spotting or telescope?

[ghostwriter]

Well, when I went to the range and was shooting out to the 300 yd mark, it was easy to see the holes but when I moved the target out to the 500-600 range, well... my nightforce scope turned up to the max (12-42 x 56 NXS) was better that the spotting scope at seeing the target but with a dark dirt background the black holes on the paper were impossible to see with the conditions. I can just imagine how useless it would be at the 600 and up range.

Anyone use a telescope like the celestron c-80 or equiv. instead of a spotting scope and how did it work for the long range stuff? How far out could you make out holes in the paper with a .30 cal round? Any recommendations?

 

[MattTheHat]

You can certainly use a telescope, but on many (if not most) designs, you're going to be looking at an upside down target. Other than that, a telescope is generally going to be a lot less portable than a spotting scope.


-Matt

 

[Jasper1573]

About a month ago, I was shooting in a competition at 500 yards. One of the fellows next to me was using a reflector type telescope (Celestron brand) to spot his .308 Win rounds. I asked him how it was doing, and he said that even with a telescope, he still couldn't see the bullet holes at 500 yards.

I have a Yukon spotting scope that has a 100 mm objective and goes up to 100x; it has reasonably clear optics and gathers plenty of light even at higher power settings. But it is really difficult past 300 yards to see 30 cal bullet holes in a black target with a cardboard backing.

On a metal plate painted white (used for sighter shots) there were no problems even at 500 yards.

Jasper

 

[hermannr]

Celestron makes a C5 "spotting telescope" with a built in Barlow so you will see things right side up. Power is dependent on the objective lens. Whatever you use it is difficult, but this is the ultimate spotting scope. (5")

http://www.celestron.com/c3/product.php?CatID=90&ProdID=207

 

[Harvey/ Ga]

Most of the Celestron/Meade scopes have a long focal length...F-10 or more in most cases. The traditional spotting scopes for shooting are about F-5 or F-6.

I've tried my Meade 2045, F-10 with 4 inch mirror. With bright sunlight on the target, it's usable...can't honestly say 30 cal. holes at 600 unless there's something to backlight the target. I've also used an F4.5 scope and saw holes at 600, but the target was backlighted by the sky.

spotting holes in the black at that distance is very iffy at best. Too much magnification brings mirage into the picture. 32X is what the GI shooting coaches use in their big 4 inch Unertls.

I'd look into a good 70-80mm spotting scope..Kowa is very good, so are others. Don't settle for less then 60mm.

 

[cavman]

I was interested in getting started in HighPower shooting and wanted to get info about scopes.

I came across this site and gave him a call. I have since learned he is well known and well respected.

When I asked about getting a scope so I could see my holes at 600 yards, he replied, "When you find one, let me know".

I then learned that scoping at that distance is less for the holes in paper, and more for seeing the bullet trace through the air to call your shots.

http://www.jarheadtop.com/default.htm

 

[Jim Watson]

Uh, you are not looking through the spotting scope while YOUR bullet is generating a trace. And coaching is not allowed in conventional matches.

The main applications of the spotting scope are to see the large contrasting scoring markers and to read the mirage as a way of estimating windage.

I have not seen anything that will reliably pick bullet holes out of a paper target at any great range, although I have not fooled with the astronomical scopes. I fear mirage and other atmospheric limits to resolution would overcome even their large lenses and mirrors.

There is some work being done with small video cameras relaying images of the target back to a monitor or laptop at the firing line. Not allowed in matches but it sure would be convenient for solitary practice.

 

[Wylie1]

Rifle Scope! LOL!
This thing wouldn't hold zero so it became my range scope today after a very labor intensive 20 minutes or so of work. LMAO! I think I took ten minutes finding the tap and drill bit!

 

[joneb]

Anyone use a telescope like the celestron c-80 or equiv.

I think a spotting scope would be more weather resistant, telescopes are not used when it's raining.
I have used a 80mm F5 refractor with a correct image diagonal and it works ok I use 10mm,12.5mm and 15mm eyepieces for 40x, 32x and 26x magnification.
How much do you want to spend ?
Here are some budget options, http://www.telescope.com/control/ca...y=binoculars/~VIEW_INDEX=0/~VIEW_SIZE=1000000
more, http://www.adorama.com/catalog.tpl?...g Scopes and Accessories&cat3=Spotting Scopes

 

[zoom6zoom]

This is the one I use.
http://www.telescope.com/control/te...orion-goscope-70-backpack-refractor-telescope

 

[anyheck]

Making images appear right-side-up can be done using an "erecting eyepiece" or a roof or Porro prism.