You will likely spend twice that amount to get a better optic. I have numerous Zeiss, Leica, Swarovski, and Vortex binoculars. The UHD's are optically among the finest I have ever used.
With components at ridiculous prices and no hope for the future, I typically don't recommend folks getting into reloading. I'm glad I stockpiled everything years ago, when we reloaded because it saved money and allowed us to produce more accurate loads than factory. Neither holds as much...
Marketing is the major factor in my opinion. Most consumers never have the opportunity to try Kowa branded products. On the other hand, many people likely use older Kowa products branded for other companies and don't even realize it.
I adjusted an old Redfield 3x9 some years ago and it was quite easy. I purchased a spanner wrench from Amazon. You have to be very careful to adjust the spanner to the proper width and not scratch the lens.
I am a pre-owned optics dealer and nothing outsells older Leupold scopes. Pre 2000 models are my best sellers. Variables sell better than fixed powers. Most of my customers want AO. Gloss models bring more than matte.
If you are willing to spend a few hundred more, I would think Vortex UHD'S (used or refurbished) or used Swarovski SLC'S would surpass anything in this discussion. Unfortunately, the AK prisms make the UHD'S quite a bit larger.
One has to wonder how the market will respond to the HDX being made in Japan vs the HD made in Germany. I would think Kamakura makes both models anyway.
For big game shots up to 400 yards, you should not be dialing. It is totally unnecessary. Study your ballistics and point blank ranges. Use a holdover reticle if you like, but no need to dial at the specified ranges.
Zeiss Conquest ($700-800 new) or used Vortex UHD'S or Swarovski SLC'S for around 1K. I am also a fan of the older Leica Trinovid BA/BN series, which are available for under 1K.
It depends on what you are hunting. For big game, a 3x9 is more than sufficient for the specified ranges (in reality, a 4X easily handles big game at ranges up to 400 yards). Dialing is completely unnecessary for your ranges and there's way too much emphasis on it here. In 50 years of Eastern...
This will depend on which Vortex optic you are comparing. Razor UHD'S are comparable optically to most any Swarovski, but Vortex makes alot of lower quality optics that should not even be in this discussion. I always say you get what you pay for in this business. I am a dealer and routinely...