I am looking for a good compact spotting scope for range practice and also could be useful for a number of other things such as wildlife watching/hunting as well as might be handy in a SHTF situation. I can't justify spending the big bucks on one so although I know you generally get what you pay for, thought I'd check with the group to see if anyone has any positive experience with a lower cost lightweight model. By low cost, if there was something around $100, that would be awesome but if I have to pay $250 to get something that isn't total crap, I might be able to do that.

Take a look at the Burris Compacts. They appear to be what you are looking for.

Look in the optics section, or go to site sponsor SWFA and review some of the information on there.  I might suggest you may be better off with a pair of binoculars in that price range rather than a spotting scope in that price range. This is something for you to think about unless you are really locked into the idea of a spotting scope.

For my GBH bag, I have dumped the heavy binoculars since I successfully tested the Zeiss MiniQuick 5X to spot my 200 yrd target at the Tiger Valley Bug Out Drill.  At 0.8 ounces it is the lightest monocular I know of, and great Zeiss glass.  $140.

http://static.flickr.com/106/292036514_3c0ff8f6cd.jpg?v=0

Not sure what you consider compact, but I got a Bushnell 15-45x60 Excursion  –– has a mil-hash reticle for ranging (mine must be right before they upgraded, as I have a mil-dot) and comes with a neoprene "glove style" case, a nice semi-hard sided nylon case and a little mini-tripod. I caught it on sale at opticsplanet about a year ago.

It's not compact like a Zeiss monocular above, but definitely compact compared to a lot of spotters.

thanks guys, looking for something with higher magnification of at least  25 or 30x so I can see things at several hundred yards away. Just wanted to see if there was something compact that still is usable in the 100-250 price range. That bushnell one you linked looks pretty nice, will have to check on the price for that one. Someone told me to check out a really lightweight one made by celestron called the C50 and said they are the only really cheap spotting scope that is worth a crap. http://www.opticsplanet.net/celestron-spotting-scope-mini-mak-52233.html  Gonna run up to bass pro and cabelas and try some out.

http://www.opticsplanet.net/celestron-spotting-scope-mini-mak-52233.html

    "Maksutov optical design is recognized for being compact, easy to use, and applicable for both terrestrial (land) and astronomical use"

1.7 pounds! Does it come with a pintle to mount to a truck?  Apparantly, we have different understandings of the word, "compact."

cnetaur, the little zeiss monocular is way cool but I am looking for something with alot more magnification. I have a great nikon 9x25 binoc which works good and is super compact and lightweight but I need something with alot more magnification for spotting shots at long range and would like to be able to use it for long range surveilance if needed in shtf.