spotting scopes

[25AI260]

Howdy..
i've been looking at spotting scopes an there is a Bazillion of'm... a person could get lost quick ... since i don't know much about them i wonder if some of U'all have use these things ... i think i'm looking for something i can see a 6mm hole out to 600yrds., i see the numbers like ?-?x? an not sure how much magnification is need to see a hole out to 600. some are angled an some don't come with eye pc's... whats up with that..
recommendations are welcome as well as brand an $. ..
i was out at the range yesterday an a fella had a Leupold spotter i wasn't impressed with the it operated.... anyways i could see .30 cal holes out at 300yrds but i could not see my .243 holes... the 8" target center was black probably didn't help... so i figured if i was to buy a spotter maybe i should ask what you'all think...
thanks..

 

[Preacher]

If you plan on seeing bullet holes at any sane distance all the time, you'll need to buy the best glass you can afford... and even thats not going to be 100% of the time, lots depend on conditions...
The straight tube has a bit better clarity cause of the lack of extra glass...
They sell them without eyepieces because they don't have a clue as to what you'll be needing, so that way you can pick the eyepiece you'll do the best with...
I bit the bullet and just got my new Swarovski HD-80 with the also new 25x50 WA
eyepiece... Also bought the digiscoping extras for it, tired of trying to hold the camera in the right area......
Now to hunt up a part time job to pay for it all

 

[watercam]

Look at the Pentax ED line as well as Bushnell Elite. Higher end Nikon as well. Glass in the Japanese optics is excellent and more cost effective. the numbers mean the following:
20x60-80 means twenty power to sixty power magnification with a front element 80mm in diameter. The larger the front piece of glass the more light it will gather and the better the ability of the scope to resolve sharper images. You want a scope with fully multi-coated optics and ED or HD glass. They are not cheap. Take it from someone who bought low-end first. You will save money in the long run and buy the best optic you can to start with. They hold their value for resale later if you need to.
I use the Pentax 20x60-80 ED for competition out to 1000 yds. and love it. To really see bullets holes past 300 yds. consistantly you should use Shoot-n-see type targets. They are made as large as 12" dia..

 

[dlong]

The Optic Zone hooked me up good with a Nikon Fieldscope 80MM 25-75X with ED lens. Mount it on the bench with a Sinclair
scope bench mount and never looked back.

If you got the jam, the Ziess Diavri??? is he way to go. Optic Zone can hook you up with that as well. Its twice the price as the Nikon.

 

[fdshuster]

Another vote for the Nikon Fieldscope 111, ED glass, 82 mm objective, 25- 75x eyepiece, bought it from "Bear Basin". Excellent spotting scope, but mirage remains your worst enemy. Spotting 6mm holes becomes critical at around 500 yds.

 

[ripper90]

To start with holes in the black are much more difficult to see than holes in the white. Having said that, buy the best scope you can afford you won't be sorry. Having said that which is the best scope for the money? I have owned many different spotting scopes and used them in high power shooting. If you are going to shoot from the prone position get one with a 45 degree eyepiece, it will save your neck a lot of pain. The most expensive scopes I have owned were 80mm Swarovski's and I was able to compare them side by side with a 82mm Kowa. The Swarovski cost over double of the Kowa and I could seen no difference between the two. Maybe it was my 60 some year old eyes but that was my oponion. I also had a 80mm Pentax with the 20 x 60 power eyepiece and again it was no better than the Kowa and it was much bigger and heavier which creats another problem which is finding a stand that will hold the scope steady. No matter how good the scope is if you can't hold it still you can't see well. Buy a Kowa you won't be sorry