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Spotting Scope Suggestions

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I have just gotten into center fire rifle shooting and need a suggestion for a spotting scope.

I have an inexpensive spotting scope I bought from Harbor Freight that is OK for indoor pistol shooting at 50 feet, but when I focus it at 100 yards (60X) I can’t see the hole of a .223. So I’m want to buy a scope, which will allow me to see the small holes.

What do you suggest? I don’t want to spend mega bucks, because I don’t know how much time I will be spending at the rifle range.

TIA

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The Kronos 20-60x80 is a $250ish spotting scope that is excellent value for the dollar. Celestron also gets good reviews in that price range. I have a Kronos and like it.

Kowa rules the high end (>$1000) for the really serious rifle people.

Vortex stuff is all good, with great warranty support, but their spotting scopes are all $600+.
 
I've never had the privilege to use a spotting scope that is worth anything for checking 300 yard hits. I'd imagine those would be $$$$
 
I just upgraded from a 60mm Barska to the Celestron 100mm and it is amazing. I can focus on all three of my 200m targets, keep them all in focus, and all in view. For $215 idk how you can get better. I would have bought Vortex but they have nothing comparable in this price range. For me, spending $1k on a rifle optic is one thing but this does nothing more than let you see some holes. No reason to spend serious money unless you are shooting past 500m. IMO
 
another note on optics higher magX will not always translate into being able to see clearly. on the less expensive scopes you loose resolution as mag X goes up. Lighting plays a big role also.
22cal holes can be hard to see in a black bulls eye.

I have the Konus and at 100 yards 20x does just fine to see holes. @ 200 lighting is more critical. I still have it on 20-30x only. after 200 yards if you can see 22cal holes in a black bulls eye you got a very good scope. Also remember the use of as scope in shooting like high power your not looking for bullet holes. looking at score markers and mirage/wind conditions and so on.

resolution or clarity is more important than magnification.
 
mac1911 said:
another note on optics higher magX will not always translate into being able to see clearly. on the less expensive scopes you loose resolution as mag X goes up. Lighting plays a big role also.
22cal holes can be hard to see in a black bulls eye.

I have the Konus and at 100 yards 20x does just fine to see holes. @ 200 lighting is more critical. I still have it on 20-30x only. after 200 yards if you can see 22cal holes in a black bulls eye you got a very good scope. Also remember the use of as scope in shooting like high power your not looking for bullet holes. looking at score markers and mirage/wind conditions and so on.

resolution or clarity is more important than magnification.
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This is why I went with the 100mm Celestron since it lets more light in and I have no delusions of lugging it through the woods: This goes from my trunk to the bench and back. It is freaking huge. I will try to take pics this weekend to compare vs the 60mm and vs a "normal" scope.
 
The ideal setup is a battery operated video camera placed downrange and off to the side of the target with a laptop at the shooting position to receive the video.
 
Dean Crawford said:
I have a Celestron 80mm and I like it.

Dean
Click to expand...

Len-2A Training said:
Same here. Sounds like the 100mm is one-up for longer range shooting.

There are numerous threads on this topic and even though they may be a year or more old, not much has changed in this landscape.
Click to expand...


I also have a 80mm Celestron that I love. Best bang for buck in spotting scopes.
 
Also things to note on spotting scopes is eye relief.
The konus is pretty good I don't need to lift my glasses to view through the eye piece.
The celestron regal with 27x long eye relief eye piece is definitely a big step up from the Konus. Then the Kowa.
The konus 20x60x80 is what I have. If I where looking to up grade I would look hard at the celestron with LER eye piece.
 
Depends on your budget. As mentioned the Celestron and the Konus scopes are very good value for the dollar and work well. If you budget allows it the Kowa 82 and 88mm scopes with the 27x Long eye relief lens are what you really want. As someone else said, resolution is more important that magnification. I don't think its worth spending the money on Fluorite coatings, since as I understand it, the advantage of fluorite is more accurate color rendition. Probably very important if you are trying to distinguish the greater grey nuthatch from the lesser grey nuthatch. For bullet holes, not so much.

Also remember that a fixed power lens will also be sharper (at least within the same cost universe) than a zoom.
 
badshot101 said:
Depends on your budget. As mentioned the Celestron and the Konus scopes are very good value for the dollar and work well. If you budget allows it the Kowa 82 and 88mm scopes with the 27x Long eye relief lens are what you really want. As someone else said, resolution is more important that magnification. I don't think its worth spending the money on Fluorite coatings, since as I understand it, the advantage of fluorite is more accurate color rendition. Probably very important if you are trying to distinguish the greater grey nuthatch from the lesser grey nuthatch. For bullet holes, not so much.

Also remember that a fixed power lens will also be sharper (at least within the same cost universe) than a zoom.
Click to expand...

The Kowa scopes with the Fluorite lenses are very nice, but unfortunately out of my price range. You can pick up mirage easier and you don't get as much "tinge" on the edges (I don't know the proper word) so it's easier to pick up shot holes quickly. I made do with a Konus when I started out and when it finally broke after 4 years of use I upgraded to the Kowa 82SV (non-Fluorite.) It's still a nice scope.
 
I use a Kowa for high power. I didnt get the fluorite lense because I was told it doesnt help with anything unless I was using the scope for photos also. David Tubb told me this. He also told me I didn't need an adjustable eyepiece, that the 27X was just fine for 300 yards. He said if I can't see the holes with the 27X I wouldn't see it with the adjustable because it would magnify the mirage as well as the target. There is a guy on my team that has an adjustable eyepiece and if I can't see the holes he can't either so I sat David Tubb was right.
 
As much as I think those target cameras are cool, How long do you think people will wait around for someone to set one up? Some days I might, but there are plenty where I'm not going to stop shooting while you position your cameras. If the range is busy it will never happen.
 
dhuze said:
As much as I think those target cameras are cool, How long do you think people will wait around for someone to set one up? Some days I might, but there are plenty where I'm not going to stop shooting while you position your cameras. If the range is busy it will never happen.
Click to expand...

Can't take much longer than guys pasting targets, forgetting tape or staples, frames falling over etc.
 
dhuze said:
As much as I think those target cameras are cool, How long do you think people will wait around for someone to set one up? Some days I might, but there are plenty where I'm not going to stop shooting while you position your cameras. If the range is busy it will never happen.
Click to expand...

Looks very easy to set up.
Also, you could show up early before shooting starts, that will give you all the time you need.

I would be more afraid of some moron shooting my camera.
 
Broccoli Iglesias said:
Looks very easy to set up.
Also, you could show up early before shooting starts, that will give you all the time you need.

I would be more afraid of some moron shooting my camera.
Click to expand...

Our range has small berms at 25-50-75-100 yards that you could hide such a camera behind. The question is what kind of range they have when the battery starts to die.
 
Creedmoor is selling those wireless camera rigs (all you supply is a wifi capable tablet or laptop) with 10+hr battery life and range up to 1000yds. I have a friend who has (and uses) one...they work quite well....but its a lot of hardware to carry around...between the tablet and the camera system you're up over $800 (getting a buddy to pull/mark targets for you is a LOT cheaper)



I have an 82mm Kowa, with 25x LER and 20-60x zoom eyepieces. honestly, I use the 25x 95% of the time, because you can see 223/6mm holes out to 200yds without much issue. for 300yds? use a shoot-n-see. conditions have to be absolutely perfect to see 22 caliber holes at that kind of distance (although i will admit, if you're scoping someone else, the 20-60x is much more useful for watching the trace impact the targets).
 
dhuze said:
As much as I think those target cameras are cool, How long do you think people will wait around for someone to set one up? Some days I might, but there are plenty where I'm not going to stop shooting while you position your cameras. If the range is busy it will never happen.
Click to expand...

It is common for breaks to be called for people to go downrange, and I've found shooters already on the range are most cooperative.

Given standard safety and courtesy protocols, I'm not sure how you are "not going to stop shooting". Are you going to refuse others a time out (if you wait a bit shooters other than the new arrival at the range will ask for one); are you going to shoot when someone is downrange if they are taking too long; or intimidate with toughness?

At my local range, the big delay is waiting for the 200 yard shooters to walk the extra distance, not the time the spend once they get there. Fortunately, many are happy just to ring the steel already in place.

- - - Updated - - -

dhuze said:
so I sat[say] David Tubb was right.
Click to expand...
This would, in general, be a safe bet.
 

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