Spotting Scopes

[dddrees]

Just have not got a clue and could use some help, hints, and recommendations but I am looking into getting the scope I will use for the range for many years to come. Already an old man and I require reading glasses of 2+ if that makes a difference. I probably won't use it for more than 100 yards out and more likely at 25 and 50 yards most of the time. Into quality, things built to last, great warranty, and good to great glass.

I would buy binoculars I think if they could deliver, but thinking spotting scope probably best way to go. Agular or straight not entirely sure but thinking Angular maybe better.


Sit down and possibly stand up shooting.



Looking at these two currently:


Vortex Optics Diamondback Spotting Scopes 20X60X80

Barska Blackhawk 20X60X80


Are there others that I might want to consider, any others which might be better than what I have found so far?

[North Country Gal]

For 100 yard work, a quality (and I put quality in bold for a reason) will allow you to see 22 cal bullet holes at 100 yards. We use an old Leupold 12-40x with a 60mm objective and it works great at 100 yards. The newer HD version would even be sharper. At 200 yards, we can still see 22 cal bullet holes, BUT we need splatter type targets to do it.

The big advantage of staying with a 60mm scope is portability and fitting one on the bench. 80mm scopes are much less stable on a small bench type tripod and you're asking for trouble trying to set one up on the bench with a little tripod. Sooner or later, your scope is going to take a tumble. When using 80mm scopes, in the past, then, I mounted them on a full size tripod next to the bench. If you're on your own range with your own bench, a pole mount on the bench also works with these big scopes.

If you wear glasses, be sure to check eye relief on the scope, especially at max magnification. Eyeglass wearers typically need a minimum of 15mm of eye relief to see a full field of view with their glasses on. The zoom eyepieces on cheap scopes are notorious for losing eye relief AND image quality as you zoom up in magnification.

Image quality at high magnification is really where the cheap stuff and the good stuff part company. All scopes look pretty good at low power. It's at high power where you begin to understand why you paid big bucks for your scope.

My personal brand of choice, like many in the shooting community, is Kowa. Any Kowa 60mm scope will be great, optically. Their current 20-60x zoom eyepieces are state of the art. Most folks, of course, aren't going to spend that much on a spotting scope and I do understand that.

If you really want the best reviews of spotting scopes and even binoculars, I recommend you visit the birding optics review websites. Birders (I'm one) are very fussy about their optics and discuss and rate optics to the nth degree. The only folks I know that are as fussy about optical performance are astronomers (I'm one of those, too).

[North Country Gal]

As far as Vortex versus Barska, I strongly recommend Vortex on the basis of their excellent customer service. Much better choice in that regard.

As far as straight versus angled, really is a personal choice. Have used both at the bench, but when setup right, angled is a bit more convenient and doesn't have to sit up as high on the tripod.

[Ojaileveraction]

Pay for a good tripod or pole mount.
Poor optics with a good mount will beat out good optics and a poor mount.
Tim

[RanchRoper]

I use small binoculars but they suck at 100 yds. I may have to do something different or start shooting these...

_YPTuniqid_5c16cd2e9c12d2.70071543.jpg (84.34 KiB) Viewed 2060 times

[dddrees]

For 100 yard work, a quality (and I put quality in bold for a reason) will allow you to see 22 cal bullet holes at 100 yards. We use an old Leupold 12-40x with a 60mm objective and it works great at 100 yards. The newer HD version would even be sharper. At 200 yards, we can still see 22 cal bullet holes, BUT we need splatter type targets to do it.

The big advantage of staying with a 60mm scope is portability and fitting one on the bench. 80mm scopes are much less stable on a small bench type tripod and you're asking for trouble trying to set one up on the bench with a little tripod. Sooner or later, your scope is going to take a tumble. When using 80mm scopes, in the past, then, I mounted them on a full size tripod next to the bench. If you're on your own range with your own bench, a pole mount on the bench also works with these big scopes.

If you wear glasses, be sure to check eye relief on the scope, especially at max magnification. Eyeglass wearers typically need a minimum of 15mm of eye relief to see a full field of view with their glasses on. The zoom eyepieces on cheap scopes are notorious for losing eye relief AND image quality as you zoom up in magnification.

Image quality at high magnification is really where the cheap stuff and the good stuff part company. All scopes look pretty good at low power. It's at high power where you begin to understand why you paid big bucks for your scope.

My personal brand of choice, like many in the shooting community, is Kowa. Any Kowa 60mm scope will be great, optically. Their current 20-60x zoom eyepieces are state of the art. Most folks, of course, aren't going to spend that much on a spotting scope and I do understand that.

If you really want the best reviews of spotting scopes and even binoculars, I recommend you visit the birding optics review websites. Birders (I'm one) are very fussy about their optics and discuss and rate optics to the nth degree. The only folks I know that are as fussy about optical performance are astronomers (I'm one of those, too).

Awesome, the details you provided has saved me lots of research time and should prevent me from making some very costly mistakes. I did have a look at a few Kowas and although I figured it would be costly I had no idea they would sell their eye peices seperately and that eyepiece alone could actually cost me as much as the Vortex Scope I was looking at. I did a quick search for a tripod recomended elsewhere and a Gitzo tripod with ball head would cost more than the Kowa 60m with eyepeice. I expected a scope to potentially be expensive but had no idea how expensive a tripod could be.

I think at this point I would need a better idea as to how good the Vortex is vs Kowa and exactly what benifits I might be getting. I guess I would expect clearer picture but have no idea what other benifits there would be. I intend to look at the birding optic review sights and this should help, thanks. I do have some concern that the Vortex Warranty seems so much better than the Kowa Warranty however. If it were reversed this would give more peace of mind.

I guess my other concern is the tripod. I'm pretty certain the Gitzo tripod would work as it looks rock solid but at over a grand I just wonder if there might be other reasonable options available. Really not sure at this point that this would even be necessary if I decided to go with the more expensive scope. I don't want to cheap out but investing two grand plus for the complete package does make me pause a bit.


By the way what tripod do you use if you don't mind me asking?

Extremely helpful as always.


Thanks again,


Dan

[dddrees]

I use small binoculars but they suck at 100 yds. I may have to do something different or start shooting these...
_YPTuniqid_5c16cd2e9c12d2.70071543.jpg

I think it might be nice if they had Binoculars I could dual purpose but I guess that would be a bit too much too ask for.

[220]

I'll echo what NCG said Kowa is just brilliant, I have a fixed 20x and on white paper I can see 17 cal holes at 200.
Wife has a Barska 18-36x and it isnt any easier to spot holes with at the same distance even though it is almost double the magnification, in poor light the Kowa is well ahead.
Both have angled eye pieces. they allow you to have the scope set up a lot lower which decreases the chance of it getting knocked over.

[dddrees]

I'll echo what NCG said Kowa is just brilliant, I have a fixed 20x and on white paper I can see 17 cal holes at 200.
Wife has a Barska 18-36x and it isnt any easier to spot holes with at the same distance even though it is almost double the magnification, in poor light the Kowa is well ahead.
Both have angled eye pieces. they allow you to have the scope set up a lot lower which decreases the chance of it getting knocked over.

Thanks for the feedback. Currently considering the Vortex or Kowa do wish I could compare both side by side but I doubt that will be possible so your endorsement of Kowa does help. Thanks.


I am currently considering the TSN-601 with the TE-9Z Eyepiece or 20X60 but not entirely sure at this point if this the package that will meet my needs yet or not.

[North Country Gal]

When you get into the serious quality range of spotting scopes, eyepieces are sold, separately, yes. Having different eyepiece options is one of the advantages of going with the premier brands. Less expensive spotting scopes do not usually give you the option of changing eyepieces. Typically, you're stuck with what comes with the scope.

The Kowa 20-60 zoom is expensive, yes, but consider that a premium zoom eyepiece like this stays sharp all the way up to 60x in a Kowa spotting scope and even at 60x, you can use it while wearing glasses. There are actually more lens elements in a premium zoom eyepiece like this than there are in an entire cheap spotting scope. And if you think Kowa is expensive, try pricing Swarovski and Leica spotting scopes.