Need a Spotting Scope for 1,000 Yards.

[Varminterror]

It's one thing to have an expensive spotting scope that will do all. What I'm not seeing in this thread is what 'power' might deliver the desired 1k range, at a minimum.

Anyone?

More magnification (“power”) doesn’t solve anything when the image reaching the target has been distorted beyond recognition. 15-45x 15x, 20-60x… none of them work for seeing splatter target bullet holes, regardless of power.

The photo I shared above is a target which looks like this below, and hung at only 699 yards. Doubling or even tripling magnification wouldn’t give a better view of bullet splash on that target, because the light of the image had been bent back and forth and distorted beyond recognition long before it reached the objective lens of my spotting binos.

 

[Nature Boy]

More magnification (“power”) doesn’t solve anything when the image reaching the target has been distorted beyond recognition

Absolutely.

As a matter of fact, more magnification only amplifies the distortion . You can’t “cut through” the mirage with more power.

When the ground heats up and mirage comes into play I will back off my magnification from 50x to 30x

This is why they put large telescopes on top of mountains, or into orbit.

 

[LoonWulf]

top of mountains,

I shoot on one of those mountains.....
Airs clear up there, and I shoot over a large depression, which i think gives my optics an advantage....Ive never had a target wash out as bad as what VT posted, and i still cant define splashes on out steel once its been nailed a few times.....cant imagine any magnification allowing for seeing bullet holes.

 

[gamboolman]

We went to the Longshot Shop and Warehouse yesterday, 1-Mar-22, and they demonstrated the Longshot Camera System.
Very simple to sat up and use.
We bought the 300 Yard Longshot Camera System, see screen shot below for the actual costs.
If we want to get on out past 300 yards, we can add a another device that will make the one we got be effective at the longer ranges.
We went on ahead and got the Warranty incase I shoot the dam thing ... ha !
We also got the Tablet to use vs using our iPhones since the screen is so much larger for seeing the Targets. You can use your own Tablet if you already have one.
Will post back after using it with first impressions.
gamboolman...

 

[Walkalong]

Ive never had a target wash out as bad as what VT posted,

Come down here and shoot some matches in the 95 degree heat, targets are shimmering so bad it's hard to see hit indicators, much less splash.

I have shot at 100 yards in a Benchtrest match where the black rings on the target were completely washed out, and you couldn't see your group until it got posted. 36X scopes of course, which exacerbate the problem. The bold black square on the target would be all you could make out, and that barely.

 

[LoonWulf]

Come down here and shoot some matches in the 95 degree heat, targets are shimmering so bad it's hard to see hit indicators, much less splash

Sure, as long as y'all don't expect me to actually hit anything!
Actually.....are blanks legal? I'd be about as effective with them as I would with match grade ammo....... probably have as much fun also lol.

 

[GE-Mini-Gun]

I had a Pentax PF-100ED years ago…I could see 6.5mm holes in the black at 600yrds under the right conditions and in the white pretty much until dark. Could see some bigger caliber holes at 1k, but it had to be perfect conditions and I mean perfect…last I looked think they were in the $2k range. Nice scope but you are not going to hang it off a standard tripod without it moving, the slightest wind will move it like crazy.

 

[Tinker-S]

Money isn't an issue. I just keep reading mixed reviews on every single Long Range Spotting Scope I see. I look at this as an investment. Why get a 500 yard Scope when you will need a 1,000 yard Scope three months from now?


Thanks Everyone.

Since money is not an issue, go with a Leupold MKIV with Mil Dots. That is what most people (the cool guys that compete at PRS matches and have sponsors) at my local range uses. I like those because the spotter can correct the shooter with ease and they are compact. I use an inexpensive scope that does the trick all the way to 1000Yds to spot hit or misses, but it does not have a reticle, so my spotter (My wife) calls up or down, left or right and I have to figure the rest.