What Spotting Scopes are you guys using?
- Thread starter garybusey
- Start date
- Location
- Island in the Pacific
I have a Bausch and Lomb elite 15x45x60 now and have had it for years.. This was before bushnell bought them out. I will be upgrading to the Vortex Viper HD model. There are a lot of great glass out there for any budget.
I know with optics its kinda you get what you pay for but like you said I know there are some scopes out there that will do what I need them to without breaking the bank. I think the c70 I bought may have had a defect because it has good reviews but just wouldnt focus perfectly. I'm looking at a celestron ultima 80 to exchange it with and pay a little more money.
Redfield Rampage 20-60x60 Spotting Scope
I paid $265 and it's great out to 250 yards. At 300 yards it starts to get a bit difficult but adequate. For the price, it is very good. To better this scope, you need to spend $500+
I paid $265 and it's great out to 250 yards. At 300 yards it starts to get a bit difficult but adequate. For the price, it is very good. To better this scope, you need to spend $500+
Parker-Hale Mike
CGN Regular
- Location
- Beautiful Victoria
I have an older Kowa TSN1, good scopes are expensive for a reason. They last forever and have superior clarity and focus.
Sask_Hunter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Saskatchewan
Leica 20-60x77.
I use a Sightron 10-50x60, it's sits on my rifle 
.
Fwiw, I went to WSS and tried a few spotting scopes, yes outside. Too many models to remember, but at price point I didn't start seeing an improvement until I was at ~$800. The $200 scopes were lacking and the $500 scopes lacked a little less.
What I discovered; I couldn't afford a good spotting scope.
.Fwiw, I went to WSS and tried a few spotting scopes, yes outside. Too many models to remember, but at price point I didn't start seeing an improvement until I was at ~$800. The $200 scopes were lacking and the $500 scopes lacked a little less.
What I discovered; I couldn't afford a good spotting scope.
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I use a Sightron 10-50x60, it's sits on my rifle
Fwiw, I went to WSS and tried a few spotting scopes, yes outside. Too many models to remember, but at price point I didn't start seeing an improvement until I was at ~$800. The $200 scopes were lacking and the $500 scopes lacked a little less.
What I discovered; I couldn't afford a good spotting scope.
Don't feel too bad friend! For about 10 years I got by alright with a uber cheap Chinese made spotting scope that a teenage boy would have been embarassed to star gaze with! This was when I mostly was into just hunting and well before I dabbled in long range shooting btw. You know why I don't feel too bad about that one? Because one day at the Cold Lake outdoor range there were two gentlemen also shooting near us. They had a pair of SKSs and homemade paper targets and put them up with thumbtacks. We overheard them whispering during a lull in shooting, that one day they will get something like I had on my shooting bench. (this was the very very cheap Chinese scope) I saved my coinage for a Kowa after that one finally broke and I do not regret any of my choices.
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Kowa 828TS 80mm fluorite lens witha x20-60 zooming eyepiece and x30 WA eyepiece. Had it ten years now and still get a kick out of looking through it. It has a very light CF body and angled eyepeice, and a matching 80mm ARD Tenebraex Flashguard.
I can read the makers' name printed on targets at 100m, and see splash marks on Shoot-n-See's at a 1000 yards. Being fluorite glass, the lenses are great in low light conditions, and although the newer versions are better, I'm told, they are not $1500 better, IMO.
Like anything to do with optics, the more you pay, the better they get - truth.
tac
I can read the makers' name printed on targets at 100m, and see splash marks on Shoot-n-See's at a 1000 yards. Being fluorite glass, the lenses are great in low light conditions, and although the newer versions are better, I'm told, they are not $1500 better, IMO.
Like anything to do with optics, the more you pay, the better they get - truth.
tac
I'm pleased with my Minox MD50 for $300. I don't think there are a lot of scopes worth bothering with at that price. It would do for your rangework at 200m. Part of my reason for choosing it was that it is very compact, which makes it nice for carrying afield. If you want one only for the range you can probably get a bit more magnification with equal quality at a similar price, or better for more, etc.
Whatever you get costs something to make, and the last thing they give up is a profit margin, so if you are paying less it's coming out of the performance. If you can afford to throw >$1000 at them, they can afford to make you go "Wow!" but they don't always. The old saying "You get what you pay for" is a bit stupid. In fact you get what you get, and you pay what you pay, and you need to know which is which. There are always sellers in any market who are willing to give you less and charge you more.
Whatever you get costs something to make, and the last thing they give up is a profit margin, so if you are paying less it's coming out of the performance. If you can afford to throw >$1000 at them, they can afford to make you go "Wow!" but they don't always. The old saying "You get what you pay for" is a bit stupid. In fact you get what you get, and you pay what you pay, and you need to know which is which. There are always sellers in any market who are willing to give you less and charge you more.
