Hi All

I am in the market for a new spotting scope I read in TSR that the best choice would be a 30X60 for 200 yards but the further I read on the web the more confused I get, not on the magnification but the huge price range with no indication of what I actually get for my pennies.

So I would appreciate some of your experience on the scopes you use and hopefully this can get me in the right direction to choose a good spotting scope without loosing a minor fortune.

Michael

ACGould is right about not skimping on spotting scopes... but MAN can they be spendy!

The Kowa line is pretty much the "gold standard" in the shooting sports for spotting.  You'll see little else at a Highpower match.

That being said...
Recently a local shooter got a Konus spotting scope (around $200, 80-ish mm objective, 20-60 zoom).  At a match, we did some informal side-by-side testing.  There were two Kowa's present (an 821 and an older TSN-1), a Swarovski, and the Konus.

The Konus compared very favorably to all present. Notice I didn't say "it was better than" all present... but for $200 it was surprisingly good!
It didn't give up much to the Kowa's, and it gave up NOTHING to the Swarovski (much to the consternation of the Swarovski owner...).

That was the second Konus I've looked through, and as I said, they may not be "fully the equal of" a more expensive spotting scope, but they are outstanding in their price range.   
I've been looking for a "backup" for my 20+ year old Mirador spotting scope, and I think I'll be buying a Konus by the end of the year.   
For the price of one Kowa, I could buy 5 Konus's, test them all,, pick the best one, and pay return shipping on the other 3 and STILL come out ahead.

If you have the money, a Kowa 821n would be a great investment... 
If you want some decent glass on your bench while you save up the other $900 for the Kowa, buy a Konus, then resell it for $150 after you buy your Kowa.

I've also been VERY impressed by some Nikon spotting scopes, but they've all been older models, and one shooter thought their newer ones were not nearly as good.  That's 100% heresay though, as I haven't checked them out recently.

Paul F.

Don't be mislead by the Eagle Optics listing on eBay. That's really not a bargan!!!  Take another look at the eBay ad. Price is for the scope body only.  The zoom eyepiece for this outfit is an additional $358 plus about $40.00 for a cover.  This makes it about $1043.00 for the same outfit that Buffalo Arms sells for  $1003.95!  Final note--it is good to support the dealers who support our sport!
Cheers, 
ACGould

I have a high dollar scope but also have two little Bushells. One is a 20x50 mm that has a real good picture owned it for 30 plus years.

Last year got another Bushnell off ebay used for 40 bucks, 20x40 mm straight tube, they were sold for Pistol scopes years ago,  I keep it in my car on a window mount for Hawks, It does a good job too forgetting my regular scope one day used it to spot 32 cal holes at 200 with no problem,   

On the inexpensive scopes stay lower power, 50 mm 20xmax.  You need big objective to run 27 x  Also there seems to be differences scope to scope same model in the lower priced units, If you are buying new or can see the scope before you buy test it or have return privileges

Last avoid variable fixed power is always going to resolve better,

Boats

ACGould wrote on Aug 3^rd, 2008 at 12:19am:


Good catch! I missed that fact.

I would like to comment on Eagle Optics. I bought my Nikon there. I brought a target with .22 cal holes and set it in a snowbank as far away as I could get, and they let me set up spotting scopes on a special stand that they have and compare one against the other. After about four hours I finally made my choice and have been very satisfied. Joe S

Hi All

Thanks for all the inputs which I have gone through with great emphasis and there seem to be for and against for the scopes mentioned but to me no clear decision points.

We had a good talk at our shooting club yesterday and tried to compare the spotting scopes we had and they were all lousy except one which was bought some years ago from BA

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and this scope is the owner not satisfied with he can barely se the holes at 100M and also wanted to buy a new scope, does anyone know this scope an can give some comparre to the better scopes, this might give us a lead to where we should go.

What about the Alpen scopes are they any good?

Here in Copenhagen Denmark the scope cost about 3 times the price in the US so we are going to by some on a trip we are doing into the west to October.

Michael 

If you can find a Unertl 20 power scope you will be surprised at the quality. I compared scopes at camp perry with them all mounted next to each other on a board at Champions choice and for clarity and being able to see holes the Unertl was the best.
Bill

If you put a Unertil 20 , I think they are 63 mm up against any moderate size scope it's going to be by far the best.  Have told this story before but some years ago at the Smallbore Silouette Nationals Leopold had a display of scopes including there new compact variable spotter.

Old guy pulls out is scratched and dented Unertil and said if the Leopold was better he would buy it, set up looking at 100 meter rams the difference was obvious. Leopold did not  like it a bit.

Of course it's almost impossable for someone from outside the US here on Vacation to buy one. I missed one on FleaBay not long ago, 63 mm with 3 eyepieces, it happend to be nearby and I could look before bidding, Wanted it bad but it sold for real big bucks. Much more than a coated lens Kowa

Boats

Wow, the market has changed since I bought a KowaTSN1 10 years ago (sold a few years ago it too!).
Has anyone used the Konus 100mm scopes?

Are any of them capable of showing small caliber bullet holes at 200 yards?

The Unertil 63 mm with 3 eyepieces I bid on went for nearly a Thousand as I recall.  No telling what a team scope will sell for.

Nobody mentioned binocular scopes.  Some of the Silouette shooters are using two Kowa's mounted on a base that allows pupil width and alignment adjustment.  Coupled with a very solid tripod (solid tri is half the battle) they offer amazing views.  Have never used one on a flat paper target though. For dirt berms or steel nothing I have ever seen is better. The Binocular vison makes the picture "pop"  I bet you see some in Cody

Boats

200 yard smallbore is elusive and very dependent on ambient conditons.  At Asheville NC they have a difficulty light conditon in the morning.  I use a little fixed power 25x50 mm Leopold, Couple of years ago lost 32 cal holes at 200, everybody else on the line was shut down too. I looked through half a dozen bigger scopes and could not see the 32 holes either. Sun which was backlighting the targets went behind a cloud and everybody could see the holes, Just like you pulled up a window shade

22's at 200 are probably the ultimate test, only problem is the testing varys widely 

Boats

I have had the best luck with the Celestron C-90 and the 130MAK.  Resolving 6mm bullet holes at 600 yds in the white on a good day is not a problem.  I should think that 22 holes at 200 would be a walk in the park.  Of course there are conditions at times that makes all optical instruments weep for shame.  I have had the pleasure to look thru many. many high end spotters and I stilll go back to the Celestrons.  Regards...Gary