I've just picked up this spotter: https://www.leupold.com/spotti...pes/gr-12-40x60mm-hd

It's primary use will be Rocky Mountain big game hunting.

What's the difference between it and the US military sniper spotter, the M4:

https://www.leupold.com/spotti...tical-spotting-scope

Well, there is the price. Having just bought my first spotting scope, an old, old Nickel Marburg 15-60x, I am not in a position to evaluate such things.

If all the numbers align, then maybe it is lens quality or coatings or their mountings' strength - or maybe it is just marketing.

One thing I know is that army procurement's buying something does not always mean it is perfect.

Disregard Sambar's comments. The difference is that the tactical spotter is FFP, and has a mil reticle. Glass, coatings, function, etc are the same otherwise.

Sorry Grubbs,
pity you hadn't chimed in earlier since EMP3's post had been up for damned-near three weeks with nary an answer.

The price difference seems quite a lot for just a graticule. Are you sure that's all there is?

quote:

Originally posted by sambarman338:
The price difference seems quite a lot for just a graticule. Are you sure that's all there is?

Absolutely not! Leupold puts a lot of money into paying advertising agencies to write grand superlatives about their higher-priced products. There are literally hundreds of thousands of dollars of input costs spent on advertising and copy writing by creative minds that doesn't go into Leupold's lower-priced products.

So yes, physically and optically they may be essentially the same, but in terms of promotion and hype there is a huge difference. Otherwise, Leupold could never justify their much higher prices.

High volume sales need advertising.

Dave