So we've decided we need a spotting scope.  Last time out we had to use the Vortex Viper 4-16x44 on my Grendel to check targets but forget seeing .223 holes at anything past 100 with it.  Unfortunately our budget is basically laughable for a spotting scope ($200 or less) and I'm getting my butt kicked trying to find something that will work.  As it stands now the best I can find is the Redfield Rampage 20-60x60 (on sale at $198.49) which from my research is good for seeing bullet holes at 200 yards and ok at best for seeing them at 300 yards.  Looks like there's no chance at getting a scope that will see past that range because they don't exist anywhere near that price range.  

Anyone got any recommendations?

here's a suggestion and you can do more research, but instead of a spotting scope how about a real telescope?
Here's the first one that popped up on Amazon a 300x for $70.
I'm sure there's lesser and more, any reason it wouldn't work?

I thought the same thing when I set off on this task, seems like it should work but since you never see anyone doing it I did some research.  One of the problems is that telescopes flip images up/down or left/right and often both.  The other problem is that, for technical reasons beyond me, they don't focus well on terrestrial objects or collect enough light to make a clear picture.  The end result is a dark, grainy/fuzzy imagine in the wrong orientation.  There were other issues but I stopped reading at about that point.  At least we know now

ok, but who among us hasn't used a telescope to view heavenly objects on terra firma?

I think that's called peeping tom lol.  

I don't understand the whole telescope thing, I don't know that much about telescopes.  I have owned one of those cheapo telescopes for looking at terrestrial stuff when I was really young and, like I said, it seems to me like it should work but everything I read says different.

That makes sense.

Mirage happens with even the best scopes at high power

I have two, a Burris and a Kowa. The Burris is a cheap 20x that works great for 100 yd shooting. The Kowa with 20-60x eye piece works fine for seeing bullet strikes out to 300 yds.  On a good sunny day you can see the bullet splash on steel silhouettes at 600.
Most of my shooting is at paper at 100.  The 20x works fine for that. I very seldom use the Kowa.

Unfortunately higher power will only be so much help if the lenses are cheap. You can have a 500X zoom but if its too grainy to see its useless.

http://www.telescope.com/mobileProduct/Orion-125-45-degree-Correct-Image-Prism-Telescope-Diagonal/7216.uts    $50

http://www.telescope.com/mobileProduct/Telescopes/TableTop-Telescopes/Orion-StarMax-90mm-TableTop-Maksutov-Cassegrain-Telescope/pc/1/c/416/102016.uts      $180

These two in combination have been suggested here before.
I have not tried either. The one attachment corrects the image.
Good luck

Telescopes do invert the objects due to either the mirror or the prism directing the image to the eye piece. You can purchase adapters for the correction.

Each type of telescope is suited for different types of viewing. All can be used for viewing terrestrial objects. Focusing issues with telescopes are magnified due to the large mirrors. You can't expect to see something a mile away through a setup to view objects 40,000 light years away...just doesnt work. However, you can use lower power eyepieces for terrestrial viewing. Cheap chinese knock-off scopes i dont think are good for anything, and the telescopes you see at local retailers like wally world are in the chinese knock-off group.

What i did for a spotting scope was purchase a Celestron C-70 Mini Mak for a little over 100.00. The tripod is shitty, but the optics are fine. I took the Celestron zoom eye piece off, and use my eye pieces i have for my 10" Meade scope. Works great. Mostly use a 17mm and a 26mm and both work well. I mostly use it for quick star gazing as the Meade weighs allot and kills my back. But the spotting scope was purchased and setup for range vision, and one day, when i get to go to an outdoor range, i will be able to use it for such. I will one day get a better tripod for it though, the Celstron one, like i said is crap. Or maybe find a way to beef it up with some aluminum strapping or something.

So how does it work at ranges past 100 yards?  Supposedly the tripod on the Rampage is pretty crappy too so that's a wash.

Mine works fine past 100 yards. But i dont use the stock adjustable zoom eye piece that came with it. Eye pieces are the key. Look at any scope (telescope or spotting scope) like a lens on an camera....that is all it is. It gathers the light and projects the image to a predetermined point in the scope, that is where the eye piece goes. The eye piece magnifies the image and you fine tune the focus with the eye piece. The eye piece is the camera portion of the camera.

I bought the Celestron because it is made by a telescope company, so they have a good idea how to make scopes. Other spotting scopes are probably as good as and better then this, but most are made by general optics companies like Leupold and what have you. Another consideration for me was the ability to take the stock eye piece out and replace it with my "expensive" telescope eye pieces i use to look at things thousands of light years away...works well for terrestrial viewing through this spotting scope as well.

But, to purchase one, divide it up into the 2 main parts, the eye piece and the lens. The lens is going to be clear on any spotting scope or it would not be sold, so just for range spotting you can spend less on that. Eye pieces though, if possible, spend a little more on. Eye pieces are a prime example of you get what you pay for. A good place to start with an eye piece is between the 17mm and 26mm. 17 will need a steady, vibration free mount as it will show every vibration from wind or what have you. The 26 is a good compromise.

One thing i dont like about the Celestron and from reading your post above, a problem elsewhere...this all aluminum tripod totally blows....so i will upgrade mine in the future as i use mine to look at stars as well. for range though, you can set it up comfortably and steady it with towels or stuff out of your range bag as at the range you are looking horizontal versus the mostly vertical to see the stars.

Understand something else...unless you are going to spend tons of money on a spotting scope, the manufactures cut corners, as with everything else you buy these days. The tripods and eye pieces are the 2 biggest corner cutters for them, and that is what they cut the corners on. The removable eye piece was a strong consideration for me as, like i mentioned above, i wanted to be able to use my better eye pieces that normally are used in my telescope, which weighs too much for my messed up back now, so i cant move it around. So i wanted to be able to look at stars too.

You can pick up fairly decent eye pieces to use at reasonable prices for just spotting at the range. And you can divide the purchase up into the 3 pieces as well, buy the spotting scope now, upgrade it as funds become available. Just make sure whichever one you decide can be upgraded with an after market eye piece.

Sorry for the long answer...but i feel it is important what each part does before one can make a selection on one that will best suit their purpose.

No apology necessary, I appreciate the detailed information.  Thanks