Swarovski STR80 mil ret

[Speedarino]

Anybody got experience with one of these? Interested in an objective reviews by owners only (with both positive and negative comments)


PS If you live in your parents basement please
DO NOT RESPOND
(there is probably some new version of fortnite you can loose yourself in)

 

[Geno C.]

A lot of guys in ELR run them. I have the moa version. They’re great with a gear head on the tripod.

 

[Nitrosteel]

I have the MOA version. I bought it as a demo unit for a CRAZY price from midway USA last February. I put the 20-60 eyepiece on it and everyone that comes out and shoots is amazed. Makes sighting in and calling hits super easy.

Midway had one without eyepiece just last week for around $1800 in an MRAD version - I believe it is gone now. Hang out and you can find one relatively cheap. I don’t know of anything better. With reticle off it is just a regular scope and you’d never know. Very nice design with separate parallax adjustment to keep reticle sharp.

Hope this helps

 

[Speedarino]

A lot of guys in ELR run them. I have the moa version. They’re great with a gear head on the tripod.

 

[Speedarino]

Appreciate your input, ELR will be its use.
Thanks for taking the time

 

[Speedarino]

I have the MOA version. I bought it as a demo unit for a CRAZY price from midway USA last February. I put the 20-60 eyepiece on it and everyone that comes out and shoots is amazed. Makes sighting in and calling hits super easy.

Midway had one without eyepiece just last week for around $1800 in an MRAD version - I believe it is gone now. Hang out and you can find one relatively cheap. I don’t know of anything better. With reticle off it is just a regular scope and you’d never know. Very nice design with separate parallax adjustment to keep reticle sharp.

Hope this helps

 

[Speedarino]

That sounds great Nitro. I’ll keep watch. Have you found that the centerline ret ever gets in the way? We’ve used some with offset rets that made impact spotting (on and off target pretty easy).
Is there any thing about it you really don’t like and what do you consider its two best features?
PS straight or angled?
Thanks for your time and info.

 

[Nitrosteel]

It only comes in straight. There’s really nothing I don’t like about it other than weight - which is listed in the specs - so you can’t complain about that.

I like the brightness control and the night settings. I’ve never had it get in the way.

 

[gpowers]

It is a great spotter, have never found myself wanting more. The reticle has never gotten in my way, if it does you can always turn down the brightness. The only negative I have found is no one makes a cover for it that can be left on while in use.
Here is a 2/3 IPSC with flapper at 820 yards, if I remember correctly, taken with an iPhone and a phone skope.

 

[FS1]

I have one with the mil ret. I have nothing bad to say about it except very few case options. I was able to find something that worked. but it took creativity.

 

[simpy16]

I bought an STR65 before they stopped making them. Coming from a Leupy Mark 4 spotter it was a clear difference in glass quality. I have the 25-50 wide angle eyepiece on mine and it is nice how much more field of view you get, but the only downside for me is that sometimes 25 on the low end just feels like a lot. That is where the 12-40 on the Mark 4 seemed like the perfect amount, super easy to transition to targets and still plenty to spot shots, sometimes maybe a tad easier cuz of the ability to zoom out and watch trace.

I have used it for both target and hunting and it performed just as I had hoped it would. I agree that I wish Swaro would have made a cover for it similar to their other lines, even though it would have cost an extra couple hundred it would add a little piece of mind.

 

[Speedarino]

Great useful info. I really preshate the help, this one in on the list

 

[mkollman74]

I love mine. You won't be disappointed.

 

[Jong]

It is a great spotter, have never found myself wanting more. The reticle has never gotten in my way, if it does you can always turn down the brightness. The only negative I have found is no one makes a cover for it that can be left on while in use.
Here is a 2/3 IPSC with flapper at 820 yards, if I remember correctly, taken with an iPhone and a phone skope.

I don't know if it's possible to get a cover for it but you should try triad tactical. I have a Spotter 60 Hensoldt, and when I got it nobody made a cover for it. I contacted Triad and they told me to send my spotter there. They made one for it, gave me a free cover for letting them use my scope, and are now selling the covers for a Spotter 60 because I asked.

 

[gpowers]

I don't know if it's possible to get a cover for it but you should try triad tactical. I have a Spotter 60 Hensoldt, and when I got it nobody made a cover for it. I contacted Triad and they told me to send my spotter there. They made one for it, gave me a free cover for letting them use my scope, and are now selling the covers for a Spotter 60 because I asked.

I will check into that. Thank you sir.

 

[Geno C.]

I will check into that. Thank you sir.

Let us know what you find out

 

[Greensnake]

I've got one in MIL. Great spotter. I too bought it from Midway on clearnance. Around $2100 and I scored a 20-60 eyepiece off ebay for $175. Be patient and you can grab a great deal!! I use my Bushnell Legend T out to 500 yards and then break out the STR any further than that. Down sides are heavy as stated, bulky, and no cases or covers. I bought one of the new lightweight Pelican Air cases and carry it in that. Oh yeah, and use a gear head

 

[Austaz]

I picked one up a few weeks ago to replace a Bushnell tactical, so far very happy. The clarity is amazing and I actually find myself only using 20-30x on the zoom for steel as you can see impacts, trace etc. Then yesterday I used 60x to see very clearly .22 impacts on a steel coyote at 350 yards, could see the individual marks and count hits, see new ones vs some other scopes that just saw the steel move (not much, it’s a .22 ...).
Some down sides are the reticle does get in the way of spotting splash if I set it up right over the target, I either set it up off center or switch it on and off. Also the 20x minimum zoom can make it hard to find the targets, fixed with a red dot on the side.

Setup is standards rail on one side, I think it’s a 4 slot and M4 screws to attach to the scope vs the $200 Swarovski ones. Sig Romeo 5 cowitnesses to the scope and it’s so easy to look through right eye to align the scope on target via this then switch back to left to look through the scope. Arca plate on other side and MPA rat clamp I had, mounted to a RRS micro ball head and Arca plate on the side of the rangefinder mount to get it cowitnessed as well. Can remove range finder and mounts easily and putting back on it holds zero good enough.
Had do so some drilling etc to get the holes in the plates and put threads into the side of the rangefinder mount.

 

[Rokfor2K]

Let me know if you decide to sell it. Looking for one.