5 binoculars, which sport 56mm objective lenses and magnifications from 10- to 18-power. There are a whole lot of Nikon rifle optics out there and they cant just stop servicing their products. Vortex is a well-known manufacturer of optical material such as binoculars, spotting scopes and rifle scopes. The Vortex Optics Diamondback is the best spotting scope for 300 dollars as it has 20x-60x magnification and a 60mm lens diameter. The test team was divided on the merits of the relatively light weight. The Vortex strike eagle 5-25x56 FFP The Athlon Midas TAC 5-25x56 FFP Are there people who have been able to compare these 2 scopes? Jan 20, 2020 #1 ; Hi, looking for a new scope for my 22lr. We found the usable magnification range extended to about 54-power, which is higher than many of its peers. https://athlonoptics.com/product/rifle-scope-argos-6-24x50/, Looking for the best budget optic for my sniper rifle. Not everyone can afford a Zeiss. If you divide the objective size by the zoom, you get the exact diameter of the exit pupil. 3 reviews. Fully multi-coated lenses increase light transmission and a silver-coated K9 glass prism . I am looking at the ballistic reticle scopes in the 3-9x40 and 4/4.5-12x40/42 range in both product lines. But if you want to make it easy, the winner from all this testing and analysis (as of March 2023) is the. Burris Fullfield II or Vortex Diamondback: . Free shipping for many products! I have an argos, I replaced it after less than a year. Hunters dont want to have to haul around the most massive scope, but it needs to be substantially more powerful than their binoculars. Most amazingly, some of their highest end products are even assembled in the United States, a rarity in this industry. 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 You can learn about them at Leupold.com. On this review we are going to be using the Vortex Diamondback HD 10x42 as the benchmark. 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. The scope tracks as well if not better than my Vortex Diamondback tactical which cost . Athlon Optics Spotting Scopes. The ED glass works pretty well, but the real appeal here is the Horus reticle inside and tactical bling on the exterior. Vortex Optics Diamondback HD Spotting Scopes. Key Features. Check the classifieds on here for something in the next tier up. You shouldnt overlook a scope just because it doesnt have that name, or give extra consideration to one that does. If youre spending close to (or upwards of) $1,000 for a spotter, make sure it has either ED (extra-low dispersion) glass. The bigger the objective lens, the more light will be allowed into the scope. Is it to assess distant animals in the first and last light of the day? It offers very impressive light transmission and gives unbelievable image quality to its viewer. That would mean that the scope has an adjustable zoom range of 20 to 60. Weve seen this design before, most recently from Celestron (with its similarly sized Hummingbird). Athlon over the years has been talked fairly highly with budget long range rifle builds and I see they have a really price friendly spotter with the entry model Talos. While theres no shortage of angled-body spotting scopes, its rare to find a premium straight-body-design like the MeoStar S2, and its ability to trade out eyepieces makes it extremely versatile. It may not display this or other websites correctly. This is a list of rifle scopes with at least 24X magnification that cost less than $750. Athlon submitted two full-sized spotters for this year's test, but the Argos HD version (as opposed to the Argos G2 UHD) version represents the best combination of price and performance. Vortex Crossfire II 4-12x50 AO Riflescope with Dead Hold BDC Reticle (MOA). I'm looking at 6-24 versions and they seem similar. They are still honoring their warrantee but have made some changes and dont have the no fault warrantee any longer. Big 80 and 85mm scopes from premium brands can cost upwards of $3,000. Select Options. The Athlon Argos BTR is an excellent mid to long-range choice. From our reviews, you can see that 2 of the Vortex models recommended come with Armortek coating. The integrated reticle allows spotters to communicate to their shooting partner specific holds and call shots with precision and clarity. A spotting scope is sort of a low-power telescope, while also offering better magnification than a set of binoculars. Athlon Optics Ares ETR UHD 4.5-3056 First Focal Plane Riflescopes Not everyone prefers the same type of reticle. -Vortex diamondback tactical 6-24x50 EBR -2C MRAD -Bushnell match pro 6-24x50 DEPLOY MIL -Bushnell nitro 6-24x50 -Bushnel forge 4.5-24x50 DEPLOY MIL -Athlon argos btr 6-24x50 gen2 APMR MIL -Athlon midas tac 6-24x50 APRS3 MIL -Athlon ares btr gen2 4.5-27x50 APRS5 MIL -Athlon helos btr 6-24x50 APMR MIL Leupold is one of the oldest names in the sporting optics world. Spotting scopes are good from fairly close to nearly infinity. Nikon BLACK FX1000 Riflescope 6-24x50SF Matte IL FX-MRAD FFP 16516, Ive had my hands on both scopes, I still havent used the illuminated reticle, I personally liked the Argos better than the diamondback.. but I feel if your taking a step above diamondback then I would go vortex .. but since you want ffp I think Argos would be a bit better imo. Many consumers are understandably confused about the designations that optics companies use to describe the quality of glass in their products, but the Athlon spotters are useful to differentiate between HD and UHD glass. Illuminated reticle probably isn't critical for your application. The question for the market: Is this spotter twice as good as the Argos HD, and is it worth double the cost? When budget isnt a limitation, I tend to recommend Swarovski. Maven RS.4 5-30x56 FFP - Best Under $2000. 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. They rapidly expanded into a full suite of optics products spanning the entirety of the price ranges, which they still are today, though they mostly focus on the lower/mid range. The bigger the lens, the bigger and heavier the scope. Budget is a very firm $500 or preferably less. Vortex Diamondback HD vs Athlon Argos G2 UHD Binoculars Bullets4Bucks 18.8K subscribers Join Subscribe 212 Share Save 16K views 2 years ago Buy Here: Athlon Optics Argos:. A smaller company than some others on this list, Athlon continually impresses me with their quality mid range products. The viper has better glass, but I am able to see .22 holes in paper In the shade at 350yds with the Argos. I'm not going to claim that they track perfectly, and I did have reposition the parallax knob on 6-24, but for sub-$200, even sub-$150, they are the best thing I've run across and the glass smokes vortex crossfire. CF2-31023. Apr 23, 2018 #13 M. . I am a fan of vortex but the diamond back not so much . Its a solid scope that is large and powerful, is available in angled and straight body options, and will get the job done. Only a few optics brands have new models, and those that are new for the year are product-line extensions, essentially new magnifications and sizes for an existing model. Hunters who want a mini optic to pack into the high country, or travelers who want a little more reach than a smaller binocular should consider this little spotting scope. Hunters may have a bit of a trade off here. The most hard-wearing models have oversized controls that can be used with gloved hands, and they are double-sealed against dust, grit, and moisture. Its more than up to the task at picking out bullet holes from long range, saving you a lot of walking. Darling of our best spotting scopes test is the new compact CS.1 from Maven, but we also like a couple of nicely priced full-sized spotters. That despite an 80mm lens (many of its peers have 85mm objectives). The build boosts the durability of this spotter and gives it a stiffer and more sure-footed feel. Since you're talking 22LR and not sure if you'll shoot competitive, I'm going to throw out Hawke here. You can get monsters with objective lenses over 100mm designed for leaving in place, or get something portable. In that price range, you're not getting something that is top tier. Get as big of a scope as is practical for your use. Check it out here. The 5 Best Binoculars of 2023. I have access to a 1,200 yd range now and want to get into long range. They are going to stop rifle optics but Nikon isnt going anywhere. The straight-style tactical spotter is built like a tank, with double-tough armor and attachment points for Picatinny rails, so you can add accessories like thermals or lights to the optic. Perhaps the highest end brand in the optics world, Swarovski caters to those who want the absolute clearest glass and the best quality images. At a fraction of that price, this Vortex delivers an adequate image in a durable, versatile package. That means dusty days in a pickup and all sorts of conditions mounted to a tripod. Not my choice but I dont want to be sleeping on couch for the rest of life. In this test, we mount all scopes on tripods, set their magnification to 20-power, and then measure how long they can see into the dark, averaging the results to assess performance. 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. But it could be perfect scope if you are setting it up on your back porch to stargaze with. The 27 to 55-power is the sweet spot for combining magnification with a reasonably bright image. 4 models Vortex Diamondback HD 20-60x85mm Spotting Scopes As Low As $498.49 Save Up to 17%. If you like shooting, ESPECIALLY at distance, you really need a decent Spotting Scope. Show Out of Stock Items. Carefully consider exactly how youre going to use it. Oftentimes they dont even end up helping you see better at long distances. 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. I had a minor issue one time and called them about it. New. A spotting scope helps you get crystal clear, up close views of birds, and can also help you take pictures of them. It has extra low dispersion glass, a key in the world of high end optics. Joined Jun 19, 2019 Messages 1,412 Meopta is said to be on higher tier than vortex razor. Spotter-Vortex Viper vs. Athlon Ares. But if you made me choose, I would have to pick the Athlon Argos 20-60x85mm. 0 B bdzjlz Member The Gosky 20-6060 HD Spotting Scope is a top seller in that price range, and gets decent reviews from its many users. Select which one you want here. Emarth 20-60x60AE Angled Spotting Scope (Spotting Scope Under $100) Athlon Optics Argos HD 20-6085 Spotting Scope. First focal plane reticle stays valid at all power settings allowing you to fully utilize the specially designed reticle that shrinks or grows along with your target as you zoom in or out. Vortex Diamondback Spotting Scopes Vortex's least expensive spotter series, the Diamondback is a top seller with great reviews. But the magnification range, zooming from 9x up to 27x, gives this little unit more range and a surprisingly nice image. And if youre shooting at really long ranges, an afternoon trip to the range can feel more like a lengthy hike. You can check the price today and see if its the right fit for you. Yes, Vortex Tactical line is part of their upper tier level.
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