spotting scope recommendations?

[docgary]

Looking for a spotting scope for bench rest -

$200-400 range

good optics out to at least 300 yds -

I want to clearly see .223 hits on white and black background at 300 yds..


I have seen:

Konus 20-60 x 80 ($220)
Barska "gladiator" 20-60 x 90 ($320)

Both with OK ptics and flimsy tripod

Any suggestions up to $400?

TIA
docgary

 

[snowpro440]

burris spotting scope

i just bought a burris 20-60x80mm and only $190 on ebay and i can see .30 cal holes at 500 meters its a great scope for the money

 

[Nate C.]

I am in the market for a spotting scope myself. I would appreciate any guidance anyone might have.

Does anybody have any feedback on Barska? I saw them at Gander Mountain but didn't give them a second glance. However, I just noticed Midway has a Barska a 25x75x100mm for about $325.

 

[paulo]

Go with the Konus. Jim at jarheadtop.com runs a good deal on them.

 

[SwampWolf]

Anybody have any experience with Leupold's Green Line "Sequoia" 20X60X80 spotting scope? I can get one new with the angled eyepiece for $336.00 but would like to get some input re the quality of the optics of this scope before I order one.

 

[Matt304]

Docgary,

The Celestron Ultima 100 for $300 looks like a good buy. It is 100mm objective, 22-66X.

http://www.opticsplanet.net/celestron-ultima-100-spotting-scope.html

If you could spend $450, the Celestron 80ED has glass with higher resolution, so you would have an even clearer image, for seeing holes at longer distances.

http://www.opticsplanet.net/celestron-ultima-80ed-spotting-scope.html

You usually get what you pay for with spotting scopes. I would stay away from Barska as well.

 

[EShell]

I just got a Celestron Ultima 65 ED and it's not too bad for the money. IMHO, the 80s and 100s are going to be BIG. The 65 is already pretty good sized.
I would definitely go with the extra low dispersion ("ED" glass) in whatever M/M.

This is a good write up. While it's intended for birders, it's the same set of requirements.
Overview:http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/gear/scopes/sc_review
Chart:http://www.birds.cornell.edu/Publications/LivingBird/winter98/scopeswi98.htm#Table

 

[Matt304]

I just figure at 300 yards, you really want a clear scope. Often times 80MM on up. Smaller will cut it, but the resolution is really not close to the same as I have been reading. You are right, they are big. But I never saw a large spotting scope being a problem on a shooting range, since you are only transporting it to and from the car.

 

[ocabj]

On the average Southern California day between sunrise and around 1300 hours, I have a 90% chance of seeing .22cal holes on an SR target at 200 yards with a Kowa 821M with 27x LER. If it's on a ring line or in the white, I have a 50/50 chance depending on how the light is hitting the target.

My point is that you're asking a lot from a scope to be able to see holes on a paper target at 300 yards.

I tested the Konuspot 80 and I think it is a great value scope and has surprisingly good performance. I can claim that I was able to read the print on an MR-1 target at 600 yards with a Konuspot 80, but this was on a day with ideal conditions. It was a very cool day, maybe 65F, the sun at high in the sky with the light hitting the face of the target, and it had rained the night before, leaving light humidity in the air, making it very crisp and zero mirage. But on another day with the same Konuspot 80, in 80 degree weather at around 1100 hrs on a sunny day, I could barely make out holes in the target at 300 yards on an SR-3 target.

Being able to see holes on paper in the black at 300 yards and beyond has as much to do with the weather and lighting conditions as the quality of the glass.

Here's the link to a review I wrote on the Konuspot 80:

http://www.inlandshooters.net/index.php?contentid=112