What spotting scope do you use?
- Thread starter mic007tfp
- Start date
mic007tfp,
As with any tool, including optical devices, your intended application dictates the design and features. Are you going to use it for:
looking at holes in paper less than 50 yards?
looking at holes in paper at 100+ yards?
locating large game at distances?
locating small game in cover?
viewing the cosmos?
photography at variable distances?
Once we've narrowed this down a bit, we can give you a more refined recommendation.
Mykl
As with any tool, including optical devices, your intended application dictates the design and features. Are you going to use it for:
looking at holes in paper less than 50 yards?
looking at holes in paper at 100+ yards?
locating large game at distances?
locating small game in cover?
viewing the cosmos?
photography at variable distances?
Once we've narrowed this down a bit, we can give you a more refined recommendation.
Mykl
I have a Bushnell Spacemaster 15-45x60mm Camo (Model 78-1217). Its rubber armored and comes with tripod and backpack carrying case.
I bought mine for about $325 a few years ago. I'm very happy with it.
Bushnell also has a Variable Camera Mount and serveral interchangable eyepieces you can buy for the Spacemaster. I'm thinking about getting one of the 60x eyepieces for mine.
Chuck
[This message has been edited by chucko (edited August 18, 1999).]
I bought mine for about $325 a few years ago. I'm very happy with it.
Bushnell also has a Variable Camera Mount and serveral interchangable eyepieces you can buy for the Spacemaster. I'm thinking about getting one of the 60x eyepieces for mine.
Chuck
[This message has been edited by chucko (edited August 18, 1999).]
For the range, I bring along a Leupold 12x40 60mm spotting scope. I had their Packer tripod, but found it too high for bench use. Bought a generic cheapie tripod for under $25 and it works great.
Use to have a Swift Discover but gave that away. It wasn't as clear or bright as the Leupold.
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Use to have a Swift Discover but gave that away. It wasn't as clear or bright as the Leupold.
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Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt
One suggestion for finding inexpensive scopes - go to a big bookstore and buy one of the amateur astronomy magazines, look at the ads in there. One good supplier is Orion - I got a 16x80 binocular from them that is good for star-gazing, spotting animals in the bush, and plenty good for spotting holes in paper at the ranges you are looking at. They also sell monocular spotting scopes, small folded optic telecopes etc. Depends on what else you might use it for, I suppose - Anoka
Gino, if you're talking about the less than $200 range, check out:
Tasco Rubber Armored 18-36x 50mm ($104.77);
Bushnell Rubber Armored 18-36x 50mm ($94.91);
Simmons black armored 20-60x 60mm ($173.83);
I can't attest to their quality, but you may want to swing by a shop and check them out.
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Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt
Tasco Rubber Armored 18-36x 50mm ($104.77);
Bushnell Rubber Armored 18-36x 50mm ($94.91);
Simmons black armored 20-60x 60mm ($173.83);
I can't attest to their quality, but you may want to swing by a shop and check them out.
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Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt
mic007tfp
You didn't say what size holes you were going to be putting in that paper either. 30 cal and under you will have problems at 200 yds and less unless the lighting is perfect. Since we know that at most non military ranges you will have your target within a few meters of the berm not much backlighting will help you out.
Bushnell "I Think" made a tripod adapter for binoculars that would fill your bill if you could find one. The main thing at any distance is being able to hold your optics steady. Bag up those binocs and look through them without touching them?
Good luck and good shooting!
Hank
You didn't say what size holes you were going to be putting in that paper either. 30 cal and under you will have problems at 200 yds and less unless the lighting is perfect. Since we know that at most non military ranges you will have your target within a few meters of the berm not much backlighting will help you out.
Bushnell "I Think" made a tripod adapter for binoculars that would fill your bill if you could find one. The main thing at any distance is being able to hold your optics steady. Bag up those binocs and look through them without touching them?
Good luck and good shooting!
Hank
Anyways, I just picked up a Nikon Sky and Earth spotting scope from a guy off the other forum. Nikon makes fine camera glass, hopefully it'll be the same for the spotting scope.flatlander
New member
mic007tfp: I bought a Nikon Sky&Earth 60mm spotter with angled eyepiece last fall from Midway, along with the 25X WA eyepiece. Main use is for high power matches. Have owned a Tasco World Class 25X60mm rubber armored w/straight eyepiece for about 12 years, and it's just as good, maybe better than the Nikon, clarity, sharpness and color wise. Tasco is easier to focus too, since the Nikon's focus knob has a lot of rubber-to-rubber contact and springs back when you take your fingers off it. I wanted to buy a Champion's Choice 22X60 angled spotter, but they were out and didn't know when the Japanese factory was going to ship last fall. I don't think you can beat the CC scope for the money($210 w/eyepiece). Hope you get along with and are not disappointed by your new Nikon. I was a little disappointed when I opened the package from Midway expecting to see "Made in Japan" on the Nikon box, and instead read "Made in China". Getting a little tired of this "Made in Twina" stuff.
Bill Hebert
New member
I bought a Bushnell "Sentry" and it is a decent scope for the money ~$110. The tripod on most spotting scopes below the $200 range stink and all seem to be made by the same Chinese guy somewhere overseas. Get a cheap camera tripod ($30) and it will improve your enjoyment of the scope. A friend let me touch his KOWA scope and it was unbelievable -it was so clear and crisp it seemed like you could touch the top of the tree 300 yards away that the scope was trained on. Buy the best you can afford since it will probably be a purchase you will live with for quite awhile...