What are the Cheapest Spotting options available?

philhut

philhut

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Like the title says I'm looking for a spotting device. I realize that a quality piece costs $500+.... but I am wondering about alternatives...

What would work for spotting bullet holes at up to 300 meters with decent clarity. I dont need or expect the best scope/device ever...

Shooting options?

Bird watching options ? (That work for shooting)

Optic attachments for cell phone camera's?

Pros/cons to each, ideally I'm looking to stay under $200 or less for this gadget Advice is welcome as well as recommendations. Thanks
 
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A $200 spotting scope for 300 yards is not going to happen.

I realize that a quality piece costs $500+
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Try $1500 as a starting point.

The really good ones like say a Kowa TSN-773 will be 3K with the 25-60 eyepiece.
 
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Try some Shoot and See targets, you'll be able to see the hits with even a decidedly ordinary riflescope. You can patch them until you run out of patches; then cut up the old targets and make more patches. Or shoot steel.

Cheap optics prey on the people who can least afford to throw money away.
 
I bought a "Levenhuk" branded 20-60x spotting scope from Optics Planet for just over $200 about 4 years ago. It's cheap, definitely Chinese, but I can see .223 holes in white paper at 200 yards. Probably take some flack, but it works for me. I don't think I'd pack it into the back country, but for range work, it's more than sufficient.
 
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01EBS3AJ4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I bought this (above) Gosky 20-60 X 80 Porro Prism Spotting Scope- Waterproof Scope for Bird watching Target Shooting Archery Range Outdoor Activities -with Tripod & Digiscoping Adapter

similar idea to Levenhuk I think..... its a decent spotting scope for the range. I can see out to 200m with my cell phone attached where I can see the holes. I need to look through the objective lens to see anything at 300m. Massive upgrade from my old school binoculars or having to alternate picking up my 3-9 leopold to see the holes from any rifle I shoot. for $189 it came with a mini stand and an attachement for my cell phone. its neat being able to prop my Samsung 7, (any std cell phone size will work) to have a mini screen. Only problem is that after about 5 mins the screen shuts off by that's my phone not the scope.

Works well for 100m ok for 200m and just barely for 300m...…. I was shooting home printed targets of various types black/white paper 8x11. I'm sure proper target paper would be much easier to see.
 
Bushnell Spacemaster....the best Japanese glass for those of you one a budget....

Otherwise, run a KOWA for you experts who have seen through my glass at my workshops! And for those of you who are lucky to have no kids and a double income household :nest: , run a Swarovski or Vortex HD.... :evil:

Back to the budget Spacemaster, many of my clients show up or return to my matches with various Spacemasters from varying vintages / history / price points / auctions / yard sales / cottage closures. Everyone who has this glass raves about the prices they paid / money saved and how they are gonna name their first born after ME :eek:

I’m joking of course.... :)

Buy what works for your: budget, cool factor, game , space in rucksack, available tripod setup, ego size, rifle collection, and shoe size.....so many factors to consider!

:wave:


Cheers, Barney
 
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What about entry level toy-grade telescopes?

100-400x units can be found on Kijiji for less than $80, but if they enable the user to see Jupiter's moons, one should be able to see bullet holes too.
 
Invest in a better scope. Cheap spotting scopes are useless.

I got a super good set of binos used on Kijiji for 120$ ;)
 
The best you can get for less money is something used. Watch patiently the EE for old scopes offered for sale by gunnutz of good reputation. And act fast, if it's a good deal it'll be gone quickly.
 
Wait for one of Bushnell's frequent rebate programs and buy one of their T-Series 15-45x 60mm Spotters. The glass is very good for the money, the total package is quite handy and portable, and it features the only Milradians reticle crosshair in a spotting scope for under $3K. The latter feature is particularly useful if you ever end up calling corrections for a precision rifle shooter. The MSRP from Precision Optics is $799 but the scope is routinely on sale for $699. Omer at Precision Optics will take excellent care of you! Call and see what he recommends in your price range. Omer will steer you straight at best value for your dollar!
 
TacticalTeacher said:
Bushnell Spacemaster....the best Japanese glass for those of you one a budget....

Otherwise, run a KOWA for you experts who have seen through my glass at my workshops! And for those of you who are lucky to have no kids and a double income household :nest: , run a Swarovski or Vortex HD.... :evil:

Back to the budget Spacemaster, many of my clients show up or return to my matches with various Spacemasters from varying vintages / history / price points / auctions / yard sales / cottage closures. Everyone who has this glass raves about the prices they paid / money saved and how they are gonna name their first born after ME :eek:

I’m joking of course.... :)

Buy what works for your: budget, cool factor, game , space in rucksack, available tripod setup, ego size, rifle collection, and shoe size.....so many factors to consider!

:wave:


Cheers, Barney
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I have a Bushnell Spacemaster with 45X and an aperture, tripod and in a factory carrying box.

It is truly excellent but I have not needed it for my shooting and will list it for sale.

Here is an interesting article about it:

https://kenrockwell.com/tech/bushnell/spacemaster-ii.htm
 
Buy once cry once.

You will never be satisfied buying only the equipment you can afford.

If you need it, you need it to work.

Never in my life have I bought the cheapest option and not ended up upgrading to the one I should have bought in the first place, and that is after the sunk cost of inferior kit, and much aggravation and poor performance in the mean time.

If $500 is all you have, which is not enough for a good spotting scope, consider investing that money back into a better rifle scope.

a 30x power rifle scope with a very clear picture is a much better purchase than 60x power spotting scope with a garbage image.
 
TacticalTeacher beat me to it. Look for a good used Bushnell Spacemaster. I think that would be your best buy.

I use a Kowa 663 with 25X LER eyepiece. Your budget would be a downpayment.
 
The 'best' is likely the Kowa 833 with promilar eyepiece ( that runs about $4k just to give an idea). Arguably the big Swaro will give that combo a run but at that level it is all arguable. The Spacemaster is very good at a budget but the real gem out there is the Pentax 80ED - almost Kowa quality at less than half the price. ( Full disclosure: I'm selling mine cos I got the Kowa but I've been recommending the Pentax 80 ED for years as the value buy in the world of spotters ).

Final plea - do NOT buy the cheapest glass unless you are really very rich.
 
Another vote for Kowa. Once you amortize the cost over the next 40 years it won't seem like you spent anything.

Go look through some Kowa Highlanders and report back to us.
 
Bartok5 said:
Wait for one of Bushnell's frequent rebate programs and buy one of their T-Series 15-45x 60mm Spotters. The glass is very good for the money, the total package is quite handy and portable, and it features the only Milradians reticle crosshair in a spotting scope for under $3K. The latter feature is particularly useful if you ever end up calling corrections for a precision rifle shooter. The MSRP from Precision Optics is $799 but the scope is routinely on sale for $699. Omer at Precision Optics will take excellent care of you! Call and see what he recommends in your price range. Omer will steer you straight at best value for your dollar!
Click to expand...

This ^^^ for those of you who know how and need a reticle in your spotter.... I have one of these and I attempt to have it set up on my firing line in the Garrison Petawawa PRmatches for you clients to look through. It’s a game changer when you have to guide your shooter’s bullet closer to where it needs to be!

It’s a great value for the $

Cheers, Barney
 
I can see 22 cal bullet holes @ 200m with my 'clearance' spotting scope. Back in September 2016 they were on sale for $149 and another store had them @ $100 so they price matched AND with a $30 mail in rebate I ended up paying $70. Reg price was $249.99 (notice the receipt has OVRD 'over ride' for the price @ $149...)

Thanks again to board member Turkinator!

Cheers
Jay

 
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