Recommendations on Spotting Scopes

OK Hog Shooter

OK Hog Shooter

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I'm not sure where this thread should be posted, so I'll try here and see where it goes.

I was helping a buddy sight in his newly scoped .22 rifle and ended up using a pair of binoculars to spot his hits on the target. The thought occurred to me that the process would probably be easier if I had a good spotting scope.

So... what's a good spotting scope that won't break the bank? Target distances will most likely be less than 200 yards.

I appreciate any and all comments.

Blessings,
Hog
 
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My local range rents some very cheap spotters of 20x, which are adequate to see .223 holes at 100 yards. I wouldn't care to spend much time looking through these scopes, but for a quick glance at a target, they're OK. I'd guess they cost no more than $100.
 
Take a look at the Bushnell Spacemaster. Just good enough to see .22 holes at 200 yards. Clear as a bell at 100 yards. You can also get a "T" mount adapter to use this as a camera lens if you have a single lens reflex camera.
 
No on Tasco

Pretty horrible optics. As with most things, you get what you pay for. I upgraded to a Kowa and while it has some slight chromatic aberration (color fringing) at 60x, I did not get the best one of the series. It serves my needs.
 
I had the second line Bushnell (forget the name) for about 20 years. It was excellent as a spotting scope.
 
Thanks for the comments. So far it looks like l need to check the Bushnell and Kowa lines of spotting scopes. Anything else l need to look at? I know there are a range of values in any product line, so any suggestions are most appreciated.
 
OK Hog Shooter said:
Thanks for the comments. So far it looks like l need to check the Bushnell and Kowa lines of spotting scopes. Anything else l need to look at? I know there are a range of values in any product line, so any suggestions are most appreciated.
Click to expand...

If you want to sort the "also-rans" from the "shooters" among Coues whitetails at a mile or more, or etc., you'll want a scope that costs as much as a used 4x4 with some life left in it. But, you only need sufficient resolution to see .22 holes in paper, aren't going to give the scope hard knocks or other abusive treatment, or spend hours on end looking through it. This is the rare case when an inexpensive optic meets the "'at'll do it" threshold. Buy a cheap scope of 20x or more, and spend the money you will have saved on another indulgence...
 
I well know that any optic that has high quality lenses, generally speaking, has an associated price tag that would choke most of us. :eek: To get back to my basic queston, up to 200 yards, (cause that's about as far as I can get an open shooting lane on my "farm", which is fairly heavily timbered), are there any of the more affordable brands I should avoid?

Thanks for the replies, too!
 
I got a Konus 80mm a couple of years ago, and it is real clear and about $200. I also got a Burris 60mm to replace a stolen older bushnell. I like it too. The larger Konus is popular with HP rifle shooters on a budget.
 
I used a Simmons 2-60X60mm. It was tolerable although as most cheaper scopes it had a tendency to get blurry at higher magnifications and had a smallish exit pupil. It worked alright at 100 yards but it was way too big and it didn't have a case, which meant lugging the box around every time I went to the range.

Then, a couple years ago I saw a Barska spotting scope go on sale at Natchez for about $100. It is a 25-125X with an 88mm objective. I love it. I haven't had a chance to take it shooting yet, but it is great to look out into our woods, about 75 yards min., to look at birds or to study the moon with the grand daughter. It is not quite as big as the Simmons was, came with a hard side case, table tripod and pistol grip.
 
I will admit I am an optics snob, but you really seem to get what you pay for up to a point. I picked up a Kowa spotting scope from an estate sale several years ago, and found it to perform very well, when used side by side with the Swarovski I won about 10 years ago at a wild game dinner (Its true once you go with high end glass its hard to go back). The Kowa's are listed on SWFA's website in the $400 to $500 range (which is a big jump from $100) but if you are even thinking of using your scope for hunting, it is worth the extra expense. Final thought, the tripod matters, better to put a lesser scope on a good tripod then a expensive scope on a cheap base.
 
Scopes to avoid? I hate to put down Leopold but at least some of their line are not worthy of the name.

Celestron makes a good line of scopes that more or less bridge the gap between low and high end scopes. Their zoom eye piece is as good or better than some fixed power eye pieces I've tried.
 
RonJ said:
Scopes to avoid? I hate to put down Leopold but at least some of their line are not worthy of the name.

Celestron makes a good line of scopes that more or less bridge the gap between low and high end scopes. Their zoom eye piece is as good or better than some fixed power eye pieces I've tried.
Click to expand...

:) +1 one the Celestron. I just bought one about two weeks ago and it seems to be a good scope. A lot of seeing 22 holes at 100 and 200 yards is the color of your target. Shooting into a black bullseye with a dark back ground puts a scope to a real test. Another thing to think about is to buy a rifle scope that will see your 22 holes. I have a Weaver T36 on an Anschutz 22LR that I can see 22 holes at 200 yards. Don
 
I have had many different spotting scopes over the years, some that have been satisfactory are Bushnell, Swift, Leupold Golden Ring (not the green ring junk), and Bausch & Lomb SR. Stay away from any of the Chinese stuff, you want 30X magnification (less will not let you clearly see small caliber bullet holes especially @200yds.). I have a B&L 30X presently and have always found these to be satisfactory. They have been out of production for several years but are easy to find on the secondary market and will not break the bank to purchase.
 
Thanks to all who have contributed. Now it's time to start looking in some of the local sporting goods stores for some hands on and then make a decision!
 
I would suggest shopping the fourms classifieds for used item.

For example, a common thing is an 'obsolete' Leupold 25x50 fixed powder with some surface finish wear for little more than a new bargain scope.

As said earlier, if occasional range use is all it is for, most anything will work. Just don't expect to glass with such for an extended period, unless you like headaches.
 
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