I have a compact hunting style spotting scope already but want to get something with much better optics. I don't want to spend much more than 1000 on the scope and figure I should be able to get a great piece of glass for that price. I would like to be able to use this primarily at the range for looking at bullet holes in paper and occasionally for hunting when I'm not on foot and don't have to worry as much about weight and bulk of carrying everything in. What would you guys recommend? Would love to be able to see 6.5mm holes in paper out to 500, is this possible in a 1000 dollar price point?
spotting scope
- Thread starter wvuredneck09
- Start date
Have you taken a look at the Sightron spotting scopes? I think they are trying to break into the market, so they have some aggressive prices and are a real deal. I have a one generation earlier spotter I got off E-Bay for a really good price, and for the money it is a great spotter. Same quality as my 5 Sightron rifle scopes.
Gman
Gold $$ Contributor
I believe the Pentax PF-80 ED is still under $1000 including zoom eyepiece. CALL Doug at cameralandny.com
I use this scope, but got rid of the zoom eyepiece and bought a straight power Pentax XW-14 eyepiece (wider field of view and better resolution) which makes my scope 36 power. I can discern 6 mm bullet holes at 500 yards in the white, almost all of the time, unless the mirage is boiling. These spotters are rated very high, and are a good value for the $. Obviously not in the same class as Swarovski, Leica or Zeiss, but aren't priced $2000 and up either.
I use this scope, but got rid of the zoom eyepiece and bought a straight power Pentax XW-14 eyepiece (wider field of view and better resolution) which makes my scope 36 power. I can discern 6 mm bullet holes at 500 yards in the white, almost all of the time, unless the mirage is boiling. These spotters are rated very high, and are a good value for the $. Obviously not in the same class as Swarovski, Leica or Zeiss, but aren't priced $2000 and up either.
thanks for the advise, the pentax seems like a great scope as does the sightron. just with there was somewhere around me to go look at several good options, might just have to buy test and return if I dont find them suitable.
Nodak7mm
Team Lefse
I have been playing with the Celestron Regal for the past couple months. I looked thru this scope at several matches this summer/fall. Both at 600 & 1K matches. Extremely impressed for the money. I know several who have bought them and they too love em.
One of these is on my wish list, unless I hit the lottery.
Rod Vigstol
Fargo ND
One of these is on my wish list, unless I hit the lottery.
Rod Vigstol
Fargo ND
yet another good option based off of reviews.
When you go to Camp Perry, the vast majority of your fellow competitors will be using a Kowa scope with a Ewing scope stand. The reason that folks choose the Kowa is for the long eye relief eye piece. Go to Jim Owens' web site and see what he has to say. He is also quite pleased with the Konus scopes as a cheaper alternative. There is some good reading there.
http://www.jarheadtop.com/default.htm
HTH-Craig
http://www.jarheadtop.com/default.htm
HTH-Craig
I am with Gman, the Pentax PF-80 ED is the best buy for the money, in my opinion they are better than the Kowa non ED variety. I do not own one, I have the 85mm Zeiss and Optolyth 100mm, comparing my friend's PF-80 with my spotting scopes, for field use it is hard to tell the difference.
A good scope is a start, but to take advantage of any scope, a good solid stand is a must.
A good scope is a start, but to take advantage of any scope, a good solid stand is a must.
pulled the trigger on a forum members used zeiss, waiting on the "sturdy" stand as I agree completely about that. Hope I'm happy, went over budget yet I still got a great price.
wvuredneck09 said:
Congrat on your Zeiss purchase, you will not regret it. I sold more Zeiss scopes than Zeiss ever knew when we were at 600 one time and was my turn to coach the shooter in rotation. The conditions were just very rare near perfect, no wind, no mirage and the ligthing was just right. I was calling the shots as they on paper. A few shooter came over with their spotting scopes just to verify if indeed I was seeing the 22 holes at 600. Well, when the target came up the shot spotters were exactly where I called them as they appeared. The next big match there were 4 more Zeiss on the line.
The trick as I mentioned is a sturdy stand, which I have. Not the one I use in matches. It is a heavy duty tripod almost like a surveyor variety.
As for a scope stand, you can not go wrong with the one that Doug Giraud makes. I am not too keen on the scope head that he makes, but there are a few shooters that I know that use the "Polecat" head that is sold by Creedmoor and really like that one. I use one of the big blue scope heads, second generation that Gary Eliseo helped design and love it.
"Would love to be able to see 6.5mm holes in paper out to 500, is this possible in a 1000 dollar price point?"
just so your not let down when your $1000. scope arrives
seeing bullet holes at 500 yards is mostly dependent on mother nature and much less about your optics and once the sun comes out, sometimes as early as 10 a.m., it becomes impossible to see them with any scope as the mirage can make it look like there are elephants down range dancing around your target at 500 yards and beyond.
On a few occasions I have seen 6mm bullet holes at 500 yards with a Kowa but other times it's hard to even clearly define the target at that distance when mirage is boiling so just be prepared for a big letdown if you live in an area that get's alot of sun and heat and whatever makes for fuzzy air. It affects all scopes I have looked through from Kowas to Swarovski to Leicas there is no cure for heavy mirage.
just so your not let down when your $1000. scope arrives
seeing bullet holes at 500 yards is mostly dependent on mother nature and much less about your optics and once the sun comes out, sometimes as early as 10 a.m., it becomes impossible to see them with any scope as the mirage can make it look like there are elephants down range dancing around your target at 500 yards and beyond.
On a few occasions I have seen 6mm bullet holes at 500 yards with a Kowa but other times it's hard to even clearly define the target at that distance when mirage is boiling so just be prepared for a big letdown if you live in an area that get's alot of sun and heat and whatever makes for fuzzy air. It affects all scopes I have looked through from Kowas to Swarovski to Leicas there is no cure for heavy mirage.
Yep, anyone that has been to Perry knows about heavy mirage.
People have mentioned being able to see bullet holes at whatever range, but does having a bigger, better, more expensive scope help with reading what mirage is doing? I focus my fifle scopes at the target naturaly, but focus my (cheap brand) spotting scope at a shorter distance to pick up mid range mirage, has anyone seen any improvement in this area between my cheap spotting scope, and a $1000 (or $2000) spotting scope?
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