spotting scopes????? need advice, please

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - spotting scopes????? need advice, please

Posted: 12/2/2001 4:54:35 PM EDT

guys, i just went to kmart and picked up a $49 tasco 15-45x by 50mm spotter w/tripod.

it's going right back...tomorrow night!

what a sleazy pile-o-junk! the tripod is worth more than the plastic tube "optic" (and i use the term loosely)

my intended use is for 3-position competition smallbore shooting. maximum range will only be 100 yards, but i will need to see those small groups clearly (well..hopefully they will be small groups!!!).

without spending $3-400, are there some "intermediate" model that you could recommend?

one other question: is a full height camera style tripod necessary?

thanks!

Posted: 12/2/2001 5:23:20 PM EDT

[#1]

My buddy has one of those middle of the road Kowas. They seem to work pretty good for him. I believe he got the 20-40 with 50mm obj. Suggestion: do a search on bird watching equip. Yeah I know, stop laughing for a moment, those folks use the same equipment, that is how my friend found his Kowa. Good luck.

Posted: 12/2/2001 5:29:16 PM EDT

[#2]

I've got the Kowa and it's ok.

The cheap'o Champions Choice seems just as good. I can pick out .223 holes at 100 yards and .30 at 300 (.223 at 300 also if you have enough time to search).

The Kowa is water proof (or so they say).

Posted: 12/2/2001 5:53:23 PM EDT

[#3]

warlord...don't tell the "he-men", but i already surfed several of the birdie sites...heheh!

the kowa's seem expensive, if what i'm reading is "real world" pricing. www.championshooters.com has several models listed...5 bones (plus a $300 eyepiece?) to $1500!!!! holy pre-ban pricing, batman!

i know ya gets what ya pay for, but surely there has to be a "mid-line" model at an "affordable" price point.

halfcocked, is "champion's choice" a brand name or a kowa model name?

Posted: 12/2/2001 5:57:54 PM EDT

[#4]

Campster-I have one of those 100 dollar Simmons or Tasco things too.
I use a camera tripod and be very patient to get it focused enough to see .22 holes at 100 yds/m.
I had the pleasure of looking thru the Kowa and a 2500 dollar Leica.
The Leica could read a newspaper at 400 yds on a cool day, easy. I am now saving for a quality scope like the Kowa which seems to be a good scope and not going to cost more than my first car.
Swarovski has a new line out and I was going to look for their new ones in the SGN soon.

Posted: 12/2/2001 5:59:53 PM EDT

[#5]

BTW the Leica would show the air swirling around the bullet out past 300. Very cool on the hip factor.

Posted: 12/2/2001 6:14:16 PM EDT

[#6]

Look for a Kowa 501, should be maybe $180. It also has the angled eyepiece. Good scope for the money...

Posted: 12/2/2001 6:53:53 PM EDT

[#7]

halfcocked, is "champion's choice" a brand name or a kowa model name?

If you look in their catalog they have the "Basics" stuff. I think it was called a Campions Coice spoting scope.

Posted: 12/2/2001 7:01:23 PM EDT

[#8]

..... called a Campions Coice spoting scope.

alfcocked,

wats te matter, you dont believe in H's anymore???

Posted: 12/2/2001 7:35:20 PM EDT

[#9]

Go to www.snipercountry.com and look for the product review page with an updated spotting scope review.

There are three winners there, and one is the Bushnell.

Check it out!

Posted: 12/2/2001 9:46:26 PM EDT

[#10]

I happened to be flipping through Shotgun News and came across the Nachez www.natchezss.com ad. They list a Leupold Windrunner scope and a Burris scope for under $200.

For sub $400-500, I wouldn't expect a paragon of clarity, but since Leupold and Burris were willing to put their names on it, I would expect at least a little bit better quality than the cheap Tasco, Bushnell, etc. scopes.

Posted: 12/3/2001 1:44:59 AM EDT

[#11]

You get what you pay for. I don't care who made it, Tasco or Leupold, $49 is only going to buy a piece of crap. I think you'll have to spend a minimum of $200 to get a servicable scope.

Posted: 12/3/2001 3:45:57 AM EDT

[#12]

marv, i agree. $50 buys $50 worth of trash.

i have an old 25x bushnell (made in japan), but it lacks magnification.

w.t.r., about the right price range. i'll check out the 501 model and the champion's choice model.

Posted: 12/3/2001 3:52:55 AM EDT

[#13]

For what you are doing, about $80 will do you just fine. The only mistake you made was getting a 50mm objective. Get a 60MM and that cheap scope will do everything you need at 100 yards.

Posted: 12/3/2001 4:18:52 AM EDT

[#14]

I recently purchased the new Winchester scope from a local gun store for 149.95. It has a 60mm lens and I am well pleased in what I got for the money I spent. You can see .223 holes at 100 yds. very clearly.

Posted: 12/3/2001 6:51:44 AM EDT

[#15]

I recently got a Burris Landmark for $138 from Natchez. It has the 15 - 45 x 60mm. It has good eye relief at 15x, but when you run it up it loses quality and eye relief. This is pretty much what the guy(Jim Owens?) at www.jarheadtop.com told me when he called me back about an order on a Sunday morning. I'm planning on ordering a KOWA 501, 45deg. angled eyepiece from him (<$200). What do you think? Purple or Grey? LOL
He does have some good deals on the more expensive and larger (77mm on up) scopes that people trade in for...more expensive and larger scopes. Check him out. He's pretty easy to talk with over the phone.

Posted: 12/3/2001 7:35:14 AM EDT

[#16]

I have a Nikon Sky & Earth spotting scope that I am ready to sell. I have used it in about 4 CMP matches and at the local range. I can see 22 holes @ 200 yds. I am going to buy the Kowa for highpower so this one in on the chopping block. It has a nylon bag (case?) and a Slick Tripod, all in the original box , I believe I have the warrenty cards. This is a very good scope, many time better than the BSA $50 glass I've had the displeasure of looking through. If I was going to just use it at the range, I'd keep it, but highpower needs the 45 degree eyepiece etc etc. This is a link to Nikon's newest version of the one I have, http://www.nikonusa.com/usa_product/product.jsp?cat=4&grp=15&productNr=7355

Like I said mine is in "as new" condition with all the things in the packaged kit from Nikon.
$250 + shipping

Bill

Posted: 12/3/2001 1:52:13 PM EDT

[#17]

I have Champions Choice spotting scope. It comes with 45degree lense with long eye relief. It is a sturdy no frills scope that is EXCELLENT. You will see lots of them in military highpower matches. Spot 30 cal and 223 at 200 yards so 100 yard is a cinch! Go to web site under Champions Choice to check out.

Posted: 12/3/2001 2:12:09 PM EDT

[#18]

The old addage that you get what you pay for definitely applies to optics of any kind but more so the spotting scope.

Jim Owens at jarheadtop.com is a good source of used Kowas.

I obtained my Bausch&lomb Elite 20x60 77mm at a pawn shop as my friend did with his Kowa,the deals are out there.

Posted: 12/3/2001 2:41:19 PM EDT

[#19]

I might be getting a Burris 15-45x 60mm for xmas, comes with a decent bipod and bag. Midway has these for $137 now. Buddy had one, and it's NICE. Clear, bright picture, nice tube, it's a nice scope. Check out midwayusa.com and check for optics, they have tons of spotting scopes from cheap to way too F(*&^ expensive!

Posted: 12/4/2001 2:45:39 AM EDT

[#20]

Natchez is out of the Burris mentioned above for $138.10 w/ tripod. I'm happy with mine, so if Midway has it, buy it.

Posted: 12/4/2001 3:44:37 AM EDT

[#21]

darn! midway shows the $138 burris as "out of stock"...and it looks like a winner!

time to surf for champions choice.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - spotting scopes????? need advice, please

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