I want a spotting scope to make things easier when sighting in my rifles at the 50-100 yard mark. I'm assuming something like 50x magnification should easily let me see a 7.62 hole at those distances. If this is so, is there anything wrong with getting a cheaper (ie 50$ range) product? I'm not taking this into the field. It needs only to withstand the rigors of the passenger seat and the table top from which I will be firing. Can I afford to cheap out on this?
Quick question about spotting scope
- Thread starter keithdog
- Start date
Yes, i bought the cheap Simmons ($40 on sale) and used it for several years.
7.62 holes you should be able to see out to 300 yards.
Although....
For $89 i got a Celestron C70 Mini Mak. (Again, on sale from Amazon).
HUGE improovement!!!
Difference in optics quality is like going from a $30 Bushnell blister pack scope to one in the $400-500 range. (I don't own anything more expensive).
7.62 holes you should be able to see out to 300 yards.
Although....
For $89 i got a Celestron C70 Mini Mak. (Again, on sale from Amazon).
HUGE improovement!!!
Difference in optics quality is like going from a $30 Bushnell blister pack scope to one in the $400-500 range. (I don't own anything more expensive).
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
20X to 40X is plenty good for .22 holes at 100 yards. That's why I use an el-cheapo WalMart telescope. Find a good used camera tripod at a hock shop.
I have the same Simmons scope as ricekilla.
I leave it at 20x for 100 yards. I can turn it up into the 40x range and things look fine, but it gets too dark beyond that. I don't consider it usable at 60x, and wonder if this might have been a much more useful item if it were 10-30x or 15-45x.
Once I learned that I didn't need so much magnification for 100 yards, I bought a Celestron Landscout 10-30x50 that fits into my range bag much better. It's fine for 100 yards, but the color and clarity on the Simmons is better.
The advice about a solid mount can't be over-stressed. The mount doesn't have to be bacon Spam, which is excellent, but it can't let the scope wobble in a breeze. The tripod that came with my Simmons is near-rubbish. (I have an 8x monocular on that tripod for 25 and 50 yard use, and for that it's good enough.)
Is the eye relief any better? I do dislike having my glasses touch the spotting scope.
I leave it at 20x for 100 yards. I can turn it up into the 40x range and things look fine, but it gets too dark beyond that. I don't consider it usable at 60x, and wonder if this might have been a much more useful item if it were 10-30x or 15-45x.
Once I learned that I didn't need so much magnification for 100 yards, I bought a Celestron Landscout 10-30x50 that fits into my range bag much better. It's fine for 100 yards, but the color and clarity on the Simmons is better.
The advice about a solid mount can't be over-stressed. The mount doesn't have to be bacon Spam, which is excellent, but it can't let the scope wobble in a breeze. The tripod that came with my Simmons is near-rubbish. (I have an 8x monocular on that tripod for 25 and 50 yard use, and for that it's good enough.)
std7mag said:
Is the eye relief any better? I do dislike having my glasses touch the spotting scope.
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Schlitz 45
New member
I wanted to get a good one several years ago, I try to get the highest quality tools I can afford, & ended up with a Vortex that I spent about $1,000 on. It’s a good one but I feel like I overpaid for it. There’s a lot of decent spotting scopes that are good values.
The trick with spotting scopes is get the biggest objective lens you can afford. 60mm and larger lenses collect a lot of light. Couple this with about 25X and you get good contrast and bright picture. Turn the power up and everything goes dark. Price is not always the mark of a good value.
spacemanspiff
New member
Check out a few pawn shops first, might find something nice for not a lot of money.
You certainly don't need 50X to see .30 bullet holes @ 100 yards. I go along fine with 25X spotting .22 holes at that range. The problem arose when I started shooting .17. My current scope is a 15-45X mid-size model in the $200 range.
The problem you'll find with cheap high X scopes is clarity. A fuzzy 50X isn't as functional as a clear 25X. The higher X scopes exacerbate movement causing difficulties. Also the smaller the scope(especially in length), the harder it is to focus.
The problem you'll find with cheap high X scopes is clarity. A fuzzy 50X isn't as functional as a clear 25X. The higher X scopes exacerbate movement causing difficulties. Also the smaller the scope(especially in length), the harder it is to focus.
k said:
https://www.amazon.com/Prime-Focal-Attachment-Monocular-Smartphones/dp/B07HFH5S37/ref=asc_df_B07HFH5S37/?tag=bingshoppinga-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid={creative}&hvpos={adposition}&hvnetw=o&hvrand={random}&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl={devicemodel}&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4583520383413785&psc=1
I bought a monocular that came with one, but I don't use a cellular telephone, so I gave it to my children.
ETA - I use a cheap monocular for close targets, and it works well enough, but it isn't a fine optic by any stretch. Focus is better in some parts of the edge of the lense than the center. It's what most people would call junk.
I don't know that combining an optic of that modest quality with a telephone screen image would work well.
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I just want a spotting scope so I can look at the rings around Saturn. my el cheapo Burris that was free with one of their 3x9 scopes would do that till it broke at the eye piece. And seeing 22 caliber bullet holes at 100 yards was no problem. It says its a 20x50. Too bad it broke. I liked it.
There is a Konus i like that cost less than a hundred bux at Optics Planet.
https://www.opticsplanet.com/konus-konuspot-60c-20-60x60-zoom-spotting-scope-with-tripod.html
There is a Konus i like that cost less than a hundred bux at Optics Planet.
https://www.opticsplanet.com/konus-konuspot-60c-20-60x60-zoom-spotting-scope-with-tripod.html
PlatinumCore16
New member
I have the same Simmons spotting scope as several others here and it works well for range use, as long as you odn't crank the mag too much. I got very lucky with a friend giving me a really solid camera tripod. It's not bullet proof, but at 200yds, it keeps teh scope very steady.
precision_shooter
New member
Scratching my head on this one...
Are you shooting open sights? Low powered scope or maybe a red-dot type optic?
I’ve not had any issues seeing 7.62 holes at 100 yards using a shootNsee type target and anything above 3x magnification.
My Tikka T3 .308 had a Leupold 4-12x on it and it was plenty for 100 yards
I have a CZ 527 in 7.62x39 with a Leupold 1.25-4x scope and using the shootNsee targets I can spot my hits at 100 yards.
Tikka T3x CTR in 6.5 Creedmoor wears a 5-20x and I can see the holes just fine on a non-shhotNsee target.
Can you tell us what your rifle set up is?
Are you shooting open sights? Low powered scope or maybe a red-dot type optic?
I’ve not had any issues seeing 7.62 holes at 100 yards using a shootNsee type target and anything above 3x magnification.
My Tikka T3 .308 had a Leupold 4-12x on it and it was plenty for 100 yards
I have a CZ 527 in 7.62x39 with a Leupold 1.25-4x scope and using the shootNsee targets I can spot my hits at 100 yards.
Tikka T3x CTR in 6.5 Creedmoor wears a 5-20x and I can see the holes just fine on a non-shhotNsee target.
Can you tell us what your rifle set up is?
I have a couple of high end scopes and the cheapest I bought was a compact 15-30X50 for about $500. I use this on my hunting trips and I can see bullet 22 cal. holes at 200 yards if I use shoot N C targets. I think the limiting factor is the size of the objective lens. If you go cheap for the distance you want I would definitely recommend that you buy a spotting scope with a much larger objective.
If you are young one thing is definite and unavoidable, your vision will decrease and that spotting scope may not do you any good down the road in a few years, which will force you to buy a better scope with better coatings on the optics. So definitely get at a minimum a 60mm objective but 80 is preferable. With the cheaper scopes it is my experience that they higher the magnification factor the darker the image gets as you magnify.
If you are young one thing is definite and unavoidable, your vision will decrease and that spotting scope may not do you any good down the road in a few years, which will force you to buy a better scope with better coatings on the optics. So definitely get at a minimum a 60mm objective but 80 is preferable. With the cheaper scopes it is my experience that they higher the magnification factor the darker the image gets as you magnify.
What's a reasonably priced spotting scope for "seeing" .22- & .30-cal holes at 300-yds - without having to use Shoot-n-See targets as spotting aids?
The one I have now, an old Redfield purchased in the late '80s, is only 'okay' to about 200-yds if the lighting conditions are just right. But I often shoot to 300-yds and further (M1 service rifle), so I'm looking to upgrade.
The one I have now, an old Redfield purchased in the late '80s, is only 'okay' to about 200-yds if the lighting conditions are just right. But I often shoot to 300-yds and further (M1 service rifle), so I'm looking to upgrade.