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Which Power

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shuttleman View Drop Down
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    Posted: December/07/2005 at 08:25

I am looking to get a new pair of Binoculars for checking target hits at 100 yds.  What power would give me the ability to see the hit?

Thanks, Tom

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silver View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote silver Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/07/2005 at 08:32

 

 

Ya shooting .22's or 12ga slugs?  I'd think about a spoting scope near 20x

"If we weren't all crazy we, We would go insane."   Jimmie Buffet

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mwyates View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mwyates Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/07/2005 at 08:34

Now that depends on 1. How good the binoculars are, and 2. How big the holes are.  It doesn't take much to see .45 holes but .17, or even .22, takes a lot of resolving power.  If you're just checking targets, why not get a spotting scope?

 

Welcome to OT!

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote shuttleman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/08/2005 at 08:00

I will be checking 270 & 30-06 mostly.  The range were I shoot doesn't have the room to setup a spotting scope + I wanted something more versatile.  My old 8X50 Sunset is getting old and was looking to upgrade.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote FrankD Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/08/2005 at 08:53

Excluding the use of a spotting scope which I would also suggest.....

 

Tough call but if you are looking just for using it for this type of application then I would probably opt for at least a 12x and at least mid price range optics....$300 or more. The price should give you some decent quality while the magnification range I suggested should give you decent resolution for the size and type of "subject" you are looking to observe. If you were looking to use it for more than just the range then 10x would probably be more versatile for other types of uses...wider field of view, brighter image....while still allowing you some ability to discern bullet holes at that distance..



Edited by FrankD
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dclark Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/08/2005 at 10:31
I had a Tasco spotting scope purchased for this purpose, variable 15X to 45X.  It didn't work worth a hoot.  I could only spot 30 caliber bullet holes if the light was good.  The light had to be perfect to spot .22 caliber bullet holes and then I could never be certain.  My old Leupold 4X riflescope did better.

Agree that 12X is the minimum for easy spotting, but be sure you have decent optics and decent objective size or you just threw your money away like I did on that Tasco.  This was not Tasco's bottom of the line scope either.

Don
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote shuttleman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/08/2005 at 16:04

How are the Burris 20X50 Landmark comp spotting scopes or the Comp 12-24X50?

Tom

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote chasseur106 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/01/2006 at 02:31

The biggest thing in any spotting scope other than the quality of the glass that they use is objective size divided by power factor to give you the average size of the exit pupil.

         It is a common equation that will let you know what you are really looking for.  For example, a 12X binoc with a 60mm objective will give you a 5mm exit pupil which will tell you how much squinting you will have to do.  Not much in my case and I wear glasses.  Do you?

          Tasco, was always a problem with me as well, and I will never own one, after having looked through my buddy's scope.  I have seen guys buy two spotting scopes and collimate them to become binoculars, because binocs are easier on the eyes, bc you dont have to squint the other eye.   I shoot at a 1000 yard range from time to time and some of the guys have done this with older Bausch and Lomb spotters because they can individually focus each eye to their own specific handicap.  I think that SWFA even had an example of someone doing this very thing a few months ago.  He did it with a pair of Swarovski's.

              Ask Chris,  he would know.

                      Scott

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote astro Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/31/2006 at 06:37

The exit pupil formula above is correct. Exit pupil term stands for the diameter of the cone of light as it enters the eye. The eye dilates automatically in a range of 4 to7 mm depending on acclamation to light conditions and the max dilate gets smaller with age or certain people. Exit pupil matters on binos because a calculation resulting in less than a 4 exit pupil will give you a dim pair of glass basically for its main intended use of increasing low light. I'll take all the light that the calculation will offer me as long as I got enough magnify going on. On spotting scopes however I find it less important due to the nature of siding toward giving up some light for sake of wanted magnification .....

Should be pointed out that Exit pupil is not same term as Eye Relief. Eye relief is length from eyepiece to eye..... Gun scopes have long eye relief of course and eyeglass wearers need it as well so as to not bang their glasses on the eyepieces and to get the whole picture.  



Edited by astro
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anweis View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote anweis Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/31/2006 at 09:37
Tom, you've got good information so far. I have to add one more thing: It will be the quality of the optics that will show you more than the magnification. With a Zeiss FL 8x42 you will see your bullet holes, with a Chinese Junk 100x22.5, you will not. Don't waste your money on garbage, and get the best that you can afford. On the long run, you will fare better. A good ($500 and up) 10x42 binocular will show you bullet holes, will be good for hunting, and will last a lifetime.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lucznik Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/31/2006 at 12:38

Originally posted by anweis anweis wrote:

. A good ($500 and up) 10x42 binocular will show you bullet holes, will be good for hunting, and will last a lifetime.

 

In theory this is correct, though in practice it is not so realistic.  Once you get the "taste" for good optics it seems the desire to always have the latest, greatest, brightest, clearest, flattest field, widest FOV, least CA, etc. never can be satiated. 

 

You always seem to think you need either more or just better....

What if the hokey pokey really is what it's all about?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote anweis Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/31/2006 at 15:01
Originally posted by lucznik lucznik wrote:

 

In theory this is correct, though in practice it is not so realistic.  Once you get the "taste" for good optics it seems the desire to always have the latest, greatest, brightest, clearest, flattest field, widest FOV, least CA, etc. never can be satiated. 

 

You always seem to think you need either more or just better....

 

What would you rather have: one Swarovski or 25 Bushnells? 

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lucznik Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/31/2006 at 17:21
Originally posted by anweis anweis wrote:

Originally posted by lucznik lucznik wrote:

 

In theory this is correct, though in practice it is not so realistic.  Once you get the "taste" for good optics it seems the desire to always have the latest, greatest, brightest, clearest, flattest field, widest FOV, least CA, etc. never can be satiated. 

 

You always seem to think you need either more or just better....

 

What would you rather have: one Swarovski or 25 Bushnells? 

 

I think you missed my somewhat tongue-in-cheek point.  Even if a person buys the Swarovski, someday the company will come out with something new (as will Leica, Zeiss, Nikon, etc.) which will have something about it that is new or better, be clearer or brighter, etc.  At which point, said consumer will almost assuredly want one of those also. Thus, even though the aforementioned binocular has nothing wrong with it, it just isn't the "lifetime investment" he told his wife it would be when he justified buying it.

What if the hokey pokey really is what it's all about?
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