I need to find a spotting scope for 50-100 yards to help sight in iron sights.  I have no idea what magnification would be best suited for this.  Naturally, I want to spend as little as possible, so hopefully someone makes a cheap spotter out there that won't break the bank, but gets the job done.  Believe me, I am all for "Shop for price, buy it twice" mentality, but since this will only be used a few times a year, I'd rather save money for ammo, or upgrades.

What calibers are you going to be shooting?  It's a lot harder to see little .22 holes than .30 cal holes.

That said, I have an Alpine spotter that I have been VERY happy with, both for the quality and the price.  Magnification power is important, but so is the clarity of the glass.  You will find that some 45x scopes are more clear than 60x scopes, therefore more useful.  Give Alpine a look.  There are certainly better spotting scopes out there, but maybe not at that price.

Yeah, glass quality is probably more important than magnification in a spotter. I have a +15yr old 20x that spots 223 holes at 100y with no problem.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not recommending a 20x.  I'd personally prefer a ~40x, but I'm not sure if I'd go with a variable or not.  fixed power scopes have some optical advantages.  I'd also be looking for decently long eye relief.

Forgot to mention this will strictly be for 5.56/.223.  Don't forget to mention how much you paid for your spotters that you are happy with.

I went ahead and purchased this spotter . . .

Alpen mini 20x50

If fit the price range, got decent reviews, and did I mention fit my price range ?    I'll report back once it's in my hands.

I've been looking to purchase a spotting scope soon as it's hard to see .223 holes at 300 yds at 9X magnification.

The spotting scope that catches my eye (no pun intended) is the Leupold Gold Ring 15-30x50. Leupold makes good glass so at this point, it's the top contender.

5.56 holes at 300y might be tough.

Really? The way I figured it, 300 yards at 30X magnification is like looking at them at 10 yds. with the naked eye. Am I missing something? Please understand that I just started looking at spotting scopes so I'm not fully up to speed on what will work for my needs.

Just a little follow up on my purchase . . .

I haven't been to the range yet, but . . . I have a laser rangefinder and spotted objects 50 and 100yds away for reference.  This little thing has blown me away.  My expectations were really low, but I can honestly say I am wowed.  The optics are clear, focus ring is tight, the 20x zoom seems it will be plenty for 100yds and maybe a little further.  The tripod is cheap, but works and was free.  It also came with a nice nylon carry case.  So for a scope of this size (not much bigger than my hand) and price ($49.99+free shipping) it couldn't get any better.