I would like your opinions on 1 or 3 spotting scopes

[308]

Hello All, Am new to this board, I like what I see.

Been doing my online research for a new spotting scope. Been reading for 3 or 4 days, snipers paradise and hide here and a few of the bird watcher sites as well.

There was lots of good info in the article here comparing the really big scopes, I wish I had the bucks for that zeiss 85 mm or the pentax 100.

But I've narrowed my choices down to 3 that are in my price range of less than 500.00. They are

Nikon sky and earth 20-60x80
Bushnell elite 15-45x60
Bushnell elite 20-60x70

I'm seeking your opinions on what you think of these scopes.

I will be using the scopes for watching bullet trace to 1000 yards and spotting bullet holes 6 and 7 mm and .30 to as far as I can see them, on white paper.

Look forward to your replys and learning lots here at 6br.com
Joey Sanders aka 308

 

[NateHaler]

get whichever of them has the most eye relief, i.e. how far away your eye can be to see the whole image. 15mm of eye relief is not enough in my opinion. 20mm is so much better, and LER eyepieces can provide 30mm of eye relief, which is awesome.

When you're wearing glasses, you don't wanna be mashing your eye onto the ocular lens, which is practically what you have to do when the scope has poor eye relief.

 

[4570sharpshooter]

308, I'm with NateHaler on this one also, about the longer eye relief. I have a TSN82mm scope with the 27 LER. 45/70sharpshooter

 

[308]

4570sharpshooter, can you see trace good with the 27x? How much do you have in your setup? thanks for the answers Joey S

 

[4570sharpshooter]

308, I use the scope for small caliber paper punching at 50/100/200yds to spotting shots on steel at 500 yds with the Buff rifles. The eye relief is not as critical on this model with the LER. You can easily see the bullets at impact on ranges that I shoot. I bought the Kowa about six years ago,for about five hundred plus with the eyepiece. I hope that this helps . 45/70sharpshooter

 

[Travelor]

308, the answer is yes you can see the bullet trace with the 27 LER KOWA eyepiece on a KOWA spotting scope. I can also see it through my Tasco 25X cheapo spotting scope too.

 

[dreever]

In my opinion, I'd pick the Nikon. One thing to consider is resale when you want to upgrade. The Nikon name makes resale easy.

The Pentax PF-80 with 20-60 zoom can be had new for less than $750-$800. A guy advertises on e-bay, goes by the handle gr8fuldoug if you e-mail him he'll quote a price better than the e-bay price. Sometimes he has refurbished scopes for even less, same lifetime warranty. They are generally demos or returns checked out by Pentax who then only allows them to be sold as refurbished. I have a couple of friends who bought those from him and are completely satisfied.
Hope this helps.

Danny

 

[RGraham]

Sounds like you are on a budget as I am.,I would love to have a Kowa) But, I have the Nikon Sky and Earth. I have used it for about 5 years now and I can honestly say it has been a lot of scope for the money, and I have been quite happy with it.

 

[308]

RGraham, how is the eye relief on the nikon sky and earth? The specs say its 15mm, I've learned from some others the longer the eye relief the better. Do you feel the sky and earth has enough? Thanks Joey S

 

[RGraham]

A lot of eye relief is nice to have. The Nikon does not have "a lot". I would say the eye relief on the Nikon is the minimum required for use with shooting glasses. It is enough but nothing more. Still, it works just fine with glasses, the way it is.

 

[jclin]

If you're shooting in mid-day then the 60-65mm scopes should work just fine compared to the 80's. For quality of optics around $500, I'd consider the 60mm Kowa. The fixed eyepiece will probably give you better relief than the zooms. This scope will likely give you better image quality than those other scopes you listed.