Spotting scope suggestions

M

Murdy

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I need a spotting scope that will be good and solid for the range. Ideally I want to be able to see holes out to 500-600m, but if I can see holes out to 300m and use splatter targets at the longer ranges, I'll happily take the money savings.

What are you guys using for these ranges? I'd REALLY like to keep it under $1K... less being even better.

One that catches my eye (based on a recommendation from a friend) is the Kowa TSN602 with the 20-60x eye piece. Anyone have thoughts on that one?

Thanks all!
 
I am currently using a Iowa TSN770 series spotter. no problem with that distance, but I also just added the extender on it, and much better.

You will want to mount your phone to it either way, for a better experience. I video my range trips for easier viewing at home.

The sunny days will add too much heat waves at that distance for viewing, so pick your days if you can.
 
Murdy said:
I need a spotting scope that will be good and solid for the range. Ideally I want to be able to see holes out to 500-600m, but if I can see holes out to 300m and use splatter targets at the longer ranges, I'll happily take the money savings.

What are you guys using for these ranges? I'd REALLY like to keep it under $1K... less being even better.

One that catches my eye (based on a recommendation from a friend) is the Kowa TSN602 with the 20-60x eye piece. Anyone have thoughts on that one?

Thanks all!
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Kowa is outstanding. I'd recommend choosing one and spending whatever it takes to get it. Buy once, cry once.
 
Murdy said:
I need a spotting scope that will be good and solid for the range. Ideally I want to be able to see holes out to 500-600m, but if I can see holes out to 300m and use splatter targets at the longer ranges, I'll happily take the money savings.

What are you guys using for these ranges? I'd REALLY like to keep it under $1K... less being even better.

One that catches my eye (based on a recommendation from a friend) is the Kowa TSN602 with the 20-60x eye piece. Anyone have thoughts on that one?

Thanks all!
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I agree with the above that Kowa makes nice stuff, but it needs to have the prominar lenses which put you into a high price range. I have a Kowa 554 and its great. Glass is excellent and its small enough that I always bring it along, but that is well above your target price.

My advice would be to shop around on Kijiji and ebay and look for some high end vintage optics. You can easily find some of the premium Japanese and German spotting scopes for less than the cost of a run of the mill new scope in your price range.

BTW, $1000 does not get you a very good new scope but it will certainly get you an excellent used scope. Don't think for a second that they never made excellent scopes 30-40 years ago, they certainly did. Here's an example: https://www.ebay.ca/itm/284178452684?hash=item422a5b10cc:g:iJoAAOSwBIxgIpZT&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAA4Gp%2BrHmTzT5GcUzFM52nKQ%2F3PYvK0EKoZ9qaANBW2vStEcq%2FbkdywGZBXvhzGSNbQk0wrG%2B7MDJ%2FilUdU6fxbWVOx9LxajvAD9X1DVT9u3rHMMbN2qeENO2tlvgNkSVTl9%2BlxW%2Fc%2FBjGWiFk8Ay3f%2FKTDCJ622u8LTW3lWDXZpZ1dKszfUBrpDOwK%2F8D5b3EDkbZR%2BP6GoTqngt%2BEkTjbISDxbNc4Oy%2BlyRqrWXI9CwkKANW9mLE5%2BElE7mvoSmmVgefHO%2B00PsuOvLRXifHh0PJVLFZV5Yt25AEWurKxPLb%7Ctkp%3ABFBMqq33t6xg

I would warn you to avoid particularly large spotting scopes. It may not seem the case at first, but when I had an 80 mm spotting scope, I rarely brought it along because of the size. I much prefer portability of a 50 to 60 mm objective over the minor optical advantage of a bigger scope.
 
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I don’t want to highjack the thread, but I’m looking too and I’m wanting something t with great eye relief because I wear glasses! What do you suggest ?
 
The high end spotting scopes are excellent when a crystal clear picture is needed. This is not the case with shooting. Many mid range scopes around $500 do the job very good.

Unless you are wildlife watcher, save your money. You are only looking for holes.
 
Holes on paper targets at 500+??? Good luck! 300m is a stretch unless you have top notch glass and perfect conditions. I would get one of those 'target cams', where you place the camera close to the target and it has a remote little monitor you see the target on. By far your best bet.
 
DGY said:
I don’t want to highjack the thread, but I’m looking too and I’m wanting something t with great eye relief because I wear glasses! What do you suggest ?
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I will agree that fixed eye pieces are the way to go if you wear classes. Field of view and eye relief get smaller with more zoom. Kowa makes a great LER eye piece. I use a 22X WA that has good eye relief and also allows me to see 10 targets at 1000 yards. Seeing holes in the target at 500 yards is wishful thinking. However seeing hold at 300 can be done under ideal condition. A good solid scope stand like a Ewing or First Strike will work a lot better than a flimsy camera tripod.
 
DGY said:
I don’t want to highjack the thread, but I’m looking too and I’m wanting something t with great eye relief because I wear glasses! What do you suggest ?
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Kowa offers a, I believe, 27x LER eyepiece. The Old Man used that exclusively while spotting at BPCR Silhouette matches.
 
DGY said:
I don’t want to highjack the thread, but I’m looking too and I’m wanting something t with great eye relief because I wear glasses! What do you suggest ?
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Don't rule out using a rifle scope as a spotting scope.

Its easy to make a tripod mount, just get a length of pic rail off ebay, and drill and tap it for 1/4-20 thread to fit the tripod. Then use QD rings to put a scope on it.

This also allows you to use a MOA or Mil reticle to suit your needs.

You can also use the scope this way (with parallax dialed correctly) to measure target refraction. This is where the target appears to move here and there as clouds come and go and heat does its thing with the air. When you aim at where the target appears to be you are not always aiming where the target actually is.

You cannot measure refraction with any spotting scope.

You also cannot use your rifle like this because it moves after recoil and you will loose your point of reference. You need a secondary static scope for reference throughout the shot string. Refraction is in my opinion the number one reason most people cannot shoot 1/2 MOA groups even with good rifles.
 
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I'm an eyeglass wearer using a 773 prominar, 20-60. Between the width of the eyepiece and the adjustable eyecup I don't have any trouble with relief. I used a Razor 20-60 x 85 in the past and that was OK too. That said, for dedicated glassing time while hunting I usually take my glasses off; one less space for the blackflies to buzz around in. The Kowa is great glass.
 
Guy JR said:
I love my Pentax PD80. Good bang for the buck.
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+1

And the fact that you can use pretty much any 1.25" eyepiece is a bonus! For something smaller to carry around, it's available with a 65mm objective

904.jpg


The Celestron Regal M2 is another nice (cheaper) option, that also accept 1.25" eyepiece
 
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