Have been using the Celestron (well known long-time telescope maker) for the past 6-7 years and it has been great. (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links).
Not as cheap as their Ultima line, but has the much better ED glass and several of us purchased the Regal after a side-by-side comparison to the more than twice as expensive Kowa 82mm scope. We could see no difference.

I have a Celestron Ultimate 80 ED Which is a nice scope but large. The scope I use when shooting schuetzen ia an old fixed power Leupold, the straight one not the one with a prism. I believe it is a 24 power and works well even discerning 22 caliber holes at 200 yards. 

BUT! I have a range out to 300 yards on my place and when I shoot centerfire rifles I haul everything to the shooting tables on my four wheeler. Sometimes it takes two loads if two rifles are involved. Wanting to put together a small kit just for shooting .22's I started looking for a small inexpensive spotting scope. The one I found is made by Burris. Its name is  Compact, adjustable from 12X to 24X with a 50mm objective. I bought mine for around $80.00 and can honestly say it rivals my Leupold. Bullet holes at 200 yards are easily seen. I've set-up the Leupold and the Burris side-by-side and it's very hard to see any difference. In my opinion it would be hard to beat for a starter scope.
Bill

Yes, all those instruments are excellent, but I'm holding out for one of those Jap naval binoculars (about 2' long, 50 lbs) shown on Pawn Stars a while back; was claimed that these were so good the US Navy had purchased them before Pearl Harbor.

Lefty38-55 wrote on Feb 19^th, 2014 at 11:47am:


Not bad, but the one on Pawn Stars was in its original wooden crate--I gotta have that.   

JackHughs wrote on Feb 19^th, 2014 at 12:20pm:


I for one very much look forward to reading that build-log!   
I've been liking the idea of the target-camera's for a long time... I just don't have the money to mess up with false-starts because I bought the wrong bits, and don't quite have the know-how for some of the components (I'm very familiar with WiFi gear/routers, but know nothing about camera's, etc).

frnkeore wrote on Feb 19^th, 2014 at 2:01pm:


Hi Frank,

At Modesto, the camera and transmitter are protected by the 200 yard pits, but that's a unique location.

I'm currently awaiting delivery of a 4 - 22 mm varifocal camera.  At 22 mm focal length,  I hope to be able to place the camera at approximately 15 ft in front of the target - mounted at ground level and angled up to keep it away from the bullet's path.  Also, the transmitter and battery pack can be comfortably placed up to 50 ft away from the camera.

JackHughs 

I've got an older Kowa 77 mm with the straight eyepiece and a Bogen 351 tripod that I use for BPCR silhouette. It's great but big! I used SSShooter's Celestron Regal in GA for mid-range and silhouette BPCR and found it equal optical quality. It was better on the trip because it was smaller and easier to pack. It also had the angled eyepiece and a single vertical post which was a bonus in GA as the range was crowded and a smaller footprint is good.

I've shot one schuetzen match and the Kowa is too large to set up to use properly.

I've also got a Simmons 25 x 50 mm scope that I have less than $75 and I use it a lot on my property when I go there to shoot. I can see .22 bullet holes at 200 yds with it. It is no longer made. It is my choice for a day of plinking enjoyment.

One scope will not fill all requirements. Put some thought into the use and ease of use before spending $$$