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First time spotting scope owner

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mrlullabye View Drop Down
Optics GrassHopper
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Joined: January/09/2007
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    Posted: February/02/2007 at 21:03

I recently shot in a match that did not allow for optics so I had to rely on another shooters spotting scope.  I have to say his scope was  very nice.  It was a celestron with a tripod made for it.  I am not sure what sort of scope it was for sure, but it was on a very nice professional looking tripod with the twisty knobs for fine verticle adjustment. 

 

Anyways it worked flawlessly at 100 yareds, but at 200 I could not pickup my bullet holes.  Even with it zoomed out to 60.  Now it is possible that the problem was I was not refocussing it.  I was not familiar with his scope and I did not want to turn the wrong knobs.  I assumed he had alreayd focussed it.

 

Anyways I am looking for a spotting scope I can use to pickp bullet holes at 200 yards at least.  I shoot a 30 caliber so I shouldn't think it would be too hard.  I could see them with my previous 24x scope, but I have switched to a 12x scope and can no longer pick them up.

 

I like cheap, but I know quality is expensive.  I also am a fan of the higher end barska products.  I would idealy like to be able to use this scope prone or from a bench position without getting up so either one of those pole tripods or just a stubby tripod would be good for me.  I think for using it from the benchrest a angled eyepeice would be good. 

 

Would anyone recommend one of those Barska Blackhawks? http://www.swfa.com/pc-6047-998-barska-20-60x80-blackhawk-sp otting-scope.aspx  If there is a cheaper scope that would do what I need worth a recommendation that would be great.  Also if you think I would be best to spend a little more let me know. 

 

It is just about right for me in the price range and I would think the magnification would be sufficient.  Also down here on the gulfcoast it gets real hot in the summer would anything help with the mirrage or is that just going to be a limiting environmental factor?

 

 

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rootmanslim View Drop Down
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Joined: June/04/2006
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rootmanslim Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/02/2007 at 22:38
I would look around Ebay for a used name brand (Leupold, B&L, Nikon, Redfield etc) not one of the el cheapos like Barska. Last year I bought a Nikon from one of the big relaoding a parts dealers.
It is a 15-40x60 mm and cost $218.00 as it was being discontinued. Works very well, 30 cal holes @ 300 are no problem. A celestron is an astronomy scope and probably shows everything inverted. Nothing helps with mirage except using the lowest power you can see what you need to see.
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mrlullabye View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mrlullabye Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/03/2007 at 10:28

I know most of the barska stuff is truely 'ecconomy class' but with the blackhawks $200 pricetag I was thinking it might be a stepup.

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mrlullabye View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mrlullabye Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/03/2007 at 10:54
Any word on the Konus scopes? 
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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: February/05/2007 at 08:32

First of all, i think that the Celestron scope that you write about was not used properly.

Second, Celestron makes excellent terrestrial waterproof spotting scopes, probably the best quality/price ratio.

Third, don't waste your money on Barska. They are poor quality.

Fourth: instead of wasting $250 on a crappy scope, use that money to buy targets that show you the holes in neon green or pink. That makes them much easier to see.

Fifth: there is no good and cheap. If you want a good scope be ready to pay at least $350.

Sixth, magnification has nothing to do with your seing bullet holes or not. It is optics quality (resolution) that does that job. I have a $2500 scope that shows me more detail at 20x than a similarly sized $300 scope at 50x. My wife has recently purchased a $800 20x50 scope that shows more detail and a better image than any inexpensive 20-60x100 out there. In all inexpensive scopes image quality and resolution degrade as you cranck the zoom up. The $200 scopes with 20-50x zooms are probably useless at more than 30x.



Edited by anweis
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rootmanslim View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rootmanslim Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/05/2007 at 11:55
anweis, well said! IMO a 1950-60s Unertl or B&L spotter in 20X will show up most new spotters until you get into the $1500 range.
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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: February/07/2007 at 20:39

 

For the money I'd get a Nikon

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

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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: February/08/2007 at 12:11
A few vendors have Nikon Sky and Earth 10-60x80 scopes for less than $300, probably because this model is being phased out. That would be a good deal. 
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