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U.S. Secret Service issue Steiners

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Chris Farris View Drop Down
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    Posted: July/02/2007 at 12:32

The agents that are assigned to the president are issued 15x80 Steiners and every so often they trade them in whether there is something wrong with them or not.  Steiner sells them to us at a discount and we usually put them on the SampleList.com site.

 

We found a box of them while doing an inventory and these date back to the Clinton administration (only if these binos could talk).

 

Selling right now on eBay with no reserve.

 

     



Edited by Chris Farris
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koshkin View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/02/2007 at 17:33
Chris, I have never seen these live.  How good is the glass?  What do you think these compare to?

ILya
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Chris Farris Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/03/2007 at 09:50

They are very impressive, the glass compares to the Steiner Hunting line with the C.A.T. coatings.  The Senator model uses different (better) glass and coatings compared to the 15x80 Observer.  It is really hard to compare them to another binocular.  They remind me of a BigEye dual spotting scope set up.  Surprisingly they are not difficult to use, just move your hands as close to the objective as possible because they are nose heavy.  The weight and size actually make them easier to hold steady.  The individual eye focus makes them even more user friendly because you can look 30 feet or 500 yards and not have to refocus.

 

They are also offered with a compass and in 20x.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mike McDonald Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/03/2007 at 10:36
I've used a pair of the Secret Service Bino's in 15x.

Amazing image quality and depth perception.  Still don't know why I don't own a pair, nothing hides from these things.
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koshkin View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/03/2007 at 13:31
Sounds interesting.  I suppose we will see how the Ebay bidding goes.

ILya
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mike McDonald Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/03/2007 at 18:26
Hey that's it!

I don't own a pair cuz I don't Ebay
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/03/2007 at 18:34
Try samplelist then.

If Ebay bidding goes above my limits, I might try that.

ILya
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Chris in NorCal Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/04/2007 at 14:24

Can they be attach to a tripod?

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Chris Farris Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/05/2007 at 09:52
Yes they can be mounted to a tripod.  Steiner makes an adapter that clamps onto the center shaft.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Chris in NorCal Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/05/2007 at 10:24
Please provide a link to the adaptor
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Chris Farris Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/05/2007 at 11:08

Pioneer Research
97 Foster Road Suite5
Moorestown, NJ 08057
Phone: (800) 257-7742
Fax: (856) 866-8615

 

 

They come with the binoculars when new, they don't have them on the price list separately so you will need to contact them direct.



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Mike McDonald View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mike McDonald Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/16/2007 at 18:33
Koshkin  you'll be happy to know that I've procured a set of these.

My "Ebay" was painless
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bird Watcher Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/16/2007 at 20:13
Mike,

Nice catch! I hope they arrive in collimation. Let us know what you think of the 15x80mm.

I was considering a refurbished Steiner 25x80mm Observer, instead, I opted for a 25x100mm Garrett Optical.(my biggest catch so far @ 10 lbs.)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/17/2007 at 00:33
Originally posted by Mike McDonald Mike McDonald wrote:

Koshkin  you'll be happy to know that I've procured a set of these.

My "Ebay" was painless


How do you like them?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mike McDonald Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/17/2007 at 07:46
Was out playing with these last evening and into the darkness.

Steiner did a fantastic refurb job.  I've used other Steiners, and have other high end binos.  All of those seem to impart
some slight cast to the image from lens coatings, the IOR's being the most tinted, and Observers having just enough
color balance influence to notice.  These units are crisp, sharp, precise, easy to focus easy to hold and balance.

I checked them  for image quality ( subjective outside the lab ) near/far focus, ability to resolve miute detail, and low light/no light performance.

If there is any light at all these things see.  Thats the short version.
Depth perception and detail resolution is on the upper end of phenominal.
Unlike any other unit I've tried, or own, there is  no sense of magnification imparted.  You're just standing right in front of something that's 800-1200 yards distant and viewing it as though you were there.

These are keepers.

I just need to order an ocular cover and tripod mount and we're good to go.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/17/2007 at 16:24
All right.  I've got one on the way. I'll let you know how I like it.

ILya
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/23/2007 at 12:48
OK.  These binoculars rock!

Amazingly enough, because of how long these are, I can actually handhold them reasonably comfortably (although not for too long).  Still I sent an e-mail to Steiner to ask about a tripod adapter.

ILya
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Roy Finn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/23/2007 at 16:24
Glad you like those Steiner's, ILya.  Let me know if you have any problem getting the tripod adaptor.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mike McDonald Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/27/2007 at 19:00
Tirpod mount ordered from SWFA arrived today.

 Slightly different from the 20x mount I'm used to, and I think it's better, at least for the field tripod currently in use.  Gives more room under the bios for the tripod adjustments to be accessed.

Time to hit the range
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/01/2007 at 12:22
Well, Steiner has successfully ignored my e-mails for a bout a week now, so I guess I'll order a tripod mount from SWFA in the meantime.

ILya
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