Spotting scope questions

I did lots of research before I bought my spotting scope, and narrowed it down to a Kowa TSN-773 and the Swarovksi ATS-65.
Both are excellent scopes that can be carried in a pack without taking up too much space or adding too much weight.

(and both are much better than anything by Vortex)

I settled on the Swarovski because of their outstanding warranty reviews.
(two of my coworkers have the same model and they love theirs)

I'm very happy with it.

When purchasing optics, like most other things, you get what you pay for.

But buy once and cry once.....

PS: Pelee wings in Leamington Ontario has a great selection of scopes,
very knowledgeable and helpful staff who will pull out any of their scopes you might be interested in,
set them up on the counter and do a side by side review for you over the phone.

I got mine for $2625.00 shipped.
 
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+1 for Celestron. I've had a Celestron 'Cavalry' scope (15-75x70mm) for about 6-7 years, got from CanTire for about $100 (I forget exactly, it was on sale from like $180). Cabelas sold them too, for a bit more I think.( http s://www.cabelas.ca/product/101353/celestron-cavalry-spotting-scope ) No longer sold, I think out of production. They can be found on ####### or kiji occasionally. It's OK for 200 yds, I can see .223 holes - but I wouldn't recommend if your range is going to 500. Celstron has higher end models that go up to $1000 or so. This Cavalry is one of the lowest they made - some down to 12-45x.
 
Thanks for all the info and suggestions. I have purchased a Hawke Endurance ED 25-75x85 Spotting Scope which I hope to get this coming week if the tracking is correct.
 
I would like to offer advice in terms of a generality.

We really only have two choices when it comes to optics. The first is justifying something based on cost, and the second is spending whatever we need to to get something that truly performs to our hopes and dreams.

I have boiled this down further, to a good used scope at a price we can easily justify, or spend what it takes to get the one we really want.

I recently sold a 80 mm Vortex spotting scope that I paid about $1300 for. I replaced it with a Kowa 554, its a much better scope optically and small enough that I will always bring it along.

I also picked up a couple used vintage scopes, just for fun. I picked up a Bushnell Sentry and Spacemaster for about $60 each. To my point above, these cheap old scopes are quite comparable to new scopes in the $1000 price range. This reality makes it difficult to justify any new scope in the low to mid price range.

There are also some older spotting scopes on ebay and kijiji if you are patient you can find some good glass for a lower cost than anything new in a comparable quality range.

Bottom line, go cheap with a good used scope, or whip out that credit card and buy something you will be pleased with for the rest of your life.

You will never be happy with any cheap scope. Not really, so why pay more than a used scope costs? You wont be happy anyway, at least you wont get hosed to end up not happy.
 
Maple57 said:
I would like to offer advice in terms of a generality.

We really only have two choices when it comes to optics. The first is justifying something based on cost, and the second is spending whatever we need to to get something that truly performs to our hopes and dreams.

I have boiled this down further, to a good used scope at a price we can easily justify, or spend what it takes to get the one we really want.
I recently sold a 80 mm Vortex spotting scope that I paid about $1300 for. I replaced it with a Kowa 554, its a much better scope optically and small enough that I will always bring it along.

I also picked up a couple used vintage scopes, just for fun. I picked up a Bushnell Sentry and Spacemaster for about $60 each. To my point above, these cheap old scopes are quite comparable to new scopes in the $1000 price range. This reality makes it difficult to justify any new scope in the low to mid price range.

There are also some older spotting scopes on ebay and kijiji if you are patient you can find some good glass for a lower cost than anything new in a comparable quality range.

Bottom line, go cheap with a good used scope, or whip out that credit card and buy something you will be pleased with for the rest of your life.

You will never be happy with any cheap scope. Not really, so why pay more than a used scope costs? You wont be happy anyway, at least you wont get hosed to end up not happy.
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I agree completely, except the price of used on this and other forums are insane. Paid $1049 plus tax, sell $1000. WTF, why would I bother?
Kowa is the only brand over my price range, that I have not tried yet. So far, Vortex, Leupold and Cabela HD, I know "HD" term is over used .
You get what you pay for, I hate how that works :)
Thanks for the advice, it helps!
 
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mwic98 said:
I agree completely, except the price of used on this and other forums are insane. Paid $1049 plus tax, sell $1000. WTF, why would I bother?
Kowa is the only brand over my price range, that I have not tried yet. So far, Vortex, Leupold and Cabela HD, I know "HD" term is over used .
You get what you pay for, I hate how that works :)
Thanks for the advice, it helps!
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I agree CGN is not the best place to find a deal. Try ebay and kijiji. Some of the older Lieca, Kowa, Swarovsky are excellent. These premium companies made good glass 40 years ago. Don't let the vintage mfg date dissuade you from the item.

Here's an example of a nice scope on ebay right now. What comparable Japanese scope are you going to find new for $660?
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/393933332631?hash=item5bb841a097:g:NcEAAOSwzOxiCDHM
 
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I recently purchased a Gorsky 20-60x80. Very pleased so far (indoor range), hopefully works well outdoors up to 300.
 
Butcherbill said:
Kowa, I looked through a birdwatchers last summer and it was real nice.
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100%. Spotters are really the epitome of the "Buy Once, Cry Once" rule. Kowa is one of the best you can get get. Right up there with Leica and Swaro and probably better. If they weren't, then the bird people would be using what is better.
 
I have a Celestron M2 20-60x. It is not as good as the high end ones that my target rifle buddies have, but pretty darn good. I wanted to support a local business, but was told they had reduced hours due to COVID and refused to actually let me look at it. Had to pay for it online, pick it up, and then return it (with a restocking fee) if I did not like it. Ended up on Amazon and found the exact same spotter for $150 less, and it had a 6 month, interest free, payment plan. I had the cash, but kind of dumb to give them all the money at once if I can leave it in my account instead for no charge.

I can see holes at 200 yards and I use it for star gazing with the kids.
 
I might be repeating what was said in posts above? - Some years ago, my lesson in "magnification" does not mean "better view" - was sitting in our truck at dawn in large community pasture in Saskatchewan. With my 10x50 Bushnell binoculars, I could make out the front end of a pickup truck, in the bush, many hundreds of yards away. With my brother's 10x42 (?) Leica binoculars, I could read the license plate. Both 10 power, was claimed - way more detail to see through his "better glass". I have a 100 mm Celestron - I think a 22 to 66 power eye piece - on a tripod - looking across lake about 1000 meters away - goes very fuzzy, almost useless, past about 35 power. No doubt magnification is part of seeing detail - but cheap or imperfect lens and grinds take away a lot of the detail that should otherwise be available to be seen. My brother now near Grande Cache, Alberta - says they can use his Leica to count points on elk - when his partner struggles to see whether it has antlers, with double the magnification and 1/10th the price spotting scope.
 
Corey, For the money the Celestron 'low-end' scopes are fine. I have the 25-75x Cavalry that I bought used for $60 back in '15 and I can see .223 holes at 200yds, too. Prob the .22 also when I get around 2-it.
The Cavalry is no longer avail, was at CT for ca. $200 'in the day'.
 
The M2 Regal is not their low end line. My is the 80ED 20-60x. One reason I got mine is it is the closest thing that would work with a prescription insert behind my shooting glasses and not cost $2000.
 
I have a Celestron not sure the model without digging it out. From memory it was around $300 new and the optics are great for the money. I can spot most 223 holes at 200yds although hits in the black are sometimes tough to see. My only complaint is I feel it is rather large physical size.
 
BigUglyMan said:
100%. Spotters are really the epitome of the "Buy Once, Cry Once" rule. Kowa is one of the best you can get get. Right up there with Leica and Swaro and probably better. If they weren't, then the bird people would be using what is better.
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Agree. Kowa makes very nice optics. I picked up a Nikon for under 500 last year, new. Might be able to find one of those on sale still. - dan
 
Swarovski, ATX modularized version.
With a 60X power, you can easily see a 223 hole from 300 yards.
They are not cheap though.
Another slightly less expensive option will be Kowa.

As others have said, the spotting scope is buy once and cry once stuff. The power doesn't really mean too much, it's all about the quality of the glass. From 300 meter out, 45X and 60X and 80X don't make too much difference.



Don45 said:
I currently have a Bushnell spotting scope (15 - 45) that I use at the indoor 25 yard range and it works well for that distance, but when I get to the outdoor rifle ranges and I find that the Bushnell is fine for out to 50 yards but once I get to 100 yards it is s bit more difficult to find the bullets on some targets so I am thinking of getting another spotting scope for better viewing of targets 100 yards +. One I am looking at is the Vortex Diamondback spotting scope, is there any other spotting scopes that are in the same price range or less that I should be looking at? I see on Amazon they have some lower cost spotting scopes that have some good reviews but just not too sure how good they are, one I did spot was a copy of an older model of Vortex with 25-75 X 70 that is nice and compact which would be easier to pack for range trips. Any suggestions and help would be appreciated.
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If you want top tier alpha quality on a budget there is a good option.

The Nikon 82ED fieldscope. This is a discontinued model, but you can find them in excellent used condition from ebay Japan.

The Nikon was released in 2003 and was the best alpha spotting scope until Kowa released the 883/884 and Swaro the ATM. Even then it comes down to sample variation on which is better between those three. Considering the Nikon can be had for $1000 CAD it's a steal.

It comes with drawbacks though. The zoom eyepiece is optically superb, but has a super narrow FOV and short eye relief. There are several fixed eyepieces that are superb, with expansive FOV and great eye relief, but you got to swap to change magnification. They are also screw on EPs which feels very outdated.
 
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