spotting scope for the range

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Spotting at 1,000yrds while standing, I haven’t found a cheap tripod I liked. Way too much wobble in the wind. I have a manfroto, kinda wish it was a feisol, really wish it was an RRS. My “cheap” spotter pod is a Bushnell branded job, runs about $100 - spotting standing at 1000+, I need a bag hanging on the tripod and end up lacing my fingers together over top of the spotting scope to stabilize the image. I have a couple cheap tripods for studio type photography, I’ve used them for spotting in the past, it’s ok to about 300-400yrds, need to be sitting down with the elevator all the way down to get to 600, nothing but frustration at 800+.
 
Cabelas had Simons Spotting Scopes on sale two years ago. I got one - OK if you don't turn the power up. At 20x I can see .22 hits at 100 yards, but turn the power up and the field of view shrinks and image quality goes away.

Tripods - Velbon is Korean for "I got you sucker". Get a tripod that doesn't walk away from you. Star D is a cheap alternative. I use a Gitzo (I'm a commercial photographer and already had it).

M
 
I don't think he has a scope that will see 500 yards. One of his recent posts said he's buying a Weaver Grand Slam 5-20X50, if not mistaken. He must have pretty good eyes, unless he plans to shoot an elephant at that distance with his CZ 452.? Just saying.....He's still testing bricks of .22 ammo. But he may have an elephant gun.....somewhere.
 
I am wondering if a remote wireless camera is a good idea at that range? Anybody doing that?
 
Old thread

On the stand question.

I still have and use my Al Freeland bipod stand with saddle mount, stabilizing weight and extensions from 1969. I had a paper route then (was 11 years old) and saved up and paid for this myself. These things today cost well over $200.00 and are the same design.

As others have said if you are shooting 3 or 4 position a tripod will not allow the scope to get close enough for you to see thru it without moving. A good stand offers fine adjustments and is quite stable.

So the question is who wants to put a $60.00 scope on a $250.00 stand?
 
What exactly is a remote wireless camera...in practical terms I mean?

Here are several models of one brand. Read the ad copy.
https://www.midwayusa.com/s?targetL...&Ns=p_metric_sales_velocity%7C1&Ntpc=1&Ntpr=1

Maybe a dumb question, I'm sure someone here has the answer....why are spotting scopes so expensive compared to say an entry level telescope? You can get a 80mm telescope, with the tripod for $150
Seems like if you can make out features on the moon, should be able to see a 30 caliber hole at 500 yards

Heck you can't count on picking up a .30 hole in 500 yd paper with a $1500 scope.
Shooting F class, I am looking at mirage and a contrasting 3" spotter, not bullet holes.
I can resolve bullet splash on recently painted steel pretty well but not 100%.
 
I am wondering if a remote wireless camera is a good idea at that range? Anybody doing that?

I have, it’s one that I bought for RC planes but works great very far as long as you have line of sight.

Powered by a 9v battery (TX) and a 12v battery for the RX.

DSC02138.jpg

I have also used a drone I won at a Christmas raffle and a cell phone at the house.

Just set it on the ground and prop it up so it’s looking at the target.

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Years ago a friend brought a telescope down to the farm and we used that as a spotting scope. It was fun to watch the bullets on the way to the target.
 
Maybe a dumb question, I'm sure someone here has the answer....why are spotting scopes so expensive compared to say an entry level telescope? You can get a 80mm telescope, with the tripod for $150
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Meade-In...5aRpTISRTr-Pm3C5jxReZN6D2Z5p6pTBoCY4gQAvD_BwE
Seems like if you can make out features on the moon, should be able to see a 30 caliber hole at 500 yards

it may seem so but it ain't so. the features that you and I look at on the moon are way bigger than the angle made by a .308 diameter hole at nearly a third of a mile. The ability of a scope to "see" an object or a mark or a hole is called its resolving power. That is a function of the scope's objective diameter and its focal length.
a high end scope like a Kowa TSN-883 has a theoretical resolving power of 1.4 arcseconds. A .308 inch hole at 500 yards is 3.5 arc seconds in diameter. The Kowa should be able to see it (if the condition of the air allows it)
 
Yup. And if you point your Kowa at a 500 yard target with a hole in the black, you will see the difference between theoretical resolution and field resolution, too.
A friend has an 82mm Kowa and I have a 60mm Kowa and we looked our eyeballs out all one summer trying to spot shots with even .40 and .45 BPCRs.
We tried different colors (Rifle magazine used to sell royal blue targets.), we leaned white and orange panels behind the target to reflect light through the bullet holes, homemade shoot n see targets, you name it. Like a Jaguar, everything worked perfectly upon occasion. But nothing to where you could count on it. If I had stayed in rifle shooting, I would have a camera by now.
 
I have heard and seen my shooting team mates having some trouble with some of their Kowa branded scopes when trying to see hits of 5.56 @ 200 yards in the black areas of the target. I do not know exactly what magnification was available on those scopes nor what the size of the objective lens was. I am not bashing Kowa. My intent is to recount my experience as to what magnification and lens quality it takes to reliably see that .22 caliber bullet and at what distances.

I have a Zeiss DiaScope 85 FL with a 20-75x variable eyepiece and I can almost always* clearly see 5.56 hits in the black @ 200 yards and can usually see hits in the black at 300 yards.** Beyond 300 yards, on the 600 yard target, forget it. Shooting .30 caliber helps of course but is still completely invisible with my setup past 300 yards. For 600 yards I once saw a guy with what he said was a 100x telescope ! The thing was on a tripod and was huge.

*Even at 200 yards I can have some trouble if the sun is in just the right position (we shoot to the North on my home range) late in the day causing shadows or if it is a very dark cloudy day. Rain, when it hits the targets and causes them to wrinkle also wreaks havoc on my ability to see the hits.

**A lot of use use the "Dirty Bird" type of targets pasted right over the black portion of the target.
 
A guy here has a big Zeiss spotting scope and it is wondrously bright and clear. I never got to see it beyond 100 yards, though.
Zeiss products in their high end models are indeed wonders to behold. My two Zeiss rifle scopes make my other scopes look sick. However, I'm the kind of guy (nut?) that will pay $X for 80%, 2$X for 90%, 4$X for 95% etc...:cool:
 
Maybe a dumb question, I'm sure someone here has the answer....why are spotting scopes so expensive compared to say an entry level telescope? You can get a 80mm telescope, with the tripod for $150
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Meade-In...5aRpTISRTr-Pm3C5jxReZN6D2Z5p6pTBoCY4gQAvD_BwE
Seems like if you can make out features on the moon, should be able to see a 30 caliber hole at 500 yards

I think it's because shooters think they need a scope branded by a well known rifle scope manufacturer. They'll pay 2x for that brand name when they could just use what birders use. The glass isn't any better if a rifle scope mfg. puts their name on it. Chances are the glass is made in Japan or China anyway. You can buy a decent 60X spotting scope with a lifetime guarantee for <$300 if you know exactly where to look. I have a 20-60X Alpen and it works just fine.

https://www.amazon.com/Alpen-Optics...?srs=7536166011&ie=UTF8&qid=1544981699&sr=8-1

Oops, looks like they went out of business this year. :oops:Maybe not such a good deal. I still see some for sale tho. If it's anything like the cheap Simmons I bought about 25 years ago it will outlive me.
 
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I can attest that a cheap tripod will work.....out to 100 yds. That is the only shooting I do and the tripod is all over the place. My scope is also one of those non serious competitor pieces. One of those old rubberized Nikon 20x80 fixed power deals. Whole setup only cost 150 at a gun show.

Depends on the kind of shooting the OP wants to do. I only extend myself out to hunting ranges so my gear is ok for that.
 
Many shooters are using blue tooth enabled cameras that send the image to a phone or tablet.
I'm tempted. I bought a highly recommended 60MM scope with a zoom eye piece and with my eyes I can't see 22 holes at the range I need. My eyes aren't as good as the five star reviewers. If I spent more money on a 80MM spotter body it would have weighed much more and i'd need a more expensive tripod.
The video camera option costs less then many decent tripods.
Friends with $2500.00 rifle scopes don't need spotters
 
There are a new type of optics out that are completely changing the game. By using optical stacking, ie multiple lenses, they produce incredible magnification in very small monoculars or scopes at much lower costs than the traditional makers. No, they do not have the lens clarity or durability of the top end makers. But they can deliver .22 at 500 yards for under $200. Worth looking around for as the savings is remarkable.

If you want to go with a more traditional angled scope, look around for the Athlon Ares. A 20-60 should be available somewhere sub $700.
 
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