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HELP! LEUPOLD GR COMPACT vs NIKON PROSTAFF

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Agustinmx View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Agustinmx Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: HELP! LEUPOLD GR COMPACT vs NIKON PROSTAFF
    Posted: September/12/2008 at 20:29

Hello everybody I really need your advice to choose my first Spotting Scope for Hunting !!!

I 'm between the LEUPOLD GOLDEN RING COMPACT 15-30X50  $400  VS  NIKON PROSTAFF 16-48x65  $400,
This will be my first Spotting Scope and Iwant something is worth, without breaking my wallet, I will use it on open and close country hunts both in Mexico and the United States (deer, mule deer, predators, prognhorn, elk) . I like the leupold as it is compact and light but maybe I'll go for the Nikon if it has a relevant advantage on brightness and low light performance.
 
Thanks for all your comments and if you want suggest other models.
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Urimaginaryfrnd View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Urimaginaryfrnd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/12/2008 at 21:18
I think I would have to go with the Nikon.

"Always do the right thing, just because it is the right thing to do".
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lucznik View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lucznik Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/13/2008 at 00:04
And I will throw in my vote for the Leupold.
What if the hokey pokey really is what it's all about?
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Agustinmx View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Agustinmx Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/14/2008 at 15:03
Ok thanks, could you give some details / impresions of each please?  As I live in Mexico I can't go to the store and  try them. I'll buy it based on your opinions and get it through a friend who lives  in the States.
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lucznik View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lucznik Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/14/2008 at 16:59
I don't advise anyone buy anything on the basis of my opinion.  I'll tell you what I do/do not like but, you need to make the decision for what you buy on your own.

As most people on this forum already know, I am not a big fan of the 60-65mm class of spotting scopes.  Basically I find them to be "neither fish nor fowl."  They aren't big enough to adequately accomplish all of the tasks I expect, such as digiscoping, astronomy, etc. and they are also neither small enough nor light enough to comfortably carry when hiking/hunting in the backcountry.  For this reason, I have two spotting scopes; an 80mm Bushnell Elite and a 50mm Leupold Golden Ring Compact.  That way I can pick the scope that will best serve the needs of a given trip.

If I absolutely had to limit myself to only one scope, I might be more tempted by the 60mm class.  In such a case, I would want something like the Pentax PF-65 so that I could take advantage of its ED glass element.  Of course, that scope is beyond your $400 budget. 

The one Nikon Prostaff that I (very briefly) handled did not impress me.  I remember it being too large, heavy, and awkward.  Image quality was good but, not better than that of the Nikon Spotter XL II or the 60mm Bushnell Elite, both of which are lighter, smaller, and less expensive.

So, for a 60-65mm, sub-$400 scope I would suggest you look at:

Stokes (Vortex) Sandpiper - I know of noone who owns this scope that has not been absolutely blown away by its quality, especially considering its very low price.
 
Bushnell Excursion - Has its limitations but, it also has some pretty awesome advantages over its competition.  The eyeglass wearer would be especially well served by this scope.

Nikon Spotter XL II - I have a friend who swears by this scope.  He also has shot a couple of world-class mule deer that would make even the most dedicated trophy hunter drool like a baby.  Needless to say, he knows his stuff.

Bushnell Elite - I had problems with the eye relief with the one I briefly owned but, if you don't have totally crappy vision like I do, this might not be a problem.  This scope has a stellar reputation for ruggedness and reliability.







Edited by lucznik - September/14/2008 at 17:00
What if the hokey pokey really is what it's all about?
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Agustinmx View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Agustinmx Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/14/2008 at 20:12
thanks a lot, and i appreciate your useful information.

By the way, I am limiting my budget on $400 for my spotting scope as I am going to buy a Zeiss Divari Riflescope on 6-24x56mm that I'm going to put on my all arround rifle.
I think is more important to have a good rifle scope rather than the spotting scope, and maybe I'll  follow your way buying the Leupold SS in 50mm and later I'll buy a bigger Spotting Scope.
However I have a doubt  regarding the statemnent that says that anyone shouldn't use its riflescope as a Spotting Scope....  I have read that is due to eye fatige, but  I'd like to know how true is this



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lucytuma View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lucytuma Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/14/2008 at 20:25
Well, the gun safety rules say: never point your loaded rifle at something you don't intend to shoot, not becouse of eye fatigue but for safety.  Every year I here of people using their rifle scopes trying to identify who the other hunter is in the tree stand a 100yds. away.   
"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." - Thomas Jefferson
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lucznik View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lucznik Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/14/2008 at 22:12
Originally posted by lucytuma lucytuma wrote:

Well, the gun safety rules say: never point your loaded rifle at something you don't intend to shoot, not becouse of eye fatigue but for safety.  Every year I here of people using their rifle scopes trying to identify who the other hunter is in the tree stand a 100yds. away.   


Amen!

You should never use your riflescope as a spotting scope.  Ever.

I get very cranky when I see people pointing a gun in my direction. 
What if the hokey pokey really is what it's all about?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote anweis Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/15/2008 at 06:18
Originally posted by Agustinmx Agustinmx wrote:

thanks a lot, and i appreciate your useful information.

By the way, I am limiting my budget on $400 for my spotting scope as I am going to buy a Zeiss Divari Riflescope on 6-24x56mm that I'm going to put on my all arround rifle.
I think is more important to have a good rifle scope rather than the spotting scope, and maybe I'll  follow your way buying the Leupold SS in 50mm and later I'll buy a bigger Spotting Scope.
However I have a doubt  regarding the statemnent that says that anyone shouldn't use its riflescope as a Spotting Scope....  I have read that is due to eye fatige, but  I'd like to know how true is this



 
Don't even think of using the rifle scope for observation. That is dangerously stupid and unproductive.
I would go exactly opposite. Either a premium binocular (in 8x42 or 10x42) or a premium spotting scope, and a $300 rifle scope would be a better and safer choice if you ask me. A wide angle high quality binocular would also show you properly what is around and behind your target, so you could decide to take a safe shot or pass. Finding and properly identifying your game is just as important as shooting well. If you use a rifle scope for observation, no matter how good it is, you are not able to properly assess the field situation, you get tunnel vision due to the narrow field of view of the rifle scope, and you potentially shoot in an unsafe manner. In fact, because of the narrow field of the rifle scope, you may never find your game.
If i had $2000. i would buy a $1500 binocular and a $500 rifle scope.  
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KY Gun Geek View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote KY Gun Geek Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/21/2008 at 20:08
+1

I too heard of regular reports of people being shot by someone glassing with a scope.  Didn't believe them until a buddy of mine actually shot a deer he didn't want to because he was looking at it through the scope.  It was a very small spike buck and he had decided not to shoot it.  There another spike with him and they started knocking horns.  He watched them for about 10 minutes.  Got sloppy with the trigger finger and BAM!  Not a good way to fill his buck tag for the year.

Really stupid.

A year later a guy in a neighboring tree stand - about 600 yards away kept glassing me with his scope.  I waved several times, he kept scoping (I was using binoculars).  It was driving me bonkers - having what was probably a loaded gun pointed at me.  This went on for an hour or so.  Finally, I unloaded my rifle and pointed it at him (sorry to admit).  At that he kinda jumped and wiggled and looked another direction.  He did it again, so I did it again (I'm not proud).  Next time I looked he wasn't in the stand.

About 45 minutes later he and a buddy came walking up under my stand.  He started giving me what for.  I just looked at him, told him mine was unloaded and asked how he knew I was pointing my rifle at him.  He said he could see it though his scope.  Whacko I said something like "turnabout was fair play" and asked him to leave my property and buy a pair of binoculars.  He started cussing at me, but his buddy got the point and told him they should leave - guy didn't even realize he'd been pointing a loaded rifle at me. 

Don't use a rifle scope as a spotting scope:

1) All guns are always loaded
2) Finger off the trigger until you are ready to fire
3) Know your target and what's beyond
4) Don't point a gun at anything you don't want to kill or destroy
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ms6852 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/08/2008 at 15:18

I would choose which every you like between the sandpiper, nikon xl, or nikon prostaff.  Through the resolution tests I have performed on all 3 I find them very close optically.  So it becomes a choice of what features you like or do not like. the difference between the nikon xl and prostaff is that the XL has a roof prism that allow for more compactness which is why it costs a little more.  Personally I would choose the prostaff because it allows you to change lenses if should you desire to go with fix power wide angle lenses which would give you better eye relieft.  The con on the Nikon is that it has short eye relief especially if you wear glasses.

Always run from a fight...but if they catch you deliver them to hell personally.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Lyly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/17/2008 at 20:18
Has anyone ever seen this knife before and can it really be used on a bayonet? It is said that it can fit together with a AK47 rifle. Maybe it is a copy of some old military knife that was used back in one of the wars? The website that it is on is www.lducompany.com I am wondering if it can fit on any other types of guns or rifles. Does it look like something that would be used by Chinese, Koreans, or Russians. Here is a link to the knives page http://www.liangdianup.com/knives_1.htm and it is the knife with the number 406023 right at the top of the page.Any help would be appreciated before I order it all the way from China :)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Gymrat500 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/20/2008 at 11:33
Originally posted by Lyly Lyly wrote:

Has anyone ever seen this knife before and can it really be used on a bayonet? It is said that it can fit together with a AK47 rifle. Maybe it is a copy of some old military knife that was used back in one of the wars? The website that it is on is www.lducompany.com I am wondering if it can fit on any other types of guns or rifles. Does it look like something that would be used by Chinese, Koreans, or Russians. Here is a link to the knives page http://www.liangdianup.com/knives_1.htm and it is the knife with the number 406023 right at the top of the page.Any help would be appreciated before I order it all the way from China :)
 
??  What does this have to do with the question at hand??  They are talking about spotting scopes not knives. Whacko  Are you sure you put this question in the right forum??
Confucius Says - Man who Stand on Toilet is High on Pot.
He also said : Never impose on others what you would not choose for yourself.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote anweis Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/20/2008 at 13:35
Hey, those are nice knives, considering that they are made of old bean cans.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lucznik Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/01/2008 at 18:25
Originally posted by Lyly Lyly wrote:

...can [this knife] it really be used [as] a bayonet? It is said that it can fit together with a AK47 rifle.


A bayonet?  You planning on engaging in trench warfare sometime soon?

I don't know... I'm getting a distinct "mall ninja" vibe...Karate
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote anweis Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/03/2008 at 06:08
I agree with everything that lucznick posted, and i underscore the Stokes Sandpiper.
Well bellow $300, excellent quality, and backed by a "no questions asked" warranty.
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