Spotting Scope for ~$300?

I've been looking around a bit but don't seem to be able to find any info in the forums for something in this price range. I'm looking at the Vortex Nomad 20-60x60 or Leupold Ventana 15-45x60. I plan on using this both at the range and while hunting.

I've not looked at either of these but I did just buy a very nice 20x50 Gold Ring Leupold Compact of 80's vintage for $160. It is superior to most of the scopes I have seen made lately. It is hard to judge glass unless you have a side by side comparison but this is pretty good glass IMO.
I would sure look at good used glass as well. I have a Redfield from that era that has the rotating eyepiece knuckle that can tell a good bull from a rag horn at over 3 miles and the Leupold exeeds that. It's not the Swarorvski that my buddy has but then it didn't cost $2500. When he looks through the Leupold he shakes his head a little.

After searching through everything I can find I have upped my price range a little bit and am really looking at the Bushnell Legend Ultra HD 3.1"/80mm. I can get it shipped for just over $400 and it seems pretty good. Unfortunately that's about as high as I can go right now... still need to get my .338 and Nightforce. I'll also start looking around to see what I can get used.

Look on craigslist for used spotting scopes, there are some good buys to be had there. You may need to look in surrounding states and buy through the mail to get the best buys. Western states seem to have the most spotting scopes as there is more use for them there. I have bought scopes from all over the US off craigslist and never had a problem. Just make sure to use a postal money order for your and the sellers protection and you should have no problems.

As a matter of fact concerning used scopes, I don't buy new scopes anymore, I only buy used scopes such as Leupold, Nikon and the like that have a lifetime transferable warranty so that if I do ever get a bad one...I just send it to them for free repair on a scope that I got at about a 50% reduction in price from new and all of the scopes that I have bought have not had a blemish on them.

I hate to tell people how to spend their money but if it was me I wouldn't skimp on the spotter. I've never been so frustrated as when using cheap glass. I'd second used glass. People with the nice toys take care of them and they took the depreciation hit. I bought my first good spotter Pentax 80ED used for $600. Still have it but have since upgraded to Swaro STS80HD used for $1800. That's almost half off new prices on both and the view through the Swaro is a dream. You'll never be sorry you bought better but I understand budgets and priorities (trust me, cops don't make a lot). Good luck.

This has been killing me over the winter also. It seems you can't find a nice optic unless you want to sell the car to do so. Wearing eyeglasses and needing the extra eye relief, the one that looks the best to me so far is the Leupold 20-60x80mm angled Ventana.

I just don't think your going to get much at retail for $500 or less but no matter what I would get plenty of side by side comparisons even if it is just looking across the inside of a store at the far wall. You will be able to tell the clarity throughout the view field and see the detail from one scope to the next.

I've always been happy with my Kowa spotting scopes. Not sure on the price for the magnification your looking for tho.

I had a Bushnell Legend Ultra HD 15-45x60 spotting scope. I wear eyeglasses and was able to use the scope from 15x to about 20x with them on. After that it gets difficult and I had to remove my glasses. Not a big deal but for most of the use I put that scope to I might as well have had a fixed 20 power. If you do go with the Bushnell you mention I think you will like it as long as the eye relief issue doesn't bother you. The glass seemed awfully good for the money.

I had a Bushnell Legend Ultra HD 15-45x60 spotting scope. I wear eyeglasses and was able to use the scope from 15x to about 20x with them on. After that it gets difficult and I had to remove my glasses. Not a big deal but for most of the use I put that scope to I might as well have had a fixed 20 power. If you do go with the Bushnell you mention I think you will like it as long as the eye relief issue doesn't bother you. The glass seemed awfully good for the money.
Could you elaborate on the "eye relief issue " more please? I been looking at this line of spotter's for a while but don't want to pull the trigger on something and not be happy with it.

Thanks!

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Could you elaborate on the "eye relief issue " more please? I been looking at this line of spotter's for a while but don't want to pull the trigger on something and not be happy with it.

Thanks!
The eye relief on the Bushnell scope is 20mm at 15X. That much relief allows you to wear your eyeglasses and still see the full field of view. As you turn the power up on this particular scope the eye relief diminishes and with your eyeglasses on your eye is not close enough to the eyepiece to see the full field of view. Stated another way; at any power over about 20 there is insufficient field of view at the distance you must keep your eye away from the eyepiece to give you a good image.

The only spotting scope I have personally looked at that does not have this problem for eyeglass wearers is the Leupold Gold Ring 12-40x60. I can view at any power with that spotter and wear my eyeglasses.

Thanks for the responses and input! I ended up getting the Bushnell Legend Ultra HD 20-60x 80mm for ~$410 shipped. I'm very happy with it even though there is the eye relief issue that Stantdm mentioned. Basically at 20x the lens of my sunglasses touch the eyepiece glass and any magnification above that, I need to take my glasses off. As far as clarity, I am very happy with the optics and set to 20x I can clearly see exactly where a .243 is hitting on a steel silhouette target at 400 meters.

I feel that this will be more than adequate for anything I see myself doing.

If you find your off side eye getting fatigued try using an eye patch to cover it so you can relax and kind of let it hang open.