Spotting Scopes what to get?

[andybrock]

I'm thinking of getting a spotting scope and as I know next to nothing about them I was wondering what to get?

 

All I need it for is target checking so I don't need a Swaro, Zeiss etc just something that will do the job out to say 600yds.

 

Any advice appreciated.

 

Cheers Andy

[simonl]

600 yds, but what size holes?

[andybrock]

600 yds, but what size holes?

.224 and 6mm

[simonl]

I think you're going to be disappointed over how much money you're gonna need to spend.

Keen to see if anyone can view at this range this with a cheapo. I know light levels will play a big part at the zoom required. I bought one something like 10-40 x 100mm for around 100 quid. Only used it the once

[Chris-NZ]

In good light in the white of the target, you should be able to see bullet holes out to 300yds. Beyond that and in mirage, you'd be damn lucky. Forget seeing hits reliably in the back past 300yds.

 

High grade glass walks all over more powerful cheap glass. I'd cry once on this item

[andybrock]

In good light in the white of the target, you should be able to see bullet holes out to 300yds. Beyond that and in mirage, you'd be damn lucky. Forget seeing hits reliably in the back past 300yds.

 

High grade glass walks all over more powerful cheap glass. I'd cry once on this item

I thought that would be the case, I suppose the best are the usual suspects Swaro, Zeiss and Leica etc as I said I don't know much about spotting scopes so which model would you recommend?

 

Cheers

[MJR]

I've got a leupold that I find very good. I'm not far from you so if you want to have look through one come over.

[andybrock]

I've got a leupold that I find very good. I'm not far from you so if you want to have look through one come over.

Thanks for that, I'll pm you over the holiday period if your free, which model have you got?

 

Many thanks Andy

[Scotch_egg]

What ever you get ensure you get a good tripod.

[The Gun Pimp]

Cheapest option that will fill the bill is one of Brian Fox's Nikula scopes for about £295. To get better quality, you'll have to spend twice that.

[baldie]

I,ve just sold my Leupold as I simply couldn't see holes smaller than 308 with it at 5-600 yards.

 

I,ve come to the conclusion that if you want to see small holes , it going to be expensive. Next stop will be a specialist outfit such as in-focus who sell spotting scopes for birdwatching. Those guys dont use inferior optics. Considering what a leupold mk4 costs these days, a Swarovski could be had for not much, if any more.

 

I fell into the trap of thinking the Leup would be good , because its military issue.

 

It isn,t.

[andybrock]

Thanks for the info chaps, what magnification would you go for? do you go for the highest mag or do you go for lower mag with better clarity?

[John MH]

Kowa 82mm Objective, HD Glass and x32 Eye Piece.

[Akeld]

[PESCA]

Wish I could have all of the money back that I've spent on poor spotting scopes

 

Went from £150, to £250, to £350, to £500, to the Leup tactical. As Dave says, I thought it'd be the dogs. Disappointed, to be honest.

 

Finally made the correct purchase for my needs, which is a Swaro AT80 with 20x-60x lens and stay-on case. Coupled that with the tripod recommended by BD and I'm finally a happy man

 

I really don't do long distance stuff like a lot of you fellas, but simply couldn't put up with either the rubbish image, shitty eye position, or the poor mag range of the spotting scopes I'd purchased.

 

By the way, the one's I've had were Minox, Opticron and Celestron, all with ED glass. Did have a nice Optolyth, but got rid because the servicing costs were ridiculously high and the unit had to be sent to Germany (it was heavy lump and cost a fortune to send).

 

George

[bradders]

Kowa 82mm Objective, HD Glass and x32 Eye Piece.

Exactly and with an angled eyepiece at that.

Preferably long eye relief and wide angled

[Elwood]

March 8-80, it doubles up as a scope as we'll

[MJR]

Mine is the 12 - 40 mk4 leupold. It sounds like there are optically better spotting scopes out there if you are willing to pay. However I like the leupold for what I use it for. It's ffp with mildot reticle and that matches my scopes. I doubt I could see bullet holes in paper at 600 YDS but then I've never tried.

[Redshift]

If you want to reliably see bullet holes at a decent distance , you would need to get a tele-vue 85, but may I suggest you sit down with a cold drink before hitting the search button.

 

Redshift

[Dan534]

I've only had the mk4. Found the optics great, one of the mil surplus ones, I certainly wouldn't pay full price for it though and not tried to view bullet holes at extreme distance. Eaaily good enough to see bullets marks on steel at 600 meters. Did have a look through the Dutch combat shooting teams Swarovski scopes when in Canada, FOV was better, slightly nicer optics, no reticle which Is useful for spotting and zeroing and it wasn't as compact as the leupold. Has anyone found the mk4 optics sub standard?

[brown dog]

Has anyone found the mk4 optics sub standard?

 

Quite the opposite - I'm stunned by how good the Leup spotter is. It's unlike all their other products in that I've found it easily matched my Swaro 30x75 CTC -which I then sold. .....and it's so much handier in use.

[Offroad Gary]

Swaro hd for me, from range use, spotting deer, assesing roebucks to general family use. Its great.

 

[MJR]

Well a quick update on the Leupold Spotter. I was out with friends yesterday and individual 6.5mm bullet strikes on whitened steel plates were clearly visible at 550mtrs +. The day was mostly clear and bright with occasional cloudy spells but it made no difference, the strikes were still visible.

[forbie]

Get one of the camera systems, then you know you will see them. Thats what I am going to get just haven't decided which one yet

[MJR]

Camera's would prove very expensive to cover a dozen + targets all at different locations.

Fine for a gallery but useless in the field.