Spotting scope for 100 to 200 yard targets.

[PinnedAndRecessed]

I've currently got a Bushnell Stalker spotting scope, 15-45X. It's ok for handgun to 50 yard.

But I need something stronger for rifle. What power should I consider?
20-60X? More?

thanx.

 

[Legionnaire]

Minimum 25X. Better to spend more on better optics than higher magnification. Look at the Konus scope offered by Jim Owens at http://www.jarheadtop.com. Might be the best optics for the $$ going.

 

[Jim Watson]

More power won't help much, you need better resolution. Better scope. More money. Few target shooters use over 25-27X. Still won't pick a bullet hole out of the black at any great long range. I read 300 yards, I might believe 200.

The Konus isn't bad.
http://www.jarheadtop.com/KONUS.htm

 

[chestnut ridge]

I have used many different brands of spotting scopes in high power
rifle competition. The course of fire is 200,300 and 600 yards.
The power of the scope is less important than the "quality."
20x is the best power; since mirage often causes any advantage of the
higher power to be lost. This means big bucks for a truly great scope.
But keep looking on Ebay and try to steal a Bausch & Lomb Senior
spotting scope made in the 60's. These were top of the line in their day;
and still are better than all but the high end scopes. Get the 20x eyepiece.
I have bought several in the 125 to 175 dollar range. good luck

 

[obm]

i have the konus. i took a precision rifle course where we shot from 100 to 600yds. it's useful up to 200yds...beyond that i guess it's up to the shooter's eyes.

 

[Jon Coppenbarger]

I have seen a few of the varible scopes work real well at those ranges in the right conditions.
when you do not have much mirage and heat you can really zoom in with those.
But on the other hand when you can not see 223 holes with a good scope you can not see them with a little less expensive one.

I have watched 223 holes at 300 yards in the right conditions but 200 yards in usually about it and in most cases just fine.
Now 30 cal holes out to 300 yards with good optics is not uncommon.

 

[loki.fish]

I found this place to be helpful when trying to figure out which spotting scope I should get.

 

[Omnivore]

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[Omnivore]

Good comments here. Absolutely go for quality rather than magnification. If it means you have to wait, then wait. Otherwise you'll just be waisting good money on a bad scope and your good scope will have to wait even longer (ask me how I know).

I regularly spot .30 caliber holes at 100 yards with an 8x Leupold rifle scope, and at 200 yards with decent 20x binocs on a stand. That's in good lighting conditions.

If 200 yards is your maximum, 60x is a lot more than you need. Less magnification will make for an easier-to-use scope, and a really good 20x will beat the pants off a poor 60x. My 4-14x SA rifle scope sees more detail than my cheap 20-60x spoting scope. The trouble is, I wouldn't have believed if I hadn't waisted the money and saw for myself.

Also, make sure the spotting scope has enough eye relief so you can use it while wearing shooting glasses. Seriously, I don't understand what some optics manufacturers were smoking, but the scopes you see on the counter at your average neighborhood gun store all seem to be made for bird watchers with contacts. For a shooter, (who, you know, wears safety glasses?) you have to take your shot, remove your glasses, spot your shot, put your glasses back on, then reposition your ear muffs 'cause they got shifted when you removed and reinstalled your glasses, repeat. Am I the only person who's has this problem?