Hendsolt, Swarovski or Leupold Spotter?

A 60x scope is not worth a toss when there is mirage about, Hendsolt are a full on tactical company Swaro's started out as scopes for bird watchers, Yes they are very fine optics no doubt about it, Personally I don't think that either one is an absolute must have Item, As for the Mark 4 I think if it is good enough for the USMC then it is good enough for us, I have made do since 1996 with an old Camo 12-36 x 50 Tasco until February when I bought the Leupold GR HD 12-40x60 Kit, and yes it is nice having the HD Glass but I still prefer my old Tasco and I Won medals at a time when I never even owned a Spotting Scope and I have Won some since so you don't need to spend 4K to be successful,

Personally I would go with the MK 4, I did not buy the MK 4 because I have the older Bushnell that is a MK 4 Lookalike and it has the RET in it and I found it annoying so this time I ordered the GR not the MK 4, Once you have a scope with a Ret in it they start to get in the way and I ended up stopping using it,

Hope that helps,

John.

Lowlight said:

Good enough for the USMC LOL

They have NO Money to afford really good stuff, and for a while there were some USMC groups using a Hensoldt

The real USMC Thinking is, something is better than nothing, that hardly makes it good enough.

Swarovski has had tactical spotters in the past, I have used them, ones with reticles in them that were never offered to the public. The STR80 is flat out spectacular to use in the field.

I still drag my Spotter60 around the world, but only because if the airlines break it I can careless at this point. But for example, my original Spotter 60 has a broken eye piece / eye cup, the rubber and plastic ring, it has to go back to Zeiss for repair = lame

When shooting the Larry Vickers 1 Mile shot, Walt insisted on using his Leupold spotter. It was shit, he could not see or give me the right corrections and finally he used the Hensoldt and realized his calls were wrong with the Leupold. Meanwhile we had a through the camera video hooked up to a Swarovski and even at 2000m+ you could see everything on video.

Spotters are no longer needed by a lot of people, but if you are spotting for a class, you want the best you can afford. Long days on the line, I am glad I have good glass, and that means no Leupolds in my life

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Frank you have extreme needs due to your extreme skill set, There is no way would I buy a Swaro, because I don't like removable eyepieces, because I don't like dust getting in my optics, Having said that I bought a new pair of 8x30 Steiners before Christmas and when they arrived they had dirt in the left hand side which was a shock yet my cheaper pair of 7x30 Steiner Navigators are wonderful, So I guess there is good and bad in all brands, But that's a real shame about your Spotter needing Rehab,

Hendsolt is a company that I have never been interested in due to the fact that they are upside down but if I am honest from a tactical point of view they make a lot of sense,, I went with Leupold because they can take a whooping and come back for more, As for the optics even my old Tasco can read a Church clock face at over 4 miles away, As for my GR It has taken me til now from ever since I joined here to buy one at the correct price, Everything over here is about 30/40% Dearer than it is in the States, So I just won't be suckered into paying such prices, There is no way would I pay 4K for a spotter as it is I paid over $1500 for my GR/Mk 4 compared to the normal well over 2K USD price tag.

A person has to balance the books and tying up 4k in to something that has limited use is not right for about 95% of us, So Leupold is a solid performer and they have supported the Shooting and Hunting crowd for decades and they must of sold millions of Mk4's and GR's over the years So they can't all be wrong, Like I said I shot out to 1500 with and without a spotter and when I got one it was a Tasco, There is a certain amount of snob value in high end gear but bragging rights never helped me make the shot but I still won using a factory Rifle against guys who paid more for their Triggers and/or custom Ammo than I did for the whole Gun using Army Issue Ball Ammo,

It is fine to own Beautiful Gear but not a necessity, If a person can afford to live the high life then I say go for it, Leupold are fine optic and some of their optics I do avoid like their LRF's but on the whole they get people out there having fun and making noise and that's what it's all about.

John.

Hensoldt all the way ... i checked out the Swaro at SH16 and then the Henny - no comparisons in clarify - but if you want an alround get teh Swaro -- but if you want a dedicated rifle spotter then the Henny!! The leupold isnt even close to the Henny or Swaro.

craigos said:

Hensoldt all the way ... i checked out the Swaro at SH16 and then the Henny - no comparisons in clarify - but if you want an alround get teh Swaro -- but if you want a dedicated rifle spotter then the Henny!! The leupold isnt even close to the Henny or Swaro.

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If you don't mind me asking but how much was the Hendsolt and which model did you buy, ?

Thanks,

John.

I recently bought a spotter after narrowing it down to the Swarovski STR80 and the Hensoldt Spotter 60. I bought the Swarovski STR80 and could not be happier. I prefer it to the Hensoldt, to my eye the glass is slightly better. I also like the ability to turn off the reticle in the Swarovski if you want just a spotter. I bought the 25-50 WA eyepiece and am very pleased with it. The Leupold is a nice spotter, but does not compare with the other two.

I don't own the Swaro personally , but have had the pleasure to use it calling wind holds for a couple of guys
shooting to 1500 and 2100 . Excellent glass , and easy to tweak back parallax to see mirage at mid range ,
then refocus on target to call the correction if required .

Definately a step up on a Hensoldt 60 . If I had to hump a spotting scope with me in a pack though , I'd take the
Hensoldt due to its smaller size . Range work or driving to firing point : Swaro all the way .

That's a good idea being able to switch off the reticle, The Leupold is just a good all rounder, not the best but they are dependable,

Is there a reason the Kowa 88mm Prominar isn't on your list of spotters? If cost is no object and you want the best, you should make an effort to look through the top end Kowa. I've never seen better glass.

As far as eyepieces, I have the 25-60x and couldn't be happier. Plenty of FOV on the low end, and plenty of power on the high end.

I compared the Henny Spotter 45 and Spotter 60 to the Swarovski STR 80 and the Hensoldt Spotter 60 is my top choice. The Henny is a more compact and ruggedized military design that has top notch glass, plus I like the fact that the reticle is there at all times vs the Swarovski that is illuminated only. Both the Hensoldt and Swarovski are excellent optics but the Leupold is not even in the same class.

I have a Henny 60 and my buddy the Swaro. We both agreed the clarity was better on the Henny but the Swaro is a slick design and I wouldn't hesitate to own one

Check out maven as well. Their spotter is really nice. I'd go with a vortex razor before anything leupold makes. I've packed my 65 ats swaro many miles in the backcountry and it's never given me any problems. I've never looked through a hensoldt but I'm sure they're top notch as well. Swarovski is the standard to which all high end spotters try to compare. Kowa and doctor don't really company are when glassing for coues or mule deer. With Swarovski's new btx eyepiece with doubler they just raised the bar. I'm a hunter before anything else and finding game and really discerning antler size before planning a stalk is critical to a guy like me. I use a spotter every time I go to the range as well. I have zero regrets for finally buying a Swarovski anything, spotter binos etc. If I ever get broke and need to buy something stupid like food or pay insurance etc. I know they hold their value and sell easily as well.


Sent from NSA wire tapped device.

7stw220 said:

Kowa and doctor don't really company are when glassing for coues or mule deer.

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I'm not really sure what you are getting at, but I have hunted deer, elk, and bighorn sheep all over CO and I never leave home without the Kowa 88. It is every bit as nice as the Swaro, and I am a Swaro fan (my binos are Swaro EL 10x32s).

I in no way want to start a fruitless pissing contest over high end optics, I was merely suggesting that any discussion of cost-no-object spotters is incomplete without a nod to the Kowa. All of the spotters mentioned in this thread (minus the Leupold) are great and will more than meet your needs.

The OP stated that a reticle is mandatory, the reason Kowa was not included.

I'm an MOA guy so I'm running an STR-80. I love looking through it. I'd do it again.

I bought the Leupold MK4 recently for $1139 shipped and am very happy with it. I have never looked thru the $2K+ options and likely never will as this serves my purpose well and I have no need to spend more for my uses.

I'm going to start with, buy the Swaro if budget allows? Then i'm going to state that I just acquired a 12-40x60 Leopold in a trade and boy am I amazed with how good it is on 12x, it's blowing my socks off. I called Leopold waited an hour on the phone to find out it will cost $550 to install their impact MOA reticle, so thats on hold until the winter time. I might see if I can get it installed upside-down as that's how I have it mounted now. I've seen the Bushnell tactical brown rubber coated spotters on sale at sportsman warehouse for $1K. I think the Leopold for $1K is a steal. Swaro is in a league unto itself.

When thinking Leopold, think compact? What other 12-40x60 or 60x80mm objective is as compact????

jlficken said:

I bought the Leupold MK4 recently for $1139 shipped and am very happy with it. I have never looked thru the $2K+ options and likely never will as this serves my purpose well and I have no need to spend more for my uses.

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I have just watched a Video where the guy says about scoping Elk 4 to 5 miles away using the Leupold Spotter So I don't think you are missing much, I bought the 12-40x60 GR HD Kit, I managed to find the Brown version which is great because there is nothing in Nature that is black and that would just stand out too much and for my needs the Colour was a major factor, But either version is a Top Shelf Product, If a man can spot Elk at 5 miles with one then that speaks volumes on how good they are,

Congrats on your new toy, I think they are the best all rounder in spotting scopes'

john.

IanHusaberg said:

I'm going to start with, buy the Swaro if budget allows? Then i'm going to state that I just acquired a 12-40x60 Leopold in a trade and boy am I amazed with how good it is on 12x, it's blowing my socks off. I called Leopold waited an hour on the phone to find out it will cost $550 to install their impact MOA reticle, so thats on hold until the winter time. I might see if I can get it installed upside-down as that's how I have it mounted now. I've seen the Bushnell tactical brown rubber coated spotters on sale at sportsman warehouse for $1K. I think the Leopold for $1K is a steal. Swaro is in a league unto itself.

When thinking Leopold, think compact? What other 12-40x60 or 60x80mm objective is as compact????

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Sounds like you and that Leupold are well matched, Congrats, I have the older Bushnell version of the Mark 4 but I think the Leupold is better made, I bought the GR because the Bushnell Excursion has the mil dot Ret and I found it annoying when general glassing but having the two I have the best of both worlds, So have a good think about adding the Reticle, because I found it a PIA when using it for other tasks,

good luck Ian.

John.

Buy one of the Premier rifle scopes people are dumping. If you want to to make calls for correction. Fantastic glass!, match the reticle, and bingo bango bongo.
Not so great for a hunting spotter w/ field of view

Lowlight said:

I have 2 Hensoldts, the Spotter60 and Spotter45 and the Swarovski STR80 is the best when comparing them both. I totally like the Swarovski more so than both Hensoldts

The Leupold is not really in the same class

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Would you still choose the Swarovski over the hendsoldt spotters? I'm thinking about getting a high end one and the Swarovski looks pretty nice but not a lot of reviews on them from what I've seen.

Have you considered a Kowa?

I have the Swaro and I don't have the the experience to comment on use for long distance shooting. But I do know awesome when I see it. The Swarovski is awesome.

gr8fuldoug said:

Have you considered a Kowa?

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Which model would you recommend? I have seen people recommending then in the past but I didn't realize they were on the same level as the others mentioned.

Bradu said:

Which model would you recommend? I have seen people recommending then in the past but I didn't realize they were on the same level as the others mentioned.

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The Kowa TSN-883 Angled & TSN-884 Straight are their Pure Florite Prominar model and they are one of the finest spotting scopes on the market

Thanks, I will do some research on them

Lowlight said:

I still wish, a company like NF rather than doing their own Spotter like they did, instead just did Reticle Eyepieces for the Kowa, which I believe will fit in some Swarovski spotters too.

Instead of investing in another reticle -less spotter, just invest in eyepieces for popular known brands like the Kowa. Add a reticle that matches their scopes and BANG, big win for everyone

I recommended this to several and nobody was every smart enough to do it

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Lol now that makes way too much sense. I agree that the market would be there for something like that, it would be great to have the same reticle as what's in your scope.

Swaro IMHO.

MINOX MD 60/80 ZR

I finally made the jump from an old STS 80 to the new BTX in 85mm. Beat decision I have ever made. Yes its bulky, but the benefits out weigh the size factor. I had a custom case made for it so I can hunt pretty easy with it hooked to my bag.

I don't have experience with the others, but the BTX has really impressed me

Lowlight said:

I have 2 Hensoldts, the Spotter60 and Spotter45 and the Swarovski STR80 is the best when comparing them both. I totally like the Swarovski more so than both Hensoldts

The Leupold is not really in the same class

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Frank, have you ever had the opportunity to compare the STR next to an STX with the 85 or 95mm objective? I have narrowed down my options to one of these two but have never been able to see or touch either in person. I feel like the reticle would be great to have especially since you can turn it off, but the eye pieces on the STX/ATXs seem so much bigger and offer more relief.

I would use it the range of course but have a 12 day hunt in BC coming up and want one of these to carry with me. You see a ton of the STX and ATX in the back country hunting world but I cant seem to find anyone packing and carrying the STR.

Jmo said:

Frank, have you ever had the opportunity to compare the STR next to an STX with the 85 or 95mm objective? I have narrowed down my options to one of these two but have never been able to see or touch either in person. I feel like the reticle would be great to have especially since you can turn it off, but the eye pieces on the STX/ATXs seem so much bigger and offer more relief.

I would use it the range of course but have a 12 day hunt in BC coming up and want one of these to carry with me. You see a ton of the STX and ATX in the back country hunting world but I cant seem to find anyone packing and carrying the STR.

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I am not Frank, but I have used both the STR and currently have a ATX/BTX 95MM. First, the glass in the ATX/BTX is the highest level Swarovski offers (Swarovision). The STR does NOT have the same glass and is lacking compared to the ATX/BTX. The difference in glass within the two spotters is info direct from Swarovski.

I used a STR in the 2017 KO2M and the ATX/BTX in this years KO2M plus several other ELR matches this year. Practice time, testing time and hunting .... a lot of time behind a swaro.

There is no comparison between the two. The ATX/BTX is superior in every category. It’s not even close. I am not sponsored by Swarovski; I ponied up the coin myself.
Good luck and good shooting
Chris Schmidt

^^^^^ This is the type of input I was looking for. I am going Swaro no doubt, I have the EL Ranges and love them but have just been on the fence between the STR or the STX.

IntoTransonic said:

I am not Frank, but I have used both the STR and currently have a ATX/BTX 95MM. First, the glass in the ATX/BTX is the highest level Swarovski offers (Swarovision). The STR does NOT have the same glass and is lacking compared to the ATX/BTX. The difference in glass within the two spotters is info direct from Swarovski.

I used a STR in the 2017 KO2M and the ATX/BTX in this years KO2M plus several other ELR matches this year. Practice time, testing time and hunting .... a lot of time behind a swaro.

There is no comparison between the two. The ATX/BTX is superior in every category. It’s not even close. I am not sponsored by Swarovski; I ponied up the coin myself.
Good luck and good shooting
Chris Schmidt

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Thank you Chris. I also was on the fence about STR Vs BTX...and I'm no longer. BTX it will be. Thank you again.

Lowlight said:

I still wish, a company like NF rather than doing their own Spotter like they did, instead just did Reticle Eyepieces for the Kowa, which I believe will fit in some Swarovski spotters too.

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Last i knew there is nothing NF on those spotters , 1:1 Meopta , only diffeences are design features like knob textures to fit the NF brand. So nothing they invested they just branded existing product , their top model is a NF branded European made Meopta Meostar S2 and the new cheaper one is NF branded Meopta Meopro made in Meoptas Long Island facility

No clue but , reticled eyepieces have so far been single magnification ,around 30x. Likely there is not enough market for 500$ 30xWA Reticle eyepieces

Lowlight said:

I have the Zeiss eyepiece reticle and the fact they are Primes and Not adjustable is not an issue, you can have a 20x, 25x, 30x, you don't need more than that. I have 3 - 30xWA Zeiss eyepieces for my Diascopes'

The kicker would be NF Reticles in two brands of pre-existing spotters

You are not saying anything I don't already know

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I didn't realize you could buy an eyepiece with a reticle for the Diascope or I would have bought the one that just sold in the classifieds. Reviews looks really good on them.

I use a vortex 30x mil ranging eyepiece on my swaro stm 65 and 80. I've heard, but not personally tried, the Burris ranging eyepiece that is supposed to work on the first gen razor 80 spotters and the ats/m and sts/m 65 and 8o swaro's

I have looked through the Hensoldt 45 and really like it. The clarity is amazing. Super crisp. I would like to get some more time behind the Swarovski STR 80 to see how I like that.

What covers/cases are people running on their STR 80’s? Per eurooptic Swarovski does not make a stay on case for this model.

Bull23 said:

What covers/cases are people running on their STR 80’s? Per eurooptic Swarovski does not make a stay on case for this model.

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I can't remember the name of the case, but Google search for a carrying case for it, I was able to find one, but I'm drawing a blank on the name