spotting scopes

[JohnN]

Looking for a low cost spotting scope for the range.200 yards max. Do you prefer straight or angled. Our range has tables and I also have a larger tripod.

 

[Tom Compton]

Used a straight for 30+ years. Never had s tripod tall enough. Just bought a Konus w angled eye piece. Big help

TC

 

[Don Steele]

Mine is straight. That's all I've ever owned. It works fine, no issues. That said, I've had occasion to use a buddy's scope with the angled eyepiece and would most likely choose that style if I were in the market today.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

At what range are you most concerned, and what caliber? Will you be using "reactive" targets that cause a yellow or orange circle to form around the hole made by the bullet?

I ask as the farther the distance + the smaller the hole, and without contrast = you need a better quality scope. You are paying for the quality of the lenses and mechanism which = clearer at longer distances. :wink: So for 50 yards, a an inexpensive scopewould work..., even an inexpensive pair of binoculars....perhaps out to 100 yards, especially if you were using a .54 or with contrast targets. Say in the below $100 price range.

However, if you're going to 100 yards with standard black on white NMLRA or other standard targets, and especially if you are going to give 100+ yards a whack with calibers of .50 or smaller (or if you want a spotter that also works well for modern .22's and such at 100 yards) ..., you may want to spend more money for a better distance scope.

Normally, what I have found is that when you get above the $150 mark, you're talking scopes that are sufficiently clear when focused to distinguish holes from .22 - 6.5mm -.30 caliber out to 300 yards..., give or take the brand, and if you're doing 500 - 1000 yard shooting you'll probably start at $400 and work up toward $1000 or more in a spotting scope for competition.

LD

 

[JohnN]

I use 54 to 69 caliber round ball on plain paper targets. Minimum 25 yards maximum 200.

 

[nkbj]

Mine is whatever the better 2/3's got me for Christmas. Or was it birthday? Anyhow, it's good enough for grass hoppers at a gazillion yards, an angle jobbie on a tripod. Really handy for sighting in at a hundred.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Cost is always a trade-off with optics. Set your budget and shop around.
My straight 15X60 Redfield is a great scope, I have been using it over 40 years. But I would prefer angled. To use the straight it must be mounted quite high on a tripod.

 

[ZUG]

An angled eye piece is more versatile especially when shooting in different positions - i.e. prone, sitting, standing. Buy the BEST you can afford - buy once not multiple times to find "the right one". Buy the one with the most power & quality your budget can manage. I've been down that road MANY times in the past. I now have a Celestron 20-60X80 and it does everything I need it to do :v .

 

[hanshi]

I have a straight Bushnell and large, telescoping tripod that i bought many years ago. It was inexpensive considering today's inflated dollar but not back then. It came in a nice, hard case and goes up to, at least, 60X. I used it for decades until one day at the range when I got a nice surprise. A fellow shooter had just purchased, for $10, a tiny but high quality bench scope from Goodwill. He reached into his bag and pulled out a small scope, goes up to 18X, and handed it to me saying he didn't need it any longer. It's small, takes up little space on a bench and is perfect for my shooting up to 100 yards.

The Bushnell has lots more power - I can see Mars & Venus with it quite well - but why lug it around when I have the little guy. The Bushnell did cost less than $100 by a nice margin.

 

[Col. Batguano]

I use a Swarovski angled scope with an 80mm objective lens, and a 20x-60x adjustable eyepiece. Very good piece of glass. Also quite expensive.

What is often overlooked is the quality of the tripod when you're using these high magnifications. No matter how good the glass, you can't see very well through it if it's wiggling around. When possible (and weight isn't an issue) I use a Gitzo 410 tripod with an Arca ball head. I bet it weighs 15-20 pounds on its' own. It's rock solid. When weight matters (like hunting in the mountains) I use a smaller version of the same tripod. I understand they make a carbon fiber version that is just as solid, but lighter still. And one more thing; use a tripod that lets you look through the scope and be comfortable, like either standing up, or sitting down. Very difficult to scrunch yourself over for very long to look through it. At first I didn't think I'd like the angled eye piece, but I've gotten used to it, and actually find it more comfortable than a straight one now.

At very long ranges (like 1000 yards when mirage becomes the big problem) many people are going to remote transmission systems, with a TV camera on one end, and a computer screen display on the other.

 

[jfaldo]

Personally I prefer my Kiowa 88MM angled with 27x eyepiece. Not a cheap scope by any measure but if shooting at extended ranges it really shines, especially when mirage becomes a problem.

 

[JohnN]

Well, I ordered a GoSky 20-60x80. Got good reviews on a couple of sites. We'll see, but I think it will fill my requirements.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

That's a pretty good choice, I'd say, and it looks like it's on sale for 35% off right now.

I may have to order one myself. :hmm:

LD

 

[coloradoclyde]

Back in the day, we didn't have such luxuries....

We put a man down range with flags and a marker stick..... :grin:

 

[bubba.50]

a friend of mine swears by his Kowa. he shoots prone in 600yd matches & says if the wind's right to keep the smoke out of the way he can roll over after the shot, look through the scope & watch the bullet hit the target.

 

[Col. Batguano]

What is he shooting at 600 yards? I'm so old and slow now the only thing I could roll over and see hit the target any more would be a mortar round at that range.

 

[FishDFly]

HC/PC, where is that???????????????????

 

[bubba.50]

What is he shooting at 600 yards? I'm so old and slow now the only thing I could roll over and see hit the target any more would be a mortar round at that range.

a 54cal percussion Sharp's for prone for ease of loadin'. some variation on a Springfield for standing.

 

[M. De Land]

Yeah,you will see more Kowa's on the line at mid and long range matches but they run 800-1000 dollars new and about 75 percent of that used and reconditioned. They are tops in mirage reading.
I bought a Konus from Jar-head supply I think they call themselves,Jim Owens is the owner, a well known high power shooter and coach.
I was after a reconditioned Kowa and he talked me into trying a Konus. He sells both but thought it was more scope for the money than any other he knew of.
He told me he tested the Konus against the 80mm Kowa in 21 different quality points and the Konus matched the Kowa in 19 of them.
I do a lot of steel shooting all winter long here in AK competitively and have lots of opportunity to look through different scopes while spotting for my shooter and the Kowa's are one of the best but my Konus is not far behind and it cost a third as much. Owens was right and I see quite a few of the Konus's on the line now days.
They are 80-82 mm and sport the angular eye piece.
Power is variable 20-60.
I have a Balscope,Weaver and the Konus spotting scopes, all variable power and the Konus is by far the best of the lot.

 

[Gene L]

I've got a straight for HP rifles, but would prefer an angled eyepiece. You don't need a lot of magnification for 200 yards with a big ML hole I think.