Need a decent priced spotting scope.

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Axis II

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Its 99% sure I will be joining a gun club with 300yard range so I need a decent spotting scope to see those little 223rem holes. Any recommendations? I would like to stay under $200 but willing to go a hair higher.
 
I don't know of -any- sub $500 spotting scope that will reliably show 22 cal holes at 300 yards. Maybe I'm wrong, but I've not found one.

I would also suggest that you will need a tripod up to that task as well; most inexpensive spotting scopes come with equally inexpensive tripods that will display more vibration than you might want.
 
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It seems like some camera systems are becoming reasonable priced. They might be something to look into.

If a scope is a must, there are ways to set up the target to maximize the chance of seeing the bullet holes. Do some research on the internet to see what folks are doing with their targets.

The objective is to set up the background so that it is contrasting with the target to make the holes easier to see.
 
True, those .223 holes are kind of small at 300 yards, even with a scope. I use "Shoot-N-C" targets--the kind that spatter when hit. Cheapest place to get them is Sportsman's Guide, where six-inchers go for $20 per hundred (including lots of pasters). They are not the most precise targets for measuring groups, but they sure are easy to see.
 
Anyone else?

Been about a year and you still have not purchased a spotting scope? You need to get on the ball.

I will give an opinion, you will be lucky to see 50 caliber holes at 300 yards never mind 200 yards. My range, at 200 yards we put up 6 foot by 6 foot white backers behind the target and sometimes I see holes in the black. The mirage is so bad I often cannot see the holes in the black, and of course, if the shot is not in the black, I don't see it. And I am using a $1000 Pentax.

Before you buy a scope you ought to borrow a scope on the firing line and look through that.
 
Been about a year and you still have not purchased a spotting scope? You need to get on the ball.

I will give an opinion, you will be lucky to see 50 caliber holes at 300 yards never mind 200 yards. My range, at 200 yards we put up 6 foot by 6 foot white backers behind the target and sometimes I see holes in the black. The mirage is so bad I often cannot see the holes in the black, and of course, if the shot is not in the black, I don't see it. And I am using a $1000 Pentax.

Before you buy a scope you ought to borrow a scope on the firing line and look through that.
The range fell through because my co signer couldn’t get me in. He’s back in there now so I maybe getting in shortly.
 
I'll second the opinion that you will be hard pressed to see .22 holes at 300 yds. no matter what you buy. Even with a shoot and see you're going to need pretty good glass to make out what you're seeing at that range.

Save your money until you can get something good with an 80+ mm objective.
 
At our makeshift range they put up a camera at the 600 and 1200 yd targets, they have pipe buried at an angle pointed at the target stand. I don't know the total cost but 30cal holes are easy to see
 
I wanted to upgrade my .243 with new glass after the Bushnell Trophy took a crap. I bought a Vortex 4x12x40 Diamondback. After a few months I liked it so well I bought another one for my .270. I think their great scopes for the money and under 200 bucks, and their not made in China !!! hdbiker
 
I wouldn’t carry a camera system I owned downrange at a public course. Unless I was hoping it would be destroyed.

Using shoot-n-c targets will help a bit, but spotting bullet holes at range is a challenge no matter how much you spend on glass. It’s far less about the scope as it is about the air through which you see the target. It doesn’t take much mirage at all to eat up bullet holes at 100yrds, let alone 200-300yrds. When you get to an extreme level of spending, the resolution and contrast can help reduce further image distortion in the scope, but if the light is already jumbled by mirage before it enters the scope, no scope can fix it. All we’re talking about is light and how much it gets distorted between the target and our eye. In low cost scopes, the light gets distorted a lot within the scope, while in high cost scopes, it does not, but no amount of money can change how much the light is distorted in the air before it reaches the scope. If mirage warps an image of the Mona Lisa to look like one of Picasso’s muses before the scope ever sees it, no scope will ever improve the image back to look like Lady Gherardini ever again.

I have been happy with the Bushnell T Series compact 15-45x which has a street price around $360 right now. Again - it can’t fix mirage, but for the money, I have been very happy with it, and the compact form is very handy for hauling. When I think of low cost spotting optics with great value, that’s the one which comes to mind.
 
At our makeshift range they put up a camera at the 600 and 1200 yd targets, they have pipe buried at an angle pointed at the target stand. I don't know the total cost but 30cal holes are easy to see

A bud of mine purchased an electronic target. The frame has sound sensors on each corner, the electronic unit is on the target, and it sends a signal to a flat screen device displaying a picture of a bullseye and the shot placement. I think the rig was $600 or so.

Now here comes the bad news. Bud was at the high end of the 200 yard line, shooting prone, and a group of enthusiastic shooters were on a firing point at least 75 feet away, in the middle of the range. They set up targets at 100 yards, 150 yards and 200 yards. And they managed to hit his electronic unit! That cost bud around $300!

No matter how good of shots your buds are, there are a lot of others who are really awful, and you cannot place anything forward of the firing line, without running the risk the other guys will hit it.

I do remember being in the woods on a installation at right angles to the KD range. I may have been a half mile away, I could hear the racket from the firing line. That morning the National Guard were shooting at 500 yards. And bullets were slapping around the trees in my area. That range was eventually closed down when the turret mounted gunners on HMMWV's could not keep their shots on the berm, and bullets were noticed landing in a navigable river miles away.
 
It doesn’t take much mirage at all to eat up bullet holes at 100yrds, let alone 200-300yrds. When you get to an extreme level of spending, the resolution and contrast can help reduce further image distortion in the scope, but if the light is already jumbled by mirage before it enters the scope, no scope can fix it. All we’re talking about is light and how much it gets distorted between the target and our eye. In low cost scopes, the light gets distorted a lot within the scope, while in high cost scopes, it does not, but no amount of money can change how much the light is distorted in the air before it reaches the scope. If mirage warps an image of the Mona Lisa to look like one of Picasso’s muses before the scope ever sees it, no scope will ever improve the image back to look like Lady Gherardini ever again.
Yep.

Don't scrimp buying a spotter you will use for years to come, make the price hurt a little, you'll be glad you did in the long run.
 
For me I use the splatter targets that show a color where the bullet hits along with the spotter scope at 300 yards and the tiny 233 round is much easier to see
 
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Its 99% sure I will be joining a gun club with 300yard range so I need a decent spotting scope to see those little 223rem holes. Any recommendations? I would like to stay under $200 but willing to go a hair higher.
A buddy got a Red field at a garage sale $75 minus Tri pod , real decent glass out to 600 yard
 
Check out Konus scopes. They are probably one of the best buys out there. Can find them on amazon. i have a 20x60x100 and can easily see 22 holes at 300.
As said earlier a good tripod is crucial and can cost as much as the scope.
 
.22 holes in the black are extremely hard to pick up at 300 yards in anything but perfect conditions. So are .30 cal holes.

In the white (Light tan)? Much easier.

Wait for sales, then buy glass so it hurts a little. The pain of the purchase will be gone soon, while the spotting scope will be around a long time.
 
I'll second the opinion that you will be hard pressed to see .22 holes at 300 yds. no matter what you buy. Even with a shoot and see you're going to need pretty good glass to make out what you're seeing at that range.

Save your money until you can get something good with an 80+ mm objective.

Third on this. I use a $90 Celestron C70 Mini Mak spotting scope mounted atop the included mini tripod, and I struggle seeing those 22caliber holes at 300 yds, but it is possible. 30 cal, no problem. It takes patience, especially if it's windy or there's lots of mirage to contend with, but to reiterate, it can be done. I use homemade printed targets on white paper.
 
I wouldn’t carry a camera system I owned downrange at a public course. Unless I was hoping it would be destroyed.

Using shoot-n-c targets will help a bit, but spotting bullet holes at range is a challenge no matter how much you spend on glass. It’s far less about the scope as it is about the air through which you see the target. It doesn’t take much mirage at all to eat up bullet holes at 100yrds, let alone 200-300yrds. When you get to an extreme level of spending, the resolution and contrast can help reduce further image distortion in the scope, but if the light is already jumbled by mirage before it enters the scope, no scope can fix it. All we’re talking about is light and how much it gets distorted between the target and our eye. In low cost scopes, the light gets distorted a lot within the scope, while in high cost scopes, it does not, but no amount of money can change how much the light is distorted in the air before it reaches the scope. If mirage warps an image of the Mona Lisa to look like one of Picasso’s muses before the scope ever sees it, no scope will ever improve the image back to look like Lady Gherardini ever again.

I have been happy with the Bushnell T Series compact 15-45x which has a street price around $360 right now. Again - it can’t fix mirage, but for the money, I have been very happy with it, and the compact form is very handy for hauling. When I think of low cost spotting optics with great value, that’s the one which comes to mind.

When people write posts such as this one I usually tune out. I read yours though because you make them understandable and they always make sense.
 
Its 99% sure I will be joining a gun club with 300yard range so I need a decent spotting scope to see those little 223rem holes. Any recommendations? I would like to stay under $200 but willing to go a hair higher.
I dont own a spotting scope, I do use a very good rifle scope, seeing a 6 mm Bullet hole at 300 is not a problem even in sunlight . Mirage doesn’t bother me until I get closer to 500 yards.
J
 
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