Never had one and binoculars ain’t cutting it anymore. Any recommendations that won’t break the bank. 200 yards is about the max needed.

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Thirty characters. Exactly...

Depending on caliber, a moderately priced one will almost certainly suffice for 200 yards - probably even for .22 caliber. I would want 60x, but a variable is nice. You might get by with less magnification if you’re making bigger holes.

Dealing with mirage is a major problem and even the most expensive glass has it. For occasional use, Leupold used to have a model in the $400-$500 range that would probably do nicely. I have the next one up and it will easily show .30 caliber holes at 400 yards, IF mirage is not a factor. I’m not sure how it does with 6.5mm holes. Of course, if you’ve got more money to spend, you can’t buy “too good” when it comes to optics. JMHO.

I use a 15-45X Leupold scope for my everyday shooting. I collect spotting scopes and have 19 older ones.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

I've had a Burris 20-60X spotting scope for years, and it's served me well at my rifle club. (Seen in attached photos.) I can discern 5.56 hits on a target at 200 yards, which is the most I will ever need it for. It wasn't very expensive -- one of their lower-priced models -- but I don't see it listed on their site anymore.

If you look at Midway's available products, they have a wide variety available. Unless you're hunting a trophy elk in the rain, one of the less expensive models should work just fine for you. Good luck...

Shop Shooting, Hunting, & Outdoor Products | MidwayUSA

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It's been about 30 years ago I got it for X-Course High Power Rifle. 200 to 600 yds, scoring and watching mirage. 60mm objective and 20 or 25x and 45 deg off set. I could see 30 caliber holes at 300 yds in the best light. Only about 189$ at the time. You need usable eye relief, especially if you wear corrective lenses, and good quality is better than high power.

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"Don't Give Up the Ship"

I have a nice, older Leupold Gold ring that I pretty much stopped using at the range after it got knocked off the bench. Twice. Picked up a cheap Simmons 15-45x spotting scope w/ tripod for like $119.00. About 12 years now, and still works fine.

No, a sub $200 scope wouldn't be my choice for long viewing hours or rugged use, but they are fine for bullet holes at 2 - 300 yards.

Of course, nothing wrong with the better stuff. I have always had good luck with about any optic with Leupold stamped on it, as well as the more recent mid - upper end Vortex stuff.

Larry

Check out Hawke!

I'll second pantannojack's comments. Good glass is far better than magnification. Zooms seem like a good idea maybe, but at high magnification they get dark and optical quality suffers. Eye relief is reduced so it's hard to see much.

I use a Kowa with a fixed 25x long eye relief eyepiece. It is a joy to use; bright, clear, sharp, easy on the eyeballs. I also have Kowa's 25-60x eyepiece and fixed 25x is far better.

Fluorite glass is pricey, but it outperforms standard glass even in larger objective diameters. I know this firsthand since I have another Kowa with standard glass that takes the same eyepieces. Easy to compare side by side and the smaller scope with fluorite glass is a better scope than its larger cousin.

Cry once, as the saying goes.

I use Opticsplanet as a resource for spotting scopes. Lots of good info for whatever your particular needs. If you know you'll get a lot of usage from your scope it might be worth it to spend a little more.

The targets you shoot at will also come into play. Obviously, you get instant feedback when shooting steel targets. I like using those orange or black paper targets that "explode" the bullet hole making it more visible from a distance.

I'm assuming from a previous thread that this is about shooting the 22mag rifle with the children. Just have fun. Maybe even start out at 50yds. You can always improve on the experience down the road.

you can buy a used Bausch & Lomb Japan 15-60x "discoverer" model on e bay for under $100 that will be superior to anything under $200 in a new scope. 1980's-90's mfg.
Larry in Reno

I got a Vortex that’s great quality, but it’s also big and heavy. It got it on clearance after I broke my cheap-o scope.

19….Hmmm. Maybe we can work out a trade. I collect worn out tennis shoes.

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Thirty characters. Exactly...

I bought a new Bushnell Spacemaster 15x-45x in 1984. For spotting .22 holes at 200 yards, it still works great and I use it far more than my newer and much more expensive Kowa 88mm scope.

Used Spacemasters should be easy to find at bargain prices. I'm not an optics maestro, but my experience has been if you get past about 45x with cheaper scopes, the optical qualities of better glass just aren't there and images suffer a lot.

Found one on eBay. Made an offer. We’ll see if he/she/they bite. Then I’ll start a tripod thread since it’s not included.

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I have one of the Simmons cheapo spotters with the tripod. It works ok to 100 yards, but eye relief is almost zero. If I had paid more than $20 for it, I would have asked to return it.

I have used a Unertl fixed power 25x spotting scope for over 50 years. Very sharp definition and it works fine for even .22 holes at 100 yards. That is as far as I need to see. Some scopes have eyepieces at an angle to the line of sight to the target. Mine does not, as it is straight through. I have tried scopes with the angled eyepiece. I do not like that arrangement at all and would highly recommend getting a scope with a non-angled eyepiece.

I use a Celestron 20-60X. I can see holes from my .30-06, at 200 yards, and, on a clear night, 4 of the moons of Jupiter!
Not bad for around $200 (plus the price of a tripod).

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George

These are some of the ones I was referring to in my post.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

And more, but not all.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

I've had good service at up to 300 yards with a vintage Balscope Sr.

Additional eye pieces are available with both more and less magnification.

If you don't win your Spacemaster on eBay, shoot me a PM.

Depending on your use. If you need one for hours of searching at long distances, or, one for a couple hours use once a month or so. The longer you stare through it the better the glass needs to be.

The medium quality scopes of today's design rival the high dollar scopes of yesterday. A $200 15-45X60 spotting scope of various mfg. will suffice for most occasional use's. Most people don't need that $500 to $1000 spotting scope, they just want the best.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Swarovski makes some of the best, but they’re very pricy. Kowa is hard to beat for the money, which explains why a lot of competitive shooters use them.

Buy once, cry once…

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"I also cook."

I have a Celestron Ultima 80 and an old K-Mart one that I use for indoor shooting

I’m ready to trade!

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Thirty characters. Exactly...

I have one that my father purchased new sometime in the 70's. It still works great and is worlds ahead of the new cheap stuff I see so many bring to our range.

Here in Nevada with the heat waves, 40 power is all that I can use.

As for the tri-pod, I put large rubber bands on the bottom so it does not mare my new car hood or slide around.

The swivel camera stands are also an option.

Good shopping.

Even though sipowicz seems to have picked his poison, I thought I'd add my $.02 for prosperity....

As a couple other posters have noted, what glass you want is highly dependent on intended use and budget. I've had the opportunity to look through some high-end Swaros, and we were able to read the logos on the side of a semi-trailer at 4 miles! You definitely get what you pay for and that particular optic was ~ $6000!!

I recently picked up an Athlon Ares 20-60x85. I've been very impressed with the Athlon rifle scope I'm running on my LR rifle, so decided to give their spotter a try. Reviews showed it as a solid performer in the $600-1000 price range, and I've been very happy with it so far. The Athlon can be found considerably cheaper than the $1k retail.



Here's an 8" steel at 250 yards, and some rocks at 750. Photos taken with my Samsung phone on a digiscoping adapter. The pictures don't do the optic justice... it's very clear, and the lack of focus around the edges are due to the phone's camera lens.




It's worked fantastic out on the range so far, and I have plans to try some lunar photography using an adapter for our DSLR.

I went back to up my offer and it was sold. Wonder if one of you guys grabbed it.

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He who.................

Not me.

I was in doing the dishes !!

Thank you all for the suggestions but I went with Silverstate. I’m a sucker for vintage stuff. Heck, I carry a revolver….

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Thirty characters. Exactly...

Now for a decent bench tripod. Discuss……

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Thirty characters. Exactly...

My main hobby is birding, so I am familiar with some spotting scopes.
I used a Bushnell Spacemaster for years, and a used one in good condition should be fine for range use. I have a 25 year old Swarovski 20x60, 85mm objective and it is still a very good scope compared to more modern optics.
It gets borrowed a lot when I go to the range.
But these are big, heavy, and expensive scopes, even used.

I have been impressed with Vortex too. If you buy new or the Spacemaster
deal falls through, a mid-range Vortex should be a great deal. I recommend
a 65mm objective with ED glass. A 65ED glass scope should be just as
sharp as an 80mm non-ED glass, and is smaller and lighter. I like the zoom lenses. In my experience the modern zoom lenses are almost as good as
a fixed power lens. And in birding, the zoom is really handy.

Willyboy

I picked up the konus and I'm pleased with it. Nice scope for the money. Every review I've ever seen comes up thumbs up.

When I'm not using a Hipower scope stand (single pole, not a tripod) I use this: SINCLAIR INTERNATIONAL SINCLAIR BENCH MOUNT SCOPE STAND | Sinclair Intl

Current price is about double the price I paid but worth it in my opinion. Very stable, easy to adjust and it won't get knocked off the bench.

I use the ones shown in my photos. Also have a Freeland stand.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

My current tripod is full sized, not a benchtop, but I love it. It's a Two Vets 'No Name' carbon tripod with a Leofoto leveling ballhead with a QD swiss rail attachment. I originally bought it as a rifle tripod, and it's rock solid with the rifle or spotting scope. The Leofoto head is much easier to adjust than a standard tripod head. I've had several camera tripods over the years, and this thing puts them all to shame.

THE NO NAME Tripod - Two Vets Sporting Goods



I bought it thinking it was a US made tripod and later discovered to my disappointment that it was imported, and available elsewhere for considerably less $$, but at least I supported a vet owned company. I have zero complaints about the tripod itself.

The only thing it lacks for a spotter is enough vertical travel for stargazing, but that's pretty far outside its design brief.

Looking forward to seeing more recommendations on a table top tripod.

Thanks. A bit out of my price range though. Looking for a table top under $50.

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Thirty characters. Exactly...

I think that may be asking a lot out of a $50.00 scope.

Check out the Dynex tripod on Amazon.

Worth a look!

Does anyone have any experience with Celestron spotting scopes?

Grabbed this for $20 high bid.

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Thirty characters. Exactly...

I have an Ultima 80