monocular for seeing target at 15-25 yards?

Wal-Mart readers @ 3 for $8.98+tax.

Keith

I use half of a broken pair of binos (thanks, kids!) for scoping targets to 50 yards. Beyond that I use my spotting scope, if I remember to take it with.

I use one of these
https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/tasco-essentials-10-x-25-monocular?gmc_feed=t#repChildCatid=4592130

We scored a passel of these when I was in the Army and I still have 4-5. I toss them all over the place. Vehicles, shooting boxes/bags, ravel bags and the like.

Very small, very handy and very clear. I think these are on the order of 8 power which was the same as our crappy spotting scopes inn the day.

Tiny as they are, they pass a lot of light for dawn, dusk and indoor range shooting.

I should think they still float around in surplus sources.


Todd.

15-25yrds isn’t asking much. I would either expand my application and buy something, for example, suitable for spotting at 100-200yrds, or I wouldn’t sweat any details and simply buy a cheap set of 8x or 10x with a decent field of view. I have a Vortex monocular I’d use in that instance, or maybe the set of Diamondback binos I bought for my mom’s husband or the Bushnell Trophy’s I bought for my son... either of those I know would do the job quite well, and were under $200.

For what you're trying to do a cheap pair of compact binoculars that fit in the range bag will do the job. I normally avoid the sub $200 optics, especially those sold in blister packs, but in this case something in the $30-$50 range should work. No reason to handicap yourself with a monocular.

These Vortex 8x36 will be best in your lower lighting scenario. The relatively large 36 mm lens size wil give you a large 4.5 mm exit pupil at the 8x magnification. 8x will be high enough to give you a good magnified view while not being too high to be held steadily.



https://smile.amazon.com/Vortex-Opt...1622477308&sprefix=vortex+8x36,aps,189&sr=8-3

I have a little Redfield monocular that I thought would be good to spot targets just beyond naked eye range.
But it is just too light and wobbly. Or maybe I am too wobbly.

I have a pair of Nikon Travelite III binos in 8x that I got used off of eBay several years ago for $40.00. They are a huge upgrade over same sized clamshell pack binos from a big box store, for not much more money. Looks like there is a pair of 7x for $50.00* right now on the bay.

*I can't link to eBay, apparently.

ApacheCoTodd said:

We scored a passel of these when I was in the Army and I still have 4-5. I toss them all over the place. Vehicles, shooting boxes/bags, ravel bags and the like.

Very small, very handy and very clear. I think these are on the order of 8 power which was the same as our crappy spotting scopes inn the day.

Tiny as they are, they pass a lot of light for dawn, dusk and indoor range shooting.

I should think they still float around in surplus sources.
View attachment 1001570

Todd.

Click to expand...

What is that optic?

What ever you get, even hi priced, it won't be as good as Jason Borne's " hollywood" mono.

chicharrones said:

What is that optic?

Click to expand...

Some weird little Russian monoculars that used to be all over places like pawn shops, gun shows and surplus stores.

An incredibly well thought out little instrument.

You can put the eye-piece right up against your upper and lower eyelid and then it has an easy focus ring you can fine adjust with your pinkie or ring finger.

Never had one compromise for altitude, humidity or for me fumbling them about in rocks and mud.

Also, most of the time that I use binoculars... I only hold one side up to one eye anyhow.

Something I will NOT tolerate is anything requiring batteries.

Todd.

MrBitey said:

Thanks for the replies! I'll try some cheap binoculars.


I assume this is tongue-in-cheek? I can't see anything at distance with my reading glasses.

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No Sir, not at all. I, at 59 y/o, use 1.0 readers a lot for reading and they help quite a bit when shooting iron sights. They also sharpen up everything else out to infinity. When I first started using readers @ 40 y/o, a set of 1.25 readers were useless past arms length because they were too strong. Twenty years later they're usable quite a bit further than arms length.

Keith

ETA: Also, 1.0 readers help me with red dot sights, making them appear round as opposed to other various shapes.

Some cheap mini binos should do the trick. Those targets like shoot & see with the wax finish are nice too, if you want to pay for them.

I bought one of these back when they were $50.00.
https://www.target.com/p/celestron-...tphone-adapter-black/-/A-54609482#lnk=sametab
Best $50.00 i ever spent.

MrBitey said:

Thanks for the suggestions! I just never see anyone at the range using binoculars, etc. but I'll give them a try. My range bag keeps getting heavier. Maybe time to start carrying a range bag + backpack.

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For formal ranges - I simply started using a made-in-America handcart from ACE.

Very light, very strong.


They were selling them so cheaply on a sale 15 years ago that I bought a half-dozen.

Once you slide the handle out, it takes up very little room. The tires are foam but rigid.

On serious trips I roll it horizontally. I can't stand walking back&forth or not taking items for inconvenience sake.

Of course, the vast majority of my shooting is from the tailgate of my pickup or the trailer on my Jeep.

Todd.

MrBitey said:

Thanks for the suggestions! I just never see anyone at the range using binoculars, etc. but I'll give them a try. My range bag keeps getting heavier. Maybe time to start carrying a range bag + backpack.

Click to expand...

In my limited experience, binos are only good for spotting small bullet holes at 50 yards or less. I've tried my large Nikon 10-22x50s as a spotting scope with a little tripod mount, but they still weren't as good as a crappy range provided spotting scope with up to 50x magnification. So, those big Nikons have only been to the range once. They are great for inspecting high rooflines, trees, and looking at things bigger than bullet holes, though.

Now, my little 8x23 Nikons . . . they stay in my car. I've used them for looking at short range targets on occasion. They're still not as good as a spotting scope, but they work in a pinch. Shoot, they work in a pinch for anything and are much more useful overall than the big ones.

SharpDog said:

These Vortex 8x36 will be best in your lower lighting scenario. The relatively large 36 mm lens size wil give you a large 4.5 mm exit pupil at the 8x magnification. 8x will be high enough to give you a good magnified view while not being too high to be held steadily.

View attachment 1001931

https://smile.amazon.com/Vortex-Optics-Solo-Monocular-8x36/dp/B003DMJ81Y/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1LIL6VDDUENJJ&dchild=1&keywords=vortex+8x36+solo+monocular&qid=1622477308&sprefix=vortex+8x36,aps,189&sr=8-3

Click to expand...

I was tempted to get one of those years ago, and here I am tempted yet again.

Seems like something I will end up adding to my gadget pile some day.

ApachecoTodd do you know the name of that monocular in your post ? I would love to find one of those really compact size I’m looking for.I tried a few internet search’s but can’t find that exact one.Thanks Bob

I have the Vortex Solo 8x25, it can spot Bullet holes at 25-50yrds, even easier with any kind of support to steady yourself. I’m pretty steady handed - or maybe it’s more accurate to say I’m steady-eyed, as I can still watch detail in my optics even despite some hand shake under my optics - so maybe I am biased, but I took our little Solo monocular along this morning and could make out 22lr bullet holes well enough to be satisfied to know I could use it for 25-50yrd shooting with handguns when I wouldn’t otherwise have a higher magnification, higher cost optic on hand.

I frequently use my Sig Kilo 2200 laser rangefinder for this purpose as well. It’s a 7x monocular also.

ApacheCoTodd said:

For formal ranges - I simply started using a made-in-America handcart from ACE.

Very light, very strong.
View attachment 1002306

They were selling them so cheaply on a sale 15 years ago that I bought a half-dozen.

Once you slide the handle out, it takes up very little room. The tires are foam but rigid.

On serious trips I roll it horizontally. I can't stand walking back&forth or not taking items for inconvenience sake.

Of course, the vast majority of my shooting is from the tailgate of my pickup or the trailer on my Jeep.

Todd.

Click to expand...

Seams excessive for a Thursday night indoor 22 league but to each their own.
One thing I like about the little cheap Tasco monocular is it fits in the mag pouch of my midway tactical pistol cases and was cheap enough to buy one for each of my 22s.

Varminterror said:

15-25yrds isn’t asking much.

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That was my first thought. I have some leupold small binos, and some bigger ones from steiner, then some big zoom nikon..... but for 15-50 yards anything would do. Cheap kids binos. Even most range finder will work.