mebiuspower
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http ://www.scout.com/military/snipers-hide/story/1570133-elcan-specterdr-1x-4x-review
Sniper's Hide - Elcan SpecterDR 1x/4x Review
- Thread starter mebiuspower
- Start date
Another paid review that doesn't address the downfalls like the piss poor elevation adjustment design. The sights weigh a ton as well. Everyone I have ever talked to that has been forced to use an Elcan professionally has hated it. That carries more merit than this review in my opinion.
TW25B
TW25B
TV-PressPass
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
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- Cow-town, Alberta
The Brits I've worked with really liked their OS4x, but they're coming from the SUSAT before...
Honestly, I've never met someone who used the Specter as their primary optic in a professional context.
It's worth noting: this isn't a paid review. It's a review written by a retailer who sells Elcans. Not the same thing.
Honestly, I've never met someone who used the Specter as their primary optic in a professional context.
It's worth noting: this isn't a paid review. It's a review written by a retailer who sells Elcans. Not the same thing.
onetwentyish
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- East Central AB (AKA Northern Texas)
Im still looking for something to fill the combat optic role that can achieve what my Specter DR's can do or surpass them. I have not had any luck so like the author of the article I have been collecting them. Currently have 4 Specter DR 1-4x and 1 1.5-6x.
The areas that they excell at in my opinion are:
-optical qlarity
-next to bullet proof durability
-overall compact scope size
-large field of view
-1-4x magnification
-illuminated but not battery dependant reticle
-NV compatible
-back up irons incase of heavy rain fall, mud, or snow on the lenses
-instant snap magnification change, not dialing the magnification up or down.
Im sure there are other features I am missing, but those arr the main features I desire.
The areas that they excell at in my opinion are:
-optical qlarity
-next to bullet proof durability
-overall compact scope size
-large field of view
-1-4x magnification
-illuminated but not battery dependant reticle
-NV compatible
-back up irons incase of heavy rain fall, mud, or snow on the lenses
-instant snap magnification change, not dialing the magnification up or down.
Im sure there are other features I am missing, but those arr the main features I desire.
I agree with onetwentyish .
I've been an elcan fan since my first specter dr. It solved my running coyote issues. If the bugger runs one flip of the lever and I'm on it.
My ATRS Modern Hunter is in on Tuesday and so is it's elcan.
These optics have upped my game for sure
I've been an elcan fan since my first specter dr. It solved my running coyote issues. If the bugger runs one flip of the lever and I'm on it.
My ATRS Modern Hunter is in on Tuesday and so is it's elcan.
These optics have upped my game for sure
onetwentyish
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- East Central AB (AKA Northern Texas)
If you need a 7.62x51 Specter DR 1.5-6x, check mine on the ee for some big savings.. Bought it for my Modern Hunter early this spring, but ended up buying a Pre-owned Modern Hunter with higher mag scope and decided to keep it like that for now to fill more of precision rifle role untill I can afford a DTA SRS A1 in .338lm
So what is this difference? This retailer still has a vested interest in giving a stellar review.
TV-PressPass
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Cow-town, Alberta
Yeah, but they didn't pay for it. And more importantly: Elcan didn't pay for it.
A retailer review is a retailer trying to show their street savvy and feature a product they sell.
A paid review is a manufacturer trying to insidiously insert themselves into a normally neutral environment. It's duplicitous.
Picture two scenarios:
In one example we have the pimply kid at EB Games telling you he likes the Xbox One. Of course he does, he works in a videogame store! But he also prefers it over the PS4 because he plays the same two demos over and over on his breaks. He's selling stuff, but he's also got an opinion. Now his opinion is limited and biased. Maybe he's never seen what a good PC can do. Or gets a discount on a slurpee when he sells an Xbox game. But you know he's selling to you when he offers his opinion.
Scenario two (and this really happened) is we have a v-blogger who's done thousands of "lets play" videos and head to heads. He does a head to head of the Xbox and PS4, but is secretly getting cash directly from Microsoft to make sure the Xbox comes out ahead. He's presented himself as neutral, but intentionally favored a particular product.
Scenario two (and this really happened) is we have a v-blogger who's done thousands of "lets play" videos and head to heads. He does a head to head of the Xbox and PS4, but is secretly getting cash directly from Microsoft to make sure the Xbox comes out ahead. He's presented himself as neutral, but intentionally favored a particular product.
In the Elcan review, we've got a bias that we can see. The guy sells Elcans, and he likes them. No surprise there.
I'm not arguing it's a good review, but it's not a duplicitous review created by Elcan to steal business from say ... Trijicon.
When I worked on the floor at Wholesale Sports, I sold binoculars. I spent fricken days looking through binoculars, testing them in different light conditions, different ranges etc. I figured out what I liked, what I didn't, and what I personally would be willing to pay for. So when someone came to the counter and said "show me some options" I could pull out different things from different brands, and give them some tests to do themselves to find what they liked. I sold a lot of Vortex there, not because there was any special kickback, but because when I stacked mid-range binos side by side I liked their glass and features better. I felt like mid-range ($300-$800) was the right amount of money for me and most people to spend on that product. $25 cheapies looked like sh** and hurt my eyes. $3500 Zeiss, Swaro, and Leica were nice, but not really practical.
My only "vested interest" was in selling someone a pair of binoculars. Any pair. But the brands and models I sold were picked by me based on extensive use in a controlled (but also limited) environment.
Love my DR, because Its my only illuminated optic that has been 100% trouble free. Every other optic that had illuminated reticles or Red dots have sh!t the bed on me. From that Vortex 1-4 crap to my last Nightforce.
Took a Canadian made product to stand up to range abuse... lol
Took a Canadian made product to stand up to range abuse... lol
Love both of mine. Freakin' bulletproof.
Clarity is remarkable, like S&B, and all the other reasons in post #4.
Like TV said, a retailer's review is a bit different than a paid review, which may as well be ad copy.
From what I've seen, independent retailers seem to carry products they like and can stand behind. Whoring out their reputation and credibility with a BS review of something that's crap is actually a tougher way to make a living, in the long run.
One thing you can count on -- be it guns, cars, optics or beer -- is that every decent product will have its share of haters... and to me that's fine, keeps everyone on their toes! YMMV.
Clarity is remarkable, like S&B, and all the other reasons in post #4.
Like TV said, a retailer's review is a bit different than a paid review, which may as well be ad copy.
From what I've seen, independent retailers seem to carry products they like and can stand behind. Whoring out their reputation and credibility with a BS review of something that's crap is actually a tougher way to make a living, in the long run.
One thing you can count on -- be it guns, cars, optics or beer -- is that every decent product will have its share of haters... and to me that's fine, keeps everyone on their toes! YMMV.
Really? Is that why NEA, Marstar, Vortex, Bushnell, Scorpion Optics, NcStar/Leapers/UTG, Hi point firearms, Keltec, and Norinco to name a few all do it? And what about all the endorsed custom guns, are they vetted by the celebrities that put their name on it? It's about making money, not selling top shelf gear for most.
Whether a vendor "likes" the product or not has little to do with whether or not the product is a quality one. Selling what's popular and/or what offers high margins is often the driving factor in determining what gear to carry.
All I'm saying is that a vendor review is not unbiased and you will never see any negative comments about a product that said vendor is selling. Reviews done by people who have no dog in the race and who paid with their hard earned money are a better barometer.
TW25B
mebiuspower
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Morontario
The Elcan Specter DR doesn't get enough praise... whether it be a vendor review or not. Common complaint about the weight and the ARMS mount goes out the window when you look thru the sight. Elcan stands by their product and this is coming directly from the Elcan rep at SHOT that I spoke with. My NF 1-4x with a Larue LT104 mount weights just as much.
Besides, we should be glad to have Elcan in our back yard.
Besides, we should be glad to have Elcan in our back yard.
I'm not in the heads of the retailers, so I'll hold off making conclusive statements as to what drives them.
Maybe you're right and they are mostly dishonest profiteers who take no pride in what they've chosen to do with their lives.
However if you think consumers who post reviews have no dog in the race, then maybe you should spread the cynicism around more evenly.
It's human nature to validate our choices as the correct ones, and it takes a disciplined consumer to admit to themselves much less everyone else that they made a mistake. It's exactly *because* they've spent their hard earned money that those reviews are sometimes anything but unbiased.
In any case, let's suppose you're right and we can "better trust" consumer reviews. Doesn't that mean, based on your argument, that the Specter DR is pretty awesome given what you've read in this thread by those who've spent their hard earned money, myself included?
At the end of the day, it's smart to avoid absolutes and sweeping generalizations. Likely there is a spectrum of "review integrity" as wide as there are retailers and consumers -- an end-user would be better off using reviews simply to highlight products they should consider, then make their own decisions based on their own experiences.
I agree and I never said user reviews were to be taken as gospel either. All I'm saying is that vendor reviews are biased and will never mention any negatives about a product. If you want to learn more about features then a vendor review is great.
You indicate that people will strive to validate their purchases by offering a biased opinion of the product, and I agree. Which is why you need to take a user review with a grain of salt as well. I think looking at multiple reviews from credible users and especially long time users will give you a much better average of the product.
Satisfied users on this forum or any other are a good place to start. What may be more telling is what dissatisfied users have to say. The negatives to the Elcan line are hard problems that cannot be fixed. They are bulky, heavy, the reticles in some offerings are bizarre and the external adjustment system has proven to be less than robust. Other complaints are the limited FOV which doesn't effect all models but is still a gripe. The integral mount and lack of aftermarket mounts is a negative, as is the low battery life. The biggest downfall to the Elcan series is the price. There are plenty of very good high end optics available for similar cost and many for less, which plays against the Elcan series.
TW25B
Gunnerlove
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Vancouver Island
I am currently running a Specter OS4 and I am not sure what I would replace it with that is not a step down in quality or a big step up in dollars.
