spotting scopes

Rembo

Rembo

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I am finally going to buy a decent spotting scope. Prefer a variable, probably 15-45 or thereabouts. Not too big and heavy. Will spend about $700 max.

what's the best one to get in that price range?

opinions please......
 
I'd recommend the Bushnell Elite 15-45x60mm spotting scope, it's a great little waterproof scope. I've had the Elite for years of hard hunting and never had a problem. For the price you just can't beat the optic quality either. It has PC-3 phase coating and "Rainguard" coating. It's $420 at Higginsons and Binoculars canada. Best spotter deal IMO. :wink:
 
I can tell you what not to get. leupold/windriver sequoia 15-45x62 i think it was. Had 2 of them both of which sucked moisture in like a sponge. I might have had the only 2 bad ones. Who knows. 15-30x you could see through it. Any power above that forget it.Like looking through the eye of a needle.
 
I had a B&L 15-45x60 and hated it, couldn't look through it for more than ten minutes.
Was at Russels two weeks ago, and fiddled with a Leupold, not sure of the model, the exit pupil on that thing is the same size as their rifle scope! And flat cut glass so you don't need to be perfectly centered on it to see clearly. It is super compact and 15-40x60mm(?) Although a bit more money at $1230.00, it is the one I am saving for. It may hurt the pocket book but your eyes will thank you and so will your legs for not walking over two mountain ranges to get a better look at what you thought was a trophy.
Scrape together every dime you can find and take your time in your purchase! :wink:
 
I look through mine for sometimes hours at a time and I've never had that problem.
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Wow, I wish I could say the same. I had to switch back and forth to each eye just to keep looking. When I got home at night I looked like I had been boozing or doing some kind of gnarly drugs with my eyes all sore and completely blood shot. I do wish it would have worked for me because it would have saved me alot of money too. :wink:
I'm sure it's not the case for everyone, just want to offer my experience.
 
Spend the $$$ and get a KOWA. If you plan to use it for prone shooting/spotting a 45 degree model is a lot easier on your neck. Not so easy on the pocket book though. :shock:
A LER eyepiece is a really good idea if you wear classes.
My TSN-1 Kowa can see .308 bulletholes at 300 yards, with the right light.
It has a 22X WA eyepiece, at 1000 yards I can see 10 targets wide.
 
I have spoent the last week looking through my Elite 15-45, and I'd say it was a great buy. I would spot through it for hours without eye strain.

Compared it to a Ziess 20-60 side by side, and there is a differencce, but not huge. The Ziess is alot heavier and larger, but has a higher magnification, and it's optical qulaity is excellent.
 
That is a good article island.
The Leupold I looked at was a Golden Ring 12-40x60. It was sweet.
Does anyone has field experience with one of these?

I don't understand why I'm the only one who didn't like the B&L, maybe I had a bum scope, the guy I sold it to likes it though. :?
I've always had the same sort of grief with cheap gun scopes too, my glasses are brand new but is it possible me peepers are skrewed? :(
 
My advice is to save your money and buy the Leupold Goldring 12-40x60 you will not be dissappointed, the second choice would be to buy a used Leupold Goldring fixed 25x around $450.00ish on the used market and spend the remainder on a good stand like a Ewing Socom stand, also around $450.00. You can go with Kowa, Leica etc.and they are better but they will blow your budget and hit the point of diminishing returns and eye relief sucks ass. For my part I use my fixed 25x more than any other spotter. There is no advantage to high mag spotter as there is little to no image reproduction past 30x anyway.
 
Bushnell spacemaster with a Bushnell Shooter's stand is great for your money.

I bought the scope in 20-60x60 instead of 15-45x50 because eventually I want to do some shooting at 300 yards. Best combination ever. The scope has so many features, as does the stand, and a good value too (sub $360 total). Do not get a cheap scope with a cheap stand, or you'll curse at it the first day you use them, then come back to return them and buy what I just recommended here (just like I did) :) :)

Buy good stuff and it will last you a lifetime.
 
Geez from people I have talked in the US all say the quaility of the glass on Leupold scopes is inferior to thier rifle scopes and have made comments to Leupold as to thier quaility and clarity of thier spotting scopes .The is a noticeable difference in the clarity between Leupold and the higher end optics ie Zies,Lieca Kowa etc.

You can go with Kowa, Leica etc.and they are better but they will blow your budget and hit the point of diminishing returns and eye relief sucks ass.
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Hey Ray I would like to know you came up with the statement
and hit the point of diminishing returns and eye relief sucks ass.
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as I know you have not owned any of the higher end scopes . There is a Kowa TSN 660 that is more ecomical than the big 82 mm series lenses
 
Anyone had any experience with the Swarovski STS or ATS HD scopes, you'd think they would be good for the amount of money your spending. Any suggestions on comparable optics for cheaper?
 
What do you plan on using it for hunting or competition. Is this going from your car to the range are you going to have to hump this thing all over to glass dear and moose.
If it is primarily for hunting get the Bushnell spacemaster 15x45 with a 60 obj. or look up Hungry comments on this board about the Nikon sky and earth.
If your only moving it from the car to the bench, go with Maynard’s pick. It is the best in it's price range for shooting comp it has the EER that allows you to keep your shooting glass on and prevents fatigue. Jim Owens is your source for Kowa class I think his website is jouster.com
If you want exceptional optics look at Pentax PF 80 ED. They have outstanding glass but are heavy (way heavy) and do not have the EER of the Kowa. For a complete write up check out the website betterviewdesired. They are a bird watching organization that have very high standards for resolution and clarity, and are very through in their testing and evaluation on most spotting scopes and binoculars.
I didn't wait or save my money. I bought a Konus scope from Jim Owens that is decent and a good entry level spotter.
 
I don't worship at the altar of Leupold but their spotters seem fine ... the Leupold Goldring 12-40x60 looked very good when I had a chance to try it out (admittedly in a store) .. I have looked through pretty well all of what's on the market. The old (discontinued) Unertl 20X by 54mm with 45 degree eyepiece ... with the special coating was also pretty good for a target shooter.. not waterproof though. AP
 
I had one of the Leupold 25X compact spotters for a while and sold it.

Never could get it to focus as clear as my 35 yeard old Bausch & Lomb 15-60, and it was a headache, literally, to use it for long periods of time.

Ted
 
I have used the Bausch&Lomb now bushnell Elite 15X45X60 for years,best scope for the cash.The leupold 12X40X60 may be a tad brighter but the elite shows detail @ longrange better.RB
 
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