spotting scope for the range

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Friends with $2500.00 rifle scopes don't need spotters

yes

As I read through this thread and the comments about tripods I get the feeling that many are using spotters with their telescopes? I say this because I don't understand how a shooter can get the spotting scope close enough to their body when it is mounted on a tripod.
 
yes

As I read through this thread and the comments about tripods I get the feeling that many are using spotters with their telescopes? I say this because I don't understand how a shooter can get the spotting scope close enough to their body when it is mounted on a tripod.
Huh? You just step right up to it. Avoid tripping on the tripod legs if it is fully extended. No problem if it is on a table.
 
Huh? You just step right up to it. Avoid tripping on the tripod legs if it is fully extended. No problem if it is on a table.

I understand that if you are willing to get out of position then a tripod is not a problem. I'm asking about the shooter using a spotting scope by themselves without getting out of position, sorry I was not clear on that. This is after all, a competition subforum.
 
Competitors don't use photo type tripods.
They use a short tripod or bipod with a tall pole.
You can get it close enough that a slight roll (in prone) will let you see through the spotting scope. That is the home of the angled eyepiece.
 
Jim I know it can be done to a point but is it the preferred way? Why go through the inconvenience when a bipod style base with weights will solve the problem completely? As I mentioned I have an old Al Freeland stand from 1969, I use a Bushnell spotting scope from the same time frame. I was a pre-teen at the time I bought it with my paper route money, it is a good scope but got one without an angled eyepiece, because I was a kid at the time. This stand replaced a tripod with a cantilevered mount and was a huge improvement. I can make fine adjustments with this stand and use the scope without moving out of position at all and in any of the 4 positions and outside with wind.

http://thecmp.org/wp-content/uploads/M1AMatch_CampPerry.jpg
 
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Just my personal experience, YMMV. I've used many different spotting scopes over the years. I've never seen one, not even the $2000 rigs that will let you clearly see .22 cal holes past 200 yards.
 
Remember...the OP was talking about .30 caliber holes at 500 yards, not .22s at some other distance.
Magnification: this can be problematic. The clarity of an image is first determined by how much light is "collected" by the objective lens. An 80mm lens allows more light to get to the eye than a 60mm lens (an 80mm has nearly twice the surface area of a 60mm) Quality of the lens glass affects chromatic aberration, astigmatic effects, edge to edge clarity.
When I magnify an image, the image gets larger but the amount of light available does not change. As I increase magnification, the image may get dimmer as the available light is spread out.
pete
 
Not sure about 22 holes @500, however I can see 6.5 (sometimes) and 30 cal. all day @600 in the black with mine...Pentax PF100-ED. Not cheap by any stretch and no longer imported. Kinda for sale if the right money shows up...
 
Many years ago I bought a Barska BLACKHAWK 20-60x 60mm scope and was amazed at how well it forces and showed bullet holes on targets. Not all the Barska scopes will do this, only the Blackhawk line from what I have seen. I bought a Barska 25-125x88 Benchmark spotting scope and it would not fine focus to see the bullet holes @200 yards.

I'm sure there are excellent scope out there but at what cost? This scope when I bought it cost me $109 and it's @$130 now with the angled eye piece, a little less with a straight eye piece. The hard and sift classes are a bonus IMO.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/2...ith-tripod-and-hard-case-rubber-armored-green

Just a heads up for anyone interested in the scope in the link. They are 103 bucks plus change on Amazon. I'm neither recommending or condemning the scope and have no experience with it, just posting a very attractive price.
 
Just thought you guys might be interested in my cheap system - no you're not going to see .22 holes at anything like 500 yards but it works really well for shorter distances.
The two scope shown here are both cheap compact models (sub $100), the 8" tablet in a budget android but the system works equally well with an android phone. The app to run the camera is free and the camera about $10. The only "technical" part is the adapter to hold the camera inline with the eyepiece - I 3d printed my adapters but they could easily be fabricated out plastic plumbing fitting etc.

The pictures shown here ISSF air pistol targets at 10m (11 yards)
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