My first spotting scope.... opinions please.

[owlowl]

Well, I'm sorry to say, but bullet holes at 900 meters is unrealistic with any real equipment under real conditions. It could happen, but at any time you have wind, mirage, overcast and such the air is just not crystal enough to allow it.

Anyhow, your best bet would be Kowa TSN-880 or Pentax 100ED. Any objective less than 80mm would be counterproductive in your case.
Your more reasonable options are Vortex Razor 85mm, Pentax PF-80ED. For Pentax you need an eye piece most of the time. Vortex comes with one. Pentax has good line of eyepieces and very good line, I don't remember which is which, but very good one is like $600-$700 for an eyepiece. So in any case you are looking at $2k package at least.

Better yet - set more reasonable goals, F-class people shoot 1000 yards and spare no expense. No one sees holes in the targets, they look at the spotting disks. Which are much bigger and are a white spots on black background.

 

[Ian Robertson]

owlowl, I guess you don't have any experience on 1000yd or military ranges. Targets are marked (by a fellow in the butts) and an orange spotting disk is put in the bullet hole and another disc on the outer edge of the target indicates the score. The disc at longs is about 6" in diameter, smaller at mid and smaller again at short, about 1.5". Short is 300yds or metres. Scopes are important to read the wind but again 20x or there about is needed, focused where you want to see the wind (mirage). F shooters with a rifle scope focused on the target at 40x is not the best way to go. This technology goes back to TR shooters with irons from around the year 1900 and is why ex TR guys tend to do well in F.

 

[owlowl]

Where did I say you can't see a 6 inch disk? I said you can't see the actual bullet hole.

 

[Ian Robertson]

You don't need to see a bullet hole, just a 6" disk.

 

[owlowl]

He said:

I like shooting long range but when you're alone hearing a "ping" on steel is pretty much the only feedback you can get without hiking down to the backstop.

He said "alone" and he shoots steel. Where does the spotting disk and the spotter and the moving targets come from all of the sudden?

 

[Ian Robertson]

I did a search for the word "alone", I can't find it?? He did say "I will be using the scope for both hunting and at the range." Just trying to help the guy out with some of my experience. I defer to your obviously superior knowledge.

 

[owlowl]

I did a search for the word "alone", I can't find it?? He did say "I will be using the scope for both hunting and at the range." Just trying to help the guy out with some of my experience. I defer to your obviously superior knowledge.

Post #37, page 4.

But regardless, I sense some hostile irony in "obviously superior knowledge", not sure why that is.

If you shoot at a proper range and people at the bunker will mark you shots with spotting disks you'll see them with 30x magnification 65mm objective and up. Would you agree on that?

On a steel or paper target itself, hits will not be visible with any reasonable to carry optics at 1000 yards, would you agree?

 

[Tikka223]

Having proper targets butts for a true match with spotters is awesome and my Sightron could clearly distinguish the target markers at 1000yrds. For bulet holes I'm limited to 300m with my scope.

A review of the Pentax 100mm spotting scope in perfect conditions allowed for a view of bullet holes at 1000yrds but I would be happy with say 500yds, which seems doable in good conditions according to some reviews I read.

Having a good spotting scope will also free me up to not worry about having a scope that doesn't have as much magnification as my SIII 6-24x50.

Either way, I suppose I could have been clearer in my earlier post.

 

[AP]

But regardless, I sense some hostile irony in "obviously superior knowledge", not sure why that is.

... I didnt sense any hostility -- although I imagine "IR" won't self promote and point out that he has indeed spent a very considerable amount of misspent youth sending bulllets down a 1000yd range.....and helping others to do the same.

If you shoot at a proper range and people at the bunker will mark you shots with spotting disks you'll see them with 30x magnification 65mm objective and up. Would you agree on that?

I am happy to mention that this is also possible with 6x,30 binoculars -- although not nearly as useful as a solid, tripod mounted 20-24 power spotting scope.

On a steel or paper target itself, hits will not be visible with any reasonable to carry optics at 1000 yards, would you agree?

I buy that! Hell - I have stood looking up at a target 30 inches away and couldnt see the bullet hole that just appeared on the target face

 

[jkingrph]

I am also in the process of upgrading ( maybe downgrading) a few items like a rifle front rest to lightweight aluminum models to get rid of some weight. So far specs on items ordered or planning to order look like a weigh savings of 15 to 18 lbs. which will all be housed in one large gear bag.