Anyone using the Vortex Golden Eagle?

[DonB]

Wondering if anyone has any experience with the Vortex Golden Eagle? I've been wanting to try one for some long distance target shooting, but it's kinda expensive to just experiment with. I haven't even been able to find one at any local gun shops to look through. If anyone has some real world experience with one I would appreciate some feedback.

[DonB]

Wow, no one? Guess they are just too new.

[m12lrs]

I have one in the cabinet. Just waiting for my new bench gun to get here.

[DonB]

Thanks for the reply m12lrs. Be sure to post your opinions on it once you get it mounted up.

[Rob01]

Been using one for a little while now. My first F class style scope in a higher power range. Most of my scopes are in the FFP 5-25x area. I found it to be very interesting experience being able to see so well LOL Glass is very good. Clicks on knobs are audible and tacticle as you can see from the video below. I have the ECR-1 reticle and I like it a lot for this style scope. The dot is a good size to drop in the center of a target for a precision shot. Below is a pretty crappy through the scope pic but gives an idea of the reticle on 40x at about 100 yards on a car. Took it out the house window when someone was wondering about the reticle.

It also comes with an ASR or Aperture Stop Ring described by Vortex as:

"Broadens the depth of focus allowing the shooter to more easily observe down range mirage and other wind indicators while keeping the target in focus."

I have never used anything like it but again reading others who have say it works very well.

All in all the scope is very good for the competitions it was designed to be used in. Shooters in Accurate Shooters forums who have more experience with other similar style optics are saying it's right there with the NF competition scopes and some say better.

http://i.imgur.com/YwKTr3d.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/qnSOFFs.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voNlW0oYu_g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voNlW0oYu_g

[JeepsAndGuns]

I too have one. I did a lot of looking around and was deciding between this and a nightforce scope. I ended up choosing the golden eagle, mainly because I have a viper PST 6-24-50 ffp on my AR10 and really like it. Plus vortex scope always have really good reviews.
I got the same reticle as rob01. This is the fist time I have used a reticle other than standard cross hairs. I was a little worried I wouldn't like it, it takes a tiny bit to get used to it, but now that I have, I really like it.
It is very clear and magnification is great. I have not even turned mine all the way up yet. Most I have gone so far is about 35 power. The turrets are nice positive clicks and easy to read numbers. It comes with two different windage knobs, one standard, and one dual marked. The parralex knob is a tiny bit stiff, but may free up with some more use. It is not like most scopes with yardage markings on the parralex knob, instead it is just different sized lines. You pretty much just turn it until everything is crisp and focused.
All and all I would highly recommend it. However I could be biased as this is the first high power, high end scope I have ever had. So I do not have much to compare to other than sub $200 scopes (not counting the above mentioned viper)

[DonB]

Thanks guys. I think I'm sold. I have some other Vortex products and I am very happy with them. Just wanted some real world input on the Golden Eagle before I made a final decision.

[cowtownup]

My friend has one and we have compared them side by side to my Nightforce BR 12-42 and they are very similar IMO. I like the knobs better on the Vortex since they are bigger, but I'm still a little partial to the NF for no particular reason... LOL.. We also compared side by side with the Nightforce Competition that same day and I think we determined that the NF Comp edged out the Vortex slightly.. Still very close though...